Robot Gossip

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Babies With Robots

2007-11-08T08:07:00.000-08:00

"Researchers at the University of Delaware are providing safe mobility to children with special needs who are unable to fully explore the world on their own through the development of kid-sized robots that infants can drive using joysticks."

"Infants with Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other disorders can have mobility limitations that disconnect them from the ongoing exploration that their peers enjoy."

“If these infants were adults, therapists would have options of assistive technology such as power wheelchairs,” James C. (Cole) Galloway, associate professor of physical therapy says.

"The tiny robot is ringed with sensors that can determine the obstacle-free roaming space, and will either allow infants to bump obstacles or will take control from the infant and drive around the obstacle itself. The next prototype, UD2, will build on the current technology to provide additional control to a parent, teacher or other supervising adult."

Obviously the next step would be to make a giant car-crushing biped with a little baby seat inside. Don't worry - the giant baby-driven monster will never be allowed to escape into a busy downtown to rip corners off sky scrapers and toss city buses through plate glass windows.

Babies learn to ride robots at UD

Robot Love

2007-10-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

Press Release from Universiteit Maastricht in The Netherlands:

A Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Universiteit Maastricht contains some controversial forecasts about the future of human-robot relationships. The thesis is entitled “Intimate Relationships with Artificial Partners” and its author is David Levy, an International Master at chess from London. Levy’s thesis argues that trends in robotics and other areas of artificial intelligence will, within a few decades, result in robots that are so humanlike in their appearance and functionality, in their personality, and in their expression of emotions, that many people will be falling in love with them, having sex with them, and even marrying them.

Levy’s Ph.D. research has encompassed the fields of psychology, sexology, sociology, robotics, artificial intelligence, and gender studies. His forecasts are based on his analysis of certain trends and on what he sees as the inevitability of how these trends will continue in the future. One of these trends follows the objects of human affection – at first this was only for other humans, then it expanded to include pet animals, then virtual pets such as the TAMAGOTCHI and Sony’s robotic dog AIBO, and in the future, according to Levy’s thesis, for robots. Another trend examined in the thesis follows our attitudes to various sexual practices, as these attitudes have become steadily more liberal. The thesis also examines the principal reasons, identified by research psychologists, why we fall in love and why we have sex. Most of these reasons are shown in the thesis to be equally applicable to the human-robot relationships of the future as they are for human-human relationships today.

Love and Sex with Robots - press releases 2007 - Press releases - Press - Universiteit Maastricht

3000th Argo Ocean Probe Launch

2007-10-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

The 3000th Argo ocean sensor probe is to be launched from the RV Kaharoa off New Zealand.

The Argo program started in 2004 collects temperature, salinity and pressure readings from all of the worlds oceans with the 3000 sensor probes.

The robot sensors sink in the water to a depth of up to 2000 meters. When they reach the target depth they pump oil into an external bladder to allow them to float to the surface. As they rise they record the temperature and salinity readings. At the surface they transmit their position and data to a satellite then begin the cycle again. Each cycle takes about ten days.

The objectives of the Argo project are to get a better understanding of the oceans and the world's climate. The program has worldwide support.

Each probe is expected to last about 150 measurement cycles and they plan to replace 800 per year.
That is a lot of robots. Do not be surprised if one of the floats up in your bathtub one day.

Scoop: Maharey launching 3000th robot of the sea

See also: Legions of Ocean Robots: 2000th Launch

iRobot In The Gutter

2007-10-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Roomba maker iRobot has introduced a new household robot, the Looj, made for cleaning rain gutters.

You just drop the small Looj into you gutter and it "augers" it way through and ejects the crappy buildup out and away. Just in time for the fall season.

The price range from US $100 to $170 depending on the options you get. Available now from the iRobot web store. I would guess that it will be available in suburban Home Depots soon. And also available to clear the rain gutters in your third world countries.

I like the belt holster. I can help you to climb the ladder sure, but also wearing it around the yard would make you the coolest guy in the 'hood.

iRobot Corporation: About Looj

Nuclear Powered Lunar Prospector

2007-10-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

The folks at Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute have come up with another unique robot creation.

The Scarab is a 4-wheel robot is designed for prospecting on the Moon. The design has been optimized for drilling into rock in cold and dark environments.

The drill in the center of the robot body can drill out a core sample up to meter deep. The body is shaped so the relatively small drilling robot - only 250 kgs ( 550 lbs) - can get enough weight on the bit to drill.

The Scarab can run in the dark bottoms of moon craters with its nuclear power source. The advanced sterling radioisotope generator (ASRG) converts the emissions from a radioactive isotope to electricity. According to the article the generator can provide 100 watts of power for 10 years.

