AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: "Ladybird" autonomous robot to help out down on the farm
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: ladybird-autonomous-robot-to-help-out-down-on-the-farm
CATEGORY: Agriculture
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2014/07/ladybird-autonomous-robot-to-help-out-down-on-the-farm.html
DATE: 07/02/2014 10:19:24 PM
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Agricultural robots are beginning to come into their own. This article on the “Ladybird” robot explains how one type of machine is being developed to help farmers conduct a host of operations on many types of crops. This “bug” won’t eat the insects, but will collect various kinds of data to help determine the problems and how to control them. See below for the link to the article and for links to other information on related robotics projects.
“Ladybirds are happily welcomed by gardeners into their yards, knowing that they will consume the most prolific plant pests like white flies, mites, and aphids. Imagine, then, how useful an autonomous, solar-powered, intelligent robotic ladybird could be on a farm. Enter the University of Sydney’s "Ladybird," not actually an eater of insect pests, but a robot capable of conducting mobile farm reconnaissance, mapping, classification, and detection of problems for a variety of different crops. ..” Continue Reading "Ladybird" autonomous robot to help out down on the farm Section:Robotics Tags:Agriculture, Autonomous, Farming, Robotics, Robots, University of Sydney Related Articles:
Robotic-enhanced humans are wave of the future, researchers say
The future is now, say researchers, when it comes to robotic enhancements for humans. And as robotic technology rapidly advances, the distinction between humans and robots will begin to blur, according to a report in Computerworld.
The end of the week is here and its time to look back and see some of the stories about robotics from the past few days. Here are the links to the items that showed up on the RobotNext feeds over the past few days. Enjoy.
"I am looking for (a) floor cleaning robot(s)." Robot Reviews - http://bit.ly/1iItmi2
"First animatronic robots speaking any world language appearing in Astana." AKIpress News Agency - http://bit.ly/1iItIFn
"Haslett High School robotics team takes top 'bot' in the world." Lansing State Journal | lansingstatejournal.com - http://on.lsj.com/1iIuimr
Robotics may open the way to new jobs that we cannot imagine right now. Yes, it is unsettling to realize that robots may take our current jobs, but we must be prepared to accept that new careers and work will be generated by this dramatic change.
Will self-driving cars take us to our jobs of the future? When we were kids, we dreamed of becoming doctors, lawyers, astronauts. Now the future generation has a new group of jobs to choose from thanks to advancements in technology. "Telesurgeons will ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Flying Robot Can Be Your Running Coach
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BASENAME: flying-robot-can-be-your-running-coach
CATEGORY: Sports
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2012/06/flying-robot-can-be-your-running-coach.html
DATE: 06/04/2012 05:59:38 PM
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If you have ever worried about venturing out on your own for a run, then this robot is what you need. This little flying bot can fly along side of you and keep you company. Or if you want more than that, then it has an advanced mode where it goes in front of you and encourages you to go faster. It works be locking in on a target on your shirt and then staying with you. Not only does this machine provide companionship or coaching, but it could provide a sense of security. Although, I don’t think this was the original intent of the designers, this robot could be of great use to watch over the lone runner out on a long run. It seems to me that the robot could be modified to signal if the runner is motionless for a period of time. If the runner is injured or ill, then help could be on the way. With a little more programming and GPS hardware, maybe the robot could also track location and mileage. To me the potential for this flying exercise monitor is tremendous. It is not yet in production and still needs development work (it only has a battery life of about 20 minutes), but I look forward to seeing where this goes.
Chad Toprak with his hovering robot. Photo: Craig Sillitoe
The RMIT honors student is part of the team behind the Joggobot, an autonomous whizzing device that levitates in front of joggers and encourages them to get fit.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: A Robot That Cleans Your Room—Finally!
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BASENAME: a-robot-that-cleans-your-roomfinally
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2012/05/a-robot-that-cleans-your-roomfinally.html
DATE: 05/23/2012 06:24:16 PM
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It’s true that there are robots for almost every thankless task around the house. Although a few of the most hated ones still need that robotic help. For example, a robot that folds clothes, puts away the dishes, or even loads the dishwasher would be nice. I know robots to do all these tasks, and more, are in development, but they are just not there yet. Now, here comes a robot that will pick up the stuff laying around your room or office. Its about time. But, don’t blame the robot or its developers. The room cleaning activity is just not easy for a robot. The robot must know what the objects are, that they are out of place, and where they go. For a robot to accomplish all that is very slick. (Just remember how much you hate this task and you know what’s what in the room!) So, how long will it be before a robot is developed that can do all the tasks that now take a fleet of robots? That is probably several years away at best. We can always hope that we live to see that robot to make our lives even easier than they are now.
There's a robot for just about every thankless household chore — one scoops poop, another folds towels, there's even one that pours beer. Now, thankfully, there's a robot that tidies up a messy room. The room-cleaning task is more difficult than it ... See all stories on this topic »
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robotic Lifeguard to Assist Their Human Counterparts
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BASENAME: robotic-lifeguard-to-assist-their-human-counterparts
CATEGORY: Current Affairs
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2012/05/robotic-lifeguard-to-assist-their-human-counterparts.html
DATE: 05/22/2012 06:36:02 PM
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This robot lifeguard assists the human lifeguards by zipping out to the distressed swimmer and providing a flotation device until other help arrives. The robotic lifeguard goes by the acronym “EMILY”. “EMILY” is named for a 13 year old California girl that died tragically. There are issues with this lifeguard assistant. For one thing, the device may not be useful with children swimming in shallow waters. Also, it may not be able to help swimmers that have already gone under the surface. Finally, there is the expense. These devices cost upwards of $23,000 for two of the “EMILY”s plus training for two lifeguards. With these potential drawbacks many wonder if the robots are worth the cost when they are basically untried.
As with robots in other areas of life, time will be the judge of their usefulness and cost effectiveness. What do you think? Is it always worth it to try new applications for robotics?
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Paralyzed Patients Use Thoughts to Direct Robotic Arms
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BASENAME: paralyzed-patients-use-thoughts-to-direct-robotic-arms
CATEGORY: Medicine
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2012/05/paralyzed-patients-use-thoughts-to-direct-robotic-arms.html
DATE: 05/16/2012 02:41:43 PM
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Personal assistance robots may have just become much more user friendly. According to Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD, of Brown University in Providence, R.I., and colleagues in a recent research project, two patients in a clinical trial were able to directly control robotic arms by using their thoughts.
Dr. Hochberg related in a paper published in the May 17 issue of Nature, “Using an investigational neural interface system -- called BrainGate – two quadriplegics in a clinical trial were able to direct robotic arms to touch and grab foam balls.”
One of the patients was even able to grab a bottle of coffee and drink through a straw by controlling a heavy-duty arm, the researchers reported . The patient had not been able to do that by herself in nearly 15 years.
It seems to me that this may open the whole field of robotics to the idea of controlling machines with thoughts. Think of a robotic vacuum cleaner that you could direct to a spot that it missed during its cleaning runs. Even better a robotic exoskeleton that a paralyzed patient could direct to allow them to walk around and carry out fundamental tasks. This is merely the logical extension of the outcome of this research.
Imagine the freedom that mobility-impaired people would gain with the full development of this technology. Truly amazing stuff!
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Space Robots May Service Satellites
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BASENAME: space-robots-may-service-satellites
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2012/05/space-robots-may-service-satellites.html
DATE: 05/15/2012 07:08:52 PM
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Two companies are building robots to service dying satellites and keep them functioning in orbit. The question with the idea is whether or not this process would save money over the current practice of abandoning and/or replacing the dead satellites. At this time, it just does not seem financially feasible to have robots repair or refuel satellites even though the technology certainly is at the level needed to carryout these operations.
Photo Credit: NASA
Robotic droids prepared to extend lives of satellites Examiner.com Orbiting our planet is a vast multitude of satellites, some long dead and some still carrying out their mission. Once a satellite breaks down it's nearly impossible to fix it due to the massive costs of sending a specialized crew of astronauts to get ... and more »
The question of how to help American students succeed in high tech subjects continues to be on the forefront of public discussion nationwide. One of the answers is occurring on a regular basis in communities across the country. Robotics intrigues students in a way that only a few topics can. In a recent era, space exploration held this fascination for young people and inspired a generation to take on science and engineering. Now, it appears robotics is at center stage for many students. The photo above is from a robotics competition held at the University of North Dakota. In this contest, the robots are programmed to act as sumo wrestlers. The robots push each other until one is shoved out of the ring.
Robotics classes are becoming more common in schools and robotics competitions are sweeping the nation. There are many types of competitions with acronyms such as FIRST or BEST. Take the following article in the San Antonio Express News about the local BEST competition. Students spent six weeks building robots to undertake a complex task centered around the theme of Bugs! Forrest Mims III, an amateur scientist who writes a column in the San Antonio Express News, states that robotics may be the key to improving education, especially in science and technology. You can read the full article at the link below.
The educational performance of US students has fallen dramatically in recent decades. Parents and educators can help reverse the tide by involving their students in robotics and science fairs. See www.sabest.org for details about BEST. ...
The age of personal robots is at hand (video) VentureBeat If the past 50 years saw the rise of industrial robots, the next 50 will be about the age of personal robots. That's the view of Steve Cousins (pictured above), chief executive of Willow Garage, the Menlo Park, Calif.-based maker of personal robots...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Next-Generation Robot Inspector for Nuclear Power Plants
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2011/07/next-generation-robot-inspector-for-nuclear-power-plants.html
DATE: 07/15/2011 09:51:55 PM
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A fast, reliable robot is needed to minimize downtime when nuclear reactors are inspected. Energid is developing this robot just for that purpose. Also, this robot could be used for disaster work in damaged reactors such as the ones disabled in the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. Energid has experience in developing robots for NASA and so has a great deal of experience in robotics. Read the complete story at the link below.
Energid Technologies Corp. of Cambridge said it has developed a next-generation robot prototype to inspect nuclear power plants as part of an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. While the robots could be used in disaster situations ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots That Can Be Controlled From Orbit
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CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2011/07/robots-that-can-be-controlled-from-orbit.html
DATE: 07/06/2011 03:32:42 PM
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Photo Credit: NASA
Robots have long been the pathfinders for the exploration of space. Surveyor landers went to the surface of the Moon to test out the surface before men walked on it. Mars has been host to a number of robotic explorers paving the way for future human landings there. Even when people finally get to orbit the Red Planet, they will probably want to send out robotic probes to test out the expected landing sites first. This technology might even find its way to planets or moons outside our solar system. To do this, the astronauts will need to control the robots from orbit. This is the purpose of a new rover being developed by the European Space Agency. Read the article at the link below for more details.
Experts with the European Space Agency (ESA) announce the creation of a new rover, which is meant to act as a testbed for a new remote-control technology. Astronauts in low-Earth orbit (LEO) will control the machine through specialized, exoskeleton-like ...
This project is by phroseph at insctructables.com. He built a voice controlled robot using the the Android APIs and an iRobot. Its a great instructables giving specifics on how to build and the parts you well need. So far with his design you can tell the robot to move in all for direction by saying forward, back, left, right. He notes there is lots of room to expand on his design.
"In all, this was a fun project, and an easy way to get started in robotics." -phroseph
So get your hands dirty and let see your designs.
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AUTHOR: What3Laws?
TITLE: Building a Linux Robot
STATUS: Draft
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BASENAME: building-a-linux-robot
CATEGORY: Build It
CATEGORY: Robots
CATEGORY: Science
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2011/07/building-a-linux-robot.html
DATE: 07/05/2011 11:48:27 AM
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What can be cooler than building a Robot? Using Linux to power that robot. That rights build a robot to be controlled by Linux. Why might you want to do this, well first off the linux is a free open source operating system. You'll find that Linux provides lots of open source software for robitic simulation and since it open source you'll find that tweeking might easier, if your a programer. Of course there is a learning curve, if you have never used Linux before, but you can't beat free and open to modify how you see fit.
Here is one person at linuxpcrobot.org that built a robot for around $500.
"The objective of LinuxPCRobot.org is to build a fully functional robotic development platform for $500 or less using linux, commonly available components, a little skill, and some good old fashioned scrounging."
Not only is Linux being used to build robots in peoples garages, but also in different industries and in research.
Here is an article from linuxdevices.com discussing different robots being built that use Linux to control them. They give a reference guide to showing the Neuronics Katana Robotic Arm, Ugobe Pleo, Isamu and more.
"...offers an interesting glimpse into of some Linux-powered robots currently available or near production, and provides an extensive reading list with further information on Linux in robotics."
Look around and share any Linux robots you know about.
Researchers at Harvard Universiy built a kilobot for robot swarm research for $14 a robot. Usually to have a robot this size for reseach is very expensive per robot, but they managed to do it for $14 a robot. In their research paper they explain where and how they cut cost and able to still have an efffective robot for reseach. The robot uses vibration for movement, and is powered by a coin cell battery. Check out the site for some interesting video demostrations of their 25 kilobots.
"...we present Kilobot, a low-cost robot designed to make testing collective algorithms on hundreds or thousands of robots accessible to robotics researchers."
For more ideas of what these bots are good for, check out one of our old post by Mike Henry.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Taking Over Typical Human Roles in the Job Market
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robots-taking-over-typical-human-roles-in-the-job-market
CATEGORY: Current Affairs
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2011/06/robots-taking-over-typical-human-roles-in-the-job-market.html
DATE: 06/24/2011 01:28:26 PM
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Two stories this week caught my attention. Both are among examples of robots moving into jobs that were once the sole province of humans. As the photo above suggests, sometimes we are being dragged into this future where robots replace humans in routine work. Robotic bellhops are now replacing their human counterparts for at least some functions. In the case of this new hotel, the robot is there to check luggage for early arrivals when the rooms are not ready. Meanwhile, in Australia, robot miners are due to start work in some mines. In this situation, the typical miner may find that their job does not end. Instead the miner may move to an office where they control their robotic counterparts down in the shafts. The robot miners are being brought in to address a labor shortage and to increase productivity of the mines in the face of increase demand.
Still, humans are facing a situation in which robots will be taking over many work functions where the tasks are routine, monotonous, dangerous, or require precise repetition. That is certainly the case in these two stories.
So, what does this mean? Will women and men face unemployment because of robots? This does not have to be the case. One key here is that humans will always be needed to do what only humans can do. The other key is education. This means learning to operate, maintain, design, and build the robotic workers. People will have to upgrade their skills though high tech learning. One must also remember that humans have the creativity and intelligence that robots do not have at the current time. For me, it is an open question as to whether or not robots will ever equal the creativity and flexibility of a human brain, even if machines become “intelligent”.
Follow the links in the story links below to find out more about these robots. And be sure to let me know what you think about this issue of robots replacing human jobs.
Trendy, New NYC Hotel with a Robotic Bellhop
Meet the luggage robot. It's the first of several high-tech, sleek amenities guests encounter at the Yotel, a new hotel that aims to provide a trendy stay at an affordable price. Purple lighting, throbbing music in the elevators and ... Examiner AP
PERTH (Reuters) - Some Australian mine workers may soon find themselves trading in their steel-toed boots for a headset and computer mouse, as mining companies automate to help plug labour shortages and ramp up output to feed Asia's voracious demand for ...
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AUTHOR: low energy pc
EMAIL: jhacinto29@yahoo.com
IP: 112.204.6.182
URL: http://www.lowenergypc.org.uk
DATE: 10/06/2011 04:43:35 AM
Since technology is moving forward and they continue to develop Robotics it seems that sooner all simple task is been manipulated buy robots which can function what you have program on it.
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AUTHOR: elliptical reviews
EMAIL: queenofusa@gmail.com
IP: 98.158.117.183
URL: http://www.topellipticalmachinereviews.com/
DATE: 12/12/2011 05:56:47 AM
No offense, but i suggest admin adding a google+ button for easy share!
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TITLE: Draft
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2011/06/draft.html
DATE: 06/19/2011 07:19:43 AM
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This is a test blog entry.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Powered by Waves on Missions to Help Humans Understand Oceans
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BASENAME: robots-powered-by-waves-on-missions-to-help-humans-understand-oceans
CATEGORY: Science
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2011/06/robots-powered-by-waves-on-missions-to-help-humans-understand-oceans.html
DATE: 06/17/2011 05:24:48 PM
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Here is a story about a unique robot able to harvest energy from the environment. Using a patented system of cables and fins, the robot is able to use waves in the ocean to propel itself through the water. There is a diagram explaining the system at the Liquid Robotics website. Wave Glider has so many possible applications that it is difficult to list them all, but a few of the missions this bot can carry out are environmental sensing, monitoring whales, and collecting ocean surface data. Read the article below for more on this amazing robot. Could a land-based robot do the same sort of thing and draw its power from the environment? Let me know what you think.
Liquid Robotics: Wave-powered robots serving diverse missions SYS-CON Media (press release) (blog) Liquid Robotics produces a wave-powered robot called the Wave Glider. This unmanned maritime vehicle (UMV) holds great promise in enhancing human understanding of the oceans, which will enable us to be better stewards of the essential resources it ...
The drive to develop robots that can traverse any type of surface, including vertical ones, has taken many approaches. As far as climbing walls, robots have relied on adhesives, magnets, and other types of gripper mechanisms. Now comes air. That’s right, air, but rapidly moving air that creates a suction force. The robot can climb walls, even over surfaces with a gap, using this non-contact gripping method. You can see the robot in action at the video link that follows the summary. Read the rest of the story at the link below to PhysOrg.com.
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TITLE: Waldron Students Put Creativity to work at Robotics Camp - The Times Record: Features
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Waldron Students Put Creativity to work at Robotics Camp - The Times Record: Features
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TITLE: Science|Business - The media network for research, industry and policy
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DATE: 01/25/2011 08:14:02 AM
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24 January 2011 [Artificial intelligence | Robotics]
Robots
get ready for mass markets
Fabrice Delaye, Science|Business
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne has
just opened the doors to a new national robotics research centre that aims to
usher in a new era of robots, designed to do useful things in ordinary
circumstances.
An automated grasshopper; a gyroscope that allows a robot cricket to balance
itself, before bouncing again and again; a small glider that flies and clings to
walls like a flying squirrel. When Mirko Kovac is showing off his ultra-light
robots in the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems (LIS) at the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (EPFL), it is almost like standing in front of one of
the graceful wire mobiles fashioned by the artist Alexander Calder. That’s
because these tiny automatons, so different from the bulky and complex androids
of Star Wars, take their inspiration from nature itself.
Looking to nature to inspire new designs is one of the most promising avenues
in robotics today, with the EPFL researchers leading the way. Along with the
LIS, three other EPFL laboratories - LASA – Learning Algorithms and Systems
Laboratory, managed by Aude Billard; DISAL – Distributed Intelligent Systems and
Algorithms Laboratory, led by Alchiero Martinoli; and BioRob – the Biorobotics
Laboratory, run by Auke Ijspeert, are taking a lead from biology when designing
new robots. Now, all four are coming together in a new dedicated robotics
centre, and within the next two years will have their own building on the
Lausanne campus.
Four-year funding
The move is funded by a four-year grant of CHF 13.3 million (€10 million) for
a National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), the lead programme of the
Swiss National Science Foundation. This was matched with CHF 6.9 million from
EPFL itself. The centre, NCCR Robotics – Intelligent Robots for Improving the
Quality of Life, also brings in partners including ETH Zurich, the University of
Zurich and the artificial intelligence institute ISDIA, and will be led by
Lausanne. It begins its mission with 17 principal investigators, and including
PhD students, postdocs and new professors, the total number of researchers will
reach 80 to 100 by the time the centre is fully operational.
The NCCR’s mission is broader than just bio-robotics. It encompasses an
emerging field of engineering which aims to develop human-oriented robotic
technology. Examples include, “care robots” to help elderly people to continue
independent living in their own homes; “neuroprosthetic” and “exoprosthetic”
robots to aid people with disabilities; “educational robots” to support
training, and “environmental robots” to do cleaning and monitoring.
Adapt and cooperate
To achieve this, the NCCR will be drawing on research, education and
technology transfer. What makes the centre stand out is the bio-inspired
robotics approach developed by the Lausanne researchers. Instead of trying to
programme a complex set of functions – walking, vision, anticipation and so on –
in a single human-looking android, biomimetic scientists like Kovac are
interested in developing cheap and basic r
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: RobotCity Workshop - Where You Can Make Your Own (Robot) Friends
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robotcity-workshop-where-you-can-make-your-own-robot-friends
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/07/robotcity-workshop-where-you-can-make-your-own-robot-friends.html
DATE: 07/06/2010 09:44:44 PM
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Photo Credit: RobotCity Workshop
RobotCity Workshop may well be the only store of its kind in the country, a visionary shop with the slogan "Make your own friends." Education has been a central part of this establishment's mission for years, as they have worked with school students to build robotics projects. Now, they are doing the same for adults.
With a retail outlet in the front of the store, and a workshop on the premises, anyone can learn how to build a robot. Of course, there are other projects available too.
The shop carries all types of robots. They range from personal robots, cleaning robots, security robots, and other categories of robots as well. In addition, the RobotCity Workshop offers hobby kits for all ages and abilities, electronic parts, and, of course, the hardware to hold it all together. Everything for the robot builder is available here.
This may very well be the prototype for robotics stores. Providing not only the materials and means to built the machines, but also the educational experience to enable everyone to learn about robotics. After all, for those of us that believe the robotics revolution is here to stay, this is the kind of place that needs to be in every city.
Make sure to go to the Chicago Now website and read their story on this groundbreaking and unique store.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: NASA Plans for Space Robotics Team
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BASENAME: nasa-plans-for-space-robotics-team
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/05/nasa-plans-for-space-robotics-team.html
DATE: 05/06/2010 11:06:04 AM
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Robonaut 2 and Robonaut 2
Photo Credit: Courtesy NASA
So, imagine a team of robots – all kinds of robots – some with wheels, some bipedal, some that fly. Now imagine those robots working as partners with astronauts on some future space mission. This may be on an asteroid or maybe even Mars.
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) already work with robots, mostly in the form of robotic arms, to accomplish their tasks, so this in not a far-fetched concept. Robonaut 2, shown in the photo above, will soon fly on the ISS to demonstrate that NASA-developed space robots can work closely with their human team members in space exploration.
In this story from Computerworld, written by Sharon Gaudin, robots are seen as full partners in space exploration. What do you think of this? Will humans need robotic companions on space missions? This seems like a good bet since robots already play an essential role in current space activities. Read the story at the link below.
That's the image that a lot of the U.S. space agency's engineers have in mind as they work on the new robotic rovers, said Terry Fong, director of NASA's intelligent robotics group. In comparison, the Mars rovers on the Red Planet have been working alone for years.
"We're working on a new use of these robots -- robots to support human exploration," Fong told Computerworld this week. "NASA is now thinking, 'How do you go about sending humans to the moon or Mars or elsewhere? How can you use the combination of humans and robots to do exploration better?' I think it's a really, really fundamentally different approach."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Underwater Robots Work in Cold, Dark to Stop Oil Spill
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BASENAME: underwater-robots-work-in-cold-dark-to-stop-oil-spill
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DATE: 05/03/2010 11:52:42 PM
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In a desperate effort to stop the massive oil leak occurring in the Gulf of Mexico, robots are attempting to seal off the well spewing the crude. These machines are controlled from the surface by operators trained to operate them in the darkness over 5,000 feet below sea level. Robots once again are showing that they have an important role to play in areas where it is impossible for humans to operate outside of specially designed vehicles. If the robots cannot turn off the leaks, then it could be months before the leaks are stopped. Read the story at the link below.
“Pilots using jetfighter-like joy sticks and computer screens to guide robots a mile underwater are crucial to BP’s efforts to stop a leaking oil well that’s gushing thousands of barrels a day in the Gulf of Mexico.”
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AUTHOR: Rerto Jordans
EMAIL: luoace2@gmail.com
IP: 120.33.202.246
URL: http://www.nikeairjordan.cc
DATE: 06/07/2010 07:42:48 PM
I love any comment that can help me to improve my blog.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Hawaii Student Robotics Teams Face Oil Spill Problem Similar to One Off US Coast
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BASENAME: hawaii-student-robotics-teams-attempt-to-solve-simulated-oil-spill
CATEGORY: Nature
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/05/hawaii-student-robotics-teams-attempt-to-solve-simulated-oil-spill.html
DATE: 05/02/2010 12:05:52 AM
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In a case of simulation imitating life, high school students in Hawai’i are faced with finding solutions to a theoretical oil spill. The problem eerily mirrors the massive oil spill now occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. Robots are being used in the attempt to shut off the flow of oil, but so far none have been called in to help in the actual clean-up efforts. A quick search with Google turned up this post on robots designed to actually clean up spilled oil, but at the time of the article these bots were only a concept.
Maybe the high school kids have come up with a real working model. Check out the article below for the details of the competition. It was scheduled for today, but so far I have found no results online.
What about the idea of using robots for environmental clean up? Let me know what you think.
"Thirty-one Hawai‘i student robotics teams from across the state will put their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education to the test at the 2010 Hawai‘i Regional Botball Tournament Saturday (May 1)."
"This season’s game theme encourages students to research, understand and generate solutions to an environmental disaster. On the simulated competition field, an earthquake has caused an oil pipeline to rupture sending thousands of gallons of oil into the pristine “Lake Capek.” To be successful, teams must apply sorbents to the oil slicks then rescue and clean oil contaminated ducks, release the clean ducks back into the wetlands, and save the frogs trapped on an island all in 120 seconds with two autonomous robots."
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AUTHOR: Juicy Couture Handbags
EMAIL: luoace2@gmail.com
IP: 112.111.174.211
URL: http://www.obhandbags.com/
DATE: 07/21/2010 07:10:29 PM
Your blog is very good! After looking, we are very interested in your products. I think we have a chance to make a friend. And we should also have some websites that might interest you. Welcome you!http://www.obhandbags.com/
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Japanese Robot to Walk on the Moon by 2015
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: japanese-robot-to-walk-on-the-moon-by-2015
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/04/japanese-robot-to-walk-on-the-moon-by-2015.html
DATE: 04/29/2010 02:35:57 PM
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The next step on the Moon may well be taken by a robot. In a country that produces robots to do almost anything you can imagine, a robot to walk on the lunar surface is not so far-fetched. The Japanese just may be the next nation to plant a flag on the dusty surface of Earth’s largest satellite. That is the plan of the Osaka-based “Space Oriented Higashiosaka Leading Association” (SOHLA) which announced its goal of putting a robot on the moon by 2015.
SOHLA consists of six private space technology companies with connections to governmental space research institutions. The group estimates it will take about $10.5 million to make the project work. SOHLA is trying to build on the success of the satellite it launched into orbit last year, Maido-1. The bipedal humanoid robot planned for the Moon is tentatively named Maido-kun.
Some think that the mission of this pioneering robot should be more than a simply flag planting ceremony, but even if this machine does not discover any new resources for Japan, it may well show the world that the Japanese have set their sights on laying claim to whatever valuable materials may be located there in the future. Read the story at the links below.
So, its been a while since that New Year’s Resolution about losing weight fell by the wayside. What can you do about those excess pounds? Just to show you that there is a robot for almost everything, here is a one designed to help you get back on track to thinness. Autom is a robot that works to keep people on their diet. Its main advantages are that it is a sociable robot that can give personal and positive feedback, while also keeping the dieter aware of daily calorie intake. There is no instruction book. Just push a button and the robot searches for a human face and begins to interact. With the huge market for weight loss products in the United States, this just might be the dieter’s dream. Read the entire story at the links below.
Cory Kidd with Autom, the robot he reckons will transform losing weight.
Photo: AFP
One inventor did just that and came up with Autom - a robot that will look dieters in the eye and tell them what they need to hear. ... See all stories on this topic
Imagine something between a computer game and a pet that helps makes you slim. One inventor did just that and came up with Autom -- a robot that will look dieters in the eye and tell them what they need to hear.
Users can have daily conversations with the 38-centimetre-tall (15-inch) robot, which will crunch calories and provide feedback and encouragement on their weight-loss progress.
For those who hate manuals -- there isn't one. Switch Autom on and it's ready to go.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Its blue eyes open and its head swivels as a computer inside its head allows it to search for a human face in front of it and maintain eye contact.
"Hello, I'm Autom! Press one of the buttons below to talk to me," it says in a robotic female voice with an American accent. "I'm ready to get started. Let's keep working together."
Users tap their details onto the robot's screen in response to its spoken questions about weight, diet, exercise regime and goals and over time it builds up a knowledge of the dieter's strengths and weaknesses to tailor its questions and advice accordingly.
The information is also processed to provide graphs on their progress and habits over time.
The brainchild of Cory Kidd, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a doctorate in human-robot interaction, Autom hits the US market later this year, retailing for about 500 US dollars.
The 80-billion-dollar US weight loss market has already been targeted by Nintendo with its Wi
Here is an article on an idea that definitely raises the ick factor for surgery to a new level. Like something out of Stephen King's Creepshow, robotic cockroaches are being developed which can crawl into patients' bodies and remove diseased organs by dragging them back out through the mouth. This next step in robotic surgery is being developed by one of Britain's top doctors.
In the report titled, Robot insects to remove organs via patients' mouths,Sophie Goodchild, Health and Social Affairs Correspondent for the Standard, states "Keyhole surgery pioneer Lord Darzi is developing the "bug-bots", which are set to revolutionize scar-free surgery."
The insect bots would enter the patient's body via the mouth and be able to remove tumors or diseased organs by use of a laser. Then the surgeons can withdraw the surgical bots and diseased parts through the mouth. So, there would be no scarring on the patient's body. (I am not sure about the patient's mind!!!)
