Simon Fraser University develops TBCP-11 robots that can climb smooth surfaces, like geckos

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It’s not quite a real gecko, but it does a good job of acting like one. The new robotic creation from Simon Fraser University is an impressive development in this type of technology. Researchers at the university have created a robot with a tank-like body that is able to scale walls. It has sticky toes that rather resemble those of a gecko, enabling it to climb up walls with ease. The compound is made up of clingy silicone that has been formed into tiny bumps. These bumps are shaped like mushroom caps and they are what allow the robot, weighing 240 grams, to cling to and climb up smooth surfaces. These surfaces include whiteboards and even glass and this makes the robot really useful.

It is hoped that one day this technology will mean that the robots can carry out dangerous tasks that humans may not always be able to do. While we can create impressive technology such as cars, televisions and O2 mobile phones, our capacity to survive in dangerous situations is still limited. The tasks that it is hoped the robots will be able to perform include cleaning nuclear power plants and doing search-and-rescue work in buildings that have collapsed.

The adhesives that are featured on the robots do not leave any residue behind, like tape or glue. The material is attracted to glass and the shape of the robot can also conform to its surface. This means that a much larger area will be able to come into contact with the surface and that the robots can be used to clean glass on skyscrapers. As well this, it will be able to inspect fragile bridges and ones that make it difficult for a human to inspect. Once this technology is perfected, hopefully the robots will prove to be very useful.

Humanoid Robot E0 to E3 Evolution

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Honda was investigated in two-legged humanoid robots began in 1986. The first milestone was the development of prototype biped could walk in a static mode and rectum. It was from this early progress that could reach the next key stage of development, which was to develop a more stable and dynamic way. Added to this was the domain need to walk on uneven surfaces and stairs then. A torso and arms are added two to successfully complete the first truly humanoid robot in 1993.

The next step was to modify the robot so it can function and adapt to real-world environments. This stage of development saw the robot structure and operating systems become lighter and smaller. It was also at this stage that communication aids are introduced, and the early stages of intelligence, which enables the robot to recognize and interact with people.

Honda research is ongoing and this will bring further improvements, which will see ASIMO move closer to becoming a viable and real wizard to the people of our human environment.

E0 is the first robot of Honda (E stands Electronics) and the Honda took the challenge to create a two-legged robot that can walk. Walking through the placement of a leg before the other was successfully achieved, and this was assisted by the application of the linear actuators of the joints. However, it takes 30 years between the steps, walking very slowly in a straight line. To increase speed and allow the robot to walk on slopes or uneven surfaces, walking faster be achieved.

In the next stages of E1 to E3 a walking human was thoroughly researched and analyzed. It was through these studies that a faster walking program was created and the entry into the robot. It is the story of the evolution of the Honda robot; E1 saw the introduction of a common base structure. E2 achieved first dynamic walking robot that could also go up and down stairs. E3 was able to increase the running speed of up to 4.7 km / h. also could carry a payload of 70 kg.

Security and Robotics System in Industrial Robots

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The use of robotics in medicine was initiated several years ago and the problem of security in an environment where man is very far. The complexity of such systems and the transfer of responsibility of the surgeon to drive the robot designers to incorporate into their studies of the safety requirements of operation, including one of its key attributes: security. Although this discipline is widely studied in areas such as safety-critical avionics, the specificity of medical robotics leads us to reconsider the notion of risk associated with it. Starting from the undesired effect, damage, cause we go back to considering the concepts of hazard, risk and safety. This leads us to identify possible ways to manage the risk associated with the use of systems of medical robotics. The concepts introduced are illustrated by our experience from the development of a robotic tale-ultrasound system. Continue reading →

Robots learn by experimentation and observation

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Researchers in the European project XPERO have developed a machine learning method that enables a robot in a position to learn fundamental mathematical concepts such as location and orientation in a coordinate system.

The robot initially moves aimlessly through the neighborhood and is characterized, through its sensor data, without being aware of the information contained therein. The algorithm takes these sensor data to generate a model that allows the robot to predict how objects will change their position in his neighborhood as a result of his own movement.

“What is a trivial matter for a man is a robot for a rather difficult problem,” Jure Zabkar, Ivan Bratko shared by the University of Ljubljana, the inventor of the algorithm. “Our robot has less knowledge than a baby. An object seen is meaningless for him. He is just doing color blobs and edges.”

The robot does not know the concept of an object, or a position of an object in a coordinate system, nor does he know how this changed when he moved himself. The machine is therefore not given in advance; he should learn a coordinate system, nor how to get it or what it’s for.

“We have developed a mechanism that allows the robot to extract regularities from the sensor data and to translate them into a model or a theory that enable the robot to better explain and predict what is going on around him right . Learning a coordinate system is simply a manifestation of this ability, “said Zabkar.

