Crabs Could Influence the Next Robot Designs

October 26, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

A research team led by Dr Jan Hemmi of the Visual Sciences Group has achieved a first time achievement by working out how fiddler crabs perceive their world and respond to it. Their research, which is carried out in the Research School of Biology at The Vision Centre and Australian National University, is also expected to assist in the design of better machine vision for robots.  

Fiddler crabs are relatively simple creatures that must process visual signals and respond rapidly.  (As all organisms must do.)  Their eyes are the secret to their ability to do this.  In a fiddler crab, the eyes do not move.  Instead, they have have 9,000 eye facets and see in all directions including above.  However, the eyes only collect the information that is absolutely needed for the crab to survive in its environment.  So, some eye facets see detail, while others see a general view of the landscape .  Crabs also see in ultraviolet as well as other colors of light.

The researchers built a crab treadmill to test out how a crab sees and responds to what it sees.  The complete research in published in a paper, The topography of vision in the fiddler crab Uca vomeris.  Which was published in The Journal of Experimental Biology, 2009; 212: pp 3522-3532.   You can click on the links below to see the rest of the articles on this post.  Also, see the media release, Crabs in a Colourful and Threatening World for more on this topic.

Image: The Vision Centre and ScienceAlert

Crabs could influence robot design
ABC Online
"The lesson really is that you need to work out what information your robot needs to do whatever job it is meant to do," he said. …
Scientists map crabs' vision ScienceAlert
all 2 news articles »

Crabs could influence robot design – ABC Online
(author unknown)
Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:17:25 GMT

Filed Under: Nature, Robots · Tagged With: , , , , ,

Firefighting Robots

October 8, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

These little robots from South Korea are designed to be the first responders inside a burning structure.  As such, they are the eyes and sensors for the human firefighters.  Their job is to help plan a path through the inferno to let the humans safely extinguish the blaze.  In this article from PhysOrg.com, this robot and one other firefighting bot are detailed.  You can click on the links below to see the whole story and also a video of these little machines in action.

firefighting robot

Credit:  Hoya Robot

(PhysOrg.com) — Two South Korean firms have developed mini firefighting robots to help human firefighters safely plan their course of action before entering a blazing building. Hoya Robot has developed a Firefighters Assistance Robot (dubbed a Fire …

South Korea's little firefighting robots (w/ Video) – PhysOrg
(author unknown)
Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:19:00 GMT

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Robots That Model the Movements of Schooling Fish

October 1, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Here is a robot modeled on the movements of fish that travel in schools.  In a story by writer Carrie Melago from the New York Daily News, these robots based on fish are detailed.  What is interesting is that these robots are not really fishbots that swim in the water – they maneuver on dry land.  It is thought that this fish schooling behavior can be modeled by robots in a project to develop safer automobiles.  After all, if you have ever watched schools of fish swimming along, how often to the fish ever have a collision with other fish in the school?  So, this idea may have some merit and a very practical application.  Treat cars traveling on roads like schools of fish to prevent accidents.  And, as you can see from the photo below, these little guys really do resemble the Eve robot from the movie “WALL-E”.  Read the complete story from nydailynews.com  or click on the link below.

alg_robot-cars_eporo

Credit:  Tsuno/Getty

Nissan engineers unveil their 'Eporo' robots in a convoy at a press preview in Yokohama Thursday.

Cool! All-new fish robot
(author unknown)
Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:47:50 GMT

Filed Under: Nature, Robots · Tagged With: , , , ,

Weekly Newswrap

September 27, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

For this week’s newswrap, there are four stories.  First, from Saturday, is the article about the chemical-detecting robot built by a high school student as a science fair project.  Read the article to find out how it was done.  And yes, it was made from LEGOs!  Second, there is a story on a biologically inspired robot. This one is built by the US Navy to clean barnacles from the bottom of ship’s hulls.  The BUG or Bio-inspired Underwater Grooming robot works by using suction to attach to the hull of a ship.  Third is a post on snakebots.  (I couldn’t let the week go by without a snakebot!)  Of course, it is from Carnegie Mellon and the story has great details on the snakebots developed there.  Finally, there are the Tai Chi robots from Beijing.  Watch the video to see the robots in action.

High School Student Develops Chemical-Detecting Robot – Ethiopian Review

High School Student Develops Chemical-Detecting Robot
Ethiopian Review
You made THAT with Legos!,” exclaimed the children who crowded around my robot on Public Day at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair this …

High School Student Develops Chemical-Detecting Robot – Ethiopian Review
(author unknown)
Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:51:18 GMT

US Navy's Bio-inspired Underwater Grooming Robot

The US Navy is trying to save some money by making their ships more fuel efficient. Keeping a ship's hull free of barnacles, oysters, algae, and other marine life can decrease fuel consumption by up to 40 percent and increase speed by 10 percent. To do the job of cleaning, or "grooming", a vessel's hull, the Office of Naval Research has developed the Bio-inspired Underwater Grooming (BUG) robot (PDF format). The BUG is an autonomous robot that uses negative pressure vortex regenerative fluid movement (which civilians refer to as "suction") to stick to the hull of a ship. Four wheels drive it forward while sensors including biofilm detectors and flourometers allow it to avoid obstacles and plan paths that will take it toward fouled surfaces. The Navy hopes BUGs will be online by 2015, saving up $500 million in maintenance costs per ship while reducing the Navy's carbon footprint. The robot could also be used on non-military ships and yachts. For more info, see the ONR news release.