Seriously, this has great promise for surgery. Its not just the lack of scarring, it is the fact that this could reach tumors in difficult to reach areas and the patient's should recover much faster. Of course, you would have to get use to little robotic creatures crawling around your insides.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Lunar Roving Russian Robot Found After 37 Years
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: lunar-roving-russian-robot-found-after-37-years
CATEGORY: Space
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DATE: 03/17/2010 11:22:30 PM
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A Russian robot rover has been photographed from lunar orbit after 37 years. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) imaged the area on one of its orbits of the Moon. Then, Phil Stooke, a researcher from The University of Western Ontario, solved a 37-year-old space mystery using lunar images released yesterday by NASA and maps from his own atlas of the moon. Lunokhod 2 stands 4 ft 5 in high and is about 5 ft 7 in long and 4 ft 11 in wide, and it shows up clearly in the overhead photo. For mobility, it used 8 independently powered wheels.
As explained on the Wikipedia site, “Lunokhod 2 was equipped with three television cameras, one mounted high on the rover for navigation, which could return high resolution images. These images were used by a five-man team of controllers on Earth who sent driving commands to the rover in real time. Power was supplied by a solar panel on the inside of a round hinged lid which covered the instrument bay, which would charge the batteries when opened. A polonium-210radioisotope heater unit was used to keep the rover warm during the long lunar nights. After landing, the Lunokhod 2 took TV images of the surrounding area, then rolled down a ramp to the surface at 01:14 UT on January 16 and took pictures of the Luna 21 lander and landing site, driving for 30 meters. After a period of charging up its batteries, it took more pictures of the site and the lander, and then set off to explore the moon.
The rover would run during the lunar day, stopping occasionally to recharge its batteries with the solar panels. At night the rover hibernated until the next sunrise, heated by the radioactive source.”
This rugged robot still holds the record for distance driven on another planetary body. It covered about 23 miles on its lunar trek. By comparison, the Mars Exploration Rover, Opportunity, has traveled just over 12 miles.
It is easy to forget sometimes that robots have been exploring space for decades, and although today’s machines are more capable in some ways, the explorer robots of the past accomplished some amazing feats considering the technology of the times. You can read the complete story at the site linked to at the bottom of the page. You can also click on the photo below for the article.
Photo Credit: NASA
A Canadian researcher has helped solve a 37-year-old space mystery using lunar images released by NASA and maps from an atlas of the moon.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Space Shuttle to Aim for Space Next
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robot-space-shuttle-next-for-spaceflight
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/03/robot-space-shuttle-next-for-spaceflight.html
DATE: 03/15/2010 11:15:37 PM
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The X-37 is the designation for a robotic shuttle craft built to demonstrate reusable technologies for future spacecraft and perform on-orbit operations in the near term. Starting as a NASA project and later taken over by the Air Force, this winged robot is slated to fly into space on April 19, 2010. It has faced many delays in getting to this point, but it now appears ready to launch to orbit. After insertion into its orbit by an Atlas V rocket, it may stay up for several months. In fact, it is designed to remain in space for up to 9 months to accomplish its objectives. And its objectives are a closely guarded secret by the Air Force.
Read more about this experimental robotic space shuttle in the article linked to below.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: My Top Ten Robotics Blogs
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BASENAME: my-top-ten-robotics-blogs
CATEGORY: Weblogs
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/03/my-top-ten-robotics-blogs.html
DATE: 03/08/2010 11:37:13 AM
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About three weeks ago, blogs.com asked me to submit a top ten robotics list to their site. So, I agreed to do this because, for RobotNext, I read many other robotics blogs to keep up with the latest news. Of course, I also considered this a great honor to be asked to do this. Thanks go out to blogs.com and Wendy Taylor at Six Apart for selecting me to compile this list.
The following are the ones I access frequently for the latest information in the robotics world. It was really difficult to rank these great sites and I would, likely as not, change the order every time I reviewed the list. Therefore, the blogs are listed in alphabetical order. They are all useful sources for robotics information.
Top Ten Robotics Blogs
Artificial Intelligence andRobotics
Here is a blog about artificial intelligence and robotics.
Gizmodo: Robots is a subset of the larger Gizmodo family of blogs and has up to date robotics information and great photos. "Gizmodo is a blog about gadgets and technology. Started in 2002, Gizmodo has grown to be Gawker Media's largest blog, bringing in upwards of 100 million page views a month in traffic. We post about a variety of electronics, as well as all sorts of things gadget geeks might enjoy."
This may be the oldest surviving robotics blog and will celebrate its 10th year anniversary this year. It's a blog covering resources for the robotics beginner. GoRobotics.net has articles on robotics projects, resources, books, and links.
This blog comes from a site with a load of information and many other blogs that contribute to the information flow. Robots.net was created by R. Steven Rainwater and Roger Arrick. Together with Jim Brown. Their motto: "All the news that's fit to assimilate."
"A news and discussion site for those interested in robots and robotics. Home of the Robot Competition FAQ and a variety of resource pages."
This site has to be one of the most visually entertaining robot weblogs that you will ever visit. Includes "robot news from Japan, exclusive coverage of robotevents like ROBO-ONE, RobotCarnival, RoboGames, and reviews for the newest robot products."
If you want to know what is happening in the world of LEGO® Robotics, then this is the blog for you. Definitely this is the number one blog in its niche. "NXT STEP Blog brings together news and information related to the LEGO®MINDSTORMS® NXT system."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: By Imitating Insects, Microbots Demonstrate Hive Behaviors
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BASENAME: by-imitating-insects-microbots-demonstrate-hive-behaviors
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/03/by-imitating-insects-microbots-demonstrate-hive-behaviors.html
DATE: 03/08/2010 10:21:28 AM
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Robot researchers constantly use nature as a model for new robotic developments. Here is another example of this in these microbots.
In particular, the application to robotics has to do with the idea of swarm behaviors. Insects such as ants and termites tend to act as a unit. Even though they are small, when they act together, they can accomplish amazing feats. Termites build large, complex mounds with intricate tunnels. Ants can organize large hunting parties and carry out raids against larger insects and sometimes even animals.
Swarm of robots have been developed with up to 90 robots organized into a single-acting, focused unit. As of now, most of these applications have been in the military area. Gathering intelligence, locating mines and explosives, and surveillance are three common applications commonly used today in the armed forces. What will truly be a robotics revolution is when swarm robots are used in the home or personal arena. Imagine several robots in your house working together to clean the floors, do the laundry, and prepare meals. This is where the future of personal robots may be headed.
"Fifty years ago, predictions for the future always included robots that would, by now, be doing most of our daily domestic chores. While that hasn't happened, robots have had a huge impact on our lives, but in industry rather than the home."
By imitating insects, microrobots could open new avenues of research and application.
Fifty years ago, predictions for the future always included robots that would, by now, be doing most of our daily domestic chores. While that hasn't happened, robots have had a huge impact on our lives, but in industry rather than the home.
Vast numbers of goods are now manufactured by robot – the modern car, for example, would cost dramatically more to produce without the huge robots that automate large parts of the production process, and quality would be far worse. The same applies to many other industries. Quite simply, the world's manufacturing plants would be radically different – and less efficient – places without robots.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Butler Serves Up Snacks: Is This a Problem?
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BASENAME: robot-butler-serves-up-snacks-is-this-a-problem-----from-the-observer-----the-observer
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/03/robot-butler-serves-up-snacks-is-this-a-problem-----from-the-observer-----the-observer.html
DATE: 03/07/2010 10:47:30 AM
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A robot butler can't be a bad thing, can it? After all, we would all like to be waited on by a servant, especially one that can be shut down if it gives you any problems. So, just make sure that it can be turned off! This is not a new robot, in fact the machine made its debut at Carnegie Mellon University back in September of 2009. You can go back and look at the story done here on RobotNext about this snackbot. Also, follow the links below to see the article from the guardian.co.uk by Charles Arthur.
"The robot butler has a long and frequently chequered history. From Robbie the Robot in Forbidden Planet (who could bring a nicely shaken martini) through to HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey (which served food via a hatch, then later killed you), the idea that there must be a better method of getting refreshments handed out than making a person push a trolley is one that just won't go away."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: MIT Touches the Future with Next Generation Tactile Robotic Skin
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DATE: 03/01/2010 09:51:53 AM
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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is using an advanced sensor system to develop the next level of robots. By incorporating Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC) technology into a robot's skin, MIT hopes to build a robot that can interact with humans via touch. QTC, from Peratech Limited, is a new class of electrically conductive material that has been developed to advance the capability of switching and sensing systems. As the Peratech website states: "QTC can be tailored to suit different force, pressure, or touch sensing applications – from sensing feather-light or finger operation to heavy pressure applications, and that is why QTC is so perfect for the next tactile robot."
See the related story from Myra Per-Lee at InventorSpot.com to read about the most advanced bionic hand.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will create the first robot that will enable a human to interact with it through touch, much as they would another human. Last week, MIT commissioned the British company Peratech to develop its next generation tactile robotic skin to accomplish its goal.
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AUTHOR: Barefoot running shoes
EMAIL: carmelina464fq3@hotmail.com
IP: 178.238.142.250
URL: http://barefoot-runningshoes.com
DATE: 06/16/2011 10:38:41 PM
Your article is great . I like to read it . I am agree with your point absolutely! I think you can do it better !
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: GM, NASA Build Robot Named R2
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CATEGORY: Robots
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/02/gm-nasa-build-robot-named-r2.html
DATE: 02/16/2010 12:38:25 PM
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Robonaut2, or R2, as it is known, is the most advanced dextrous robot yet developed. Built by NASA and General Motors, this robot will be able to work along side an astronaut or an autoworker. The idea is to have the ability to work in space where it may be too dangerous for humans in some places, and to work with humans in an auto production plant to improve efficiency. GM and NASA have been long-time collaborators. GM worked with NASA on the Lunar Rover for the Apollo moon programs. Read the story at the link below for more details about this robot.
Credit: NASA/GM
Robonaut2, or R2, is able to use its hands to do work beyond the scope of previously introduced humanoid robots. It surpasses previous dextrous humanoid ... See all stories on this topic
Robots are being used in a war-like situation, in a country we are not at war with, and controlled by civilians in a spy agency thousands of miles away. This is the new world of terrorist wars. At some point, all of this will have to be sorted out ethically. The entire question of robots as killing machines is one that cause great concern. On the one hand, these robots are probably saving innocent lives that would be lost in a terrorist attack; but, on the other hand, the robots are killing humans. Check out the story in the link below.
Credit: AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson
"The kohl-eyed Hakimullah Mehsud probably is dead. He was the target for a missile fired last month from an unmanned aircraft hovering over the Afghan-Pakistani border - but launched by an operator in the US.
A predator drone. For the first time ever, a civilian intelligence agency is manipulating robots from halfway around the world in a program of extrajudicial executions in a country with which Washington is not at war."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: America's Deadly Robots Rewrite the Rules of War | CommonDreams.org
STATUS: Draft
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DATE: 02/12/2010 10:53:07 AM
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Equality California Calls for Impeachment of California Fair Political Practices CommissionerAmerica s Voice: Speaker Pelosi Reaffirms Commitment to Passing Comprehensive Immigration ReformProject On Government Oversight (POGO) Requests White House Intervention for Los AlamosInstitute for Public Accuracy (IPA): So Much for Global WarmingBrady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: More Than 25,000 Americans So Far Agree: No 'Room for Guns' in Coffeehouses
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TITLE: America's Deadly Robots Rewrite the Rules of War | CommonDreams.org
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DATE: 02/12/2010 10:52:33 AM
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Equality California Calls for Impeachment of California Fair Political Practices CommissionerAmerica s Voice: Speaker Pelosi Reaffirms Commitment to Passing Comprehensive Immigration ReformProject On Government Oversight (POGO) Requests White House Intervention for Los AlamosInstitute for Public Accuracy (IPA): So Much for Global WarmingBrady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: More Than 25,000 Americans So Far Agree: No 'Room for Guns' in Coffeehouses
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Assassins
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DATE: 02/12/2010 10:37:57 AM
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America's Deadly Robots Rewrite the Rules of War | CommonDreams.org
The kohl-eyed Hakimullah Mehsud probably is dead. He was the target for a missile fired last month from an unmanned aircraft hovering over the Afghan-Pakistani border - but launched by an operator in the US.
A predator drone. For the first time ever, a civilian intelligence agency is manipulating robots from halfway around the world in a program of extrajudicial executions in a country with which Washington is not at war.(AP Photo/U.S. Air Force, Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)Mehsud was the ruthless
In an update of the Mars rover's situation, the flight controllers have indicated that the plans will switch to surviving the upcoming Martian winter rather than trying to extricate Spirit from the sand trap where it is stuck. The story from Cosmic Log is linked to below. Follow that link to read the post.
"Right now the rover is embedded ... we do not believe it's extractable," Doug McCuistion, director of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, said today during a teleconference. "Right now the worry is about getting through the winter."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot From Castrol Can Kick Soccer Balls at 200 km/hr
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CATEGORY: FIRST
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/01/robot-from-castrol-can-kick-soccer-balls-at-200-kmhr.html
DATE: 01/26/2010 12:35:40 PM
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This is for all FIRST robotics teams looking for ideas to design a kicker for this year’s competition: Don’t try this one! It probably won’t pass inspection. Castrol has built (or in this case, over-built) a robot to break the record set by a soccer legend. Not only does it break the record, but it would probably break bones. The human record by Cristiano Ronaldo is 130 km/hr. Castrol’s robot blasts the ball at over 200 km/hr. Watch the video at Engadget and Marca (Spanish) to see the pieces fly when the plywood players get in the way. You can also read the story at that link or at the link below.
Soccer players are generally such crybabies that we can understand why you'd want to replace them with robots, and sometimes that's done with great success. We don't think we'll be seeing this latest player on the pitch anytime soon, though. It's something of an exhibition robot, a creation sponsored by Castrol to beat the legendary leg of Cristiano Ronaldo, who can kick the ball at 130km/h.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robotic Insects Could DASH to the Rescue
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CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/01/robotic-insects-could-dash-to-the-rescue.html
DATE: 01/22/2010 01:59:05 PM
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The Dynamic Autonomous Sprawled Hexapod (DASH) is being outfitted to locate victims that are trapped in rubble. RobotNext posted a blog on this invention back in October 2009. This is a cockroach-inspired robot that can move quickly and speedily like its model. Also, like its insect model, it can fall great distances and survive to run again. You can see the video on You Tube of this robo-roach in action. Check out the story below for the complete story.
Paul Birkmeyer, the graduate student who designed the robots, shows his creation. Researchers are trying to add cameras and detectors that can locate people's breath. DASH (Dynamic Autonomous Sprawled Hexapod) is a resilient high-speed 16-gram ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Spherical Robots Practice Formation Flying in Space
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DATE: 01/21/2010 03:09:57 PM
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NASA has this experiment onboard the International Space Space to test the concept of robot flying in formation and performing other manuevers in space.
The NASA website explains, “Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) are bowling-ball sized spherical satellites. Three free-flying spheres can fly within the cabin of the Space Station, performing flight formations. Each satellite is self-contained with power, propulsion, computers and navigation equipment. The results are important for satellite servicing, vehicle assembly and formation flying spacecraft configurations.”
It would seem that these little robots could be great assistants for the astronauts. They could hold cameras, carry tools, or they could provide lighting for work situations. I don’t know if they are being considered for that work, but they should. Read the stories at the links below for more information.
“MIT has had a set of robots called SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient Experimental Satellites) on board the International Space Station since May of 2006 to test out algorithms for autonomous navigation and docking maneuvers. Each sphere is about 8″ in diameter and has 18 sides. They gets around with 12 thrusters powered by compressed CO2, while ultrasonic and infrared sensors and a wireless link tell them where they are. SPHERES are able to maneuver precisely enough to dance around in a circle on the ISS; watch as a third robot enters the pattern:
The idea behind SPHERES is that a bunch of small satellites working together is much cheaper, much more efficient, and much more robust than one single large satellite. It’s swarm robotics, up in space.” From BotJunkie
The following sites provided source materials for this article
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Use Tricks From Nature to Climb Walls
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CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2010/01/robots-use-tricks-from-nature-to-climb-walls.html
DATE: 01/19/2010 11:44:16 AM
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The latest projects of Amir Shapiro, head of the robotics laboratory in the Department of Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheeba, Israel, are wall-climbers. In keeping with an on-going theme of RobotNext, this article is about the robot/nature connection. These robots are using techniques from nature to defy gravity. One robot is based on the method that snails use in attaching to a vertical surface. However, instead of mucus, the bots secrete a trail of glue to enable them to stick as they ascend the walls. Another robot, this one inspired by cats and rodents, has four appendages with fishhook claws to assist it’s climb up a rough surface.
A third robot uses a not-so-natural method of sticky tape on its wheels to climb vertical, smooth surfaces. You can see this demonstrated in the video on the PhysOrg website. The fourth is magnetic and can climb smooth metal surfaces such as a white board.
Dr. Shapiro works in the area of research known as biomimetics, which involves using technology to mimic nature. This field has produced many diverse types of robots such as climbing robots, grasshoppers, and snakes. Check the links below to see the whole story on these climbing robots.
(PhysOrg.com) -- A robotics scientist from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheeba, Israel, has developed four different kinds of robots that climb ... See all stories on this topic
This remarkable looking little robot is using what would be called muscle memory in humans to adapt to travel over rough terrain. Resembling a scorpion, it is designed to control chaotic movements and essentially make its motions non-chaotic. What this means is that the hexapod robot can move autonomously over a rugged surface. You can see video on the Scientific American site and read the rest of the story there too.
Credit: Poramate Manoonpong and Marc Timme, University of Goettingen and Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
"Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience researcher Poramate Manoonpong and Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization researcher Marc Timme are leading a project that has created a six-legged robot with one CPG that can switch gaits depending upon the obstacles it encounters."
The U.S. military has been working for a while on tiny, buglike drones — to serve as miniature flying spies, Defense Department robot-makers say. But this video, from the Air Force Research Laborat...
Researchers are preparing to send forth a swarm of underwater gliders for a mission to explore the tropical Atlantic. Information on temperature, salinity, oxygen and chlorophyll content as well as the turbidity of the sea water will be measured and sent back to the scientists at the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR) in Kiel, Germany.
As reported on the website at IFM-GEOMAR, “A very successful mission using a single glider took place between August and October 2009 in the Atlantic Ocean, south of the Cape Verde Islands. The robot carried out measurements along a more than 1000 kilometres long track autonomously, before it was recovered by the German research vessel METEOR. The data collected are accessible online at http://gliderweb.ifm-geomar.de/html/ifm03_depl05_frame.html.”
Now a fleet of these torpedo-like craft will venture out to document the ocean properties in the tropical Atlantic. Read the entire story from TG Daily at the link below, and then see all other articles on this in the other stories link.
Europe's largest fleet of underwater robot gliders is about to embark on its first research mission in the tropical Atlantic. The gliders, operated by ... See all stories on this topic
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Boeing Awards Grant to San Antonio FIRST Robotics Team
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DATE: 01/14/2010 11:20:31 AM
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This article came across my news feed for robotics, and since it is about a local San Antonio, Texas school and a rookie FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics team, I thought I would post it here. Boeing has become a major supporter of FIRST robotics teams here in San Antonio. In fact, they are supporting three FIRST robotics programs in the city this year. The other Boeing teams are at John Jay High School and Edison High School.
The local FIRST Robotics kickoff occurred here this past Saturday, January 9, 2010, at Memorial High School in San Antonio. St. Anthony was one of 22 teams at the event and is a part of a growing contingent of teams in San Antonio. With the addition of St. Anthony, there are now eight active FRC teams in the city. Other SA teams not already mentioned are located in the Edgewood School District, and also at the STEM Academy at Robert E. Lee HS, Brackenridge HS, Sam Houston High School, and Milton B. Lee High School.
Around the world, there are 58 local kickoff events held. The San Antonio event is just one of those that mark the official start of the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) for about 1800 teams worldwide. For more information on teams and the kickoff, see the information on kickoff events.
"St. Anthony Catholic High School has announced that its Technology, Robotics and Engineering Sciences Club (TRES Club) was recently awarded a $6,500 Founder's Grant from the Boeing Co. to participate in a regional robotics competition to be held April 1-3 in Houston." For more information click on the link below.
After a holiday hiatus here on RobotNext, the posts return with this one on a robotic fish from recycled materials. You can see the video at Inhabitat.com or click on the embedded link below for a small version. The idea is to teach children about the movements of swimming fish. I think this also teaches a valuable lesson on recycling materials before they end up in the ocean. See the link below for the entire story and other videos.
Spiroplasma is a type of spiral-shaped bacteria that travels in a corkscrew type motion. It accomplishes this motion by sending kinks down the spiral of its cell structure. And, it turns out this method of propulsion is very efficient. Essentially, it is using its entire body as a propulsion unit. This may prove to be a great method for nano-sized robots to get around in a fluid.
Applications for this tiny machine come mainly in the field of medicine. Small robots could deliver medicine directly to a targeted cell or perform very precise surgeries. Some micro-robots have already been developed for this purpose, but these little bots could be much smaller. Read more about this possible development in the article below. Also, check out the full-sized animation on the site by clicking on the thumbnail below.
... design. The kinky motion of a primitive spiral-shaped bacterium in fluid could help design efficient swimming micro-robots of the future, according to a study by a team of UConn researchers. Professors Greg Huber and Charles Wolgemuth of the Richard ...
In September, I posted a Weekly Newswrap with a story about robo-bees. Now comes this story about robot bees that could help save agriculture from the coming disaster caused by the mysterious bee plague. This is the disease that has wiped out over one-third of the bee population in the United States. Some estimates of bee deaths are much higher. If a cure cannot be found for this Colony Collapse Disorder, perhaps these mechanical bees can help save crops that require pollination. These robotic bees would be developed from a robotic fly developed by Rob Wood at Harvard University. Read more about these “beebots” in this article by Corey Binns from the Popular Science website.
Illustration Credit: Graham Murdoch
That strategy led Gu-Yeon Wei to suggest that Rob Wood morph an almond-size robotic fly he had developed into a fleet of autonomous bees, each capable of carrying out specialized tasks. Perhaps, they speculated, the “RoboBees” could supplement the pollinating duties of bees stricken by a mysterious affliction that’s killed 36 percent of America’s 2.4 million hives. If you build the bee body, Wei told Wood, I can make the brain.
In the future, an autonomous robot could haul the hive from field to field. STEP 2: Survey the Landscape Scout RoboBees leave the hive first and use their ultraviolet sensors to locate the same UV patterns on flower petals that real bees look for.
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AUTHOR: Rerto Jordans
EMAIL: luoace2@gmail.com
IP: 64.56.66.231
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DATE: 06/24/2010 07:22:04 PM
The blog article very surprised to me! Your writing is good. In this I learned a lot! Thank you!
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Delhi Police Consider Armed Robot for Anti-Terror Role
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DATE: 12/16/2009 10:44:44 PM
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Military units have used armed robots for many years in their operations, but now a civilian police force in Delhi, India is considering the purchase of one or more of these bots. No final decisions have been made on this, but the ramifications of this could radically alter future police anti-terror tactics. This could also change how police forces handle any special tactical situation. An armed subject with a hostage might find that he or she is face to face with a heavily armed “robocop” and not a negotiator. What, if any, ethical considerations must be made when civilian police have these weaponized robots at their disposal? Already, robots are used in bomb disposal situations. Some robots are used to scout hostage situations. Others provide a negotiations platform in some cases. It is not a stretch to see these armed robots as a part of Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) units. In fact, if you look at the Foster-Miller website, as I did in researching this post, you can see that there is already a SWAT model for sale to police departments. Wired.com published an article on this topic earlier this year about armed robots being marketed to police forces. And there are stories about TASER-armed robots being developed for law enforcement officers.
I am not necessarily against this idea. These robots have the potential of saving police officers’ lives by keeping them out of dangerous situations. I think the larger question is how much autonomy will the robots have in these situations? Right now these robots are teleoperated and have limited autonomous abilities. But, if robots go into buildings and have to depend on radio links for control, there will be places where the machines will not have a communications link. In those times the robots will have to be able to work on their own. How do you make sure the robots know what to do when that happens?
Read the article at the link below and decide what you think about this.
The robot carries a machine gun, a camera and a bomb-diffusing chemical; demo held for Delhi cops This may change the face of counter-insurgency operations in urban landscape, forever.
A snakebot is being prepared to carry-out cardiac surgery by a team of doctors at Cardiorobotics. Their version of the snakebot is known are ARM or Articulated Robotic Medprobe. It is a teleoperated robot consisting of a series of links. In an earlier post on August 10, 2009, I wrote about this snakebot for heart surgery being developed at the Newport, Rhode Island company. Because of the snakebot’s ability to bend into many shapes, it is being developed to assist in delicate surgeries. Check out the stories below. You can see a video of the original version of this snakebot surgeon on You Tube.
The central element of our technology is a teleoperated probe consisting of a series of links. The probe is highly flexible and thus either assumes the shape of its surroundings or can be reshaped.
This teleoperated, highly articulated probe with a non-linear lumen is called an Articulated Robotic MedProbe or ARM™.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: The Next Robots Will Go for the SLAM
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DATE: 12/15/2009 12:22:22 AM
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In a future mission to a planet, a robot may need to find its way around without the benefit of prior knowledge of the surface. Robots in these situations will need to use a process called SLAM or Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping. For the last three decades perfecting the process of SLAM has become the gold standard of robotics research. This article from PhysOrg.com explains how this process is being studied for applications to future robots. In the article, Matteo Matteucci, a roboticist at the Politecnico di Milano University in Italy, states “SLAM is an essential building block of autonomous robots because robots, such as planetary rovers and undersea research craft, cannot be provided with an accurate map beforehand. In such situations, the only solution is for them to create a representation of the environment as they go and determine their location in it by themselves.”
Check out the story in the links below. Also, take a look at The Rawseeds Project for additional background on this topic.
Slam dunk for future smart robots PhysOrg.com Work by European researchers will help future robot generations provide smarter answers. The process by which robots use vision, laser and/or sonar sensors ...
For the past several weeks, there has been no newswrap since my weekends have been busy with various robotics events. Because this situation may continue for the next few months, I decided that the logical thing to do was to move this feature to Fridays. As before, stories from the week past will be featured.
This week the stories form a medicine-related theme. Articles ranging from robotic surgery to robotic massage can be found for the last five days. Certainly, today’s news about a robotic technology able to operate on a beating heart is the one that gets my vote for the best of the week. It certainly fits the mission statement of this blog: The next thing in robots. This advancement might mean no more need for a heart-lung machine in heart surgery. Many complications could be prevented with a such a surgical procedure.
What is your favorite? Look over the stories at the links below. Let me know by leaving a comment.
If you've been waiting for the day to arrive when computers actually start performing surgery, that moment might soon be upon us. A French team has developed a computerized 3D model that allows surgeons to use robotics to operate on a beating heart ...
News 8's Todd Boatwright explains how a new robot is assisting physical therapists in healing patients. The National Library of Medicine also suggests ... and more »
European researchers have successfully implanted tiny electrodes directly into motor and sensory nerves of an amputee's arm stump, allowing him to move and feel sensations from a robotic hand.
Alvarez, also the managing editor of Health News at Foxnews.com, touted Dr. Samadi as "the king of robotic surgery." Samadi, who has performed over 2,100 successful robotic prostatectomies in his practice, began working with the da Vinci robot in ...
InformationWeek … pharmaceutical distribution centers and hospital automation solutions," McKesson said. McKesson also introduced the CytoCare Robot for improving safety, …
Surgeons say the Da Vinci robot, that's already being used at Doctor's Hospital here, in Augusta, is invaluable. Dr. Rafael E. Jordan: “Through the robot we ... and more »
Here’s a robot that can water your plants and not your furniture. By using creativity, the students programmed their robots to perform tasks using artificial intelligence (AI). So, the robot can tell what is a plant and what is not. The robot can also find its way around the house to get to the plants. In addition to the plant-tending robot, the students in this university class developed other robots that could demonstrate AI. Check the story below for more details on the other projects developed in the class.
Photo Credit: Miranda Pederson/Daily News
Go ahead and call your neighbors. They won’t need to water your plants anymore. That’s because at say, 5 p.m., a robot built by a duo of Western Kentucky University students will know it’s time to hydrate the hydrangeas and will independently ...
Like a scene from “The Jetsons,” the robot rolled forward, made a 90-degree turn and located the garbage can “plant” with the sensors just above its wheels and belly area.
“Watering plants,” the robot said in a mechanical voice, as a stream of water began flowing into the small black can.
As the device continued cornering turns and watering the rest of the imaginary domain’s daisies, Cox said the team also programmed the robot to ensure it waters only plants using a sonar sound reflective system similar to what is used by submarines to identify items in its path.
PETMAN is one of a new kind of walking robot described in this story from Jesse Emspak, correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor. This bot, designed by Boston Dynamics in Waltham, Massachusetts, is a bipedal robot that can stroll in a very human way as you can see by watching the video. The mechanical automaton has no torso, just steel and plastic legs tethered to a system of power cables. In its independent walking motion, this machine uses the same heel-to-toe motion as humans. Most amazing is its ability to recover when pushed. PETMAN sidesteps to recover its balance. And New BalanceTM get ready, this robot even wears shoes!
However, before this humanoid machine runs marathons, it may find a job with the military testing designs for humans. It could also be a stand-in for humans on Mars. Make sure and check out the full story at the links below.
Photo Credit: Carmen K. Sisson/Special to The Christian Science Monitor
"For the past 30 years, scientists and technicians have grappled with making robots walk on two legs. Humans do it effortlessly, but the simple act has a lot of hidden complexity. And until recently, computers were very bad at it.
Now, several teams across the country are refining the first generation of robots that are close to walking like people. That includes the ability to recover from stumbles, resist shoves, and navigate rough terrain."