The robot has a laser navigation system so it can see the local terrain in the dark and find its way around.

So far NASA does not have have any specific plans for sending the Scarab to the moon but the robot is being used to test technologies for the task.

There is no mention if CMU is thinking of fielding a team for the $30 million Google Lunar robot X-prize.

The Tartan Online : 'Scarab' the robot

Sacramento Police Train Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Helpers

2007-10-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento, California police department is developing a specialized Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV, as a low cost alternative to helicopter cops.

They currently have two helicopters that can stream live video to remote terminals in police cars or command centers.

Their UAV's are 5 feet long, weigh 12 pounds and hand launched. They can keep their multiple video cameras aloft for 45 minutes. They are almost autonomous and have the capability to track subjects with their camera eyes.

The police are looking forward to reduced costs and better availability of the flying robots compared to expensive helicopter teams.

They also like the silent operation of the spy planes.

"Police Chief Albert Najera, who said the department gets many complaints about the noise of the helicopters. "The noise factor is huge. This is almost silent, you can't hear it," he said. "Not many police departments can afford a helicopter, but most will be able to afford this.""

The aircraft still need to get FAA clearance before they are put on duty.

Sacramento Police Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program Gaining Altitude - Government Technology

Robots Get Voice in US Congress

2007-06-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

In a demonstration of their growing influence, robots are gaining a
political foothold to help them shape the policies of the US government.

Congressman Mike Doyle, a Democrat from Pennsylvania's 14 district and ZachWamp a Republican from Tennessee's 3rd, announced the formation of a bi-partisan Congressional Caucus for robots.
Congressman Doyle explains that robots are "being used to defend our nation, perform surgery, fill prescriptions, deliver supplies and materials, and even as tools to educate our children..."
"...it is important that we create a forum by which Congress can familiarize itself with the impact this first great technology of the 21st century is likely to have on the lives of all Americans."

Their press release states the proposed public reasons for the creation of the group:

The preliminary, proposed goals of the bipartisan Robotics Caucus will include, but are not limited to:

-- Increasing general awareness of robotics industry challenges and issues among Members of Congress and policy analysts in the federal government;
-- Educating Members of Congress and congressional staff on current and future research, development, and utilization initiatives involving robotics;
-- Serving as a forum where robotics-related policy issues can be discussed and debated; and
-- Ensuring that our nation remains globally competitive as the robotics industry rapidly expands and begins to exert a profound effect on the way our citizens live their lives.

Obviously the goals will also include strong-arming representatives to pass legislation favorable to robots and promoting the robot agenda.

Generally the political types lag the real world on new issues so this move also shows that robot are truly becoming an important and growing part of our civilization.

Congressmen
Doyle andWamp Launch Congressional Caucus on Robotics - Yahoo! News

Tactile Sensor

2007-06-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

Shadow Robot Company, maker of the 24 Degree-of-freedom dexterous hand, is now making tactile sensors for the hand.

According to Shadow's web site, "the sensor uses Quantum Tunnelling Composite (QTC) as the sensing medium."
Each sensor has either has either 34 or 22 active tactile elements, tactels, making it nearly as sensitive as human skin. The sensors come in two shapes for either a finger tip or a thumb but they can be custom made to any shape.

The sensors were developed for a DARPA funded project at Johns Hopkins University for new prosthetics.

Shadow Robot Company: The Tactile Sensor Overview

Related:
Shadow Air Muscles
Robot Hand Available

Robot Radio Relays

2007-06-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

Communications between troops in an urban area can be a problem due to interference and line of sight blocked by buildings.
Can you hear me now?
DARPA is looking to robots for a solution to the dropped call problem.
They are looking for proposals for mobile robots that act as radio relays around a city. The robots, called LANdroids, would be dropped by soldiers around the city to create a network of communications nodes. The robots should be smart enough to know how to stay online under changing conditions - for example if some of them get destroyed. The robots would position themselves so they can always hear someone else in the network.

DARPA would like the disposable robots to be about the size of a deck of cards, cost under US $100 each and stay online up to 14 days.

There will be an information day on July 6 for potential bidders.

DARPA Information Processing Technology Office

PDF LANdroid Proposal Information

Hummingbird Unmanned Helicopter

2007-06-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

Boeing announced that they have successfully completed first flight tests on its unmanned helicopter the A160T Hummingbird.
The A160T is the turbine-engine version of the A160 unmanned helicopter under development by Boeing since they purchased Frontier Systems in 2004.