US Navy's Bio-inspired Underwater Grooming Robot
Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:42:46 GMT

Robotic Snakes – The Future of Things

snake_thumb 

Carnegie Mellon's Robotic Snake 
(Source: Carnegie Mellon University) via TFOT

Robotic Snakes
The Future of Things
TFOT has previously covered the Snake-Inspired Military Robot, developed by IDF, and Serpentine Climbing Robots, developed by RoMeLa of the College of …

Robotic Snakes – The Future of Things
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:26:37 GMT

T'ai Chi robots to rule the world? – CNET News

T'ai Chi robots to rule the world?
CNET News
Humanoid robots developed at the Beijing Institute of Technology can do more than perform T'ai Chi maneuvers and answer simple questions …

T'ai Chi robots to rule the world? – CNET News
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:36:49 GMT

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Robot Floor Tiles Could Have Applications

September 22, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

Can you say Holodeck?  I always wondered how the human actors in a virtual reality world would move around in the pretend environment.  Now, I have a good idea.  

These tiles could provide the answer to contructing a realistic simulation experience.  If you watch the video of these tiles in action on You Tube, you will notice they move too slowly in their current state of development to make this idea work.  But, if they can be made to perform at a faster rate, and in a manner so that the walking human does not have wait for the tiles, then these could be an incredible development. 

Using a conductive fabric, the robotic tiles work by sensing the foot pressure and placement.  Ultrasonic sensors transmit the signals to a central processing unit that controls the tiles movements.  It seems to me that these tiles could have a practical use in addition to the possible virtual reality applications.  I could see a future moving sidewalk in an airport made of these tiles instead of the continuous belts used now.  

You can read the article at PhysOrg.com by following the link below.  Make sure to check out the video on You Tube.


PhysOrg.com

Robot Floor Tiles Move Beneath Your Feet
PhysOrg.com
The Robot Tiles provide an infinite walkway that might have applications in virtual reality. Credit: Hiroo Iwata. (PhysOrg.com) — In a stroke of odd …
and more »

Robot Floor Tiles Move Beneath Your Feet – PhysOrg.com
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 23:33:12 GMT

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Weekly Newswrap

September 20, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

This week’s RobotNext Newswrap brings you five stories with a robot-animal theme.  In the case of the Bloodbot from Thursday, it was not built to mimic a vampire bat, the story only makes that connection to express what might be a common fear about this machine.  And, the pet care robot does not recreate an animal, it is designed to take care of your animal.  The other three stories are all about biomimetics.  There are Panda robots, a robot arm modeled after an octopus arm, and a robotic guide dog concept.  Check out the stories at the links below.

Taiwan lab develops panda robot

… of scientists hopes to add new dimensions to the island's reputation as a high-tech power. The Centre for Intelligent Robots Research aims to develop pandas that are friendlier and more artistically endowed than their endangered real-life …

Taiwan lab develops panda robot
Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:15:51 GMT

Bloodbot combines your worst vampire and robot fears » Coolest Gadgets

Bloodbot combines your worst vampire and robot fears on Coolest Gadgets.
Coolest Gadgets – http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/

Bloodbot combines your worst vampire and robot fears » Coolest Gadgets
Mark R
Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:41:16 GMT

Acrobatic Octopus Arm Could Be Model for Flexible Robots – Wired News  

Acrobatic Octopus Arm Could Be Model for Flexible Robots
Wired News
“This is very important for robotics. If you build a robot with many degrees of freedom, it becomes very difficult to control.” said Laschi, who was not …

Acrobatic Octopus Arm Could Be Model for Flexible Robots – Wired News
Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:47:55 GMT

Michigan Students to Develop RFID-enabled Robotic Guide Dog

After developing an RFID-enabled cane, Central Michigan University students hope to use what they've learned to create a robot that can read EPC Gen 2 tags to guide the blind.

Michigan Students to Develop RFID-enabled Robotic Guide Dog
Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:48:05 GMT

PetCare Robot Concept is Quite Worthy

Walyou

But, if you have one of these robots at home, you don't have to worry about your pet at all – the robot acts as a spare guardian of your pet. …
See all stories on this topic

PetCare Robot Concept is Quite Worthy
Walyou
Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:59:05 GMT

Filed Under: Newswrap · Tagged With: , ,

Robot Swarms for Defense and Emergency Missions

September 19, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

A relative newcomer to the world of robotics is developing a system of robots that can work together to carry-out tasks for military or emergency situations. This University of New Mexico invention will be made up of four-wheeled surface robots and aerial robotic craft that work together to scope out danger in military or emergency situations.  The university’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department invested about $500,000 to outfit the lab for these robots in 2007, said Associate Professor Rafael Fierro, a systems and control engineer who coordinates the research program.  There are several different types of robots, both air and ground, that work together in this project.  As a team, the robots can sense or detect radiation, chemicals, or other dangers, and then alert their human handlers or deal with the situation themselves.  You can click on the photo below to see a larger version of one of the robotic vehicles developed in this lab.