Source: Jesse Emspak, Correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor/ December 8, 2009 edition
This post came across my robotics feed today from Adam Flaherty at MAKE Magazine and I thought it was worth a look. In the video on BotJunkie, you can see the Festo kite in action. And yes, the applications of this might not seem obvious at first, but the concept could be used for wind power production. As the cable moves back and forth, it would make the generation of electricity possible. Also, the process could be used for a high tech sail to pull ships across the ocean as shown in this link from BotJunkie. (Although, in this link, I do not believe this is a Festo kite.)
Festo has produced many elegant robotic applications over the years and this is just more of those elegant projects with futuristic applications that could work now. Check out the links below for more on this story.
Windmill of the future? The latest advancement in kite fighting? Kitesurfing robots? The Festo CyberKite deftly controls the graceful movements of a rather large kite with relative ease. [via BotJunkie]
But seriously, I have no idea, besides that it’s an interesting project to tackle… Although come to think of it, I suppose it could have some commercial applications, too.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: iRobot Shows Off Educational Program
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iRobot is demonstrating it is serious about its education outreach program. SPARK or Starter Programs for the Advancement of Robotics Knowledge, as the program is known, is out to show students and teachers how robots work. Previously, this effort was detailed in a post from September 8, 2009 here on RobotNext. It would be nice to see iRobot use its iCreate platform to greater effect. Read the article at the link below.
The Carman Valley Leader has this story on robots that are helping to run a high-tech dairy farm. In the photo below a robot assists the cattle by pushing the feed towards them. Other robots actually milk the cows. They target in on the cow’s udders using laser guidance. And they are persistent, they never give up in their quest to get the milk! This does not look like my uncle’s dairy farm for sure. Take a look at the story be following the link below.
Photo by Glen Hallick
Robots are replacing milking machines at Halarda Farms owned by the Borst family.
The large dairy operation northwest of Elm Creek hosted a Nov. 20 open house. Guests were given tours of the dairy, including the barns with robot milkers.
Halarda has eight of these stationary machines each guided by three lasers on to the cows' udders.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Trying to Dig Out, Mars Robot Digs Into a Discovery
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Sometimes the biggest discoveries come through by accident. Spirit, the Mars robotic rover stuck in a patch of loose Martian soil, has churned–up something interesting. Bright, fluffy material covered by a dark crust. To see what this might mean, check out the article from PhysOrg.com.
Credit: JPL/NASA via PhysOrg
Spirit surveys its own predicament. The bright soil pictured left is loose, fluffy material churned by the rover's left-front wheel as Spirit, driving backwards, broke through a darker, crusty surface. At right is the least-embedded of the rover's ...
An article posted at thaindian.com details the research of Belgium researchers who have developed a new type of artificial skin for robots. This skin will be able to provide robots with a delicate touch more like a human’s. The primary applications for this development will be in the area of surgical robots. Future medical robots will be able to perform more delicate and extensive surgeries than current models. What makes this skin possible is the use of optical sensors rather than the electomechanical type used now. Besides the article linked to above, Popular Science has the story. Check out the links below.
Of all the creatures on Earth that I thought could be models for robots, I never would have picked the clam. But now, mechanical engineers Anette "Peko" Hosoi and Amos Winter at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have done just that. They chose to emulate the Atlantic razor clam, also known as the Atlantic Jackknife Clam (Ensis directus) because it is one of nature's best diggers. Robot clams may one day help dig up and detonate buried underwater mines, researchers now reveal. They could also serve as smart anchors for robot subs or deep-sea oil drilling. You can read more at LiveScience.com in the article by Charles Q. Choi.
Credit: Donna Coveney
A new Roboclam developed by scientists can help in deep sea drilling projects.
Spotted this follow-up article on the Scratchbot covered here several months ago. In this update, the robot is showing off its abilities to search-out objects by touch. No vision system is used. This is a very novel approach and could have many search and rescue applications where the lack of light is an issue. Check out the link below and also look at the video at the Electronics Weekly website.
Credit: Bristol Robotics Laboratory and University of Sheffield via ElectronicsWeekly.com
... to damage and injury than whiskers. Rats have the ability to operate with damaged whiskers, and broken whiskers on robots could be easily replaced, without affecting the whole robot and its expensive engineering. This award is a welcome recognition ...
For your Thanksgiving weekend, here is another robotic turkey. This one is intended to stop poachers looking for a free bird. These robotic turkeys can be remotely controlled or even programmed to move on their own. Of course, there are other robotic animals to entice the illegal hunters. In addition to turkeys, there are robotic deer, elk, wolves, and others. See the previous post on robotic elk for details.
Photo Credit: Custom Robotic Wildlife, Inc.
"Custom Robotic Wildlife, Inc. sells robot turkeys designed to entice would-be poachers. The $1,100 dollar robot turkeys can fan their tails and bob their heads and keep doing that even after catching a shotgun blast, although after it's hit you probably want to put on a new turkey skin and wait for it. Dressing sold separately."
Robotic turkeys need not worry about ending up on someone's Thanksgiving table. There is not much meat on those legs and the bird is just a bit tough to chew. I found this old article on a robotic turkey when I did a search for a Thanksgiving topic for RobotNext. So, in keeping with my on-going fascination about robots based on biology, this seemed like the perfect post. The robot is called the Spring Turkey and it was the first walking robot developed at the MIT Leg Lab. Check out the excerpt from the article from MIT. Then follow the link for more information.
Photo Credit: MIT Leg Laboratory
"Researchers at MIT's Leg Laboratory have built a series of legged robots... The first walking robot was Spring Turkey, which could only walk in circles attached to the end of a mechanical boom... Spring Turkey is a planar bipedal walking robot, designed and built by Peter Dilworth and Jerry Pratt. The robot was developed as an experimental platform for implementing force control actuation techniques, motion description and control techniques, and various walking algorithms."
For more information on Spring Turk go to the MIT Leg Lab.
This is a cool project by the people at Festo. They actually built a robotic penguin that uses a type of 3D sonar to help orient itself in the water. The penguins are built and programmed so well that they can communicate between themselves to avoid collisions. The most interesting thing about it is that from far away they look like real penguins. Check out the video, see if you can tell the difference.
"Like its natural archetype, the AquaPenguin from Festo has a hydrodynamic body contour.Its elegant wing propulsion and its head and tail sections,which can be moved in all directions, allow the robotic penguins to manoeuvre in cramped spatial conditions to turn on the spot when necessary and– unlike their biological counterparts – even to swim backwards."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots of the Future: Smart as a Bee?
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CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
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DATE: 11/18/2009 10:13:50 PM
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"The bee, whose brain is a tiny as a sesame seed, already has better navigation abilities than even our best robots.” So says University of Queensland School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering head, Professor Janet Wiles. The scientists at this university are working to make robots able to navigate their surroundings by learning the environment around them. Of course, animals and insects do this all the time. The goal of the research is to develop a robot that can be a helper for humans in many areas. No more programming the vacuum or setting out a virtual fence to help the robot get around the house. It would do it by itself right out of the box.
University of Queensland scientists are working on algorithms to help robots rapidly 'learn' about their environment. Scientists in Brisbane are blurring the line between biology and technology and creating a new generation of robot "helpers" more in ...
Here’s an interesting application for those old Roombas: Adapt them to play a life-sized version of an old video game. Some college students have done just that at the University of Colorado at Boulder. They say this was intended to showoff some software the students had developed for another application. I think it was just for fun. Check out the stories at the links below.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Swarms Could Track Oil Spills in the Oceans
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BASENAME: tiny-robot-swarms-will-study-tiniest-sea-life---foxnews
CATEGORY: Robots
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DATE: 11/10/2009 11:51:46 PM
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From Tech Fragments comes this story about autonomous underwater explorers (AUEs). These robots will be developed to deploy as a swarm and would be coordinated so they can follow the flow of the ocean currents. Scientists hope to use the ball-shaped robots to measure ocean currents and from these measurements track such things as pollution from an oil spill. "The information that each robot in the underwater flock has is pretty limited…and this information is very local. From this, we want to induce some sort of global behavior so the whole group moves in one direction—to follows the spill, for example. This is part of the algorithm design. Out of very local information, we need to induce global behavior of the flock of underwater robots," said professor Jorge Cortes, of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.
Follow the links below to see the several of the posts and stories on these little bots.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Seattle Team Robot Wins Space Elevator Challenge
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DATE: 11/08/2009 06:22:44 PM
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Arthur C. Clarke brought this idea to the forefront in his 1979 novel "The Fountains of Paradise", but the idea dates back to 1895 when Konstantin Tsiolkovsky proposed “a free-standing tower reaching from the surface of Earth to geostationary orbit.” Over the years, the idea has gone from impossible to a competition to build a robotic climber to demonstrate the feasibility of this concept. Here are two stories on the prize winners from this contest. Also, check out the 2009 Space Elevator Games website. Go to You Tube to see video of this amazing robot in action.
(NASA photo / Tom Tschida)
Andy Petro of NASA's Centennial Challenges program congratulates Tom Nugent and Jordan Kare of the LaserMotive team that won the Space Elevator Power-Beaming Challenge Games at NASA Dryden Nov. 6, as Ben Shelef of the sponsoring Spaceward Foundation looks on. LaserMotive won the second-tier award of $900,000 by propelling their laser-powered robotic climber up a 900-meter cable suspended from a hovering helicopter in 3 minutes and 48 seconds.
Powered by a ground-based laser pointed up at the robot's photo voltaic cells that converted the light into electricity, the LaserMotive machine completed one of its climbs in about three minutes and 48 seconds, good for second-place money.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: iRobot Opens Healthcare Division
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/10/irobot-opens-healthcare-division.html
DATE: 10/29/2009 10:17:59 PM
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Here are two stories about iRobot’s latest entry in the robotics field. iRobot has decided to create a robot to assist elderly patients in there homes. The question is will this robot also vacuum the floors? iRobot calls this area of robotics assistive technology and it’s purpose is to promote wellness and quality of life for seniors. I don’t see why this would be limited to older folks, it would seem that anyone in need of assistance in their home could benefit from these machines. Read the articles below for more on these homecare bots.
BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iRobot Corp. (Nasdaq: IRBT - News) today announced that Colin Angle, iRobot’s chairman and chief executive officer, will discuss the role of robots in the future of healthcare during a presentation at the TEDMED conference in San Diego, Calif. At the event, Angle will also introduce Tod Loofbourrow, president of iRobot’s newly-created healthcare business unit. The new business unit is committed to exploring the potential of robotics as an assistive technology to promote wellness and enhance quality of life for seniors. In this role, Loofbourrow will be responsible for all aspects of the group’s strategy, research and operations. He will report directly to Angle.
In 1978, at age 16, Tod Loufbourrow published a book called "How to build a computer-controlled robot." A few years later, he went off to Harvard, ... See all stories on this topic
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Battalions Will Explore the Solar System
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DATE: 10/28/2009 04:11:14 PM
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Up to this point in space exploration, robots have been solitary explorers commanded ultimately from Earth. Sure, they may have used other spacecraft for communication relays as some Mars landers have done, but they have not been controlled by other machines. Now, that may be changing. As this story from the Telegraph states, “Robotic airships and satellites will fly above the surface of the distant world, commanding squadrons of wheeled rovers and floating robot boats, according to Wolfgang Fink of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).” Robots will use networks to control other robots. This will allow redundancy in the operations. Cheap rovers and flyers can be deployed to explore the surface, while an orbiting spacecraft oversees the operations. In order for this to work, the controlling robots must have the ability to make intelligent choices of where to send its minions or when to shut down a malfunctioning bot. Prof Fink, director of Caltech's Visual and Autonomous Exploration Systems Research Laboratory, is leading his team in “developing software that would let a robotic explorer act independently and as part of a network. They would select priorities for exploration and anticipate and handle problems on their own.”
Papers describing this new exploration are published in the journal Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine and in the Proceedings of the SPIE. For more information on this work, visit http://autonomy.caltech.edu . You can find information on JPL missions is at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ .
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: A Robot Elk is a Tempting Target
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CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/10/a-robot-elk-is-a-tempting-target.html
DATE: 10/28/2009 12:39:40 AM
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Poachers beware. A robo-Elk is out there to tempt you into taking a shot. This robotic elk joins robotic deer and a literal menagerie of robotic wildlife in the battle to stop illegal hunting of game. There are robotic wolves and even robotic turkeys. Operated by the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust, the Robotic Decoy Program strives to stop poachers. These robotic game animals are actually remote-controlled taxidermic specimens, so they are very realistic. This story adds to the many robotic animal stories here on RobotNext, even though this may not be considered to be a true robot or even a very advanced robot. It is performing a valuable role as a mechanical stand-in for the real thing. After all, this elk or deer can take a bullet and remain standing. It is definitely saving many wild animals from an illegal hunter’s weapon. You can watch a video of the robotic deer taking fire from some road hunters in this clip from You Tube.
Photo Credit: Oregon State Police
The decoy donated by the Humane Society Wildlife Land Trust will help fish and wildlife agents target nighttime or closed-season poachers.
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 Worldfor more on this topic.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Could Get a Sense of Touch
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CATEGORY: Nature
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/10/robots-could-get-a-sense-of-touch.html
DATE: 10/25/2009 11:55:24 PM
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According to a story from the BBC News, “Robots of the future could have fingertips as sensitive as those of people, new research suggests. Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Sheffield have been examining the way our brains interpret our senses. They connected artificial mouse whiskers to a robotic brain to see how the brain processes information relayed by sense of touch.”
The connection between robots and biology is one that I find fascinating, so this article just had to be a post on RobotNext. Robots that have a human capability of touch could revolutionize many areas of automation. Next generation robots will likely have this advanced touch sense. With this ability, robotic surgery may find new uses as the surgeons might be able to actually feel what the robot feels. Another use is in the area of prosthetics. Imagine Dean Kamen’s “Luke Arm” with this sense of touch. The nature connection here is that this idea came from the study of mouse whiskers. When objects brush against the whiskers on a mouse, nerve impulses are sent to the brain and interpreted there. Sensory information can be processed by the brain to determine the direction of movement of the object. In this case, artificial whiskers were used and the brain just happens to be that of a robot. The robot was able to learn to interpret the movements. Read the complete article at the links below.
'Whiskers' may help robots touch BBC News The scientists found that when objects were brushed against the whiskers, the robot brain learned how to interpret the whisker movement according to its ... and more »
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robotic Bed Converts into Wheelchair by Voice Command
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BASENAME: robotic-bed-converts-to-wheelchair
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/10/robotic-bed-converts-to-wheelchair.html
DATE: 10/19/2009 11:31:58 PM
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I guess there are days when anyone could use a robotic bed. Imagine having this special bed for the mornings when you just can’t get up and you need to make it to the kitchen where your robotic coffeemaker has the caffeine waiting. This bed makes itself into a wheelchair that can carry you to your desired destination. Okay, so that was just to get your attention.
Seriously, this robot was not developed for the lazy or the sleepy. It is for the patient who has a medical disability that keeps him or her from moving about on their own. Activated by voice commands, the robot can convert itself into a motorized wheelchair with no other input from the patient. There is a security monitor to allow the person see what is happening in other rooms. It can even turn the patient to prevent bedsores. Watch the video on You Tube and check out the stories at the links below.
Robotic bed that converts into a wheelchair Business Standard The robot also helps the user turn over to prevent bedsores. Panasonic, which formed a robotic unit last year, sees a profitable future in robotics. ... Wheelchair Bed RobotDaily Contributor
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AUTHOR: wheelchairs
EMAIL: feedback@wheelchairindia.com
IP: 122.168.70.236
URL: http://www.wheelchairindia.com
DATE: 06/17/2011 01:18:40 AM
I really appreciate your post and you explain each and every point very well.Thanks for sharing this information.And I’ll love to read your next post too.
Regards
wheelchairs
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: New Robot Delivers Snacks
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DATE: 10/17/2009 12:44:32 PM
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Here is a robot for the junk food junkies everywhere. If you need a snack, then this is the machine for you. Carnegie Mellon University has developed this robot to serve snacks to students, faculty, and office personnel that work on the campus. Of course, it also has a more serious purpose: To serve (pun intended) as a research platform for autonomous operations in a business office environment.
As the researchers explain, "The research will allow the robot to navigate through congested areas in a socially acceptable fashion, detect individual people moving near the robot, recognize when someone that the robot knows approaches it, and autonomously learn to recognize new objects."
If you look at the original source for this article at Carnegie Mellon’s website, then you will find video links and a pdf of the research paper on the Snackbot.
Credit: Carnegie Mellon University via Live Science
Snackbot is an autonomous mobile robot whose mission is to bring tasty treats.
Snackbot is a mobile autonomous robot, intended for both fully autonomous and semi-autonomous operation, built by an interdisciplinary team at Carnegie Mellon University. Snackbot has two jobs. One job is to serve as a research platform for projects in robotics, design, and behavioral science. We welcome new partners or sponsors for this work. Snackbot’s other job is to serve snacks.
Lee, M.K., Forlizzi, J., Rybski, P.E., Crabbe, F., Chung, W., Finkle, J., Glaser, E., and Kiesler, S. (2009) The Snackbot: Documenting the design of a robot for long-term human-robot interaction. In Proceedings of HRI2009, 7-14. [pdf]
Here is a robot for the junk food junkies
everywhere. If you need a snack, then
this is the machine for you. Carnegie Mellon University has developed this
robot to serve snacks to students, faculty, and office personnel that work on
the campus. Of course, it also has a
more serious purpose: To serve (pun
intended) as a research platform for autonomous operations in a business office
environment.
As the researchers explain, "The research will allow
the robot to navigate through congested areas in a socially acceptable fashion,
detect individual people moving near the robot, recognize when someone that the
robot knows approaches it, and autonomously learn to recognize new
objects."
Credit: Carnegie Mellon University
Snackbot has two jobs. One is to serve as a research platform for projects in robotics, design, and behavioral science. The other is to serve snacks.
This is quite an amazing little robot. Nature has provided a very adaptable example to follow in this case. Inspired by the lowly cockroach, it is as tough to destroy as its real-life model. It can survive a fall of 90 feet and scurry off like it has seen a can of Raid. Built so that it uses only one motor, this roachbot turns by flexing and slightly deforming its frame. You have to see the video on You Tube to see the robo roach in action. It has always been said that if there is ever a nuclear war, only the roaches would survive. Now, it may be that the robotic roaches will be there too! Check out the story at IEEE by clicking on the link below or read the article at ZDNet by following the link in the quote below.
IEEE Spectrum writes of a small resilient robot created by Paul Birkmeyer and Prof. Ronald Fearing at the Biomimetic Millisystems Lab at UC Berkeley.
Aptly called DASH (Dynamic Autonomous Sprawled Hexapod), the six-legged insect-inspired robot can reach speeds of 1.5 meters per second and is flexible/strong enough to be dropped from a height of 28 meters without breaking. A single DC motor powers the legs and a small servomotor to slightly deform the robot’s body, allowing it to make turns. Emerging Technology Trends - http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/
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TITLE: Rolling Robot - Next, What To Do With It
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Spherical robots are not new, its just that they have had a few drawbacks. Primarily, how does a sphere climb over obstacles like large boulders that are in its path? Greg Schroll has developed a possible solution to that problem by using gyroscopes to maintain momentum. His invention has possible applications in space exploration, environmental studies, and underwater research. Check out some of the previous spherical robots covered here on RobotNext. The NXT-based rolling robot and the hamster ball for lunar exploration are two good examples.
By Rob Fisher in Tech Colorado State grad student Greg Schroll has taken the idea of the spherical robot -- basically a robot contained in a ball, ... See all stories on this topic
Here is a project that combines two of my great passions: space exploration and robots. These college students have developed a robot for the NASA Regolith Excavator Centennial Challenge at Ames Research Air Force Base in Mountain View, California, on October 17. Winner of the challenge will win a half a million dollars. In order to even qualify, the robot must dig 150 kg of simulated lunar regolith in under 30 minutes. You can watch the video on You Tube of the robot in action as it scoops dirt in both directions and then travels up a ramp to dump the load. Will it make the goal or not? Check out the complete story at PhysOrg.com.
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.
(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 ...
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TITLE: Robotics Competition Taps Into Cirque du Soleil and Hollywood
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FIRST Robotics announced in a press release that the Technical Director of Cirque du Soleil and a noted Hollywood film and TV producer have been added to the game design committee for this year’s FIRST Robotics Competition. This is keeping with their goal of producing “the most spectacular robotics competition in the world.” Read about the details in the press release at the links below.
Here is a story from WJLA Channel 8 News of Arlington, Virginia. "Babies and toddlers learn at a rapid-fire pace as they begin to crawl, walk, and explore the world around them. But what happens when a young child has a problem with mobility? The question has prompted researchers to study the use of kid-sized robots to mobilize babies and toddlers. A few months ago, 2-year-old Andrew Peffley would have been stuck on the sidelines after being born with spina bifida. Instead, he is exploring the world around him like any other toddler thanks to a pint-sized robot chair."
"Physical therapists and mechanical engineers joined forces to create the chairs, which are controlled by a joystick that's simple enough for a one-year-old to use."
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots That Model the Movements of Schooling Fish
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CATEGORY: Nature
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DATE: 10/01/2009 11:31:09 PM
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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.
Credit: Tsuno/Getty
Nissan engineers unveil their 'Eporo' robots in a convoy at a press preview in Yokohama Thursday.
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 ...
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.
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 ...
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 ...
Robots modeled on nature are fascinating. Many of the next important design breakthroughs in robotics will probably come from research labs that are working in the area of biomimetics. This article from the MIT News relates two robot innovations from Sangbae Kim of the Biomimetic Robot Lab of MIT. First, is a robot called Stickybot that can climb very smooth walls. Stickybot’s feet are based on the Gecko and use an unusual property called directional adhesion. In other words, the feet are sticky in only one direction. This means that the feet can detach as easily as they adhere. You can click on the link under the thumbnail to see a larger version of the photo. The second project will be to develop a robot that will use the design of a cheetah’s backbone to reach speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. Read about these incredible robot designs at the links below.
From nature, robots MIT News To a robot designer like Sangbae Kim, the animal kingdom is full of inspiration. "I always look at animals and ask why they are the way they are," says Kim, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at MIT.
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.
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 »
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: A New Swimming Robot Based on an Amazonian Fish
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BASENAME: a-new-swimming-robot-based-on-an-amazonian-fish
CATEGORY: Nature
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/09/a-new-swimming-robot-based-on-an-amazonian-fish.html
DATE: 09/22/2009 01:09:33 AM
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Anyone who reads RobotNext knows that one of my favorite topics is robots based on nature. I believe that the field of bionics (or biomimetics) is where many of the next cutting-edge robot designs will originate. So many current robots have animals as their models. Many of these have been written about here. You can find them in the nature section of the archives. There are snakebots, fishbots, and ratbots, to name a few.
This particular robot is based on the Amazonian Knifefish. Dubbed the Gymnobot, this fishbot is designed to propel itself through the water using a fin. With this robot, the researchers hope to prove the advantages of using a fin instead of a propellor for moving through the water. Check out this story at the link to Computerworld below.
Last year, the Sintef Group, a research company based in Trondheim, Norway, announced that it was working on a robot based on snakes. The robots, which are ... and more »
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AUTHOR: foodsafe panels
EMAIL: isoclad1234@gmail.com
IP: 124.253.100.18
URL: http://www.isoclad.com
DATE: 11/22/2009 10:28:40 PM
Now this is hghly recommeded post for me. I will surely email this to my friend.
Regards
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike Henry
EMAIL: jmhenry01@gmail.com
IP: 24.243.59.3
URL: http://www.robotnext.com
DATE: 11/28/2009 09:18:57 PM
Thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the post. As you can tell, I have a thing for bio-robotics.
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AUTHOR: Term Papers
EMAIL: flash.papers@gmail.com
IP: 221.120.250.101
URL: http://www.flashpapers.com
DATE: 01/27/2010 05:12:37 AM
These of type of robots helps us to know something more about water world without going in sea and taking risks of life.
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Term Papers
EMAIL: termpapers99@gmail.com
IP: 221.120.250.100
URL: http://www.ghostpapers.com
DATE: 01/28/2010 12:26:29 AM
Many of these have been written about here. You can find them in the nature section of the archives.
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TITLE: Weekly Newswrap
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BASENAME: weekly-newswrap-1
CATEGORY: Newswrap
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/09/weekly-newswrap-1.html
DATE: 09/20/2009 11:55:05 PM
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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 ...
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 ...
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.
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
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.
Photo Credit: MARHES Lab and University of New Mexico
“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.”
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot That Hops Over Obstacles is in the News
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DATE: 09/18/2009 10:43:11 PM
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There have been many posts on this hopping robot all over the blogosphere this week. I finally decided to put the story on RobotNext in order to add my comments to the discussion. So far, most of what I have seen on this bot has been about its military applications. However, it really seems well suited to search and rescue operations. With its ability to jump over objects and onto balconies or roofs of buildings, it could be a boost to first responders to an emergency. This robot could hop onto the second story balcony of a burning building and provide up close surveillance of the situation. Perhaps, it could even carry a fire hose with it to put water on a fire that firefighters could not reach. Check out the story at the link below.
PHOTO: SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES
During normal travel, an electric motor powers the wheels. But when needed, the robot can engage a hopping mechanism and leap over 25 feet in the air to clear an obstacle (as the video posted by Sharon demonstrated earlier this week) . It may look strange, but its unique capability might give the Hopper an important role in urban warfare.
Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have been working on hopping robots which, much like grasshoppers or fleas, can leap over obstacles several times taller than themselves.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Snake Robots to Become More Intelligent
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BASENAME: snake-robots-to-become-more-intelligent
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/09/snake-robots-to-become-more-intelligent.html
DATE: 09/16/2009 12:51:05 AM
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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.
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 ...
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TITLE: Robotics Teams Featured on PBS Special
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/09/robotics-teams-featured-on-pbs-special.html
DATE: 09/15/2009 12:15:16 AM
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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.”
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.
Here’s this week’s newswrap from RobotNext. While there is no theme to tie this report together, the robots from the posts of the last seven days are interesting and varied. From Friday, the Japanese are at it again. They have released a robot to help the elderly exercise. Lately, there seems to be a new health care robot coming out of that island nation every day. Then, there is the clothes folding robot from Thursday’s story. Actually, this laundry bot has been mentioned in several blogs and I just happened to pick this one. Wednesday had yet another robot that mimics nature. Now, it is robot bees. Built to demonstrate communal behavior, these robo-bees join the robo-ants, robo-flies, and other robo-insects crossing the line from nature to mechanical. Tuesday’s robot is the machine every couch potato craves. The kegerator is a beer-pouring robot. Maybe this would be perfect for the sports fanatic who doesn’t want to miss a moment of the game. Finally, in RoboBath, NASA has developed a way to clean and sterilize a robot of bacteria and other living organisms, so that future robotic landers going to planets or moons won’t contaminate the surface with Earth lifeforms. Check out the stories at the links below. Let me know what you think. Leave a comment.
Video: Sporty robot Taizou wants the elderly to exercise
Another week, another healthcare robot coming put of Japan (and this is generally a good thing). This new model, named Taizou [JP], is ... CrunchGear - http://www.crunchgear.com/
FOLD-E! Clothes-folding robot demonstrated at SIGGRAPH
Who wouldn't want one? Scatter your undies on the ground (if they're not there already), give FOLD-E the go-ahead, and scant minutes later, ... CrunchGear - http://www.crunchgear.com/
Robot bees mimic communal feeding The Engineer A Northeastern University neurobiologist is to bring his expertise in animal robotics to a five-year, $10m (£6.1m) National Science Foundation (NSF) ...
But we were scooped on a beer robot. The Asahi robot was part of a promotion for the Japanese brewer in 2006. The R2-D2-shaped bot would pour a tall cold ... See all stories on this topic
RoboBath: NASA Studies The Cleanest Robot in the World - Popular Mechanics
RoboBath: NASA Studies The Cleanest Robot in the World Popular Mechanics Two other robots are tethered to the machine to let it access terrain as steep as 85 degrees. + Bot Specs: The rover is the size of a toy wagon, ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Crawls the Seafloor to Explore Life
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BASENAME: new-robot-travels-across-the-seafloor-to-monitor-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-deep-sea-ecosystems
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/09/new-robot-travels-across-the-seafloor-to-monitor-the-impact-of-climate-change-on-deep-sea-ecosystems.html
DATE: 09/09/2009 10:39:07 PM
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From New Scientist comes this story about a deep sea rover, called Benthic Rover, that is exploring the ocean’s depths. Hard to believe that we know less about the ocean floor than is known about the surface of Mars. This automobile-sized robot, developed by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), is attempting to change that by traveling across the abyssal seafloor. In order to achieve this feat, engineers had to overcome several challenges. Obviously, the biggest barrier to this type of exploration is the extreme pressure at depth. To protect the sensitive electronics systems, custom titanium spheres were built to contain them. In order to keep from sinking in the muddy seafloor, special flotation devices allow the rover to crawl across the marine sediment. To prevent the tank-like threads on the robot from stirring up clouds of fine particles, a pair of off-the-shelf broom heads keep the threads clean.
The Benthic Rover makes its way across the deep seafloor during a trial run in 2007. The "brains" of the vehicle are protected by a spherical titanium pressure housing. The orange and yellow objects are made of incompressible foam, whose buoyancy makes the Rover light enough underwater so that it won't sink into the soft deep-sea mud.
Like the robotic rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which wheeled tirelessly across the dusty surface of Mars, a new robot spent most of July traveling across the muddy ocean bottom, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) off the California coast. This robot, the Benthic Rover, has been providing scientists with an entirely new view of life on the deep seafloor. It will also give scientists a way to document the effects of climate change on the deep sea.
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AUTHOR: Rerto Jordans
EMAIL: luoace2@gmail.com
IP: 64.56.66.235
URL: http://www.nikeairjordan.cc
DATE: 06/19/2010 08:40:45 PM
I'm glad to be of your space. The pictures are good-looking, and writing is very good!