The Hummingbird is an advanced design helicopter with performance advantages over a traditional manned craft. It can fly up to 2500 miles and stay aloft for 24 hours with a 300 pound payload. It is expected to be able to fly at up to 140 knots forward speed at altitudes up to 30,000 feet.
It has variable speed rotors so that it can hover longer, fly quieter and use fuel more efficiently than a regular chopper.
The Hummingbird is 35 feet long with 36 feet diameter rotors.

Boeing: Boeing Completes First Flight of A160T Hummingbird Unmanned Helicopter

Biggest Robot In The Factory

2007-06-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Kuka Robotics has announced the largest factory robot ever.

The KR 1000 'Titan' is a 6-axis worker with a 1000kg (2200 pound) capacity and 3200 mm (10+ feet) reach.
The Titan is designed for heavy-duty work in automotive, building materials industries and foundries. The super-strength robot can be used in some applications that have needed lifts with overhead cranes.
The big guy has 9 motors and Kuka says it can "deliver the power of a mid-sized car."
Two of the axis use two motors each to power a single gear.

The robot will be availble before then end of the year and can be shipped in a standard container.

KUKA introduces KR 1000, world’s strongest robot

“titan”: the world’s strongest robot

Thermal Imaging Robot Finds Termites

2007-06-05T16:01:00.000-07:00

The Australian company Termicam is testing a remote controlled robot that can crawl through nooks and crannies to track down sneaky termites munching on your house.

The Termibot uses video and thermal imaging to find the pests. Once found the robot probes the termite nest to break it open and expose the bugs. It then squirts poison directly into the nest to kill the buggers.

The prototype is connected to the human operator with an umbilical wire but future versions will be wireless.

The robot offers many advantages over traditional methods of termite control. First, the robot can go into small paces where an exterminator cannot fit. This eliminates the need to poke holes in the walls searching for the bugs. Secondly, the thermal imaging capabilities of the robot extends the human vision to be able to 'see through walls' to where the insects build their nests. Finally, the robot can deliver the insecticide directly to the nest instead of having to poison an entire house for a small infestation. This saves chemicals and reduces the stress to the environment.

Remote-controlled robot uses thermal imaging to detect and eradicate termites - gizmag Article

Robots to Guard Israeli Border Kill Zone

2007-06-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are deploying automated weapon robots along the border of the Gaza Strip to create a buffer kill zone to prevent unauthorized infiltrations.

The system, called the "See-Shoot" system, is currently being installed and will be fully operational by the end of 2007. It consists of automated weapons stations connected through a command center to visual, ground andairborne sensors.

The system is the culmination of years of development by defense contractors Rafael, Elbit Systems and IMI.

The system is part of an IDF strategy of low-signature/no-signature warfare. The no-signature doctrine strives to keep soldiers out of harms way as much as possible.

However, "no-signature" warfare does not mean 'no responsibility' yet.
Eventually the See-Shoot system will be able to operate as a completely autonomous closed-loop system. But for now, the sensor data will be monitored by soldiers and a commanding officer will approve activation of the automated kill function.

The system is designed to enforce a 1500 meter(almost 1 mile) wide area along the border. Future plans include adding anti-tank missiles to extend the width of the no-mans land to several kilometers.

I wonder if they made plans for removing the dead bodies from the kill zone. Will they have to disable the whole system or do they have a robot that can drive through the zone and clean up? Maybe they will just leave the dead bodies laying around to mark the boundary of the buffer zone.

Similar automated systems are under development for the border in Korea.

DefenseNews.com - Israel Wants Robotic Guns, Missiles To Guard Gaza Border - 06/01/07 17:55

Soft Touch Child Robot

2007-06-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

From Daily Yomiuri:

A child-sized android with flexible joints and soft skin developed by the Japan Science and Technology Agency was unveiled Friday at Osaka University, where the agency's research and development team is based.

The 1.3-meter-tall, 33 kilogram humanoid robot has optical, auditory and tactile sensors. Fifty-one actuators inside its body run on compressed air and enable the robot to make complex movements smoothly.

About 200 tactile sensors are embedded in the robot's gray skin, which is made of silicon and other materials. The robot can react to its surroundings by blinking and altering its facial expressions.

The robot, which has the physical ability of a 1- or 2-year-old toddler, can turn over and stand up with assistance.
At the news conference Friday, the humanoid moved its hands and feet and turned its eyes.
The 33-kilogram humanoid is fitted with an artificial vocal cord can also form words.

Its name is CB2, an abbreviation of Child-Robot with Biomimetic Body.