What at first more like an academic basis problem excludes, also has an enormous technical relevance, the project coordinator Erwin Prassl explained by the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. The XPERO-project lays the first foundation stones for a technology that has the potential to be a key technology for the next generation to be of service robots that keep our homes clean, mow our lawns or clean our shoes.

Existing products are intelligence-free, pre-programmed devices. You can only run a single pre-programmed task. Neither are they able to start new, not previously familiar tasks, nor to cope with unforeseen operating conditions. Future service robots must however be able to learn based on their existing knowledge and sensor observations entirely new concepts and models and to comply with this new knowledge to new tasks.

Popular Robotic Surgery Today

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Popular Robotic SurgeryMedical robotics and robotic surgery appear to be the future of medical operations. Although the cost of a surgical robot is approximately $ 1.7 million, it is a very large extent. The medical world sees this technology as a remarkable and revolutionary step towards less invasive surgery. Through the use of robotics more complex operations has become very easy.

Performing surgery on body stomachs, livers, gallbladders and colon is now very easy. The surgeons swear by the performance of robotic surgery as it promises less pain, faster recovery, reduced medication, and virtually scar free cut. If present, there is three types of robotic operations are ordered. There are robots operations using monitoring systems to control telecommunications surgical system and shared system control.

The supervisory controlled system, commonly known as computer-assisted surgery, is the most automated system among the three, as mentioned here. For this type of robotic surgery, the surgeon has to carry a significant prep work which includes, entering a lot of data on missile systems, planning for the whole course of action, taking X-rays, test robots motions, placing the robotic instrument in the proper start situation and review the robotic action to make clear everything goes as per system.

The most famous example of this is the robotic system. This was developed by Integrated Surgical Systems. This system has been widely used in orthopedic surgery to give good results.

Robotic surgery is done with the use of telecommunications surgical robotic system is the next category of today’s famous robotic surgery. The current robotic surge current robotic surgery. The use of telecommunications surgical systems, improve the results achieved after the operation, by offering 3-D images of the many hard to reach places, such as the brain.

This technique has also been effective in improving wrist dexterity and superior control of small instruments. Surgeons can now make accurate and controlled movements, really fast; with the help of a robotic arm that has a wide border on the motion.

More and more surgeons decide to perform their operations with the use of telecommunications surgical robotics. Telesugical Robotics had won the favor of most of the processes performed by the robot. These robots are very good and provide the kind of solidity that really tough for human hands to master. The complicated procedures for heart valve repair and artery repairs are now completed, without substantial breaks for recovery.

The shared control system is the last type of surgery performed by the medical robotics. In this type of robotic surgery, the surgeon makes the most of the work, but the robot is used to get help when needed. In a few cases, the robot guard surgeon. It thus provides help and stability during the procedure. Earlier start operation, the surgeon programs the robots to identify the close, secure and restricted areas inside the body.

Close and secure regions are the main concentration of this operation. Covered regions adjacent to lightly damaged soft tissue. In case the surgeon approaches the forbidden area, alarm robot surgeon, and in some cases, when the dangerous zone is reached, the system locks up to keep away from further damage. Shared control may work great for heart surgery. It is in these types of operations, in which the surgeon makes the measure, but stabilizes the robot hand.

Master class in the game of billiards on the robot PR2

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robot PR2

The guys from California’s Willow Garage to have an interesting thing – they support a free robotehnicheskuyu Robot Operating System platform open source. As a final demonstration of ligament ROS and PR2 robot masters “taught” the last game of billiards.

Just a week developers were able to achieve good results – the robot safely play in the pool (American billiards) according to standard rules, without any discounts on the “silicon idol.” That is holding the cue in the same way as to keep a man, and hits exactly the positions from which would beat the living player. To assess the situation on the table, the robot uses a high resolution camera, the discriminating bright spots (read – billiard balls). Laser sensors to help locate boundaries PR2 table and define the pocket, and for the calculation of the physics of motion of the balls corresponds to a public set of libraries.

Of course, there is still work to do – sometimes “electronic player” rolls the white ball or hits at random, but often delivers the blows that the strength is not every man-lover. Watch the video:

If robots outperform humans

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Japan is a leader in the field of roboticsMachines are becoming more human-like – in Japan, robots already were tested in the classroom. But this is only the beginning: scientists predict that people will in future not only have sex with androids, but that machine us no later than 2070 to trump intelligence.

Last month the company announced Gecko system, that you had tests done with a “completely independently operating robotic personal assistants”, which is also called “Carebot known. This robot was designed for older or disabled people to maintain an independent life. The company reported that a person suffering from loss of short term memory loss woman putting on a broad smile as the robot she asked, “Would you like a cup of ice cream” The woman answered yes, and probably the rest of the robots completed.