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: iRobot Lights Up SPARK for Robotics Education
STATUS: Publish
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CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/09/irobot-lights-up-spark-program-for-robotics-education.html
DATE: 09/08/2009 11:18:38 PM
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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.
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.
This week featured a number of stories on the “Robotics Rodeo” held at Fort Hood, Texas this week. Here at RobotNext, I decided to feature some of these posts since they were not covered here during the week. At the robot rodeo, the point was to see what machines have been developed with the research funds the military has provided to companies over the years. So, about 30 exhibitors showed up to display their bots. Read the stories below to see the wide range of robots that the armed forces are looking at for future service. Also, the one story listed below that is not about the “Rodeo” is the one from iRobot on the new contract it has received to produce more robots for the military. It is the featured story from Tuesday.
Robots gear up for duty in 'rodeo' at Fort Hood - Fort Worth Star Telegram
Fort Hood shows off its robot army - TDTNews.com - Temple Daily ...
Kairos Autonomi demonstrates a double bot system at the Fort Hood Robot Rodeo on Thursday. The pickup has an autonomous navigation system so it can go driverless to an area where IED activity is suspected. The tank-like robot on the ... Temple Daily Telegram News Feed - http://www.tdtnews.com/
Fort Hood, Texas, hosted a Robotics Rodeo to see what’s hot in the world of unmanned automation. The focus of the Sept. 1-4 event was to give more than 30 different exhibitors a chance to display the latest in autonomous robotics, a capability that ...
Companies showcase robots at Fort Hood Posted On: Friday, Sep. 4 ...
By Matt Goodman FORT HOOD – They may cost millions to make, but when a robot deployed on the battlefield returns in pieces, it's hard for Lt. Col. ... See all stories on this topic
Despite the hundreds of military robots that show up in concept or as prototypes on company Web sites and corporate reports, humans still do the fighting on ... See all stories on this topic
John Deere's R-Gator autonomous utility vehicle in the back country at Fort Hood, Texas. (Credit: Mark Rutherford/CNET) FORT HOOD, Texas-- John Deere , a household name in the Lone Star state, is hoping the brand will carry over into the market for ...
iRobot Receives Order from the US Army for $35.3 Million
One of the robot’s strengths is its adaptability. It is well-suited for use by combat engineers, route clearance companies and infantry brigades. ... See all stories on this topic
FORT HOOD – The first-ever "Robotics Rodeo," which aims to encourage the development of autonomous systems in support of the nation's warfighters, is drawing the world's leading robotic designers and builders to the Texas-based event this week.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Drumming Robot Named Haile Follows the Beat
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DATE: 09/04/2009 10:49:52 PM
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This Geogia Tech product can follow along with a human drummer and come up with its own rhythms. From Neatorama, this story features the robot playing drums with a human musician and it is quite inventive in its musicality. My wife found the drumming “irritating” and wanted it stopped, however, I found it sort of pleasant, if not exactly Buddy Rich. An interesting display of a robot that is able to process information quickly and make creative decisions. I know some will find the use of the word creative here somewhat inappropriate, but the robot’s programming is acting in a creative fashion to make rhythms that are following the general patterns laid-down by the human participant. Listen to the drumming example on the You Tube link below. You decide.
Gil Weinberg and Scott Driscoll of Georgia Tech developed a robot that can improvise rhythms as it hears music: Haile is a robotic percussionist that can listen to live players, analyze their music in real-time, and use the product of ... Neatorama - http://www.neatorama.com/
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TITLE: Robotic Fish Developed in Korea
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CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
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DATE: 09/03/2009 10:59:25 PM
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A group of Korean scientists, led by Dr. Ryuh Young-sun, have developed a robotic fish. The team, located at the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, debuted the fishbot in an aquarium at BEXCO. The researchers teleoperated the robotic fish. Named "Ichthys," the Greek word for fish, the robot can swim for four hours on one charge of its power supply. It is able to go to depths of 100 meters. Furthermore, the robofish has an onboard GPS device which allows it to find locations for recharging its batteries. It seems as if robotic fish are being developed everywhere. RobotNext had an earlier story on the MIT robot fish. It is beginning to look like fishbots are as popular as snakebots. Check out the links to the original story below.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Get Magneto-Vision From Lobsters
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CATEGORY: Nature
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DATE: 09/01/2009 11:40:04 PM
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Researchers at the University of OULU are building robots that see like lobsters. Spiny lobsters have become the unlikely inspiration for a new type of vision system for robots. The lobsters are endowed with a unique sense of direction--they use an internal map of local variations in the Earth's magnetic field to find their way around their surrounding. This is a method that could give domestic robots low-cost navigational capabilities. In the photo below, you can see how the robot would see in magneto-vision. Building produce a unique pattern of magnetic variations that can be mapped by the robot and then stored onboard in memory. This pattern can be used to navigate indoors. This method is very inexpensive compared to an indoor GPS and so could become a way for robots to know where they are in a building. Read the article below if you want the complete story.
Image: Jnne Haverinen/University of OULU
Metal in buildings distorts the Earth's magnetic field in ways that could give indoor robots a low-cost map.
The aim of these researchers is to create the first amorphous non-silicon biological robot, plasmobot, using plasmodium, the vegetative stage of the slime mold Physarum polycephalum, a commonly occurring mold. Plasmodium respond to a variety of stimuli to move or grow in a certain direction. The type of food that is supplied can also control the output of the mold. For example, feeding the mold oat flakes cause them to grow tube-like structures. Read the story at the PhysOrg link below.
... span them in the shortest and best way possible, and transport tiny objects along pre-programmed directions. The robots will have parallel inputs and outputs, a network of sensors and the number crunching power of super computers. The plasmobot will ...
Here are this week’s leftovers in no particular order. There are seven stories that made the newswrap this week and they cover an interesting range of topics. If there is any theme in the stories of this past seven days, it is the relationship of robots to human life.
Starting on Monday, there is the report that showed-up in many sites all over the web. This is the one about the robot hand that is quicker than seems robotically or humanly possible. Go to the original Ishikawa Komuro Laboratory article and see the video for yourself. It is amazing to watch. Another medical robot is featured in Tuesday’s entry. Rather than blazing speed, this robot features a gentle touch that can find cancerous tumors in patients. And, rounding out the leftovers from the first three days of the week are the kissing robots from Wednesday. (Okay, this may not be related to human life, except for the fact they are featured in a show that people watch.)
Thursday, there was the story on two robots designed to be nurses for the elderly or provide childcare for the young. You can see the video at this website. Then, there is the story about the robotic nurse that looks like a giant teddy bear from Friday. A robot designed to take care of plants on Mars (or maybe here on Earth) is the choice from the entries on Saturday. Finally, from today, there is the high-tech wheel chair for patients that looks like something from a science fiction movie.
Take a look at all the posts from this week at the links below.
Japan robotics experts unveil sci-fi ... - Vancouver Sun
Japan robotics experts unveil sci-fi wheelchair Vancouver Sun Robotics and medical experts in Japan on Wednesday unveiled the prototype of a new hi-tech electric wheelchair that resembles a scooter and promises greater ... and more »
Le Petit Prince; robot to add plant life on Mars | OnlyGizmos
Le Petit Prince (or the 'little prince') is a robot concept designed to make plants from Earth sustainable on the planet Mars. The robot carries a plant. OnlyGizmos - http://onlygizmos.com/
by Tim Hornyak Japanese researchers have created a robot nurse that can lift elderly patients from wheelchairs and beds. Naturally, it looks like a giant ... See all stories on this topic
THEY may look more like vacuum cleaners with eyes, but Matilda and Jackson are the next generation of nurses and "emotionally intelligent" babysitters.
Cute AND creepy: robots Thomas and Janet are the stars of a Taiwanese robot production of Phantom of the Opera developed by the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology.
Touchy Feely Robot Promises to be Gentle (and Check for Cancer) [Robots] (Gizmodo)
This won't hurt a bit! Researchers have developed a prototype robot that, through key-hole surgery, can detect cancer tumors in half the time, with less tissue damage, and with 40 percent more...
The Robot Hand Faster and Better Than a Human’s: The Gadget Blog ...
So the braniacs at Ishikawa Komuro Lab have developed a high-speed robot hand that can do things very quickly. Now we have at least one robot that can run decently, and at least one robot hand that can do detailed manipulation tasks ... The Gadget Blog - http://www.everyjoe.com/thegadgetblog/
Here is a story about an insect-modeled robot that runs like a real bug. It is a bot that mimics the gait of an insect, if not the appearance. When you look at the motion of this machine on a video, you will be amazed at the realism of the movements. Phasma is based on iSprawl developed at BDML, Stanford University, USA. The two machines have very similar insectoid motions. If you click on the link for iSprawl, you can see it in action. If you want to read more, then go to the Takram link in the next sentence. The following from the Takram Design Engineering website explains the background of this robot’s development in a very succinct way: “Phasma is a hexapedal running robot that can run dynamically like a living organism. It is an attempt to depict life purely through its motion rather than its shape, by extracting the physics of running from living things and implementing that to the artifact. Phasma uses compliant components such as stainless steel springs and rubber joints to reproduce smooth and efficient locomotion seen in animals. Another interesting biomimicry applied in Phasma is the alternating tripod gait as seen in insects that provides excellent stability.” Visit the link below or click on the photograph for more details.
Photo credit: Takashi Mochizuki
... insectile robot reminds me of the running motion made by the CGI-based spider surveillance assistant robots from Stephen Spielberg's 2002 movie Minority Report : ( Minority Report spider robot swarm ) Fans of Michael Crichton's 1985 movie Runaway ...
RobotNext posted a story on this microbot in October of 2008 as an example of robots that are modeled on biology. This is a follow-up to that article. Apparently, the original group developing this little grasshopper bot has now put wings on the mechanical grasshopper to give it the ability to glide after it jumps in the air. The objective of this research is to develop a small robot that can leap into the air and then glide to a target. I still find it amazing to watch the video of the robotic grasshopper jumping into the air. Go to the post from October 2008 to find links to the French site that details the work being done on this.
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TITLE: Robot With Bones is Modeled on Humans
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The Eccerobot has been developed by a team of European researchers that are scattered across five centers. Owen Holland at the University of Sussex, UK, is leading the project. Joining the Sussex group on the project are researchers from the Technical University of Munich, Germany; University of Zurich, Switzerland; University of Belgrade, Serbia; and French firm The Robot Studio. The robot has been designed to model exactly the way human bones, muscles and tendons work together. Tendons and muscles are replaced by kite line and elastic cord. The objective of the project is to develop a robot that is better able to interact with its environment.
Image Credit: The Robot Studio via newscientist.com
YOU may have more in common with this robot than any other - it was designed using your anatomy as a blueprint.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Fishbots: Robots Mimic Swimming Motions of Schools of Fish
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CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/08/fishbots-robots-mimic-swimming-motions-of-schools-of-fish.html
DATE: 08/25/2009 12:14:50 AM
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Robotic fish that swim like a bass or trout are the latest crossover from biology to robotics. Mechanical engineers Kamal Youcef-Toumi and Pablo Valdivia Y Alvarado of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have designed the elegant fishbots to maneuver deftly into areas where more conventional underwater remotely operated or autonomous vehicles are unable to reach. “Schools” of the new robot fish could be utilized to carry-out inspections of underwater structures such as oil and gas pipes; ship’s hulls; and perhaps help detect environmental hazards. They could also find uses in patrolling ports, rivers, and lakes. Unlike earlier robotic fish, these robots are much simpler in design and are much more like their natural models. Read more about these amazing machines in the stories linked below.
LEGO Mindstorms has long been the robotics kit of choice for education. Now, TETRIX, which uses metal parts in its kits, has joined with LEGO Education to produce kits at Pitsco that join metal and plastic together to make robots. One of the first applications of this system has been the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). FTC is run by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), which was co-founded by Dean Kamen. The kit was used in the 2008 – 2009 season. With a unique construction system, these robots are the basis for a coming revolution in educational robotics. Check out the article link below.
Credit: Gatehouse Media, Inc
Forget about the clunky metal monsters from those science fiction movies. The latest robots are learning tools that can inspire students around the world to create and achieve. And they’re coming out of Pittsburg — from Pitsco, to be exact.
* As a postscript to this article, I wished to explain why there is no Weekly Newswrap this week. For three days this week, I have been on the road and spending my days (and some nights) in meetings. Simply stated, I did not have the time to make as many posts as usual. Furthermore, I did not have the opportunity to research enough stories to build up a backlog of potential stories for the newswrap. Next week will bring a more normal schedule. Thanks for reading RobotNext.
Research has shown that pets are healthy. Older people who have pets as companions have less stress, lower blood pressure, and a better quality of life overall. So now, robot pets are possibly headed for homes. This article from Live Science goes into detail on a robot cat by Sega Toys that could be the companion that older folks need. The story is in several web posts including crunchgear. Make sure and check out these stories. At least you wouldn’t have to clean the litter box.
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AUTHOR: small dog fence
EMAIL: martina25984@gmail.com
IP: 124.253.215.103
URL: http://www.dogfencediy.com/reviews/petsafe-little/
DATE: 11/22/2009 11:19:55 AM
Thank you for sharing this information, i honestly never knew about it.
Martina
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: Mike Henry
EMAIL: jmhenry01@gmail.com
IP: 24.243.59.3
URL: http://www.robotnext.com
DATE: 11/28/2009 09:16:49 PM
Thanks for commenting on RobotNext. I am constantly amazed by the number of robotic animals that have been created. One thing about these robot cats -- no allergy problems.
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AUTHOR: RamonGustav
EMAIL: mail9495@gmail.com
IP: 173.236.65.6
URL: http://www.maxipharmacy.com
DATE: 08/24/2010 04:33:20 PM
Hi I liked your note, add your site to your bookmarks.
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AUTHOR: Wireless Dog Fence
EMAIL: arniefarebrass@gmail.com
IP: 195.248.97.230
URL: http://wirelessdogfencestore.com
DATE: 01/29/2011 11:07:15 AM
I think robot cats will be a bit of a problem - won't they rust when you put them out at night ? A robot dog would be a much better idea - plus it could be programmed to take itself for a walk !
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/08/weekly-newwrap.html
DATE: 08/16/2009 11:18:04 PM
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This week’s wrap brings five stories. Three of the stories are about robots and the military. One of these robots can literally hover outside a window and peer inside. Another can actually navigate inside your home. What does this mean for privacy? For the military, these robots can help in many situations of urban warfare, but for the private citizen it could be a big loss of rights. Then, there is the story of the robot that can rescue a person by basically swallowing them into the bowels of the machine. Finally, there is a story of a robotics store in Chicago that is aiming to have workshops to allow anyone in the area to learn about and build robots. Check out these stories from this week.
Robo-copter can navigate inside your home - CNET News
This quadrocopter can find its way around interiors. (Credit: Ascending Technologies) Just when you were getting used to the idea of unmanned aerial vehicles patrolling the skies over your city, they're beginning to enter buildings. This flying robot ...
The Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) is a small bird-sized aircraft that uses flapping wings to fly and hover. It was developed by UAV-pioneers Aeronvironment with funding from (you guessed it) the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency (DARPA). Aeronvionment is now working to improve the robot so it can fly in outside winds. From New Scientist:
Aeronvironment's flapper appears to achieve propulsion, stabilisation and control all at once using its paired wings. Details of the technology are confidential, however, under the US ITAR arms control export restrictions... DARPA has said it wants a 10-gram aircraft with a 7.5-centimetre wingspanMovie Camera that can explore caves and other hiding places, relaying GPS data and images to base. It will need to fly at 10 metres per second and withstand 2.5-metre-per-second gusts of wind. That goal is a long way off, but DARPA programme manager Todd Hylton says Aeronvironment is on the right track. "Progress to date puts us on the path to such a vehicle," he says.
Japanese rescue robots save people by swallowing them
On one hand, you can be saved from certain death in a disaster situation, on the other, a robot must swallow you in order to get you to safety. ... See all stories on this topic
US military embraces robot 'revolution' - Space Daily
Robots in the sky and on the ground are transforming warfare, and the US military is rushing to recruit the new warriors that never sleep and never bleed. The latest robotics were on display at an industry show this week at a naval airfield in ...
RobotCity Workshop Allows Everyone To Build Robot In Chicago Area - PR Inside
With RobotCity Workshop at www.robotcityworkshop.com they are a unique shop located in the Lakeview neighborhood just north of Belmont on Sheffield. They sell all kinds of robot kits, toys, parts, books, magazines, and novelties. They also offer ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Remotely Operated Vehicle Test in Lake
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CATEGORY: Build It
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DATE: 08/15/2009 12:36:57 AM
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Today, I tested a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) in a local lake. So this post is going to be something different for RobotNext. I recommend this project for anyone who wants to try out an underwater robot. Technically speaking, this is not a robot as such. It is a remotely operated vehicle controlled by a tether to a control box and power on the surface. This vehicle was constructed in less than two days in a total of about twelve hours. Using the ROV in a Box from !nventivity, our teachers’ group at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas built three of these machines. All I can say is that it was a blast.
In the video taken from my phone, you can see the robot powering around and then diving under the water. There will be more testing of these ROVs in weeks to come. Also, look at the photos of my ROV on the edge of the water. Not bad for a two day effort.
Video Credit: Mike Henry
Here is a photo of the ROV on the edge of the lake. Note the blue pool noodles used as flotation devices to keep the robot at neutral buoyancy.
Photo Credit: Mike Henry
Note the black cylinder object at the back of the ROV. That is a color camera and below it is a 10 led light to illuminate features in the water. Images can be seen on a television screen. The three motors have propellers and give power and control in 3 directions.
This is a nice project for the LEGO enthusiast. You can check out the project and watch the You Tube video of the robot counting money. Unfortunately, I did not see plans on how to build the robot on the The NXT Step blog. It would be a fun build to try out. Still, it is entertaining just to watch.
A nifty little money counter. It uses the size of each coin to determine it's value. From the creator -
I made a little project with the aim to get an automatic money counting machine. The Robot contains: 3 Motors touch sensor light sensor The Robot decides which coin it has by the size of the coins, then he ads the values and displays the result. When all coins are counted the robot recognizes this and gets itself back to starting position. ready for the next coins. again its programmed with nxc , and took me 2 days. (works with euros and cents)
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robotic Hamster Ball Design for Google Lunar X Prize
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CATEGORY: Robots
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/08/robotic-hamster-ball-design-for-google-lunar-x-prize.html
DATE: 08/12/2009 11:10:00 PM
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New Scientist has an article on the contenders for the Google Lunar X Prize. If you haven’t heard of this, it is a contest sponsored by Google to see who can land a rover on the Moon and accomplish a set of pre-assigned tasks. Do this and your team gets a great deal of recognition and $20 million.
The Google Lunar X Prize site details what the rovers need to accomplish: “The Google Lunar X PRIZE is a $30 million international competition to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon, travel 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send images and data back to the Earth. Teams must be at least 90% privately funded and must be registered to compete by December 31, 2010. The first team to land on the Moon and complete the mission objectives will be awarded $20 million; the full first prize is available until December 31, 2012. After that date, the first prize will drop to $15 million. The second team to do so will be awarded $5 million. Another $5 million will awarded in bonus prizes. The final deadline for winning the prize is December 31, 2014.”
So, on the New Scientist site there photos of some of the more interesting and unique entries. They cover the range of hoppers, wheeled rovers, and, in one case, a sphere-shaped robot reminiscent of a hamster ball. You can see this planned lunar bot in the photo below. Click on the photo to go to the page in the New Scientist article about this creation by Team Frednet, one of the Google X Prize entrants. And look at the video on You Tube of the PicoRover, as it is called. This innovative approach to a lunar rover is very intriguing because it weighs only 500 grams. It certainly won’t need a Saturn 5 to get it to the Moon. And besides, if this design doesn't make it to the Moon, it certainly has a future as a cat toy.
Image: Team Frednet/Joshua Tristancho
More than a dozen teams are racing to claim a $30 million prize for landing a robot rover on the moon – see the most advanced prototypes so far…
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AUTHOR: Hamster Cage
EMAIL: joeroberts516@comcast.net
IP: 76.20.192.252
URL: http://www.petinfoonline.com/hamster-cage/
DATE: 04/25/2011 04:38:51 PM
Thats some hamster ball. Will there be a hamster on board?
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Farming Robots From Europe
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BASENAME: farming-robots-from-europe
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/08/farming-robots-from-europe.html
DATE: 08/12/2009 01:05:53 AM
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Today, I saw this entry from machineslikeus.com that has a story of how imaging systems could be used to aid in harvesting crops. Several days ago, in fact on the RobotNext Weekly Newswrap, I linked to a story of swarm robots that are being tested in the Netherlands for farm use. Now, this is a good example of two robotic systems that could benefit by working together. It would be a great idea to combine the imaging system from the UK with the robots from the Netherlands. Although the Netherlands robots are being promoted as a way to apply precision amounts of pesticides and fertilizers, why could they not also be used for harvesting purposes. Not only that, but the imaging systems could help in cultivation of crops by the farmbots. See the video of the farming robots to get an idea of how these machines could work on agricultural lands.
Intelligent harvesting robot to save farms money. Tue, 08/11/2009 - 13:57 - NLN. Researchers at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Teddington have developed imaging technology to be used in an intelligent harvesting machine that ... Machines Like Us - Science at... - http://machineslikeus.com/
But a swarm of small robots could quite possibly replace these agricultural giants in farming of the future. Wageningen University Agricultural Professor ... See all stories on this topic
At the end of another week, I found several stories deserving of a mention in this Newswrap. There is no unifying theme to the listing for the last few days, but, of course, it was impossible to go a week without at least one snakebot article. And, it is creepy and incredible all in one. This robotic snake is being developed for heart surgery by researchers at the University of Pittsburg. You can check out the video at You Tube of the snakebot being readied for heart surgery on a pig. The rest of the articles deal with the usual array of subjects for robotics these days. There is the one from today on RFID robots that brings up the Terminators analogy (again), and the latest robotic invention from Japan—a robot sunflower. Make sure and check out the farming robots from the Netherlands for a great non-military application of robots. Of course, there is the warning about killer bots within 40 years in the post from findingDulcinea.com
Rise of the RFID Robots
Sure, Hollywood's Terminators are more powerful (albeit malicious), but the Georgia robots are real. And what makes them so interesting—even fascinating—is ... See all stories on this topic
But a swarm of small robots could quite possibly replace these agricultural giants in farming of the future. Wageningen University Agricultural Professor ... See all stories on this topic
Cardiorobotics, Developer of Snake Robot Technology, Aims to Alter ...
The future of heart surgery is in something called a snake robot, at least according to the people at Newport, RI-based Cardiorobotics. We decided to check it. Xconomy - http://www.xconomy.com/
In this article by Tim Hornyak, he explores how it is that Japan loves its baroque, impractical machines, with Honda's zillion-dollar humanoid robot ASIMO being the acme example. ... See all stories on this topic
US Predicts Killer Robots 40 Years Away, Raises Ethics Debate
Science fiction legend Isaac Asimov predicted a world in which many robot-like machines would be an integral part of human life. ... See all stories on this topic
In light of yesterday’s post, this is a good follow-on to the robot playing the knife game. Here, the robots have a simulated knife fight after they make ramen. You have to see the video at the CNET link below.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: National Instruments Demonstrates Robots at NI Week
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CATEGORY: Current Affairs
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Yesterday, I visited the expo for NI Week. National Instruments showed several applications of its products in various robots. The one I found most interesting was the Delta Robot powered by NI Softmotion. This robot plays the knife game or five finger fillet as it is sometimes called. Only it plays without a knife on a glove inside a clear lexan box. (Don’t try this at home!) And you can watch a You Tube video of someone doing this for real. But again, if you value your fingers, do not try this at home or anywhere else for that matter! The robot version I saw is much safer since the “hand” is a glove only. In the video link below, you can see the Delta Robot in action. I did have the chance to watch this in person, but I did not have a video camera with me. Luckily, someone has posted the video on You Tube. You can watch it here. Now, what is creepy, in a real-life follows fiction kind of way, is how this reminded me of the scene from James Cameron's Aliens. In the movie, the android plays the knife game with only a tiny little cut as a result. So, here we are with the real version of this-sans android. The purpose of the robot, of course, is deeper than playing a game. It is a demonstration of the state of motion control in robotic systems and has many real-world applications in industry.
There many other great robots at this expo. I hope to write about some of the other robots in a future posting. Meanwhile, make sure and look at the video on You Tube. And check out the link to the article below, it is a general overview of NI's purpose for this year's conference.
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 6, 2009, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- NIWeek -- Executives from National Instruments (Nasdaq: NATI) discussed how NI products are helping address global challenges during the 15th annual NIWeek graphical system design ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Humanoid Jaemi HUBO Robot Works Out on the Treadmill
STATUS: Publish
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/08/humanoid-jaemi-hubo-robot-works-out-on-the-treadmill.html
DATE: 08/04/2009 10:59:46 PM
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This story of yet another walking robot appears in several posts on the web. One is at slipperybrick.com, another is posted on botropolis.com, and a third version is found on plasticpals.com. Drexel University now has a walking robot that does his thing on a treadmill. Daniel M. Lofaro of the Drexel Autonomous Systems Lab has just posted a video on You Tube which shows the robot walking on a treadmill. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) built the original version of this robot the HUBO. HUBO is short form for "humanoid robot." Jaemi HUBO is the American incarnation of KAIST’s HUBO 2, which has been built by Drexel University thanks to a $5 million dollar, 5 year research initiative funded by the National Science Foundation. In light of the stories of Toyota’s running robot, this bot may have some catching up to do. However, there is no doubt about which robot would win in the gym.
Humanoid Jaemi HUBO robot hits the gym Slippery Brick In between planning our demise and testing cycles and such, robots like to hit the gym just like you. And while this guy may not be fast, he's working on it ...
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AUTHOR: japanese robots
EMAIL: pipe3177@gmail.com
IP: 74.55.186.147
URL: http://www.japaneserobots.net/
DATE: 03/18/2010 10:55:29 AM
Cool robot, so far the best ones I have seen are the robots from japan, they are so innovated and cool. Great article by the way
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: High-Tech Robot To Aid Nature Conservancy
STATUS: Publish
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KPBS has this story about an advanced remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) that will be used by the Nature Conservancy to explore the ocean near the California coast. The purpose of using this undersea robot is to reach areas of the marine environment that is not accessible to human divers because of the depth. Mainly, this is an area of canyons and reefs in the Channel Islands Marine Protected Areas. The 500 pound machine essentially flies over the ocean floor taking high resolution video and photographs of deep marine life. One other thing, the Nature Conservancy is having an online naming contest for the robot. The contest ends on August 31,2009. If you submit a name, post it here in a comment. Let us know what you submitted as a choice for this robot’s name. RobotNext has no part in the contest except as an interested party in seeing if any readers participate in naming this bot.
Photo by Nancy Crowley / The Nature Conservancy
High-Tech Robot Explores Waters Off California KPBS An environmental group is using an underwater robot for ocean research off the California coast. The high-tech tool will explore areas beyond ...
This week there are stories about robot flies and one story about a robot that could attract flies if it is not careful. For the last three days there have been these stories about flies or more specifically robotic flies. So, this week’s newswrap just had to feature roboflies. Two of the posts that are linked to below actually cover the same research into blowflies and how they process visual information in their tiny brains. If scientists can figure out how the flies rapidly compute the image data with the limited neurological connections they possess, then there is a possibility of applying this to the robotic version. The last story hopefully does not involve flies, but it is possible that if the packages are not well protected, then someone’s office might be a haven for flies. In the post at botropolis.com, the Urban Mole, as it is dubbed, could delivered mail, books, or groceries (okay,that’s just gross. I have to say no to food through the sewers unless it is outbound to the treatment plant!).
You can read about these stories at the links below. Keep that flyswatter handy!
Flies' extremely quick eyesight may inspire ultimate vision for robots (New Kerala)
Washington, August 1 : Inspired by how the blow fly's extremely quick eyesight helps to keep it from losing orientation as it makes 'lightning-fast' movements to and fro, scientists in Germany have created an unusual research environment.
Micro flying robots can fly more effectively than flies (PhysOrg)
There is a long held belief among engineers and biologists that micro flying robots that fly like airplanes and helicopters consume much more energy than micro robots that fly like flies. A new study now shows that a fly wing that spins like a helicopter blade generates the same amount of lift as a flapping fly wing while consuming only half the energy to move the wing. This finding can inspire ...
Blowflies Get Virtual Reality in Flight Simulator (Wired News)
By sticking flies in a virtual-reality flight simulator, scientists are tracking how the insects manage to process visual images more than four times faster than humans. The researchers hope their results will improve visual-processing systems for flying robots.
Robot Delivers Packages Through Sewers | botropolis.com
Robot Delivers Packages Through Sewers As cities get more crowded, it will be more difficult for UPS and the Postal service to get around in their trucks full of packages. So what do you do? You make like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ... Botropolis - http://botropolis.com/
Flying robot insects are the subject of some intense research into exactly how they are able to accomplish their aerial feats. A researcher at Arizona State University, Michele Milano, is investigating how a robofly flies. Check out this video of his “flying brick”. (You need Microsoft Media Player to see this.) Also, look at this robot fly from the Harvard Microrobotics Lab to see what started this line of research.
The goal of developing a flying robo-insect is to build the ultimate surveillance tool. A tiny robot that looks and flies like a real insect could enter a building and take a look around without raising an alarm. How does the robofly take to the air? Now, this new research seems to cast doubt on whether its the robots wings or the vibrations in the strings that guide it. Or maybe its both. So, the point of this story is that, even now, after over 100 years of powered flight, it is not always clear what the mechanics of flying involve or even why something can fly.
CREATING a free-flying robotic insect is the dearest wish of many an engineer because such a machine would have great potential in surveillance and in seeking out trapped people in search-and-rescue situations. But a curious effect might upset their plans.
Due to vibrations similar to those generated in a plucked guitar string, a robotic insect can defy gravity and "fly" up wire tethers.