Child robot makes debut : Science & Nature : Features : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri)

Close to Home

2007-06-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Comics and Editorial Cartoons: Close to Home on Yahoo! News

Robot Creates M&M Art

2007-05-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a patent application for a robot set-up to create an work of art with M&M candies or an 'arrangement of confectionary pieces.'

A user would design a pretty picture out of virtual confections on a touchscreen then the robot would arrange the treats accordingly.

Your drawing creates a sort of paint-by-number for the robot who fills it in with M&M's.

Then you eat it. (The artwork, not the robot.)

United States Patent Application: 0070110886

New Standard of Care for Robot-Assisted Therapy

2007-05-30T10:53:00.000-07:00

HealthSouth Corporation (NYSE: HLS) and Motorika Ltd. announced today that the companies have signed an agreement to advance the application of robot technology in HealthSouth's inpatient rehabilitation hospitals.

Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, Motorika will have the exclusive license to market and sell the AutoAmbulator®, HealthSouth's robot-assisted gait therapy system and Healthsouth hospitals will install Motrika's Reo(TM) Go platform for robot- assisted arm therapy in at least 25 of its hospitals.

Motrika will also take over the manufacture, design, installation, maintenance, technical support, training and distribution of the AutoAmbulator.

"This agreement is a defining moment in applying robotic technology to benefit patients receiving therapy for neurological conditions," said Omer Einav, Motorika's founder and chief operating officer. "HealthSouth and Motorika will create a new standard of care for neurological patients, with an integrated full body solution that enables precise levels of functionally- oriented therapy to deliver better patient outcomes."

Part of the agreement also includes collaboration on the development of rehabiliataion robots for home use.

The AutoAmbulator® is a robot-assistance machine that allows patients with neurological conditions such as stroke, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury to replicate a normal walking pattern on a treadmill in a safe, efficient manner.

Reo Go(TM) is a robotic guide and modular handle, with software to customize exercise patterns and measure performance, to enhance and support the patient upper body rehabilitaion.

HealthSouth and Motorika Announce Agreement to Create New Standard of Care for Robot-Assisted Therapy: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Control Devices With Your Thoughts

2007-05-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hitachi's Advanced Research Lab has demonstrated a prototype of a portable non-invasive device to measure and record brain activity.

The device uses brain photo-topography to read the brain signals. Photo-topography uses near-infrared sensors to measure the change in blood flow in the brain.

The unit consists of a headband that weighs only 400 g (14 ounces) which holds 8 pairs of light source and detector pairs. The headband is connected to a 630 g electronics box that can be worn on a belt.
The data stays in communication via wireless LAN to a nearby computer for recording and analysis of the brain signals.

Although Hitachi has no specific plans to develop the unit as an interface to a thought-controlled robot, they have done experiments to drive a model train.

Hitachi expects that the dramatic reduction in size - from older versions that would fill a room - to a wearable device, will radically change how the brain measurements are used:
"Not just for medical applications, photo-topography technology will be more familiar to us. For example, this technology may be useful for health care application with observing a trend in everyday measurements," said Hitachi. The company also explains about some other application fields such as psychology, marketing and education."

They could not say when the device would be commercially available.

Hitachi Develops Portable Photo-topography Equipment for Measuring Brain Activities in Daily Life -- Tech-On!

Robot Fence Shows Cows Where to Go

2007-05-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Robots not only take on unpleasant tasks but they can enhance and improve on human efforts.

Another farmer's helper robot: The Voyager robot fence from Lely.

The robot fence is an electrified fence that keeps your cows from running away, like any good fence. But this smart fence also occasionaly moves a few feet to give the cows fresh grass to graze. When they get to the end of the field, the robot fence can move the herd back to the beginning again to start all over. It gives the cows fresh ground and allows the field to recover.

According to the website:
"Frontal grazing by means of the Voyager is a method of intensive grazing management that allows livestock to continuously graze on fresh forage. Because the cows have a small strip of fresh pasture each time, the grass is well cropped and dosed, which not only makes the rumen function better, but also achieves a better proportional intake of protein and sugars."

Happy cows, better milk.

The fence consists of two 4-wheel skid-steer robots that keep the electrified line properly tensioned between them. Each robot is about 125 cm (4 feet) square, 215 cm (7 feet) tall and weighs 170 kg (375 lbs. They communicate through bluetooth so they can compensate for obstacles or unlevel ground.

The robots are powered by solar panels so they can operate autonomously. They are pre-programmed to optimize the forage. The farmer only needs to tell the robots how many square meters of new field per day and the robots calculate how far forward to move.

Voyager

Korean Home Robot

2007-05-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Another entry into the race for the perfect Korean home companion robot. This one is from Korean start-up KornTech.