Human Face: Japan is a leader in the field of robotics. Where robots are already working on hotel reception desks or a teacher.

Robots perform many functions, the arc from activities in the automotive production to defuse bombs – or disastrous – spans the firing of rockets. Children and adults play with robots, robot vacuum cleaner while in care homes for the cleaning and maintenance of cats.

Noel Sharkey, professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at Sheffield University predicts that busy parents will begin to use robots as a babysitter. He raises the question, what will it mean for a child to spend too much time on a machine to genuine empathy, understanding or compassion is not capable.

David Levy is in his book “Love and Sex With Robots” further and predicts that we will once fall in love with human-like, cuddly robot and even have sex with them. But what is the meaning of the presence of a “Sexbots” for a marital union? How will we feel if the spouse is suddenly too much time with an ever-ready love robot spends?

A more ominous question is from novels and films, known: If our civilization must defend itself against one of us created intelligent machines? Some see the development of a man standing on artificial intelligence as inevitable and expected no later than 2070 with their achievement. This as a “singularity” designated torque is seen as a world-changing event.

Japan is a leader in the field of robotics1Eliezer Yudkowsky, co-founder of the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, believes that the singularity will be lead to an “intelligence explosion” that super-intelligent machines more intelligent machines produce, with each generation repeats the process.

The more restrained Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence has appointed a special committee to study terms a “potential loss of human control over computer-based intelligence” to perform. If that happens, the crucial question for future civilizations: the super-intelligent computers will be friendly? It is about time to think about steps that prevent contact our creations hostile to us?

Realistic than the question of whether the robots will harm us, are probably initially concerned that we will harm them. Currently there is for robots to clean utensils. But what if they are sufficiently complex to have feelings? Because the human brain is not a very complex machine?

Will we be considerate of the feelings of the machines if they get one day awareness? The history of our relationship with the only non-human, sentient beings – the animals – there is no reason for confidence that we will not consider sentient robots as mere commodities, but as beings with a moral position and interests that need to be considered it.

The cognitive scientist Steve Torrance points out that powerful new technologies such as cars, computers and phones tend to spread in an uncontrolled manner. The development of a robot with consciousness, which is not considered a member of our moral community, could therefore lead to abuses on a grand scale.

The really difficult question, of course, to know where we are, if a robot actually has a consciousness and not only for imitation was conceived by consciousness. It would have to have knowledge of the programming of the robot.

If the robot is designed to have human-like skills that eventually lead to awareness, we must assume that he actually has a consciousness. From that date, the movement for the rights of robots would form.

Robotics is Revolutionizing the World of Agriculture

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agricultural robotsRobots specialized in agriculture have been developed by engineers at the University of Illinois in order to automate the heavy labor of farmers. These robots can detect diseased plants, alert other robots of the existence of a pest and get everyone together to fight as a team with the help of satellites. New generations of these robots able to plant and spray. All these technologies will lead to the farm of the future, comparable to houses equipped with all modern technologies, integrated into a single system that regulates everything. After redeeming the services and industrial sector, it seems that robotics finally decides to drive the primary, fundamental for developing countries. By Eduardo Martinez Scientific Trends.

Ingenieros agronomists at the University of Illinois have developed a range of small robots flights (between 150 and $ 500 each) specially designed for agricultural work and replace the bulky and expensive machines that are currently used for planting, spraying, harvesting and plowing.

Today, these little robots only perform tasks of retrieval and transmission of information on the ground in a completely new in the agricultural sector: distributed by acres of land, are able to direct their inquiries, to exchange information with other units and detect epidemics and dangerous insects, warning it to the other robots deployed in the field.

One of these robots looks like something out of the movie “Star Wars” as the R2D2, while others are like little ants than 30 centimeters long, which have the ability to function as an ecosystem, ie, communicate with each other and, as bees do, help each other if necessary.

The main advantage of this generation of robots is that they are small, lightweight and autonomous. The weight is very important because the move does not alter the conditions of the land, contrary to what happens with the current agricultural machines, large and heavy, which affects the environment.

The characteristics of these robots able to collect local information on each plant a crop, which is a huge advantage over traditional monitoring systems, which obtain global information but not close to reality, which in many sometimes prevents early detection problems in crops.

These small robots, in contrast, can detect and transmit real-time complete information of the status of a crop that includes the presence of diseases, weeds, harmful insects and other agricultural incidents. The information may be shared with other robots and robot joint action trigger.

Agricultural robotics, new science
As explained by one of the architects of agricultural robots, E. Tony Grift, in an article published in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Agricultural robotics logic is the proliferation of automation technology applied to bios stems such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and related industries.