Security forces and local police may soon have a new tool to use in their work. This two pound robot is packaged as a kit that fits in a suitcase-sized container. It can be assembled and operating in a short time. Using a simple interface that works with a Google maps application, the operator merely points at the target on the map and the flying robot is directed to that location. It has the ability to stay aloft for 20 minutes and can fly at an altitude of 500 feet. The robot is equipped with a camera to take stills or stream video back to the controller. With a $50,000 price tag, it won’t be sold to individuals. Right now, the only place the robot can fly is Canada. It may take another six months or so for the FAA to approve its use in the USA.
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robot, helicopter, surveillance, Aeryon
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Firefighting Robot Team
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: firefighting-robot-team
CATEGORY: Current Affairs
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/firefighting-robot-team.html
DATE: 07/29/2009 12:33:31 AM
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Here is the mechanical fantastic four of fire fighting showcased in a story by BBC. They even have names that would be fitting of any superhero. You have Talon, Bison, Black Max, and Brokk. Each robot is a specialist, but they work as a team to handle special fire situations involving gas cylinders. Talon is a small, maneuverable tracked robot like the bomb disposal machines in Iraq. It can climb stairs, and is outfitted with video and thermal imaging cameras. Next is Bison, a slightly bigger and more dexterous robot that uses grippers and cutting tools to access vehicles or storage areas. Then, there is Black Max to take care of the traditional fire-fighting task. It is four-wheeled, remote-controlled vehicle that sits low to the ground and carries a fire hose. Brokk is the final team member. It is a modified piece of industrial digging equipment that is remotely controlled and fitted with a giant claw to remove dangerous objects. Read the story of these mechanical fire fighters at the links below.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Iowa State Robot is Master of Ceremonies
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/iowa-state-robot-is-master-of-ceremonies.html
DATE: 07/27/2009 10:47:10 PM
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This ribbon-cutting robot from Iowa State was the master of ceremonies at the opening of its own new home. Showing off a large pair of scissors, the robot cut the ribbon without hesitation or problem to officially christen the new Electrical and Computer Engineering building. Built to research procedural learning in the Developmental Robotics Lab of Alexander Stoytchev, the bot “has two Barrett Whole Arm Manipulators for appendages, and a custom-designed head with stereo vision capable of simple emotional expression. Its three-fingered hands are flexible enough to perform a variety of grasping motions, using fingers 1 and 3 as opposable thumbs when necessary” as is demonstrated in the ribbon cutting.
Plastic Pals’ website sums it up this way: “The philosophy behind the research is to teach the robot the properties of its surroundings similar to the way a child or animal learns during early development, through direct experience. The robot has already learned to identify objects from the sounds they make when being touched, pushed, held, and shaken.”
So, this robot is so much more than a mere MC for ribbon cuttings—it has been developed to do serious research into robot intelligence. In many ways, this robot has more potential for interaction with humans. Just take a look at the animation of the expressions it will be able to make.
Image Credit: Developmental Robotics Laboratory at Iowa State University
Jul 27, 2009 ...Robots can travel in time, ride (stationary) motorcycles, and teach your children to disrespect you -- but rarely do they have any sense of ...
This week’s Newwrap is best described as leftovers. These stories are like the food remaining after a big dinner: I didn't want to throw them out because they could still make a good meal.
Again, the subjects range all over the place. A robot in a wedding dress walks down the runway at a fashion show in Japan is today’s entry. There are also underwater robots, surgical robots, and robots to help humans. Finally, from the beginning of the week, there are the robots that may advertise on the Moon. Quite an eclectic group of stories to look at for this week. I hope you enjoy them.
Robot Hits Runway at Osaka Fashion Show
Tokyo, Jul 26 (PTI) Japanese scientists have made a robot in an elaborate wedding dress walk down the runway at an Osaka fashion show, a development seen as ... See all stories on this topic
Robby the Robot goes underwater (St. Tammany News)
Robotics, especially underwater robotics is still a new profession. Used by oil and gas companies to repair underwater pipelines and drilling platforms, underwater robots have replaced human divers in dangerous depths that can crush a human diver.
High-tech robot allows doctors to treat soldiers remotely
Dr. Kevin Chung appears on the screen of the robot that helps him treat soldiers from afar. A revolutionary robot mounted with a high-tech camera is helping ... See all stories on this topic
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- It's one giant leap for robot-kind. New Shadow Shaping technology creates images on the Moon that can be ... See all stories on this topic
Okay. I know that I am obsessed with snake robots. This article from technovelgy.com and Science Fiction in the News just grabbed me like a python and wouldn’t let go. You have to see all the moves this snake has. Look at Carnegie Mellon’s Biorobotics Laboratory site and watch the videos. Besides swimming and wrapping around a horizontal pipe, this baby can climb a pole. See the thumbnail below and follow the link for the larger photos on the website.
Returning to one of my favorite subjects, here is a post I found on robots designed from biological models. The robot pictured below is a snakebot. Israeli robot builders seem to love serpents as a model for robots. Click on the serpents link above to see an earlier post on RobotNext about an Israeli Defense Forces robot that is to be used for recon missions.
NY1's Technology performer Adam Balkin filed the report this story is taken from. The innovative robots were developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. Their creator, Amir Shapiro, finds inspiration in nature. Specifically, he studies how animals move. "We actually look at nature and try to copy but we cannot copy exactly because we have different materials and actuators," says Shapiro. "So we try to mimic nature -- it's called biomimetics."
He has created two robotic snakes for search and rescue missions. One of his creations can climb nearly vertical surfaces such a metal ship hull by using magnets to attach to the surface. In the story, Shapiro shows other robots that he is working with that are based on LEGO NXT kits. He makes the point that robots can be developed and build using very inexpensive materials. Computing power is readily available, so very innovative robots can be build by anyone with the necessary knowledge and skill.
His point is well taken. Robots have a use where the environment is too dangerous for humans, but robots also have a role to play in recreation. To see one of the robot snakes in action, click on the video credit link below.
New Israeli Robots Move Like Animals NY1 A robot builder from Israel says he often draws inspiration from actual animals when designing metal ones. NY1's Technology performer Adam Balkin filed the ...
Here’s another take on the Astrobotic Technology robot that is slated to voyage to the Moon in 2011. These two stories cover the power angle of this future lunar explorer. This robot will use solar power as its energy source and it is being designed to survive the heat of lunar noon. Check out both stories linked to below.
Mike writes "Carnegie Mellon roboticist Dr. William Whittaker has teamed up with Astrobiotic Technology to develop a solar powered moon rover that will explore the Apollo landing site in 2011.
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TITLE: Skiing Robot Developed to Study Techniques for the Snow
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BASENAME: skiing-robot-developed-to-study-skiers-motions
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/skiing-robot-developed-to-study-skiers-motions.html
DATE: 07/22/2009 10:59:04 PM
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In a recent issue of Sports Engineering, a team of researchers has published a study of a robot experimantal system. This group, working out of Kanazawa University in Japan, has taken the first steps toward developing a method to investigate the motions in leg joints that occur during ski turns. It is hoped that this data will ultimately serve as a model to help skiers improve their own movements. Several blogs have posted on this skiing robot. On botjunkie.com there are links to some You Tube videos to give you an idea of what some skiing robots look like. Although there are no videos of this particular bot as yet, these movies are informative.
More often than not, robots can be found doing any activity that humans are involved in. The purpose may be research based for now, but eventually robots may have a more direct involvement with humans. Can you see a robot ski instructor on the slopes? The robot could demonstrate perfect and repeatable motions to teach someone how to have great skiing technique. No problems with patience either. A robot would, perhaps, be the best teacher in cases like this. Of course, robots must learn how to relate to humans. That is another research area altogether. Check out the stories below for more information on the skiing robot.
Photo Credit: T. Yoneyama, et al. via PhysOrg.com
Skiing is a very hectic sport, don't believe me, then go and ask the robot who's just started.
T. Yoneyama, H. Kagawa, M. Unemoto, T. Iizuka, N.W. Scott. “A ski robot system for qualitative modeling of the carved turn.” Sports Engineering(2009) 11:131-141.
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More often than not, robots can be found doing any activity that humans are involved in. The purpose may be research based for now, but eventually robots may have a more direct involvement with humans. Can you see a robot ski instructor on the slopes?
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robots, technique, Kanazawa University, experimental
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: See Robot Run
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: see-robot-run
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/see-robot-run.html
DATE: 07/21/2009 09:25:40 PM
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This is one impressive robot. Watch it in action on this video at You Tube. Sure, it can not run uphill or withstand a push greater than a human’s, but it is hard to not consider this a quantum leap (no pun intended) in bipedal robots. Toyota is known for building quality automobiles and not so much for robots. However, they have now demonstrated that their robotics technology is also at the cutting edge. Read more in the article from Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
Video Credit: Toyota
Toyota’s most recent humanoid robot prototype (one of many partner robots the automotive giant is developing) stands 130cm tall and weighs 50Kgr. Its legs have 7 degrees of freedom and it can run at an average speed of 7 km/h. In contrast, ASIMO’s maximum speed is 6km/h. The Toyota researchers had to develop new real-time methods for balance control. These methods make it possible for the robot to remain balanced when an external force such as a push from a human is applied when in motion. The below video from Toyota demonstrates the running capabilities of the new humanoid robot. The robot takes a step every 340ms and has no contact with the ground for 100ms of that. Notice in the video how the robot remains balanced even after pushed by the human.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Astrobotic Technology Reveals Robot Design To Survive Moon's Extreme Heat
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BASENAME: astrobotic-technology-reveals-robot-design-to-survive-moons-extreme-heat
CATEGORY: Current Affairs
CATEGORY: Robots
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/astrobotic-technology-reveals-robot-design-to-survive-moons-extreme-heat.html
DATE: 07/21/2009 12:19:14 AM
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In a post today at IEEE Spectrum, the design for Astrobotic Technology’s entry into the Google Lunar X Prize in revealed. This unique concept is conceived around the idea of surviving the incredible heat of a lunar noon which is 270 degrees F or 130 degrees C. Just how will it accomplish this feat? David Gump, the company's president, gives the details in a feature on the Astrobotic’s website:
The robot beats the heat by keeping a cool side aimed away from the Sun to radiate heat off to the black sky. It travels toward or away from the sun (generally east or west) without turning its radiator into the light. Only the solar cells on the hot side ever face the sun. The robot can travel north and south by tacking like a sailboat.
For this week, there are four stories for the Newswrap. Today brings an article on space robots that have largely supplanted humans in extraterrestrial exploration. The excerpt below refers to the robotic candidate for repairing the Hubble Telescope. Next, the robot grappling hook that could allow machines to swing tree to tree or at least jump a tall obstacle in its way. The other posts refer to a talking robotic car and artificial intelligence. Memristors are an electronic innovation that could revolutionize robotics. Read more on these articles at the links below.
Robots With the Right Stuff
The leading candidate was Dextre, a robot currently working on the international space station. In a head-to-head analysis of abilities, a special committee ... See all stories on this topic
Coming soon: Talking cars that will avoid crashes! - Economic Times
NEW YORK: Talking cars aren't science fiction anymore - thanks to scientists who have developed a set of algorithms that will allow robotic cars of the future to communicate with each other to help avoid collisions. An international team, led by ...
A NewScientist article summarizes the memristor revolution so far and predicts great things for AI as a result. To summarize their summary. Leon Chua mathematically predicted the existence of a fourth basic circuit component in addition to the resistor, capacitor, and inductor. He named this mythical component a memristor. It was similar to a resistor but "remembered" current. Memristors appeared not to exist, so Chua moved on to other research. 30 years later, HP Researchers stumbled onto a real memristor while trying to make low-power switches (Missing Memristor Found PDF format). The race was on. Memristance could revolutionize electronics. But here the story takes a detour in the world of intelligence. Physicist Max Di Ventra was studying P. polycephalum, a slime mould that puzzled researchers because it acted intelligently and learned without the benefit of neurons. He realized the slime mould acted as a memristor, confirming a suspicion Chua had that memristance could explain how organisms learn. It turns out memristors behave like neural synapses. Researchers are now working on hybrid transistor-memristor chips that will be able to reproduce some of the brain's processes. For more, try the HP Memristor FAQ.
Here is a great story. You can send a message to the Chalkbot and have it printed on the roads of the Tour de France. See the story link below for all the details. The bot is printing out 400 to 500 messages a day, most of them are messages for cancer survivors, however, there are a few marriage proposals mixed in.
Chalkbot, a mobile robot sponsored by Nike and cyclist Lance Armstrong's Livestrong Foundation, prints messages on the pavement in front of cyclists competing now in the Tour de France. Winding its way along the route of the Tour de France, through ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR): Vegetarian, Not Carnivore
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: energetically-autonomous-tactical-robot-eatr-vegetarian-not-carnivore
CATEGORY: Military
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/energetically-autonomous-tactical-robot-eatr-vegetarian-not-carnivore.html
DATE: 07/17/2009 04:23:06 PM
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So, after days of reporting on this story all over the blogosphere, the company that is developing EATR has come out with a press release to clarify what their robot will use as fuel. In the original post here at RobotNext, EATR was described as a grazing robot, implying that it only consumed vegetable matter like grass. Another robot mentioned in the post, Ecobot, is being developed to fuel itself on insects. These are two completely separate programs, but in the post - as is often the case here at RobotNext - I speculated on the possibility of combining the features of the two robots. In other words, what the next thing would be: a robot that can power itself on both plants and insects.
To set the record straight, I thought I would explain that this was pure speculation on my part and not intended to suggest that EATR can consume insects. In response to the stories about consuming dead human bodies, I did post a message on Twitter suggesting that I thought the robot only ate grass. In my research, I could find only information that EATR would consume biomass. Biomass can include anything organic, so that could be taken to mean that the robot might eat anything. Since I saw this story originally in reference to eating a lawn, that is how I reported the robot in the original post.
At any rate, this is still a fascinating idea for a robot and one that should provoke serious thought. Along those lines, it should be noted that the Cyclone Engine that will power EATR could also revolutionize transportation outside of robotics. This engine can run on any vegetable-based material, including agricultural waste, coal, municipal trash, kerosene, ethanol, diesel, gasoline, heavy fuel, palm oil, cottonseed oil, algae oil, hydrogen, propane, etc. –individually or in combination. Thus, the Cyclone Engine is a very “green” power source. Read the presentation on this engine to see all the details.
Washington, July 17 (ANI): The makers of a biomass-eating military robot have clarified that the machine is a vegetarian, and not a non-vegetarian as was earlier reported. Robotic Technology Inc.’s (RTI’s) Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot ...
This makes me want to go out and buy a LEGO® Mindstorms® NXT Kit. And the book, "LEGO® NXT MINDSTORMS® One-Kit Wonders", to go with it! Right now! The original blog post comes from Matthias Paul Scholz at The NXT STEP - LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Blog. You have to check out the video link to You Tube. This little bot sorts the chocolate coated peanuts by color and you can see it in action. The photo below is linked to Amazon.com if you want to see a larger version of the image and also some other examples of what you can build from the kit and the book.
On request by some readers of the "LEGO NXT MINDSTORMS One-Kit Wonders" book, I have created a video of my contribution to it: M, the M&M's peanut candies sorter. The quality of the video is not optimal by far, as the movie snippets I made back then were meant for internal and transient purpose only. :( Nevertheless, it should provide some idea on the robot.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Insects: Next Military Spies?
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robot-insects-next-military-spies
CATEGORY: Military
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/robot-insects-next-military-spies.html
DATE: 07/14/2009 05:54:25 PM
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So, these are really not robots, they are cyborgs or more correctly, cybugs. RobotNext has posted articles on robot insects or robots modeled on insects in the past. Now, these newest robobugs are something else. These tiny hybrid insect machines combine mechanical and living materials to achieve their abilities. Microchips are implanted directly into the developing insects where, as the insect matures the electronics are integrated into the nervous system of the bug. This has actually been done with moths and the moths have exhibited controlled flight while still tethered. The next step will be independent flight. First, the problem of power generation must be solved. Check out the article below for more details on this intriguing project.
Photo Credit: DARPA
The HI-MEMS program at the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has to date invested $12 million into research since it began in 2006. It currently supports these cybug projects:
Roaches at Texas A&M.
Horned beetles at University of Michigan and the University of California at Berkeley.
Moths at an MIT-led team, and another moth project at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research.
Scientists can already control the flight of real moths using implanted devices.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Monkey Uses Mind Control to Move Robot
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: monkey-uses-mind-control-to-move-robot
CATEGORY: Current Affairs
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/monkey-uses-mind-control-to-move-robot.html
DATE: 07/13/2009 11:22:57 PM
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Sometime ago I saw this story on several feeds that I monitor. I have listed some of the links to earlier stories below if anyone wants to see details of this interesting robotic application. Although I did not write about this remarkable project at the time, I thought this research showed exciting possibilities for medical applications. Stoke victims or people with spinal injuries could benefit from this work in robotic arm control. By implanting a chip in the monkey’s brain, the monkey is able to command the robotic arm to move in a very precise manner. The original paper on this is published in Nature (available with paid subscription, but you can see the abstract on-line). Originally, the purpose was to allow the monkey to feed using the robotic arm. That certainly requires exceptional control of the arm to accomplish that feat. Check out the links to other stories on this below.
The chimp can operate the robot with such dexterity that it can reach out to grab, and turn a handle. The mechanical arm has an arm, elbow, wrist and simple ... See all stories on this topic
This week's stories have no single theme, but there are several stories that appear in different versions on multiple days. The first story from today features a spherical robot based on the LEGO Mindstorms NXT. Check out the video of this robot moving around under the command of its builder, it is very interesting. In the next story on this same sphere-shaped robot, the author makes a more humorous approach to the subject. Again, check out the video. The other posts from the week cover a deep-diving robot, a real-life recycling robot (it is not quite WALL-E), and a robot cat. Take a look at these and see what did not make RobotNext this week. Let me know what you think of the weekly newswrap.
Spherical NXT-Based Robot
... it via Bluetooth. (Spherical robot uses Lego Mindstorms NXT) It uses the same form of locomotion as some other robots you may already know about; see the videos in these articles for more information and diagrams ...
Spherical robot would make for frustrating soccer games
As I watch this spherical robot roll around at the behest of its master, designer Nils Völker, I'm reminded of the old Dungeons & Dragons joke about the ... See all stories on this topic
on-demand trash robot DustCart : The Alternative Consumer
The robot is also outfitted with special sensors that monitor air temperature, as well as air pollutants, such as: nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone, benzene, CO and CO2. dustcart3.jpg. DustCart avoids fixed obstacles, ... The Alternative Consumer - http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/
Sega Toys is rolling out yet another robot cat companion, though we're not exactly sure why they keep trying. Sega's latest robot feline From what we can tell by checking the stores here, polling shop clerks, and scanning our network of contacts in the business, the robot cats, and most of the other low cost companion robot products have been non-starters. Some similar product offerings, like the super cute infant...
The next biological model for robots is the cricket. You may associate crickets with the sounds that they make when it is very quiet. It turns out that these creatures have a very sensitive sense of smell. However, they are only able to detect a very narrow range of odors. This ability is being tapped to develop a robot that can be used to detect chemicals on the battlefield or the smell of survivors in a disaster situation. Read more in the two stories cited below.
Most crickets are active only at night, and they use their long antennae both to feel their way around in the dark and to smell things - so, their sense of smell is quite sensitive, but mostly to odors that come from food. You see, one of the tradeoffs in the sensory systems of organisms like insects is that they can be very sensitive to certain chemicals, but that there will be an even bigger number of things they *CAN'T* smell at all.
IF YOU'RE trapped under rubble after an earthquake, wondering if you'll see daylight again, the last thing you need is an insect buzzing around your face. But that insect could save your life, if a scheme funded by the Pentagon comes off.
The project aims to co-opt the way some insects communicate to give early warning of chemical attacks on the battlefield - the equivalent of the "canary in a coal mine". The researchers behind it say the technology could be put to good use in civilian life, from locating disaster victims to monitoring for pollution and gas leaks, or acting as smoke detectors.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Can Make Faces at You
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BASENAME: robot-can-make-faces-at-you
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/robot-can-make-faces-at-you.html
DATE: 07/09/2009 10:44:04 PM
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Robots that can make facial expressions are not new, but this one is by far the most realistic one yet. Over 30 artificial muscles, each controlled by a servo allow this robot to control facial movements to a degree not seen before. Einstein, as the robot is called, is capable of learning how to smile and make other faces by a process of self-guided learning. In humans, this would be called inquiry learning. During the experiments, the robot experienced a failure in one of the servos controlling a muscle, still it was able to learn to compensate for this by moving other servos to accomplish the desired facial response. You can read more about this at the links below. Also, check out the UCSD blog page. There is even a video that shows the robot in action. Admittedly, the video is somewhat creepy in that it is very realistic. Robots that look too human can be disconcerting, to say the least.
Photo Credit: Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego
ScienceDaily (July 8, 2009) — A hyper-realistic Einstein robot at the University of California, San Diego has learned to smile and make facial expressions through a process of self-guided learning. The UC San Diego researchers used machine learning to “empower” their robot to learn to make realistic facial expressions. “As far as we know, no other research group has used machine learning to teach a robot to make realistic facial expressions,” said Tingfan Wu, the computer science Ph.D. student from the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering who presented this advance on June 6 at the IEEE International Conference on Development and Learning.
While the primary goal of this work was to solve the engineering problem of how to approximate the appearance of human facial muscle movements with motors, the researchers say this kind of work could also lead to insights into how humans learn and develop facial expressions.
“Learning to Make Facial Expressions,” by Tingfan Wu, Nicholas J. Butko, Paul Ruvulo, Marian S. Bartlett, Javier R. Movellan from Machine Perception Laboratory, University of California San Diego. Presented on June 6 at the 2009 IEEE 8th International Conference On Development And Learning. Adapted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego.
A hyper-realistic Einstein robot at the University of California, San Diego has learned to smile and make facial expressions through a process of self-guided learning.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Grazes for Power
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BASENAME: robot-grazes-for-power
CATEGORY: Military
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/robot-grazes-for-power.html
DATE: 07/08/2009 10:30:59 PM
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This robot can find its own power by chomping on grass or other vegetation that it finds along its way. As a potential military application, this robot is currently in a testing stage. You can see more information in a story posted at Examiner.com. RobotNext had an earlier post on a robot that can eat bugs to produce its own power, so this concept of living off the land could extend to insects and vegetation. Make sure and check out the links to other stories on this interesting robot.
EATR(TM) concept drawing courtesy of Robotic Technology Inc. from Examiner.com
Cyclone Power Technologies Inc. announced that it has completed the first stage of its project with Robotic Technology Inc. (RTI), of Potomac, MD, to develop a beta-test biomass engine system which will be used to power RTI’s Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR™). This is part of a project sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Defense Sciences Office.
What more could one want in a robot? Hey! I think that thing is eating my lawn! Paul Fox is an Examiner from Portland. You can see Paul's articles on Paul's ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robobats Could Be The Next Generation Of Remote Control Flyers
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BASENAME: robobats-could-be-the-next-generation-of-remote-control-flyers
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/robobats-could-be-the-next-generation-of-remote-control-flyers.html
DATE: 07/07/2009 10:39:11 PM
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Nature strikes again with the next model for robots. These small robot flyers imitate bats which are nature’s small flyers. The potential uses for these little bots are surveillance and search and rescue. Using the potential for maneuverability and performance that a bat-like robot could provide, these bots have a potential for both military and civilian applications. Check out the story below for the complete details.
ScienceDaily (July 7, 2009) — Tiny flying machines can be used for everything from indoor surveillance to exploring collapsed buildings, but simply making smaller versions of planes and helicopters doesn't work very well. Instead, researchers at North Carolina State University are mimicking nature's small flyers – and developing robotic bats that offer increased maneuverability and performance.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robotic Grasshopper May Help Explore Mars Surface
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robotic-grasshopper-may-help-explore-mars-surface
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/robotic-grasshopper-may-help-explore-mars-surface.html
DATE: 07/06/2009 08:56:08 PM
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This robot can jump like a grasshopper and roll like a tumbleweed. It is called Jollbot and it may be headed to Mars someday. Or it may help here on Earth in areas of rough terrain with jobs like surveying. Going back to an article posted in December, 2008 at PhysOrg.com, the researchers believe this is the first robot that can both jump and roll. This behavior can solve a problem that robotic explorers on other planets routinely face: objects that are too large to roll over. Nature again provides a model to solve a problem and create a new design in robotics.
Image Credit: Nic Delves-Broughton, University of Bath
The Jollbot was masterminded by Rhodri Armour, who spent a year building the robot with colleagues at the University of Bath. The robot, which can jump and roll, enjoys an edge over other machines due to its ability to launch itself over obstacles ...
This week’s newswrap features stories that deal with exploration. Everything from underwater to climate in the arctic and beyond the Earth. One story from earlier in the week deals with robot navigation in different situations. Still, this story does cover an aspect of robotics that is important in exploration. I hope you enjoy looking over the articles linked to below. Let me know which ones you liked best.
Underwater robots to rapidly identify potential threats in murky ... - Newstrack India
Washington, July 5 (ANI): A team of scientists is developing novel underwater laser networking and imaging technologies that will be used onboard a group of small, co-operating robots, which will be able to rapidly identify and communicate potential ...
NASA Suggests Nano Robots To Explore Mars (Slashdot)
"'We're going to have to do extensive robotic exploration,' says the director of NASA's Ames Research Center, suggesting nanotechnology to build self-replicating robots on Mars. Genetically engineering extraction and construction microbes could 'grow' electrical components, and eventually convert carbon dioxide on Mars into oxygen. 'If we really want to settle Mars, and we ...
Earlier this year NOAA warned that increased global warming was combining with natural variability in the Arctic and could result in an ice-free Arctic in as little as 30 years, rather than the end of the century as predict by earlier models. This has created a sense of urgency among organizations studying the changes. NOAA and NASA have combined forces with Northrop Grumman to create a specially modified Global Hawk UAV that will make 6 long duration mission over the Arctic and the Pacific ocean to collect data in troposphere and lower stratosphere. .
Meanwhile, Seaglider robots have been deployed off Greenland to make more accurate measurements of Arctic sea currents. Scientist believe the Arctic runoff is already altering the density of sea water in the Labrador Sea, driving critical ocean circulation that affect the global climate. Canada is also deploying two AUVs to scan the seabed to further their claims in the coming UN Convention that will determine which nations get sovereign rights to the new ocean areas forming as the Arctic melts.
ScienceDaily (June 30, 2009) — A robotic vision system that mimics key visual functions of the human brain promises to let robots maneuver quickly and ... See all stories on this topic
Caltech scientists are working on intelligent exploratory craft which could investigate alien worlds without human instruction. While missions to MARS can be remotely controlled, as we set our sights further afield the light speed ... The Daily Galaxy: Great Discoveries... - http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/
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From rats to hummingbirds, the biological models just keep on coming. This is another in a long line of nature-modeled robots. It flaps its wings in the manner of a hummingbird and is built to use a spy for the military. Its purpose would be to loiter in an area, either indoors or outdoors, and send video of its target. It would be so small as to be almost undetectable. Plus, if it looks and acts like a hummingbird, it might be mistaken for the real thing even if it is discovered. Also, check out the video on YouTube. And finally, a note to readers, there will be no post for tomorrow, July 4, Independence Day here in the USA. Please return on Sunday for the Weekend Newswrap.
“The goals of the NAV program — namely to develop an approximately 10 gram aircraft that can hover for extended periods, can fly at forward speeds up to 10 meters per second, can withstand 2.5 meter per second wind gusts, can operate inside buildings, and have up to a kilometer command and control range — will stretch our understanding of flight at these small sizes and require novel technology development.”
The Phase II contract is worth $2.1 million USD and will continue through the summer of 2010.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: This May Be The World's Smallest Wheeled Robot With A Gripper.
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: this-may-be-the-worlds-smallest-wheeled-robot-with-a-gripper
CATEGORY: Build It
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/this-may-be-the-worlds-smallest-wheeled-robot-with-a-gripper.html
DATE: 07/02/2009 10:30:20 PM
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When I saw the article from Instructables about this tiny robot, I knew that it was worth a post on RobotNext. At .40"x.50"x.46", the Magbot R-20 is slightly less than 1/20 of a cubic inch. The robot is magnetically controlled. This builder found out that to make the smallest robots possible, the motors, batteries, and even the Picaxe microcontroller had to be external to the robot. Even so, this little bot is a marvel. You have to see the video of this little machine picking up an IC that looks bigger than it is. This is not the first small robot built by this inventor. See his 1 inch cube bots to see a tiny machine with everything on-board. What is even more incredible is the fact that this is not the smallest robot he has constructed. Look at this link to see a robot that has a volume of only 1/100 cubic inch!
Build a 1/20 cubic inch robot with a gripper that can pick up and move small objects. It is controlled by a Picaxe microcontroller. At this point in time, I believe this may be the world's smallest wheeled robot with a gripper. That will no doubt change, tomorrow or next week, when someone builds so... By: mikey77
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Whiskered Robot Rat For Search and Rescue
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: whiskered-robot-rat-for-search-and-rescue
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/07/whiskered-robot-rat-for-search-and-rescue.html
DATE: 07/01/2009 11:47:05 PM
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The SCRATCHbot robot will be demonstrated at an international conference during the week of July 1, 2009. SCRATCH (Spatial Cognition and Representation through Active TouCh) is lauded as the next step in robot intelligence. This is yet another robot based on a biological model. In this case, the model is a rat. RobotNext has reported on robot rats before in a post on June 7, 2009. That ratbot was designed to explore how robots could develop a form of intelligent behavior by moving about a room and learning to avoid objects. It has a vision system, sound sensors, and whiskers. SCRATCHbot would be able to search out objects using only its whiskers. It was developed by Bristol Robotics Lab. Read the story in two articles linked to below.