TXT-1 Robot 

Photo Credit:  MARHES Lab and University of New Mexico

UNM develops robot teams for defense, emergency tasks
New Mexico Business Weekly

“We’re creating multi-vehicle systems with applications in defense and emergency situations,” Fierro said. “The robots can detect things, such as radiation, dangerous chemicals and other hazardous materials. They can also provide emergency wireless communications in disaster areas to find victims and to provide real-time information to search-and-rescue teams.”

UNM develops robot teams for defense, emergency tasks – New Mexico Business Weekly
Sun, 20 Sep 2009 00:40:10 GMT

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Snake Robots to Become More Intelligent

September 16, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

If researchers in Norway are successful, a more intelligent snakebot could be crawling its way up a pipe near you.  Scientists at SINTEF in Norway are working to make snake robots as smart as a teenager.  These robotic snakes have many possible applications besides inspecting pipes.  One possibility is that of acting as a robotic fire hose.  The snakebot could use the high pressure water in the hose as its power source and as the fire extinguisher.  Of course, these types of robots are also being explored as possible search and rescue devices since they could reach areas inaccessible to other more conventional machines.  See one of the previous posts here at RobotNext on snakebots.  Read the complete article at PhysOrg.com.  Follow the links below. 


Image source: PhysOrg.com

The robot children
PhysOrg.com
The brains of the snake robots are still no more advanced than that of a one-year-old, but scientists at SINTEF (Norway) want to bring them up to the level …

The robot children – PhysOrg.com
Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:07:30 GMT

Filed Under: Nature, Robots · Tagged With: , , , , ,

Robotics Teams Featured on PBS Special

September 15, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

This public television special showed in our area last week, but it is scheduled to show at various times at other locations throughout the United States during the month of September.  You can see the promo at You Tube by clicking on the image below.  If you get a chance, watch the entire program.  It is well worth it to see how students do the seemingly impossible task they are given during a FIRST competition.  The following excerpt from the Gearing Up website says it all:

“Gearing Up, a one-hour documentary produced by KETC St. Louis and STORY HOUSE PRODUCTIONS chronicles behind-the-scenes drama and excitement leading up to the 2008 FIRST Robotics National Competition.Teams receive identical robot kits with no instructions and have just six weeks to build a robot capable of performing specific tasks. We follow four teams in their regional competitions: Miss Daisy, a seasoned team from Ambler, Pennsylvania; RoboDoves, a small, all-girl rookie team from Baltimore, Maryland; Rambotics, a team of teenaged felons incarcerated at the Ridge View Academy correctional facility for boys in Watkins, Colorado; and Ratchet Rockers, a group of suburban kids from Wentzville, Missouri.”

Gearing up 2

Image Credit:  KETC St. Louis and STORY HOUSE PRODUCTIONS

Six weeks. Identical kits. No instructions. All assembly required.

Will they succeed? Will they fail? Gearing Up details the triumphs and disasters high school students encounter while sharing ideas and solving technical challenges.

http://www.gearingupproject.org/

Filed Under: FIRST · Tagged With: , , , ,

iRobot Lights Up SPARK for Robotics Education

September 8, 2009 by · Leave a Comment

I have thought for some time now that iRobot could really make an impact in robotics education.  The Robot Stock News blog has this article about the new program sponsored by iRobot that may finally be the thing that promotes robotics education for the company.  After all, they are pioneers in robotics, and as such, it is to their advantage to promote the learning side of robotics.  The iRobot Create has long been touted as an education tool, but I far as I know, it has never lived up to its billing.  Too bad, since I personally like the Create as an education platform.  Lots of potential for development in that system.  So, this is a worthy effort and one deserving of wide-spread support.  One thing for sure is that there cannot be enough robotics education programs.  Students love robots and robots will be the hook to get kids into science, math, engineering, and technology fields.

The photo thumbnail below links to the CNET article from January 7, 2007 on robots built using the Create base platform.  If you look there, you will see a robot that can hand you a canned beverage, a hamster-steered robot, and an robot that serves up advertisements.

Create_back_angle_550x413

Photo Credit:  iRobot

Here's some real exciting news — iRobot is getting ready to debut a major new effort to kickstart robotics education. It's called SPARK, and iRobot is testing a new website to go along with the effort, with what looks like a dozen major partner. The website is at this link.

iRobot Launching "SPARK" Program to Ramp Up Robotics Education
thorn_stevens (noreply@blogger.com)
Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:26:00 GMT

Filed Under: Robots · Tagged With: , , ,
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