Rogun is a 1-meter tall humanoid who can walk and communicate wirelessly with the Internet and cell phones. It is designed to play with kids and entertain them through a small video screen on his chest.

Through a cell phone the parents will be able to watch their kids and send commands to them and the robot.

KornTech says they have spent US $1 million developing the first unit. They will build more to order for $100,000 right now. In the future the plan to sell the cuties for as little as $5000.

Robot Keeps Home Safe(The Korea Times)

US Military Wants Sky Stations

2007-05-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, is soliciting proposals for research into aircraft that can stay aloft for more than 5 years.
The project, code-named VULTURE, is for heavier-than-air station that does not need to land. This is a request for early information but there are some restrictions on the design:
"The Government is not interested in approaches that use either radioactive energy sources or employs any form of buoyant flight for this application."
So, blimps need not apply.

What kind of system is allowed?
"The architectures selected and the specific approaches taken by the Offerors will determine the range of technical areas that are developed, including, but not limited to, environmental energy collection, high specific energy storage, extremely efficient propulsion systems, precision robotic refueling, autonomous materiel transfer, extremely efficient vehicle structural design, and mitigation of environmentally-induced loads."

Automatic refueling, long-life batteries, solar powered, wind powered, very long-term glider, floating cities... lots of things would work.

Is the lack of such a platform due to missing technology or because no one has tried it before?

Get your ideas together quickly. DARPA has scheduled an Industry Day for June 7 to explain their goals in detail.

Solicitation Number: SN07-38

UK Coppers Test Sky Spy

2007-05-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

Police in Merseyside,UK are testing an unmanned flying robot to help control the population. The BBC reports that the machine will be used "mainly for tackling anti-social behaviour and public disorder."

The unit is a small 2 pound vertical takeoff helicopter with four blades. It can have visible and infrared cameras. It can be programmed to follow a course using GPS or controlled remotely by a police officer on the ground.

The ground person watches the action from the sky high robot's point of view through video glasses display.

The robot is very quiet so you may not even know you are being watched. But it only flies for 20 minutes.

There is no word on when it will be fitted with weapons.

BBC NEWS | England | Merseyside | Pilotless police drone takes off

Robot Hall of Fame Inductees 2007

2007-05-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

the Robot Hall of Fame at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh has announced four new inductees into the Robot Hall of Fame.
This years inductees include one robot from fiction and 3 real life milestone-setting robot creations.

The inductees are:

Lt. Cmdr. Data
from Star Trek: The Next Generation.
""Data played a pivotal role on questions of robot 'right to life' matters and human/machine philosophies," said juror Ray Jarvis, director of the Intelligent Robotics Research Centre at the Australian National University."

Raibert Hopper
Invented by Marc Raibert at CMU and MIT.
"The one-legged Hopper was ideal for studying dynamic balance because it could not stand still, but had to keep moving to stay upright. "The Raibert Hopper was the visionary effort that set the entire field of robotic locomotion in motion." The lessons learned with the Hopper proved central for biped, quadruped and even hexapod running. Raibert is now president of the robotics firm he founded, Boston Dynamics."

NavLab 5

"NavLab 5's crowning achievement was "No Hands Across America," a 1995 cross-country tour on which it did 98 percent of the driving. "This was the first time that any autonomous vehicle had traversed so much different terrain," said juror Chuck Thorpe"

LEGO Mindstorms
""This kit did more to take creative robotics to the masses than just about any other retail product," said juror Illah Nourbakhsh, associate professor in Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute.
Juror Joanna Haas, director of Pittsburgh's Carnegie Science Center, agrees. "LEGO has made robotics truly accessible to a broad audience — children and adults alike — and the Mindstorms sub-brand supports wildly popular play and learning in homes, classrooms and museums all around the world.""
Buy LEGO Mindstorms NXT

May 15: Carnegie Mellon Adds Four More 'Bots to Robot Hall of Fame - Carnegie Mellon University

Home MadeTreasure Hunting Robot

2007-05-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

A man in Wiltshire, UK has converted a toy truck into a remote controlled metal detector to help him find lost treasures in the countryside.

His invention was inspired by stories of techniques to find old land mines and a bad back that prevents him from sweeping the ground with a manual metal detector.

He has worked to perfect his device for 7 years and estimates that he has spent 2000 British pounds (US $3800).
It includes a metal detector and camera to send images back to the control unit.

The robot is not only easier to use but more effective than handheld devices.

He says he has found hundreds of old coins and relics. One of his finds, a Medieval Pilgrims badge, is now in a museum.

John Invents Treasure Hunting Robot (from Wiltshire Times)