Photo: SWNS
ScienceDaily (June 30, 2009) — A team of scientists have developed an innovative robot rat which can seek out and identify objects using its whiskers. ...
Dr Tony Pipe, deputy director of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, believes 'Scratchbot' could revolutionise the way use robotics in search and rescue missions…
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Thoughts Can Control Wheelchair
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: thoughts-can-control-wheelchair
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/thoughts-can-control-wheelchair.html
DATE: 06/30/2009 11:36:28 PM
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Someday you may sit down behind the wheel of your new Toyota vehicle, secure your seatbelt and shoulder restraint, and put on your thinking cap. This automobile will be controlled by your thoughts. Far-fetched you say? Well, Toyota is showing off a new wheelchair that is controlled by the brainwaves of the user. Wearing a cap that measures the brain’s waves, a rider can order the machine to move or turn, just by thinking. Of course, this has the potential of providing the physically disabled the means of mobility either in a car or a wheelchair. It could also provide the means of controlling any appliance in the home. Read the stories below by following the links. What other uses for this technology might exist? I welcome your comments.
Photo Credit: AFP
A researcher wearing a cap that can read brain signals rides on a wheelchair that can be steered by detecting brain waves at Riken Brain Science Institute in Wako near Tokyo, Japan.
BRILLIANT: Researcher Choi Kyuwan displays a prototype electric wheelchair developed by Riken and Japan's Toyota Motor which is controlled by the user's brain waves.
Now, the next robot that is inspired from biology: The Dental Mastication Robot. According to News-Medical.Net, “Researchers at the University of Bristol's Department of Mechanical Engineering in collaboration with the Department of Oral and Dental Science have developed the Chewing Robot to study dental wear formation on human teeth.” Besides the novelty of a chewing robot, this bot has a definite benefit. It will provide a platform for testing dental materials that could save money and improve these products for human use. The end result may be better false teeth. Check out the story below at the link provided.
Photo Credit: Department of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Bristol
Dental elements, such as crowns and bridges, are made from well-known metals, polymers and ceramics but their dental wear properties are often poorly understood. Clinical trials examining the wear of human teeth are expensive and time-consuming ...
Several interesting stories about robots crossed my news feed today, and since I could not decide which one to write on - I am starting something new at RobotNext. This feature will be called the Weekend RobotNext Newswrap. On Sundays, I will pick several robot stories that I have seen that are interesting, newsworthy, or just plain strange. Of course, this will be in my opinion only, and I will not indicate which are the strange ones. I will leave that up to you.
So, here’s what I found for today. First, a story on making robot costumes out of gift bags. Just what you need for Halloween, which is only a few months away. Plan now, it will be here before you know it. The small humanoid robot interacting with a cat is too cute to pass up and the article is interesting to boot. A more serious note is struck by the posting on search and rescue robots. This is a real life-saver for the rescuer and the rescued. RoboCar is an intriguing little car that is being developed in a Japanese lab to test features of autonomous vehicles. And finally, check out the Israeli RoboCup team entry. The three member robot team is looking to help put Israel on the map in robotics.
I hope you will check out all the stories. Let me know if you like the roundup and which story is your favorite.
Gift Bag Robot Costumes
Make Gift Bag Robot Costumes - Parents of toddlers and preschoolers know that you have to have a LOT of fun activities in your arsenal to keep those little bodies occupied. Here's a project I love ... CraftBlips - Top Other News,... - http://craftblips.com/other/
Ġiġ the robot shows off Times of Malta Ġiġ is an advanced humanoid robot built by University students in the Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (ICT)'s special project lab as ... and more »
If by some unexplained cosmic phenomena (let us say – ZMP) mystically managed to cross an open sourced Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT) from Knight Rider with a crash test dummy, then RoboCar will be the product. This cute little intelligent Linux based bugger is designed and made by ZMP – a renowned robotics company [...]
In this tournament, the 25 teams have only three players, the players are all autonomous robots and the ultimate goal is to promote research and development in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence. RoboCup and its accompanying ...
Imagine a lamp that is a robot, and then imagine that this robot lamp just happens to also trap and eat flies. The next stage in domestic robots could be robotic furniture that doubles as a mousetrap or a flytrap. Not only do these robots fit in a room as furniture and eat pests-they can use the pests as fuel to power themselves.
RobotNext had an early post that covered an insect digesting robot called the Ecobot. These furniture robots are based on the same research carried out at the University of Bristol.
James Auger, at the Royal College of Art, London and his collaborator and fellow designer Jimmy Loizeau have constructed domestic robots in the form of furniture pieces that can sense their surrounding and learn from them. These bots can also perform basic tasks for people, such as telling the time or lighting a room.
There are two references to this post listed below. The first is from ZDNet and the second is from New Scientist. Click on the links below for more of the story.
Robo-furniture eats household pests ZDNet Blogs The idea of using vermin as fuel was inspired by researchers at the Bristol Robotics Lab, UK. They already developed a fly-powered robot in '04 and have ... and more »
Futuristic-looking robots like Honda's sleek humanoid Asimo don't cut it for designer James Auger, at the Royal College of Art, London. Believing that they need to fit unobtrusively into the home, he has built robotic furniture. And, believing they need to be useful and entertaining, he has given the furniture an appetite for vermin, like mice and flies.
Nature continues to supply models for robots. RobotNext found this article on robot jellyfish. Many robot builders are modeling every type of motion nature provides. Jellyfish use a unique swimming motion to achieve their flowing, pulsing motion.
So now to the basic story. Two Korean researchers have developed a robot that swims like a jellyfish. Engineers Sung-Weon Yeom and Il-Kwon Oh from Chonnam National University in the Republic of Korea explain in an article at PhysOrg.com that "Jellyfish are one of the most awesome marine animals, doing a spectacular and psychedelic dance in water." A special type of polymer that imitates muscle movement was used in the design of this jellyfish robot. The article goes on to state that “advances in electro-active polymers (EAP) enabled them to achieve this biomimetic swimming behavior in a robot.”
Image Credit: Yeom and Oh. (PhysOrg.com)
(Left) A living jellyfish and (right) a jellyfish robot made of electro-active polymer artificial muscle. Both jellyfish move by contracting the bell to generate a pulsating motion. -- "Jellyfish are one of the most ...
Sung-Weon Yeom and Il-Kwon Oh. “A biomimetic jellyfish robot based on ionic polymer metal composite actuators.” Smart Mater. Struct. 18 (2009) 085002 (10pp).
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: shaheen
EMAIL: shaheendb@polka.co.za
IP: 41.177.65.234
URL:
DATE: 06/23/2011 01:58:20 PM
hi, is the movement of the jellyfish called peristatic ?
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COMMENT:
AUTHOR: RobotNext
EMAIL: jmhenry@satx.rr.com
IP: 173.173.102.83
URL: http://www.robotnext.com
DATE: 06/24/2011 01:45:32 PM
Shaheen:
In my search for peristatic movement in jellyfish, I found this link http://www.jellyfishfacts.net/jellyfish-movement.html, but nothing directly on the term peristatic.
Thanks for the comment.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Surgeon Finds Tiny Shrapnel Pieces
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robot-surgeon-finds-tiny-shrapnel-pieces
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robot-surgeon-finds-tiny-shrapnel-pieces.html
DATE: 06/25/2009 10:52:00 PM
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This robot could change the way some surgeries are done. Biopsies could be done almost anywhere and cost only a few dollars. I see these robots being used by the military to treat combat wounds. Robotic surgeries are becoming more common for even very complicated procedures. Check out the articles at the links below. Look at the link on the photo and see what you think about this machine.
Photo Credit: Duke University |
June 25, 2009 -- A robotic surgeon at Duke University has successfully found and guided a needle to a sliver of steel shrapnel, completely without human help. The technology could reduce the cost and time necessary to complete a biopsy and other ...
With the sequel to the Transformers movie in the theaters this summer, I suppose that people would be interested in knowing that a transformer-like robot is already in existence here on Earth. It is not able to transform into a slick-looking sports car, but it is able to change its shape in a basic, but amazing way. As you can see in the photo links below, the superbot can assume a snake-like appearance or a more humanoid shape. NASA has been interested in this robot as the next potential explorer of a planetary surface. The superbot could land in pieces and then assemble itself into a rover. Click on the link below to see the entire article on livescience.com.
Photo Credit: Shen/USC
Researchers hope that modular robots might one day decide when and where to transform.
Intelligence is the thing missing from robots today. Researchers are working to develop ways for robots to develop human-like intelligence. In humans, intelligence is developed during the growth process, so if robots are ever to become intelligent, they will have to acquire the ability to learn over many years. Now, robot research is designing machines that can mimic how babies grow and develop. Einstein, as the robot is called, has 27 motors in its face that give it dozens of expressions. The point of this is to give a robot the ability to relate to humans. Read the article below at Smithsonian for more details.
Building a robot that humans can love is pretty ambitious. But Javier Movellan (in his San Diego lab with RUBI) says he would like to develop a robot that loves humans.
Photo Credit: Timothy Archibald
Einstein the robot has enchanting eyes, the color of honey in sunlight. They are fringed with drugstore-variety false eyelashes and framed by matted gray brows made from real human hair.
Robot Babies Smithsonian - USA Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:53:19 GMT
Robots that are modeled on nature have intrigued me for several months. This seems like the next major area for breakthroughs in robotics. Now, I spotted this job placement request on my newsfeed. Starting in August of 2009, a new laboratory will open at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. Fumiya Iida, Dr. sc. nat., will be the director. His research interest includes biologically inspired robotics, embodied artificial intelligence, and biomechanics. His research includes robots modeled on cats, dogs, monkeys, and many other nature models. Look on his website for some great photos of robots that he has built and worked with in his research.
Bio-Inspired Robotics Laboratory (Director: Fumiya Iida) Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) Switzerland http://www.iris.ethz.ch/
Robots are being dressed up like animals in order to blend in with wildlife and help research their real-life counterparts in nature. There are robotic birds, bees, and lizards. RobotNext has many articles on robots that are modeled on nature. This is a slightly different take in that the robots are imitating nature in order to study the animals.
Credit: Popular Science, Illustrations by Bradley R. Hughes
Robots That Dress Like Animals for Science Popular Mechanics, NY To better understand animal behavior, scientists are dressing up data-gathering robots in animal garb. By fitting in with their wild, unsuspecting friends, robot bees, turkeys and lizards are recording intimate details of habitats that were never ...
Command of military forces has changed and robots are the reason. Robots are creating the next battlefield. The use of robots has caused two major events to occur in war-fighting. First, robots have given the soldier in the field unprecedented power. Corporals have control of robots with great destructive capability and the ability to make the decision to use that force in an instant. Second, generals in command centers far from the site of the battle can micromanage the tactics of units because of their ability to use drone robots to observe, and therefore direct, small units directly. In some cases, according to this article from the Brookings Institute, generals have been known to order a single soldier to change positions.
Robots are incredible force multipliers on the battlefield. How will the military learn to deal with this? More importantly, how will the government of the United States redesign the military command structure to adapt to the use of robots?
The Rise of the Tactical General Brookings Institution, DC Forty-two other countries have military robotics programs, as well as a host of nonstate actors. But like any major change in war, the robot revolution is not turning out to be the frictionless triumph of technology that some would describe it. ...
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TITLE: Robots to Care for Elderly
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robots-to-care-for-elderly
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robots-to-care-for-elderly.html
DATE: 06/15/2009 11:01:32 PM
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In a recent post here on RobotNext, the market for home robots was mentioned. Although the robot featured in the article had been developed with the idea of showing that a robot can perform tasks in the kitchen, it demonstrates that robots are being developed that have skills useful in a home.
Robots are already used for vacuuming and washing floors around the house, but it will take a robot that can do those things plus cook, monitor security, interact as a companion, and perform as a nurse to be a true personal robot. Check out the articles below for more details on this robot from Geckosystems.
Why is Grandma really interested in a CareBot? She wants to stay in her home, or her family's home, as long as she possibly can. What's that worth? Priceless. Or, an average nursing home is $5,000 per month for an environment that is too often the beginning of a spiral downward in the care receiver's health. That's probably $2-3K more per month for them to be placed where they really don't want to be. Financial payback on a CareBot? Less than a year. Emotional payback for the family to have this new automatic care giver? Nearly instantaneous.
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TITLE: Robotic Ferret to Aid in Searches for Contraband
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CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robotic-ferret-to-aid-in-searches-for-contraband.html
DATE: 06/14/2009 10:28:34 PM
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One more example of a robot design whose idea came form nature. In this case, a ferret is the basis for the robot. Ferrets were originally domesticated by humans for hunting. They could chase the prey into tight spaces. This is the idea here. Cargo containers are difficult to search when fully loaded with materials, but there are voids that can be exploited by a device that is small and able to maneuver in close quarters. Thus, the robot dubbed the ferret. Check out the story at the photo link or the other links below.
Image Credit: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
A new type of robot under development will make it easier to detect drugs, weapons, explosives and illegal immigrants concealed in cargo containers.Dubbed the ‘cargo-screening ferret’ and designed for use at seaports and airports, the device is being worked on at the University of Sheffield with funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).The ferret will be the world’s first cargo-screening device able to pinpoint all kinds of illicit substances and the first designed to operate inside standard freight containers.It will be equipped with a suite of sensors that are more comprehensive and more sensitive than any currently employed in conventional cargo scanners.Recent advances in both laser and fiber optic technology now make it possible to detect tiny particles of different substances.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Fish Robot Models Next Method of Ship Propulsion
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BASENAME: fish-robot-models-next-ship-propulsion
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/fish-robot-models-next-ship-propulsion.html
DATE: 06/13/2009 10:08:32 PM
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Here is the next robot model from nature—a fish. Here at RobotNext, there have been reports of many types of robots based on nature. Now, robot fish may be able to demonstrate that the motions of a swimming fish could be used to move ships through the ocean. If this could be done, it is possible that a eco-friendly propulsion method could be developed for vessels sailing the oceans. Researchers hope to demonstrate that the swimming robot can provide a way to prevent damage to shorelines and the seabed. Read more about this development in the article at Science Daily as reported by WWW.OLOSCIENCE.COM at the links below.
ScienceDaily (June 11, 2009) — The team of Darmstadt researchers analyzed videos of fish’s motions and then developed a prototype fish robot that duplicated them, and are now testing it using the locomotional patterns of various species of fish in order to refine it and improve its efficiency.
In keeping with my search for robots based on nature, here is the window-washing robot based on a snail. This Japanese group has designed the robot to clean windows and other hard to reach vertical surfaces. It works by suction forces holding it to the glass or wall. Of course, it does have a safety cable and the compressor for the robotic snail is on the roof. You can read more about this at the links below. Click on the photo for a better view and check out the other photos at JDF.
This bot does windows and walls, and any other flat surface a human cannot reach easily. The Snail by Yasunori Goto, Ibe Tommokichi and Hirata Ichiro, climbs and sticks to surfaces with the help of air compression suction.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Scouts May Assist Humans in the Exploration of the Moon
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CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robot-scouts-may-assist-humans-in-the-exploration-of-the-moon.html
DATE: 06/11/2009 10:18:13 PM
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Robots have been the trailblazers in space exploration. In particular, Ranger, Surveyor, and the Lunar Orbiters paved the way to the lunar landings in the Apollo Program. Now, tests are planned to see if robot scouts can aid human explorers on future missions to the Moon. What these current and future robots will do that sets them apart from the earlier machines is that they will work closely with the humans on the moon’s surface.
During Apollo surface operations, the astronauts did recon and geological exploration at the same time. In the return to the Moon around 2020, robots will be tasked to reconnaissance. This should make the astronauts work more productive. During the upcoming testing of the K10, researchers hope to show that robots can increase the science return of the human missions. Check out the article at the link below for more information.
Credit: NASA Image
K10 Rover during testing on Devon Island at the Haughton Mars Project Research Station in July 2007. Robotic Recon experiment will investigate how robots can improve the productivity and science return of human missions. Why ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Are Really Cooking Now
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DATE: 06/11/2009 01:11:53 AM
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Photo Credit: The Sun
Industry and the military have been two of the biggest users of robots. Now
it is time for robots to move into the home in a big way. Sure, robot vacuums
have been used in many homes for years, but there is a real need to see robots
in more common roles. Robots need to be able to perform such tasks as cooking
and security. Now the Japanese have created robots that can cook pancakes,
prepare sushi, and chop vegetables. Check out the article link below for the
story from Reuters.
It includes video of the robot cooking Japanese pancakes.
Robots will be moving into American homes to perform many tasks. Mostly, I
believe, these robots will be used by an aging population. These machines will
allow older people to remain in their homes and not have to go to nursing
homes. See the second article for the complete story.
These two stories are related by the common theme of robots moving into the
home. In the very near future robots will not only do routine jobs around the
house--they will be a valuable companion.
"We all know that robots can be very useful. We want to take that utility out
of the factory so that they can be used elsewhere," said Narito Hosomi,
president of Toyo Riki, manufacturers of the pancake-cooking
robot.
Robots
are a man's best friend KIVI-TV, ID Yet the idea of robots conjures
images of aliens descending from the mothership rather than utilitarian
efficiency. But get ready, because robotics are coming to the American household
full force. Oh, they're already here, of course, in industrial and
...
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TITLE: New 'Transformers' film should give Michael Bay a big payday - Los Angeles Times
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DATE: 06/11/2009 12:58:32 AM
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TITLE: Robot Serpent for the Battlefield
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CATEGORY: Military
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robot-serpent-for-the-battlefield.html
DATE: 06/09/2009 10:35:34 PM
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Snakebots are back in the news again, but this time as a weapon. RobotNext has posted articles about robot snakes that have been developed with the purpose of traversing difficult terrain or tight places in order to perform mostly humanitarian or rescue purposes. This robot will save lives in a different way. According to the Jerusalem Post, this snakebot is controlled by a soldier with a laptop computer. In a demonstration of its abilities, it was shown slithering along in caves, tunnels, and buildings as it transmitted video and sound back to the controller. Check out the article links below for the complete story.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: PR2: Plugging Along for Robots That Can Relate
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DATE: 06/08/2009 10:31:56 PM
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Photo Credit: Willow Garage
Imagine a robot that can navigate through closed doors, around objects, and find electrical outlets to recharge its batteries. An experimental robot developed at Willow Garage has done just that. This machine negotiated its way through the course in under an hour according to researchers.
John Markoff, in the online version of the New York Times, reported the following:
Willow Garage, a Silicon Valley robotics research group, said that its experimental PR2 robot, which has wheels and can travel at speeds up to a mile and a quarter per hour, was able to open and pass through 10 doors and plug itself into 10 standard wall sockets in less than an hour.
In the article titled Opening Doors on the Way to a Personal Robot, Mr. Markoff details the progress of the research robot. For more information and video of the robot, check out the website link below.
The PR2 development platform is a two-armed mobile robot designed for mobile manipulation research and applications. Its size and proportions are similar to that of a human, optimizing its ability to perform tasks in everyday ... haha.nu - http://haha.nu/
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robot Rats Could Be Next
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BASENAME: robot-rats-could-be-next
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robot-rats-could-be-next.html
DATE: 06/07/2009 09:30:58 PM
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Rats are the next model for robots. Imagine a very large mechanical rodent scurrying around the room and you get the idea. Not for the faint of heart if you hate rats. Probably won't be the design for the next generation of robotic vacuum cleaners, but the behavior may be just what is needed to bring some intelligence to robots. The intelligence of a rat.
Researchers have gone to nature yet again to find inspiration for robot development. On robotNext there have been posts on snake bots, insect bots, beaver-tailed bots, and dinosaur bots. Robots have been modeled on spiders, water striders, and even humans. Why not rats?
Actually, why rats? Rats have brain structures similar to humans, so rats make sense as a model. Roboticists in this article from physorg.com believe that robots modeled on rats may be able to accomplish some basic, but useful behaviors, such as navigating around objects or searching for food. If robots could learn to do this, they would become more than a programmed machine to do repetitive tasks.
Agnes Guillot dreams of one day seeing a giant 50-centimetre (20-inch) -long white rat called Psikharpax scuttling fearlessly around her lab.
... the smarts to figure out dangers and opportunities, a robot is helpless without human intervention. "The autonomy of robots today is similar to that of an insect," snorts Guillot, a researcher at France's Institute for Intelligent Systems and ...
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TITLE: A Robot That Knows What You Are Going to do Next
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/a-robot-that-knows-what-you-are-going-to-do-next.html
DATE: 06/05/2009 08:21:43 PM
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RobotNext is always looking for that story that shows where the cutting edge of robotics is going next. This is truly one of those stories. A robot that can act on a person’s intentions would be capable of intelligent-like behavior in their relationship with a human. In a sense, this is the ultimate model from nature for robots—a human.
The idea is to model human-human interactions in order to allow a robot to become more capable of developing a personal relationship with its human partner. For many applications of consumer robotics, it will be necessary for the robot to be more than just a programmed machine.
Check out the article at the link below.
(PhysOrg.com) -- European researchers in robotics, psychology and cognitive sciences have developed a robot that can predict the intentions of its human partner. This ability to anticipate (or question) actions could make human-robot interactions ...
Robots travel on land and some of them fly in the air. Other robots are exploring space. Why not explore the deepest parts of the ocean? Nereus is the next thing in autonomous submarine vehicles. Designed to explore 100 percent of the ocean floor, this robot promises to revolutionize undersea exploration. Read the news story from the BBC at the link below.
A robotic submersible called Nereus has reached the deepest-known part of the ocean.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots That Can Walk on Water May Be Next
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BASENAME: robots-that-can-walk-on-water-may-be-next
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/robots-that-can-walk-on-water-may-be-next.html
DATE: 06/02/2009 09:33:20 PM
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Once again nature provides a model for the next thing in robot development. This time robots may do the miraculous and walk on water. The technology is based on the surface structure of water strider’s legs. By repelling water, the legs enable the insects to walk across the surface of water. This property is called super-hydrophobia.
For robots to achieve this feat, it seems to me that they would have to have some other properties. Certainly, they would have to be very light weight. Still, this is a fascinating idea. Read the whole story at the link below.
Water Droplet on Super-Hydrophobic Surface: Xiao Cheng Zeng
Robots Borrow Hydro-Repelling Tech from Insect Legs to Walk on Water Popular Science, NY By Val Wang Posted 06.02.2009 at 11:19 am 0 Comments A robot that can walk on water: such a miracle is one step closer to reality, thanks to some new research that learns from the work nature has done with water striders. Walking on water may seem like ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Megasaurus is More Dragon Than Dinosaur
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BASENAME: megasaurus-is-more-dragon-than-dinosaur
CATEGORY: Nature
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/06/megasaurus-is-more-dragon-than-dinosaur.html
DATE: 06/01/2009 04:22:01 PM
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Irresistible is right. Something about Megasuarus captured my attention. This is not a new robot and maybe not the next thing in robots, but it is very large and very destructive, and it is new to RobotNext. From the video I saw of this monster, it can pick up a car in its giant claws and then incinerate the insides of the vehicle. Other than the entertainment value of this beast, I saw it as yet another example of robots imitating nature. Well, sort of. In this case, a robot has supposedly been designed on the idea of a dinosaur. To me this robot seems more like a mythical creature, namely a dragon, than a dinosaur. However, in many ways, it does resemble a certain Japanese science fiction creature from the movies.
Where as some robot builders are constructing robots to see how nature evolves, this robot is definately a case of robots devolving. See this story below for the latest exploits of this robotic creature from the junkyard.
BRISTOL, Tenn. – Megasaurus was irresistible. Children, filled with wonder and awe, walked up to the robot-dinosaur hybrid. They studied it, asked questions and grinned wide. Adults balanced wide-eyed queries with their own inspection of the beast ...
Robots that imitate cockroaches or lizards. These have been developed in a university laboratory that is researching evolution. In previous posts here at RobotNext, I have detailed stories on robots that imitate nature. Here is just one more example of what is next in robots. Check out the story at the link below.
Long is among a small group of researchers worldwide studying biology and evolution with the help of robots that can do things like shimmy through water or slither up shores. Long's robots, for instance, test theories on the development ... TH Online RSS Feed - http://www.thonline.com/
This is a follow-up to a recent post here on RobotNext on the ViRob. In this medGadget story, more of the details of the microrobot are explained. The first target for treatment will probably be lung cancer. This little robot is ideal for reaching tumors in the lung and delivering a direct dose of chemical agent to the cancer cells. medGadget has the story along with some great photos of the little robot. Check out the links below.
... to lung tumors as well as take samples from different areas within the body. In addition, a number of these micro robots could simultaneously treat a variety of metastases. Researchers also plan to install additional equipment on the robot, ...
Nature strikes again in the form of a robot that has insects to thank for its shape and form. Although it is billed in this post from DVICE as insectoid, it has four legs, not six, but it does have two arms, so that does make a total of six appendages. Read the article below and then see the photos on the Robot Watch website. Links are below.
Japanese construction firm unleashes insectoid robot crane on humanity DVICE If you think the towering fictional robot monstrosities of Terminator 4 are chilling, you probably won't be happy to see the very real ROBOTOPS at your local construction site. The four-legged, two-armed robot is actually a kind of automated mobile ...
In a previous post here at RobotNext, I explored the idea of a pet for a robot. Specifically, a robot dog for a robot-acting human. Now, this article from CNET News explores, among other things, how real pets are adapting to robots in the home. I do not have a iRobot Roomba or a Scooba in my home, but I can only imagine how my cat would react. She would most likely be curious about this intruder into her territory, but just as with the non-robotic vacuum cleaner, she would doubtless run and hide when it began its cleaning.
Robots have definitely found a niche in cleaning floors. However, they have not become a multitasking, one machine does all, robot. Today’s robots are single function specialists. Good at vacuuming or washing floors or cleaning pools, but not all three.
For a look at the future of robots and what may be coming next, take a look at the article link below.
Robotics is an industry in which managing simple tasks and goals is paving the way for the grand visions of science fiction. But first, the floors need to be cleaned. In this three-day special report, CNET News takes a look at the growing world of ...
The next thing in robots may not be a big deal at all, in fact, it will be very, very small. This bot is not actually antibiotic. It is more like a monoclonal antibody. If you remember the old science fiction movie Fantastic Voyage, then this story is going to sound familiar. Okay, so the robot is not shrunk down in a miniaturization machine - it is built that way to start with, but it will be injected into the body and have the ability to travel through the blood stream and treat cancer tumors.
This is the holy grail of oncology: targeted treatment of the cancer so that healthy tissue is not harmed. I can tell you from personal experience that anything that can reduce or eliminate the side effects of cancer treatment would be welcomed by patients dealing with malignancies. Click on the photo or the link below to read the whole story.
The Tiny Robot that Can Crawl Through Your Veins—And Treat Your Tumors Discover Magazine, NY Researchers at the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa have developed a miniature crawling robot, called ViRob, that can crawl through your lungs, find a tumor, and zap it with drugs. The bot, which is one millimeter long and four millimeters from ...
If robot’s are to truly become more human-like in their behaviors, then maybe they need pets. So the next thing is the Robo Dog. The mechanical beast is a project of an electrical engineering student and a university lecturer at the University of Bradford in the UK.
How interesting would it be to see if the human-acting robotsmentioned in yesterday’s post could give the robo dog commands of sit or fetch. This is something I would like to see.
See the university media release for the whole story. Below is the story from The Telegraph and Argus newspaper article.
A Robo Dog capable of appearing happy, hungry or even bored was showcased at a university open day to give employers the chance to see work from this year’s engineering students.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Making Robots More Like Humans
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: making-robots-more-like-humans
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/05/making-robots-more-like-humans.html
DATE: 05/24/2009 11:26:38 PM
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Researchers are working to develop robots that are capable of more human-like behavior. In this report by Dan Simmons of the BBC, he explores what scientists are doing to give robots more human-like abilities. This is a follow-up to the post from yesterday on robots that show human emotions.
Some robots have been developed from models in nature. Some of those robots actually perform functions in a way that are superior to what humans can do. For example, robots can accomplish repetitive tasks with precision and without tiring. Robots can go places that humans cannot easily go or maybe not reach at all.
Now the challenge is to make robots that can interact with humans in a way that puts the humans at ease and allows a more personal interaction. See the article below for the report on how this is being done right now.
Simple tasks such as walking and picking up objects are part of everyday life for people, but such mundane tasks still present major challenges for today's robots.
Researchers are using sensors, cameras and recognition to teach the machines to interact in a way that people will be comfortable with.
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TITLE: This Robot Shows Emotions With Body Language
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DATE: 05/23/2009 11:46:07 PM
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So, we have robots that imitate snakes, beavers, cockroaches, and ants. Why not humans too? This robot can simulate human emotions with movements and poses. See the example below and click to see the picture from the Robot Watch website. There are other photos of this robot doing its thing on the site.
Credit: Robot Watch
Robots that can show emotions would be more likely to have successful interactions with humans and this is a step towards a more personal service robot. One thing about this robot: It does look like it got into its mother’s cosmetics drawer. Those red lips look like my two-year old niece’s after she did her make-up for the first time.
Check out the article below at Topix and also look at the video posted on robots.net.
Robots have been made capable of doing almost anything humans can do except expressing emotions.
So I guess this fits with the theme of recent posts on RobotNext. Only this one combines the themes of military robots and nature inspired machines. This article on spying roboflies is about tiny cameras that can be integrated with flying robots that are no larger than an insect. Of course, there are many other possible applications for this miniature camera. One of the uses could be for robotic spacecraft where size and weight are critical. Another area where these devices could make an impact is in small observatories for use in border security. It is thought that the robots or machines with these cameras would be cheap enough to be dropped by aircraft over a large area. See the complete article by clicking on the title below.
It is light enough to be carried by these tiny surveillance drones and also uses very little power.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Band of Brothers and Bots?
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BASENAME: band-of-brothers-and-bots
CATEGORY: Military
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2009/05/band-of-brothers-and-bots.html
DATE: 05/21/2009 03:44:24 PM
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Military personnel become so attached to their fighting robots that they actually give them names and mourn their loss. This phenomenon is documented in the article at MSNBC.com. I have written several posts about military robots in RobotNext that may have a dark side, but there is no doubt that they save lives and that the soldiers that fight along side them develop close ties with the machines. In one case, even an inspired father sought to develop a robot in honor of his son.
This machine is a cross between a beaver and a cockroach, and it climbs like a koala. It is called the RiSE V3. See the excerpt below from the post at CNET News by Mark Rutherford.
Here's another offering from Boston Dynamics' zoomorphic line: the RiSE V3, a multi-legged, beaver-tailed robot that can skitter along the ground, shimmy up a pole, and then quietly cling there and stare at you.
The research by Haynes et al was published by the University of Pennsylvania and Boston Dynamics in a paper (PDF) titled Rapid Pole Climbing with a Quadrupedal Robot. Rutherford summarizes the research nicely as follows:
The development team's aim was to reproduce movements they had observed in climbing insects. This is something else that sets this wall climber apart. Most other climbing robots have generally relied on "surface-specific attachment mechanisms," i.e. magnets and suction devices.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Autonomous DIY robot based on cheap MAKE Controller
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CATEGORY: Build It
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DATE: 05/19/2009 11:12:02 PM
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If you want to build your own robot, this one looks like it could be the one to try first. I saw this article on the SlashGear site and thought it would be worth looking into. Also, I have included a quote from the Make website about the controller and some of its specs. Please note that the base of this robot is a Linxmotion Rover Chassis. The web site states that this product is discontinued or out of stock. There is apparently another version available from http://www.lynxmotion.com/Category.aspx?CategoryID=119. This last site is listed in a comment to the original posting and the price is more than the original Linxmotion Rover Chassis. I looked at the site and it may be a different item.
The article from Slashgear can be found below.
“It seems like DIY robots are gaining momentum, as more low-cost and straightforward controllers become available. Latest is this wireless-equipped model,” SlashGear - http://www.slashgear.com/
Check out the Make page for the details on the Make Controller.
“The Make Controller is built around the AT91SAM7X256, and adds the essential components (like the crystal, voltage regulator, filter capacitors, etc.) required to run it, while bringing almost all the processor's signal lines out to standard 0.1" spaced sockets. The software environment remains constant no matter what you plug the Make Controller into - the firmware libraries are organized and documented, making it clear which are compatible with the Controller and Application boards.”
Aircraft manufacturers are moving ahead with the use of robotics in the construction of the newest armed forces jets. This article from Robotics & Automation details how the new F-35 will use robotics to speed-up the manufacturing process for aircraft. What follows is some selected quotes from the article. I think what is especially important is the possibility of drastically reducing the manufacturing times on the aircraft and the movement of these technologies to the commercial aviation field. Follow the links above or at the bottom of this post to see the entire article and all the photos.
“The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL, Dayton, OH) has been spearheading an effort to use commercial six-axis robots in the F-35 production process.”
Northrop Grumman “…made significant investments in using robotics to speed the flow of center fuselage assembly. Installation of robotic drilling machines during low-rate initial production is expected to reduce drilling times on key assemblies by up to 70 percent.”
“By using articulated robots, we’ll go from a 50-hour manual process to a 15-hour automated process,” says Scott Gillette, a manufacturing technology development engineer who’s working on the project.
“Many observers believe the F-35 applications will eventually trickle down to the commercial aviation sector and spur widespread use of robots. Robotic drilling is a growing area that has major benefits for the entire aerospace industry.”
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: iRobot Ember Ushers in Era of Military Microbots
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DATE: 05/17/2009 10:11:01 PM
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Check out the following article from Robot Stock News on a new small and potentially disposable robot for use by the military. This continues the development of military robots that will be partners with soldiers on the battlefield. An excerpt from the article follows below and there is a link to the full article at the bottom of the page.
iRobot Corp. has developed a new microbot for military applications -- the paperback-sized iRobot Ember! This hot new bot, still in the prototype stage, is featured on iRobot's new Facebook page for its PackBot family. As you can tell from the photos iRobot posted on the page, Ember resembles a miniaturized PackBot, complete with iRobot's flipper technology allowing it to right itself and climb over obstacles.
The iRobot Ember was developed under DARPA's LANdroids program, which is intended to create teams of tiny robots for military applications, including, as the name implies, setting up an ad-hoc network of hotspots. The robots are intended to be about 1 pound each, be smart enough to detect and navigate around obstacles and ultimately cheap enough to be considered disposable.
This has been a recurring theme of post here on RobotNext. See Snakebots in a Building as an example of robot design from nature. Also, take a look at a more recent post that deals with a futuristic application from the world of spiders.
Robotics researchers are increasingly turning to nature for inspiration. Watch a robotic salamander that moves from water to land, a water strider robot, mechanical cockroaches, and some cool self-configuring robots. TFOT - The Future Of Things - http://thefutureofthings.com/
A robot is a machine. It can be programmed to accomplish many tasks. These tasks can be for good or evil. Several previous posts here have detailed military-tasked robots. Now, you can think what you want about these robots, but they do have one major purpose—to save human lives.
Here is an inspirational story of someone who is motivated to do something to save soldiers on the battlefield.
Inspired by Soldier Son, Father Develops Military Robots NewsHour TOM BEARDEN: Black-I Robotics, with just two employees besides Hart, are building robots that can defuse IEDs. They can also use TV cameras and other sensors to act as sentries, warning troops of imminent danger. Military weapons designer Pierre Sprey ...
This may be the future of public transit. You can imagine jumping in one at any point in the city and then traveling to the location of your choice. Sort of gives you the feel of a private car, even if it is public transportation. Go to the article link below to see a series of photos of the concept vehicle.
This morning the L line was halted in NYC—my roommate and hundreds of desperate Williamsburg hipsters couldn't get into Manhattan. And while the subway is still great*, I wish we had Robot Taxis.
These are just a concept by Czech firm Kubik Design. Their Robot Taxis are a (pretty) variation of something that has been in science-fiction novels and the trippy brains of those who have suffered and enjoyed the pain and advantages of public transportation forever.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots Can Have Many Applications Besides Military
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The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Satellite Center at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel will be established by a $5 million donation. Arnold Goldstein, a New York businessman and philanthropist, is providing the funding. Although robotics can have a military application, he sees the medical and humanitarian purposes also.
Robots To Help Humans The Jewish Week, USA Goldstein said the center would be working with robots that could be used for warfare as well as for medical and humanitarian purposes. “They have a snake-like robot that can go into rubble looking for earthquake victims,” he said. ...
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Saya, is the name of a life-like female robot that began her career as a robot receptionist. Then “she” was re-programmed to teach. Saya gave a lesson to fifth-graders at Tokyo's Kudan Elementary School. The purpose of the demonstration teaching is more to showcase the technology for students than to attempt to replace human educators. The students carbon-based teacher had her own opinion about the robotic teacher.
"On the one hand I am impressed that they've got robots to go this far, but on the other hand they still have a long way to research before they create a truly robotic teacher," ...
This is one of the most elegant robot designs I have ever seen, even if it is a spider! The following post from robots.net details the story about this very interesting robot.
The year is 2058 and you’re bored of your home's drab walls. The emotion is sensed by a strange spider-like robot hiding in the corner. He comes to life and dances across your wall. As you watch, a beautiful rendition of the Mona Lisa begins to appear. He returns as quick as he appeared and you're left with a new view and attitude. This robotic Da Vinci is named xirrou, and brought to you by concept designer Christian Gumpold.
After posting articles on the dark side of robotics, this one is a much more positive one. Although the story from yesterday about the roboskin robot certainly shows something that has been created for a human need, it has the potential for a dark side. The robots here were created for the express purpose of only saving lives. Plus, these robots are something that one could see marketed as next year’s Christmas gifts. After you read the excerpt below, follow the link to see the complete article.
Sparky, the Blacksburg Fire Department's "talking" Dalmatian, captures the attention of children during an open house in 2006. Photo courtesy of the Dublin Fire Department Addie Crigger gives the Dublin Fire Department's Patches, a robotic Dalmatian ...
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So, in light of robots that can jump and robots that can kill, where does a robot that can feel fit in? Doesn’t this make you think about the possibility of killer robots with the sense of touch? Of course, this roboskin robot is being developed for a noble purpose, but technology does not know good from evil. I have always believed in technology as a way for humanity to improve itself and I don’t think all the articles on the military applications of robots will change my mind about that. However, it does make you think!
Work is beginning on a robot with artificial skin to be used to investigate how robots can help children with autism learn about social interaction. Professor Kerstin Dautenhahn and her team at the University’s School of Computer Science are part of a European consortium, which is working on the three-year Roboskin project to develop a robot with skin and embedded tactile sensors.
The researchers will work on Kaspar (http://kaspar.feis.herts.ac.uk/), a child-sized humanoid robot developed by the Adaptive Systems research group at the University.
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TITLE: Jumping robot to bounce into military service
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Do you remember these words? "Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." This robot can’t outrun a high-power projectile or stop a freight train, but it may be able to match some of superman’s jumping skills. As detailed in New Scientist, the US army has commissioned a robot that will jump up stairs or leap through windows during urban operations.
Engadget reported that the Precision Urban Hopper, as it is known, will have as its goal the capability of jumping over large obstacles in city combat situations. “It will boast one extremely tough leg to assist it, in addition to its four wheels. The Hopper is supposedly going to be able to jump 25 feet in the air once completed.”
Boston Dynamics, the company that built the prototype, is due to present its next model sometime during 2010.
Now, in addition to all the other military robots, there will likely be one type that can jump. What do you think about that?
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TITLE: Army orders more iRobot battlefield robots - Boston Globe
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More robots are on the way for the military. I read about this from several reports. Since I had posted two articles a couple of days ago on this topic, I thought this would be a good follow-up. These iRobot Corporation machines are today’s robot soldiers. What does the future hold for robots on the war-fighting front?
Bedford's iRobot Corp. said it has received a $16.8 million order from the US Army for more of the company's battlefield robots. The order "marks the first purchase of iRobot's advanced PackBot 510 series under an existing $200 million" contract ...
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TITLE: Killer robots lead revolution in warfare (Independent Online)
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Yet another entry in discussion of the role of robots in the military is listed here. The source of the article is the same as the previous post. This is a recurring theme in the robotics world today and certainly speaks to what is next in robots.
They have no fear, they never tire, they are not upset when the soldier next to them gets blown to pieces.
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TITLE: Wired for war - robot soldiers more fact than fiction - Brisbane Times
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Robots are becoming an important part of the United States military. Here is an article that explores some of the issues surrounding the use of robots in the armed forces.
Wired for war - robot soldiers more fact than fiction Brisbane Times, Australia - Deborah Snow THE world is on the brink of a "robotics revolution" in military combat that will have profound social, psychological, political and ethical effects, says a leading US defence analyst. Peter Singer, who headed Barack Obama's defence policy team during ...
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TITLE: Robotics Booming in High Schools: Universities and Colleges Lag Behind
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Programs such as FIRST and BEST have provided elementary, middle, and high school students with opportunities in robotics. Close to 40,000 high school students participate in FIRST Robotics, but there is a lack of college level programs to absorb all these students. Although this article is specific to Massachusetts, I suspect the story is the same for other states. Read the article below for more details.
Massachusetts’ robotics cluster is thriving despite the recession — but the state is in danger of losing its edge due to the scarcity of collegiate robotics programs. Colleges like MIT, Harvard University, the Franklin W. Olin College ...
How about having a 24 hour band who can play what ever you want and make no mistakes? Or make mistakes if you don't want it too perfect? How about a whole symphony composed of robots? Sounds kind of crazy but it will be just an amount of time. Playing the violin is no easy task, and takes many years to get the hang of. Check out this video on the Robot Violinist. The cons to this are that Robots will take over tasks that people are too lazy to do. They have already been doing it. Look at the electric can opener?
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TITLE: Snakebots in a Building!
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No, this is not the sequel to a recent action film from Hollywood. It is a proposal for a new type of robot that can be used on constructions sites for tall buildings. The snakebot is one of the latest proposals for robots to assist humans in work that is too dangerous or difficult for humans to perform.
Nature continues to provide the model for many types of robots. Although I would not have thought of a robot based on a snake, obviously some very creative people have seen a snake as a great model. This article explores the application for the robot modeled on a snake.
Snakebots could take over construction sites IT Examiner, India - 2 hours ago By Nick Farrell @ Tuesday, January 20, 2009 7:27 AM A new robot design could help build tall buildings where humans are in danger of falling. ...
Note: This post has been edited from the original to update links to photos.
As in an earlier blog entry, I gave you a preview of the two control systems of FRC. One is the C RIO which will be used this year for the first time in USFIRST history. The other was the control system that has been use since at least 2000 until last year.
Now I'm going to go over some of the features of the two control systems and let you decide whether the new system or old system is best for you.
The first system I will be discussing in the post is between the robot and the driver station.
In the old system communication was accomplished by radio modem or with a direct connection by a serial cable also known as a tether. To program the robot you had to tether the robot, which sometimes caused problems. If you didn't have the right tether you couldn't do anything. Also, it caused some safety issues at the competition and back home in the shop. First of all, you could trip over the wire and potentially damage your operator interface. We did this at a competition once and ripped-off the connection to the power input. We very nearly couldn't compete if it hadn't been for a team to give us some epoxy and we glued it back on. Luckily, it still worked. Altough you can have some safety issues, it was a pretty solid system of signal between the operator and robot.
Now, in the new system, the whole thing runs off wireless 802.11. Although you don't have to wire it up to program the system it still poses some problems. One that I can see is if you dont secure your system you could get hacked and someone could mess with your programming. Another problem I can see if you dont have a good laptop or a good singal you can't compete. Although it poses some problems I think this is the better system of the two.
Next week I'll discuss another sub system of the two control system and compare them.
Putting unique controls to good uses, the Military Researchers will be working on "Wii-mote" controlled Robots. With advantages, such as low complex controls, and disadvantages, such as twitching soldiers and creating a hack-proof system, I think this will provide gamers the chance to serve their country; Now all that's needed is a high score system.
CNN has just run an interesting segment on military robots coming in the near future that will be controlled using the Nintendo Wii remote, looking at the pros and cons of Wii-bots.
Now, when it comes to my cell phone, I (like many people) can't live without it. And on top of that, my cell phone is never turned off. So with the prospect of Battery-less cell phones, I would only hope it comes with a Key pad for Text-messaging (spoiled, can't use the number pad anymore).
"It's possible that in the future conversations on your cell phone could generate enough electrical power to run the phone, without batteries. That's one possible outcome of recent work by a team of Texas researchers
When it comes to Cool Gadgets or New Technology, I support and endorse all progression and research into such awesome stuff; Such as, replacing one's eye with a Webcam. Tanya Vlach, self-proclaim "Sci-fi Geek", has been requesting for such a product. Best of luck to her, my she bring us closer to Cyborg Research to help us combat the coming Robot Uprising.
San Francisco artist Tanya Vlach has called for engineers to design an in-eye camera for her. Since losing her real eye in a 2005 car accident, Tanya has worn a realistic acrylic prosthesis.
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TITLE: At MIT, They Love Their Robots - Invention & Technology News
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So I wont say I told you so, but further proof of our upcoming demise. Of course, that doesnt mean we cant enjoy the perks of Robotic development, while we wait for the inevitable takeover. Like the Robots over at MIT, Which are helping the wheelchair-bound move around much easier. Some of their projects would even help underwater research, with Odyssey IV (picture seen below).
At MIT, They Love Their Robots Invention & Technology News, PA - 1 hour ago When robots do eventually turn on humans and attempt to take over the world “Terminator”-style, the finger can easily be pointed back at the Massachusetts ...
Good Afternoon everyone, Happy New Year! I would like you to meet Jules. Jules is a fascinating character who has a lot of potential. Thanks to Hanson Robotics and Frubber™,
"the elastic polymer that makes realistic facial movement and speech possible while being stronger, more elastic and using only a fraction of the power required for existing materials. Frubber™ has potential to become the future of prosthetics applications, facial reconstruction and many other uses".
Jules surpasses the I' Robot look to a humanoid robot. Check this video of Jules and Jules isn't the only thing they have been working on. Meet the rest of the gang.
Also Known as Wall-e from the Pixar animation movie.
Well this was an interesting project that djsures did on instructables. The project can be found here. He took a Wall-e that he purchased at toys'r'us and put together an autonomous Wall-e. Here is a link showing Wall-e work. He added personality to a toy that was otherwise lifeless. The project provides enough information to build the Wall-e, the only information not given is the code to program Wall-e. Overall it is a nice project and with a little imagination maybe you can turn some of those toy robots lying around into real movable robots.
This has got to be the perfect Christmas tree for the robotics enthusiast. Take a look at the link below to see the photograph of this holiday "treebot". Happy Holidays from all of us at RobotNext.
"The HEXmas tree, as it's been dubbed, is decked out in our favorite little robotic creature and stocked with some awesome VEX Robotics presents."
A HEXBUG Christmas Tree Wired News - 1 hour ago By Anton Olsen December 20, 2008 | 11:00:00 AMCategories: Robots In the spirit of the robot holidays, the HEXBUG folks have put together an awesome ...
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TITLE: Get A Kitchen Robot To Load The Dishwasher
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First there were robots to vacuum your floors, then robots to wash your floors, and now there is a robot to help out with the dishes. This is interesting since what this robot does is to load the dishwasher, and what is a dishwasher other than a robot. A robot to operate another robot. See the article at the links below.
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AUTHOR: Rudy Pena
TITLE: FIRST DAY- FRC New Control System vs FRC Old Control System
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For the next few weeks I'm going to be doing a comparison of two robotic control systems used for robotic competitions in US FIRST(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). The first control system I would like to introduce you to is the old FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) control system.
You could find this control system through the link below:
The next one I would like to show you is the new FRC control system which is called the C Rio(Compact Rio). This is going to be the future of the US FIRST Robotics.
So I found this little project on Hack a Day , which is very interesting. Applied Inspirations put together a nice hack on the robot hexbug.
"The Hexbug is a very cleverly designed, tiny toy robot bug. Once removed from its package and switched on, it marches forward until its antennae bump an obstacle. It then does a reverse-right turn, and continues forward again until the next obstacle."
Well, they decided to take the bug apart and see how it worked. Then they added a different board and microcontroller to do more with it such as adding, ’’Motor Off , Piezo-buzzer, Blinkable ‘Eye’, Low battery detection, Light level detection." Perhaps later other sensors can be added.The webpage is set up very nicely and gives good instructions of the hexbug and how to change it up.
You can turn your $10.00 "insect" hexbug into a $35.00 "smart robot" hexbug!
Hey guys, for those of you interested and also live near Austin, TX, check out Dorkbot. They have an event around the corner. Oh, I'm just gonna copy my e-mail so you get all the details. There's also links to go to.
Parking map: http://www.utexas.edu/parking/maps/index.html There are also major bus routes right in front of the building and a bike rack right underneath. Parking at any grey city meter is free after 5:45pm
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Presentations:
ACTLab Intro: A little back story and introduction of people working with the ACTLab - UT's new media initiative http://www.actlab.utexas.edu/
Sandy Stone - Sandy's Fan Club: A look into micro controllers and more
Cecy Correa - Presenting a preview of a documentary she is working on about the actlab.
Joey Lopez - Studying Car Culture in Central Texas, learning to hack in the backyard.
Other cool stuff from the ACTLab - steam punk projects, circuit bending and more!
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Dorkbot-austin is a regular meeting of artists (sound / image / movement / whatever), hackers, designers, engineers, students and other interested parties who are involved in the creation of electronic art (in the broadest sense of the term).
........................................................................ .........dorkbot: people doing strange things with electricity.......... ......................... http://dorkbot.org ........................... ........................................................................
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TITLE: FIRST Report: Drivetrain Concept Explored on Chief Delphi
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In the latest feed from Chief Delphi, this post caught my eye. Thought this would be a good entry for the weekly RobotNext FIRST Report. At RobotNext, we are using Tuesdays as our weekly update for FIRST robotics. Watch here for information that might be useful to your FIRST Robotics Challenge team.
So, in this entry, there is a design for a very interesting drivetrain concept. To quote from the post:
"Lately several members of the team have been discussing the possibility of doing a wooden drive platform with a live axle system. This is one rendition of the concept that I came up with."
Click on small photo above for a link to the original post on Chief Delphi if you want to see the original and larger version of the design.
This drivetrain is built around the idea of being simple. Using only basic tools and commonly available materials to construct it, the platform is lightweight and uncomplicated.
"For this particular version I was trying to cut manufacturing down to a minimum. Ideally it could be built with a drill press and a bandsaw (or even a hand drill and a hacksaw), but there are some details that still need to be worked out."
Check out the original post below on the Chief Delphi site:
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 70.112.71.198
URL:
DATE: 10/29/2008 02:40:23 PM
Wow. that's pretty awesome. That kind of building will cut down on a lot of weight. I remember our team cutting holes every spot we could get just to bring the weight down. lol. Those were the days.
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AUTHOR: cite-x
EMAIL:
IP: 70.112.71.198
URL: http://profile.typekey.com/1219268059s4532/
DATE: 11/06/2008 05:36:20 PM
This would cut down alot of weight, plus make it easier to build without having expensive machines to cut, bend or drill into.
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AUTHOR: blah
EMAIL: blah2025@yahoo.com
IP: 129.115.81.18
URL:
DATE: 11/07/2008 08:33:13 AM
I dont know, I imagine it would have to be a piece of very good wood. The way the competitions are can get crazy, wood will splinter and split if you not careful with it. But well worth a try to save on weight.
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TITLE: The Build-It Guy: Mini Robot - Sculpture
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Ok, so it's not really a robot, but this little "pretend robot" would be fun to try to build nonetheless. The website I Make Projects.com has a neat project on how to make a mini robot sculpture. Like this quote from the person who put up this project, see what monstrosities you can make. Follow the link by clicking on the small photo for more information.
"One day I took some of the parts and soldered them into what I wished was a functional spider robot - but even though it didn't work, it was pretty in its own way. It was also fun and inexpensive and fast to make."
All you need to make the one shown which is a spider bot is some capacitors and resistors and a small chip. Well, if anything you could practice some soldering and have a little spider bot to keep you company, or a cool Halloween decoration.
RobotNext: sponsers school teams for robotics competitions. we have 2 teams under our wings, Robert E. Lee High School and NIMITZ. but because many of our staffers are mentoring, so yours truly (The Jakenan), will be covering the team Aer Heads, Robert E. Lee High School. Our drive team consist of Even, Mark, Lauren, Teddy, and Nick
Round 1:(first match) for Aer Heads, the Robert E Lee team, was a complete blow away. The driver, Evan, finishing the pulling out the parts and assemble the wings in 1 minute and a half. overwhelming the competition in by 400 points with a total of 500. building strategy begins with Wings, Fuselage, Tail. human players are in charge of opening the hanger. also robots must clear FOD(Foreign Object Debris), which is main obstacle in the game. first round of competition leaves the Air Heads tied in 2nd place with St. Mary's Hall, at 500 point average..
Round 2: With Mark at the helm, lee begins with the switch and moving the FOD. guided by the human player lee grabs one wing and sets it on the base. the Air Heads move to repeat their performance and sets another wing onto the base. picking up a fuselage, and setting it down scores ??? points. in there final seconds, lee was able to shove the FOD into the box. ending with 490 points, right under the winning team of Holy Cross of 500 points. still tied with SM hall.
Round3 (Match #18): Lauren's match begins with the usual strategy, makes a mad rush to the switch. entering the hanger, moving the FOD, proves to be a tad difficult. but in no time Lee collect a wing. but struggles to get the wing out the hanger. eventually, the wing makes it out and is immediately placed on the base. with little time to spare, lee races to place the FOD in the box. resulting score at the end of the match is 180 points winning the match. Resulting average, 495, leaves them at 2nd, with the leading team, Holy Cross, at 525.
and before they can set the robot down and catch a sigh of relief.
Round 4 (match #21): Teddy began a slow but mad dash to the switch is made, and begins to maneuver past the FOD, a wing is picked up in under a minute. wing number 2 is rushed over to the second base. with over a minute left, lee goes for a fuselage. with the minute beginning to close down, another fuselage is pushed through the hanger. with the last seconds the hanger is closed and the final 10 seconds are spent waiting, end the match with a score of 400; continuing with their undefeated streak, averaging out to 463.33. still 2nd place. Holy Cross stays number one with 513.33 points average.
Round 5(match #29): Robot rocks its way to the switch and man handles the FOD. first order of business, as usual, Nick goes for the wing and drop it off in a minute flat. the next wing takes less time and is on its base in about 40 seconds. One minute on the buzzer and the first fuselage is out and in 30 seconds the 2nd is out as well. 20 seconds on the clock and Lee goes for the FOD and just barely misses the box. final score is 490, with an 470 average. As the standings are now, the Aer Heads are maintaining their 2nd place standing, playing toe to toe against Holy Cross (who now stand at 1st with a 505 point average).
Round Lunch(Food): Yum yum in my tum tum. \(o.O);/ \| |/ (^o^)<-*happy belly* || || C C
Round 6(match #39): And in the beginning there was a switch, and Aer Heads said let it be switched. and it was done and it was fast. and as fast as Even hit the switch, he quickly made his way into the hanger, getting a wing in under 50 seconds, placing it onto the base under a minute. the second wing was set in about 40 seconds. but now an attempt for planting the fuselage onto the wings is made. but did they plant it... looks like a no. they were unsuccessful. and with time up they're score for the match is 440, averaging 464 points. Holy cross 494 average. Side Note: oddly enough, our 2nd team, NIMITZ, Won the match and scored 450 points, averaging 368, and currently in 5th place.
Round 7 (match #46): The Final Match, till the semifinals, and our match begins at a blazing pace as Mark hit the switch in 9 seconds, and shove aside the FOD quickly. the wings are out of the hanger and onto the bases faster than ever, leaving a minute and 10 seconds to grab both fuselages. and dumped both of the fuselages with 30 seconds remaining. scoring only 300 points. but still with 3rd place average no where near them, Lee holds onto 2nd place ensuring them into the semifinals
AND NOW IT BEGINS. the semifinals are set for 3 matches with the top 8 teams. the 4 highest scoring teams in the semifinals play in the finals.
Semifinals: our guys and gals at lee are in for it now. its the best of the best ("but nothing ever gonna take ya down"). But ready or not, here they go:
Round 1: first to the switch, Lauren marches onward. but is sluggish at moving the FOD. with he FOD out of the way, a wing appeared quickly on to a base, with a minute 20 left. precious moments go by and no progress seems to be made. 20 seconds left the robot makes it out of the hanger, empty handed. not their best run. and now we wait for the scores to come in...
*pause for like 5 minutes, then read on*
and now the final score is 150 points. things aren't looking good for our heroes, but with 2 more matches anything can happen.
Round 2: Our Teddy start the match on a good note, reaching the switch 2nd, but bolt into the hanger and promptly bring out a wing and plant it. quick and effectively another wing is brought out and planted with a minute 30 left on the clock. a fuselage is drop out of the hanger on the last minute mark, and our robot arrives out of the hanger with the last fuselage right at the buzzer. coming out with 340 points. one more match to go, good luck Aer Heads.
Round 3: hot off the trail, Nick rams the FOD and shoves its way into the hanger. time consuming but still effective, as after one minute a wing is planted. 1:20 on the clock and the 2nd wing is out. one minute left and a fuselage is thrown out of the hanger, 25 seconds left and a 2nd fuselage is out. and right at the buzzer lee bolts and places the FOD onto the box. with a commanding lead, lee wins the match with 530 points. now as the numbers are crunched, our team prays, hoping they make the finals...
OMG, with a total of 1020, our team Aer Heads become the 3rd rank seed and will continue to the finals. Whoo Hoo!
Finals: These rounds feature the 4 top teams and play out with highest scoring team out of 3 rounds. scores are reset like the semifinals and its once again anyone's game.
Round 1:first on the scene, Even grabs a wing and sets it in 50 second and heads in for more. wing number two is out and about with 1:35 on the clock. Lee is on fire racing to dump a fuselage with one minute left on the clock. the second fuselage doesn't make it out, but Lee presses forward and tries to get the FOD. and after its all said and done, the FOD is cleared, the wings on the plane, and a fuselage is out, giving them 500 points; trailing the leaders, Holy Cross, by 40 points.
The robots juice up with new batteries and the next round will now play out.
Round 2: another race begins with lee and holy cross, both are mimicing each other, but Mark breaks out with a planted wing; mean time cross dumps part after part as lee plants another wing on iits base. the fuse is next to fall out of Lee's hanger, lee running out of time go for the FOD. This entire match played out as a blur, but in the end lee ends up with 490, and a new total of 990 vs Holy Cross with a total of 1040.
Just 50 point separate these two teams, both teams are just one fault away from losing it all.
Round 3: Final Round: and short of the first to the switch, Lauren ventures into the fuselage bring out and dumps a wing. Time ticks so fast as the team struggles to bring anything out. realizing time is running short, lee opts to finish with placing the FOD into the box. Lee's Aer Heads end the day with 1160 vs Holy Cross 1430. A very commendable effort done with this team and finishes strong with Second Place winners.
Those I havent worked with this team personally, seeing them play is a sure sign that with the years to come they will be top contenders.
Note for henry: for most of the games i put "lee" or "aer heads", i wanted to put the drivers names and i think i got em all. but if you can substitute any i missed with the drivers. also make sure rudy's blog about the game and build season goes up next to mine.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: HEALTH and WELLNESS: Robots to help elderly stay independent
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: health-and-wellness-robots-to-help-elderly-stay-independent
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/health-and-wellness-robots-to-help-elderly-stay-independent.html
DATE: 10/25/2008 12:56:46 PM
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As the baby boomers age, there will be a large segment of the population that will be living into their seventies, eighties, or even nineties. This means sometimes that a person will need some type of extended care in the home. Here come robots to the rescue. Robots can help the elderly keep up with medicines, schedules, and even be a companion.
“This is the future of aging,” said Fillia Makedon, a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington. “Technology will let people grow old at home.” Follow the link below to the article.
HEALTH & WELLNESS: Robots to help elderly stay independent Grand Forks Herald, ND - 1 hour ago Like smart pets that never require feeding, robots will scoot from room to room to wake the homeowners in the morning, remind them to eat and send for help ...
Insects have the solution to a very serious limitation of small robots. When a small robot has to navigate difficult terrain such as a rock-strewn surface of another planet, it faces a problem. This difficulty is that to a small robot even a small pebble is a giant boulder.
Researchers have described the problem in the following way:
"Small robots have big problems when it comes to efficient locomotion in natural and rough terrains. This effect is usually referred to as the 'Size Grain Hypothesis' [1], which is described as an 'increase in environmental rugosity with decreasing body size'. That is the smaller the robot, the bigger the obstacles. To circumvent the inefficiencies of crawling, walking, or running for miniature robots, researchers at EPFL are exploring jumping as a more efficient approach (others have also developed jumping robots.)"
Some insects have utilized this mode of transportation for a long time. Certainly, this is a very efficient way for insects to get over blockages in their path. Jumping allows a more direct line of travel in most cases. Small robots can utilize this same way of getting around in a rough terrain. In this paper researchers present their research on an original 5cm, 7g jumping robot. It can leap over obstacles "more than 27 times its own size and outperforms existing jumping robots by one order of magnitude with respect to jump height per weight and jump height per size."
The big question is--how does this little bot work? The short description as given by the researchers in the recently published paper is the following.
"It employs elastic elements in a four bar linkage leg system to allow for very powerful jumps and adjustment of the jumping force, take-off angle and force profile during the acceleration phase."
So now you have to see this little machine in action. Follow the link to see this little bot in action. I have found the download to be a little slow so have patience--it is worth the wait.
M. Kaspari and M. D. Weiser, “The size-grain hypothesis and interspecific scaling in ants,” Functional Ecology, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 530–538,
Kovac, M. , Fuchs, M. , Guignard, A. , Zufferey, J.-C. and Floreano, D. (2008) A miniature 7g jumping robot . Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA'2008), pp. 373 - 378.
Robots based on life forms such as insects are the model for most swarm-type robot systems. This is just one more example of that idea. Small machines that work together for some larger purpose bring efficiency to space robotic explorers.
This efficiency comes from the fact that such systems as these can actually adapt themselves to multiple functions. At least this is how I see this developing. These robot systems can be used for many applications, but may have found their "home" in exploring other planets.
For more on this, read the article listed below.
Robotic ants building homes on Mars? ICT Results, Belgium - 54 minutes ago “Robot swarms are particularly useful in situations where you need high redundancy. If one robot malfunctions or is damaged it does not cause the mission to ...
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AUTHOR: B S
EMAIL: wolfsheim_lvr1@yahoo.com
IP: 129.115.216.105
URL:
DATE: 10/24/2008 04:06:53 PM
Woh, thats really kool. They are so cute and tiny. But I wonder, wouldn't they need the ability to pick up things? I'm not sure if they can do that because they are so small and don't have much stability because they move by vibration. Even if you got enough to do it, maybe they could but maybe I missed something. I wish that had more video footage of them interacting. What was interesting is that they are programming these tiny robots to have programmed interpretations of the sensory of ants. If this last sentence makes any sense, HA. Yup...neat ideas...
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 70.112.71.198
URL:
DATE: 10/27/2008 03:24:57 PM
Sounds interesting...Robot ants on mars. The video of the robots interacting is pretty amazing. It looks like the team achieved what they were trying to do. It would be interesting to see what they can do it the team is able to finish and send them to mars.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: FIRST Report: Labview 8.5.1 Now available for download
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: first-report-labview-851-now-available-for-download
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/first-report-labview-851-now-available-for-download.html
DATE: 10/21/2008 03:48:05 PM
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Hey, for all of you involved with FIRST robotics, this entry came across from Chief Delphi last week. In keeping with our efforts to have Tuesdays be our day for FIRST, we thought this might be helpful.
For anyone interested in the software for this version of LabVIEW, you can follow the link to the full post on Chief Delphi.
"I'm not sure if it's been widely or clearly announced, but... You can now download and install the LabVIEW 8.5.1 environment with an extended trial license good until Jan 15 2010 if you want to follow along with the beta testers here at the following link. http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc....aspx?id=10934"
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AUTHOR: What3Laws?
TITLE: The Build-It Guy: Controlling A Robot With A Wii Fit Board
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: contolling-a-ro
CATEGORY: Build It
CATEGORY: Web/Tech
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/contolling-a-ro.html
DATE: 10/20/2008 09:19:49 AM
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Well, this past week, as I was looking through hackaday I found a very interesting project. Juan Gonzalez has built a control using the wii fit board for a robot that he calls Skybot. A youtube video can be seen here at Wii fit board controlling Skybot .
"[Gonzalez]managed to control a robot of his own design with the balance board, making it turn when he leans to the sides and moving forward and back when he leans in those directions."
The best thing about this project is that the Skybot can be controlled from a Mac, GNU/Linux, FreeBSD, or Windows operating systems. The site for this project is in Spanish, so you may have to use Babel Fish or Google Translate to read it, but the site can be found at www.learobotics.com . It gives you the instructions you need to build a Skybot and maybe you can change it up and control it from your IPhone.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: New mission for Mars robot
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: new-mission-for-mars-robot
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/new-mission-for-mars-robot.html
DATE: 10/17/2008 11:32:53 PM
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NASA/JPL
This is a mission that the robotic visitor to the Red Planet may not complete. Officials at the Jet Propulsion Lab realize the difficulty of the long trip. See the JPL press release. The Sun has a report on the journey and the robotic explorer which will attempt it.
THE NASA robot roaming Mars is set to embark on a two-year mission to reach a giant crater on the planet. The Mars rover Opportunity needs to travel seven miles to reach the crater, named Endeavor. See the rest of the article here.
The robot research laboratory at Chonnam National University has developed a robotic plant that has humidifying, oxygen-producing, aroma-emitting, and kinetic functions. The robot was developed using characteristics of plants normally grown for ornamental purposes. It is 130 cm tall and 40 cm in diameter and consists of a pot, a stem, and five buds of a flower reminiscent of a rose of Sharon. See the rest of the story here.
Robotic plants to produce oxygen are an interesting idea. So if the plant robot could also remove carbon dioxide in the process, then it would mimic a real plant's function in limiting greenhouse gases. Of course, you would need a lot of robotic plants to accomplish the task of removing excess carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, but it does make you think about it.
This article also makes the point that this type of robot opens a new field (pun intended) for robotics
. We have seen many types of robots imitating animal and insect functions. Now it is the turn of the flora of the world to provide the next innovative robots.
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
EMAIL: jakenan@gmail.com
IP: 129.115.251.60
URL:
DATE: 10/17/2008 03:08:26 PM
Dancing Robot Flowers?!?!
I have to now plan for a hilarious dancing squad to the tune of Kelis's Milkshake Song
^O^; Muhahahah!
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AUTHOR: B S
EMAIL: wolfsheim_lvr1@yahoo.com
IP: 129.115.216.105
URL: http://profile.typekey.com/1222546547s15974/
DATE: 10/17/2008 03:44:14 PM
That is an awesome idea. Of course it should not replace plants and trees but it sure could help with global warming.
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AUTHOR: Robotic plant
EMAIL: jerry.ihorse@gmail.com
IP: 115.119.25.130
URL: http://www.vivamagonline.com/PetsPlantProofingYourHome.html
DATE: 03/10/2010 11:58:24 PM
This is something new to me... Lovely post...
https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=batch_download&send_id=817789614&email=7cff47bb7cdcb76fbfa15e66c81a1961
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
TITLE: Immune System For Electronics? = Robot Apocalypse?
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 1
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BASENAME: immune-system-f
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/immune-system-f.html
DATE: 10/17/2008 01:07:04 PM
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For those who don't know me, let me tell you that I like to be prepared for the impossible. So when I say, I've been preparing for the Robot Apocalypse; truth be told, I've actually been researching anything that may lead to such end. So when I see Bristol Robotics Lab, which is run by University of Bristol and University of the West of England, doing research on an Immune System for Electonics, i.e. giving robots self-awareness and self-regenerative powers--I begin to fear the end is nigh.
God Save Us All!
NOTE: Comments Expressed by the Author are not in any way affiliated with RobotNext and the other Authors
Immune System For Electronics? Electronics That Can Diagnose And ... Science Daily (press release) - 23 hours ago The part of the project to be carried out in Bristol will be based at Bristol Robotics lab (BRL), which is jointly run by the University of Bristol and UWE. ...
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DATE: 10/17/2008 03:48:15 PM
Hmmmm...The Robotic Apocalypse. I just have one question...will they dream?
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
TITLE: Post it henry, the Robot Apocalypse is coming!!!
STATUS: Draft
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BASENAME: post-it-henry-t
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/post-it-henry-t.html
DATE: 10/16/2008 05:48:27 PM
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AUTHOR: Enjoy The Unknown
TITLE: Robotic Self Healing Chair
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robotic-self-he
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/robotic-self-he.html
DATE: 10/16/2008 12:36:47 AM
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Robotic Self Healing Chair
Having not entirely picked a specific topic to talk about, I came upon this video which in my opinion was very unique. This Robotic Chair destroys itself than puts itself back together. I believe it autonomously finds the pieces through sensors and- what I thought was a really amazing thing-screws itself into place. It seems like pretty simple ideas but the astonishing part is how its picks itself up back into place. I could see how this could be used, if human functional, as a wonderful prank to pull on somebody. Could you just imagine a friend sitting on this chair and then it breaks spontaneously?
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
EMAIL: jakenan@gmail.com
IP: 129.115.251.176
URL:
DATE: 10/17/2008 02:47:46 PM
Let the Pranking begin! Ill see yall at the next Robot Next Blog meeting ^o^;
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AUTHOR: B S
EMAIL: wolfsheim_lvr1@yahoo.com
IP: 129.115.216.105
URL: http://profile.typekey.com/1222546547s15974/
DATE: 10/17/2008 03:38:00 PM
Watch where you sit! 0_0
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: FIRST REPORT: Jaguar vs. Victor 884
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: first-report-jaguar-vs-victor-884
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/first-report-jaguar-vs-victor-884.html
DATE: 10/16/2008 12:19:00 AM
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This year, FIRST Robotics is introducing a new control system for its FRC competition. Part of that new control system is a new speed controller. However the old speed controller can still be used on the robots. So that leads to the question: Which would you prefer--the new and improved jaguar speed controller or a product that has been proven to work really well in past competitions?
Click on the photo to follow the link to the Chief Delphi entry by Anthony Lapp and the comments in the thread.
Whatever else you think about these two speed controllers, you have to be impressed by the size of the Jaguar compared to the Victor. For the other significant stats on these two devices see below and follow the links for even more information.
Jaguar (shown on right):
Quiet control of brushed DC motors – 20 kHz PWM frequency Speed control – Industry standard R-C Servo type (PWM) interface Status LED indicates run, direction, and fault conditions Limit switch inputs for forward and reverse directions Integrated over-current protection Screw terminals for all power wiring Headers (0.1 inch pitch) for all control signals
My view is go with your gut and chose the one that will work best for you. What do you think?
**This post submitted by Rudy Pena, but posted by Mike Henry due to some technical problems.
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AUTHOR: B S
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IP: 129.115.216.105
URL: http://profile.typekey.com/1222546547s15974/
DATE: 10/17/2008 03:52:51 PM
Having just looked at the picture, the jaguar looks more sturdy and less vulnerable unlike the vector. But it is more bulkier than than the victor. How many would you need? Screw Terminals are always nice :.)
Nice post Rudy!
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AUTHOR: What3Laws?
TITLE: Build a Bot
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 1
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BASENAME: build-a-bot
CATEGORY: Robots
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/build-a-bot.html
DATE: 10/13/2008 07:50:50 AM
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Ever had the urge to just build a robot? Well, here is your chance. Some of the sites on the net have interesting projects that are fun to build and in many cases you may have most of the parts. Two of my favorite sites are http://www.instructables.com and http://hackaday.com. There are projects that range from modifying a Roomba to building one inch cube bots. So go ahead and start building!
One of my favorite projects is the mouse bot. The introduction from the site gives a brief description.
"Mousebot is a simple bot that uses two "eyes" to sense light and then turns towards the light. A single large "whisker" is mounted on the front of the mouse to detect collisions. A collision with a wall will cause the mouse to reverse and turn then take off in another direction."
You can visit the instructables site for complete intructions to the build on this little robot. So don't be shy - try to build a bot and maybe customize it to be your own.
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AUTHOR: B S
EMAIL:
IP: 129.115.216.105
URL: http://profile.typekey.com/1222546547s15974/
DATE: 10/17/2008 03:58:17 PM
OOOOOO I love instructables.com. I have old mouses everywhere so this will be kool to try and make little meeces (haha). It reminds me a quote from the Movie "Donnie Darko"
Emily Bates: Mom said the school is closed today because it's flooded, and there's feces everywhere!
Susie Bates: What are feces?
Emily Bates: Baby mice.
Susie Bates: Aww.
We can have feces everywhere...YAYE! O_O
Maybe just mouse bots instead.
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TITLE: Topamax and weight.
URL: http://www.movabletype.org/members/topamax
IP: 212.227.114.150
BLOG NAME: Topamax binging.
DATE: 02/08/2010 08:37:30 AM
Topamax side effects. Topamax disscussion board. Topamax binging. Topamax. How long for topamax to take effect. Weight loss results topamax.
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TITLE: Xalatan.
URL: http://www.movabletype.org/members/xalatan
IP: 74.86.238.186
BLOG NAME: Preservative-free xalatan.
DATE: 02/08/2010 04:56:52 AM
Xalatan alternatives. Purchase xalatan eye drops pet meds. Xalatan.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Future of flagship Mars mission up in the air - Associated Press
STATUS: Publish
ALLOW COMMENTS: 1
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BASENAME: future-of-flagship-mars-mission-up-in-the-air---associated-press
CATEGORY: Robots
CATEGORY: Science
CATEGORY: Space
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/future-of-flagship-mars-mission-up-in-the-air---associated-press.html
DATE: 10/13/2008 12:06:12 AM
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Will NASA's flagship mission to Mars fly next year? The space agency could decide as early as Friday whether to cancel, delay or proceed with plans to launch a nuclear-powered, SUV-size rover to the red planet. NASA has already ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: NASA Sending New Robot Lab To Mars Next Year - AHN
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: nasa-sending-new-robot-lab-to-mars-next-year---ahn
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/10/nasa-sending-new-robot-lab-to-mars-next-year---ahn.html
DATE: 10/11/2008 08:04:23 PM
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Continuing the exploration of Mars, the Mars Science Laboratory is currently scheduled for launch to the Red Planet in the fall of 2009. The Mars Science Laboratory should arrive at its destination in 2010 and will be the introduction to the next phase of Martian exploration.
The rover's mission is to assess the past and present habitability of Mars.
WIRED's NextFest has been up and running since September 27, and will wrap-up on the 12th of October. WIRED NextFest:
"[WIRED NextFest] is the premier showcase of the global innovations transforming our world."
Windycitizen has posted their own best of NextFest by listing the "14 Must-See Exhibits". Such exhibits range from HumanCar, more like RowBoatCar, to a block of Solid Ink Cartridge, sounds messy. Personally, "Moe" the robotic sheep mower is certainly number ONE in everyone's hearts.
Champions, incentives and familiar tools are key, says NewsGator
DENVER, Sept. 24, 2008 — Are you thinking of deploying something like Facebook as a business tool in your enterprise? Many companies are: Enterprise spending on Web 2.0 technologies will surge over the next five years to reach $4.6 billion globally, predicts Forrester Research. The following strategies will help ensure your initiative flourishes, says social computing company NewsGator in a white paper authored earlier this year. 1. Define acceptable use. Although the purpose of enterprise social networking is improving business performance, enjoyment is part of the calculus. How much “fun” is acceptable? Will non-work content be emphasized or discouraged? Set expectations in a few sentences and let everyone know up front.
2. Find a champion. The champion provides the push at the beginning of the project and discovers advocates who can establish momentum.
3. Select initial users. Going enterprise-wide from the gun usually doesn’t work for companies of more than a few thousand users. The ideal starting group contains plenty of workers who already share information. Consider younger workers, since millennials tend to be more open, willing to share, and familiar with social networking tools.
4. Understand users’ existing processes. Success is likely if you can make your enterprise social computing tools the easiest and most natural way to do the work that is already taking place. A discussion forum, for example, can replace a long and confusing email thread. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) technology provides a seamless way to share content without clutter, and to ensure your social network stays fresh and relevant.
5. Provide a feedback mechanism. For a social network to evolve, managers need to encourage and incorporate user feedback. When users see their good ideas adopted, they sense ownership and become power users.
6. Incent. In the long term, an effective social computing system is its own reward. Early on, however, employees will respond quickly to public recognition from the champion, scoring mechanisms that spotlight valued contributors, and, if appropriate, monetary compensation.
7. Integrate with current online destinations. Success chances skyrocket if users can participate from the environments where they already spend their time. For example, rather than build a social networking application from scratch, simply layer social computing features like networking, communities, discussions, tagging, social bookmarking and blogging on an existing portal or intranet. [NewsGator Social Sites software, for example, transforms any Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) implementation into a full-featured enterprise social network without altering user habits.]
8. Integrate with current processes. For example, one social networking site automatically builds time-tracking reports based on the user’s activities within the network, eliminating traditional busy work.
9. Provide the right modes of participation. Although some users may dive right into a new technology, some won’t. E-mail can actually be an effective way for some workers to participate if the solution is implemented well. Mobile devices provide essential participation options, too.
10. Design for minimum effort. Every extra click or decision is a chance for the user to quit. Social computing interfaces should make actions as simple and obvious as possible. To settle on the best design, review business goals and focus on the interactions that directly support them.
“Many companies know that enterprise social networking takes collaboration to a new level and fuels innovation, yet they need direction getting started,” said Karyn German, vice president of customer care at NewsGator. “These strategies are working for our customers and can be adapted to any organization for immediate impact.”
For more information on best practices, read NewsGator’s “Social Computing in the Enterprise” white paper.
To learn about best practices on the IT side of social networking, join Burton Group and NewsGator in a free live webinar, “IT Best Practices for Enterprise Social Networking” on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. EST. To register, click here.
About NewsGator Technologies, Inc. NewsGator Technologies helps enterprises and media companies leverage social computing solutions to deliver real business value. The company’s enterprise social networking and widget services are in use by hundreds of the world’s most recognized brands, including Bank of America, Biogen Idec, CBS, CNN, Discovery, National Geographic, Procter & Gamble and USA Today. NewsGator Social Sites and Enterprise Server give enterprises better ways to collaborate, share content, expand employee knowledge and improve productivity. NewsGator Widget Services enable media and brand companies to better engage their audiences and extend the value of their brands through viral syndication of content. NewsGator also offers free, award-winning RSS aggregators for the Web, desktop, mobile devices and e-mail clients. For more information, visit www.newsgator.com.
Contact Information
Laura Farrelly NewsGator 303-552-2046 lauraf(at)newsgator(dot)com www.newsgator.com
CMU The Tartan Online - Pittsburgh,PA,USA The Basics: Palatucci, a Ph.D. student in the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, launched a grassroots project nearly two years ago to identify 100 ...
Title: Mark Palatucci — "100 Robots for 100 Kids, a Grassroots Project to Inspire Pittsburgh's Children"
The Basics: Palatucci, a Ph.D. student in the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, launched a grassroots project nearly two years ago to identify 100 children with limited exposure to science and engineering and to teach them robotics. The project has since raised more than $25,000 from community organizations and taught more than 50 children how to build a working robot. In this lecture, Palatucci will present a case study of 100 robots and explain some of the "nuts and bolts" of starting a community project. He will also talk about ideas you can use in your own project such as building trust, finding partners, and raising funds.
Nature has become the model for robots. Of course, this makes great sense because who is better at innovation than life. Robotics will depend on innovative approaches to develop the machines that will help us at work and at home. Check it out.
There is no doubt that many scientists are looking to nature for mechanical inspiration. This past spring we have seen robotic bugs , swarms of bugs, fish and perhaps even the promise of a robotic dolphin . The SINTEF ICT part of the SINTEF Group , a ...
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AUTHOR: cite-x
EMAIL: gohan246698@yahoo.com
IP: 67.9.120.55
URL:
DATE: 10/11/2008 03:38:22 PM
This is pretty cool. I didn't realize this could be done.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Research to advance robot behavior holds military, diplomatic ... - Boston Herald
STATUS: Publish
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UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/06/research-to-adv.html
DATE: 06/23/2008 05:09:37 PM
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So, if we have a robot that eats flies, can a robot that eats other robots be far behind. It occurs to me that the best defense against a swarm of robots that act like insects is a robot that eats insects. The article below cites research that is taking place to create robots that work together in a common goal. Check it out.
PHILADELPHIA - The next generation of military robots won’t just be humanoids like the Terminator. The robots of the future will likely work in concert, like a swarm of ants. Others may creep like spiders or hover like hummingbirds, if the work at ...
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: The world’s six most useful robots - Telegraph.co.uk
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DATE: 06/22/2008 07:38:53 AM
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IAS EcoBot Team
For South Texas, the Ecobot would need to be redesigned to eat fire ants or maybe even mosquitos. Then, I think, everyone would want one for their backyard. Check this out.
The world’s six most useful robots Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 12 hours ago The robot, developed at the University of Bristol, is designed to power itself by eating flies. Feed the EcoBot a dead bluebottle every so often, ...
This is a competition that I have wanted to participate in with my high school students. I think it is quite a challenge to build an underwater robot, but it would be a challenge that would stretch the imagination and creativity of the students to achieve it. What a worthy goal. Check it out below.
What does it do? Here is an ROV built for the National Underwater Robotics Challenge. This video clip shows the mission and then shows one of the teams, Carl Hayden High School, Falcon Robotics team's ROV, Amanda going through its ...
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.67.170
URL:
DATE: 07/10/2008 03:52:51 PM
That would have been so awesome to build. You have to make sure there's no leakage of water going to the robot. that's the hard part in my opinion. But the military is already using them, so I know it can be done.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: NASA tests new Moon equipment on Earth - iTWire
STATUS: Publish
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NASA is developing the next generation of lunar robots that will help humans explore our closest neighbor in space. Check the article referenced below for more. ATHLETE and robots like it are going to pave the way for lunar bases. Again, this is more of the human/machine interface that has been a recurring theme for my entries. These robots are going to be our partners in exploring and living on the moon. More than that, we will see this kind of partnership develop here on Earth with personal robots in our homes to assist with all sorts of life activities.
NASA tests new Moon equipment on Earth iTWire, Australia - 3 hours ago “ Wilcox is the principal investigator for ATHLETE, short for All-Terrain Hex-Legged Extra-Terrestrial Explorer robot. [NASA: “NASA Tests Lunar Robots and ...
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.67.170
URL:
DATE: 07/10/2008 03:45:52 PM
Wow. That "ATHLETE" robot seems pretty interesting. But I wonder how it's going to pull equipment one the moon without flying off. Haha, that would be funny.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Baddest movie robot: the votes are in! - Techradar.com
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DATE: 06/13/2008 11:46:33 PM
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So, do you agree with their choices for top villain robot in a starring role or even as a supporting actor/actress. This poll made me wonder who is the most heroic robot from the world of cinema. Personally, even though he is an android, I would give Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation the top ranking. After all, he does give the ultimate sacrifice in the tenth and so far final ST movie. So, what do you think? Give your choice of the best "good" robot from a movie. Make sure and tell why you think so. (Sounds like an exam question, but its not meant to. The teacher in me just can't help it!)
The lines are closed, the results are in. No, not on tedious iPhone-related stuff - it's far more important than that. Yes, your resounding verdict on the baddest movie robot was... the Terminator, with a bone-crunching 35% of the vote, even if he ...
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.65.37
URL:
DATE: 06/15/2008 10:17:18 AM
Sorry Mr. Henry, but i'm not to fond of Star Trek (lol). I read the article and i'm not to sure if they're talking about the worse robot or the coolest robot. In any case, i think the robot from IRobot was pretty cool. Yeah.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Spykee - your surveillance robot
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BASENAME: spykee---your-s
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Take a look at this robot (or is it a toy?) and let me know what you think. This continues the theme for today of the human/machine interface, but this time in the field of security.
Spykee, a remote controlled robot perfect for your visual and audio surveillance needs. With its built-in camera and microphone, it is capable of taking real-time pictures and sounds. Utilizing a Wifi card, you can control Spykee virtually anywhere in the world.
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AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: gohan246698@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.65.37
URL:
DATE: 06/13/2008 04:25:32 PM
That is pretty awsome. It reminds me of the robot from Tomb Raider The Movie, only it doesn't have weapons and is a whole lot smaller.
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
EMAIL: jakenan@gmail.com
IP: 24.174.182.41
URL:
DATE: 06/13/2008 06:19:43 PM
So not only can you use this Robot to spy on others, but you can upload a taste for music into it.
What will they think up next? ^o^;
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.65.37
URL:
DATE: 06/15/2008 09:51:49 AM
That's a pretty cool robot. I'm pretty sure the government is already looking into this, and maybe thinking about a war machine just like the terminator. Those guys a crazy but you never know.
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: Robots for Mars
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robots-for-mars
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/06/robots-for-mars.html
DATE: 06/13/2008 03:20:47 PM
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Check out this article listed on the Robotics & Automation blog. This is the human/machine interface that is already being used by NASA in the International Space Station operations. More of this type of interaction will be seen in other areas of life as robots are integrated into society. Some current examples of this are the military, ocean exploration, and medicine.
"NASA scientists plan on prepositioning robots and robotic rovers on the red planet before the first astronauts arrive. That way, the robots will be ready to help their human counterparts on what probably will be NASA's most taxing mission yet."
Robots for Mars V 2 (noreply@blogger.com) Fri, 13 Jun 2008 03:00:00 GMT
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
EMAIL: jakenan@gmail.com
IP: 24.174.182.41
URL:
DATE: 06/13/2008 06:16:36 PM
Ok, life saving robots and Doctors on moving robotic monitors. That I can understand. But tiny little robot with ears to wear and use a stethoscope?
Now im afraid you've lost me. ^o^;
Oh and I've heard of NASA's work on mars. Did Phoenix, a mars rover sent to detect substances in the soil, land sometime ago?
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AUTHOR: Mike Henry
TITLE: RobotNext: Once and Future Grease Monkeys
STATUS: Publish
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BASENAME: robotnext-once
CATEGORY: Science
CATEGORY: Web/Tech
UNIQUE URL: http://www.robotnext.com/2008/06/robotnext-once.html
DATE: 06/12/2008 06:25:45 AM
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"To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes." Dean Kamen
Over milkshakes at Schwab's Drug Store and hamburgers at Jurassic Park, this all got started at Universal Studios Florida. In a discussion with some of my former students, now mentors of my high school robotics team, The Grease Monkeys, I brought up the idea of starting a blog about robotics. Having just finished a robotics competition at the University of Central Florida, I was thinking about a way to extend our robotics experience. We have done competitive robotics for nine years, so we think we know a little about the field. Only time will tell if you the readers agree.
Since this is my first post, let me tell you what I plan to do here in my little niche of robotics. RobotNext will explore what is here and now, and what is to come in the world of robots. My experience in robotics is mostly with FIRST. FIRST or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology was founded by Dean Kamen. The organization is dedicated to furthering youth involvement in robotics and engineering.
Now at this point in my life, I want to branch out from the focus of competitive robotics and education to a more general audience. However, I will seek to bring my own "spin" to robotics articles and news to further the theme of competition, education, and the future of robotics in society. The other members of this team will add their own unique views to this effort.
So, here we go ...
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AUTHOR: Daniel
EMAIL: fencingfreak2000@yahoo.com
IP: 24.155.46.3
URL:
DATE: 06/12/2008 10:48:13 AM
"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning."
Ivy Baker Priest
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AUTHOR: Michael
EMAIL: gohan246698@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.65.37
URL:
DATE: 06/13/2008 04:20:38 PM
Since myself and my brother live in Austin, Tx., we can help with the expansion of information on robotics as well as events that go on. FIRST is also expanding their use for robotics, like they have showed in the previous Robotics Competition.
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AUTHOR: Jakenan
EMAIL: jakenan@gmail.com
IP: 24.174.182.41
URL:
DATE: 06/13/2008 06:06:13 PM
For those who dont know, i am a wierd and funny guy. So for my take on technology, i will dive into the strange and the unusual. A lot of laughs will be had and new thing will be learned. I hope yall look forward to my upcoming posts.
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AUTHOR: Hinoki Sai
EMAIL: joseph_ffx@yahoo.com
IP: 24.174.65.37
URL:
DATE: 06/15/2008 10:11:18 AM
Like my brother said, we live in Austin. Here in Austin, there is an event called DorkBot which is awesome. It's and event where anybody interested in technology can go. There we met a guy who worked on a team for the DARPA experiment for automated vehicles. And also the CEO of Instructables.com. So most of my blogs will be info from DorkBot. Enjoy!
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AUTHOR: Brittany
EMAIL: wolfsheim_lvr1@yahoo.com
IP: 129.115.251.217
URL:
DATE: 06/21/2008 02:11:54 PM
Hello, I'm the only girl of the group. The short, dirty minded girl of the group. While I was in robotics I usually did a little of everything, so in this blog thats exactly what I'm going to do. I'll be bringing in a women's perspective of these topics. So...LET'S ROCK...HEAVEN OR HELL!
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