At the moment it is only prototype agricultural robots, so its presence in the market will take another few years, according to its creators, who seek to create an experimental farm where all work would make these robots. To achieve this, the next generations of these robots will cover all the tasks of the field, creating a new business model called “farm of the future.”

This first generation is equipped with a camera that detects the weeds, but later these cameras also find plant diseases. The marking of insects and parasites is still only at the project level.

Second generation
The second generation of agricultural robots intended to go further and more complex undertaking agricultural tasks, such as mechanical failure and fumigated ground with the help of GPS, satellite guidance system.

This second generation of robots will also be small, except it is engaged in harvesting, which must be of a size equivalent to that of existing machines, driven directly by man.

The third generation will be part of a larger system to manage a whole farm of the future, with complementary activities to the strictly agricultural, and livestock and business management.

The result of these three stages of penetration of modern technologies in the field is what the architects of this invention called the farm of the future, comparable to houses imagined with all the modern technologies integrated into a single system that regulates everything.

The farm of the future will be managed in its entirety by a computer system that regulates the activity of the robots that take the field with the help of satellites, while aware of the situation of the markets they are targeted crop products and directs the milking of cows, which is done by robots (robots already operating in some countries with proven effectiveness).

The original size is
The idea of applying robots to agriculture is not new, but what is original by the engineers of Illinois is the size of these automata. On the other hand, in Japan and there are some small autonomous robots to adapt to difficult plant rice paddy field.

Similarly, and also within the primary sector, there are robotic experience in aquaculture. The University of New Hampshire United States, for example, develops a proposed offshore aquaculture. In addition, other programs such as the Pacific Ocean Salmon Tracking Project, designed to follow schools of fish with the help of satellites.

In Spain, the National Research Council is also developing research related to autonomous navigation of robots in agriculture.

This shows that the most advanced technologies increasingly penetrate deep into the primary sector, which is almost residual in developed economies but of great importance to developing countries. Robotics, after redeeming the services and industrial sector, it seems that finally decides to drive the primary.

As Well, Robots Can Drive?

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In California, the biggest competition for robotic cars has come to an end. Without the driver had ten trolleybuses six hours worth in city traffic. The exercise was primarily the U.S. military – it is looking for new techniques for urban warfare.

robots can driveThis is the Darpa Urban Challenge in California, the world’s largest competition for robot cars. People driving are not provided; the cars must be equipped with radar, laser and video technology to find their own way. Car 13, a fairly even outwardly battered Subaru combination holds, there is obviously a very human strategy: Before I do something wrong, I’d rather do nothing. Interestingly, the other robot cars in total are in the final eleven o’clock at the start, deposited in their software plans to deal with the errors of the number 13. Sebastian Thrun, a professor of computer science and project leader of the team from Stanford University, says: “If after 15 seconds the car, the priority would have is not being driven, drives junior los careful,” Junior is a VW Passat Variant, packed with computer and sensor technology and loaded with the favorites. Two years ago, his predecessor, Stanley, a robotic VW Touareg SUV type, the Challenge has won.

It was at that time but only about a way to reproduce long in the desert while avoiding obstacles, the organizers have tightened the conditions clear. Now the cars are in the city, a total of six hours. The competition will be held at an abandoned military base, there is a ten square kilometer road network with traffic circles and intersections. And an additional eleven of the finalists manned orbit around 50 cars to simulate city traffic. “This is quite a strain,” said Tom Macomber, one of the stuntmen that travel between the robot cars. “You just never know what happens.”

From the outside, nothing much happened. The robots drive cars at intersections approach emphasizes slow, stop a bit jerky and then drive in the style of a learner driver release. Also, car number 13, it has finally considered. Struck twelve minutes, he had stood. Probably he had come to count the other cars mixed up. For in the U.S. is at a crossroads not equal the norm, “right before left”, but “First come, first go” – who first reached the intersection may also continue first. This is often difficult to assess even for people. But robots, which operate without eye contact with each other, then obviously the crash near. As cars approached rolls 13, a second time at the intersection, he travels with the rules and go first, but then makes the middle of the intersection on the brakes and stops about 30 seconds. Later we see him as he is stranded in the driveway of a house. Cart 13 is one of five players who have to.

It’s about war operations
The rules are strict, because behind all the competition is the military. DARPA stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – the research center of the U.S. Army. And project manager Norman Whitaker makes no secret of what it really is at the challenge. “We want to protect people on the battlefield.” Unmanned aerial vehicles for drives, for maintenance, but also wants to develop the Darpa urban warfare, and many of the American teams have no problem with it.

The company Oshkosh Trucks in Wisconsin has about the Martial vehicle, with obvious intention sent into the race, a bright green truck in the Unimog format. Tony Tether, the DARPA director, was of the Terramax called Robo-Truck with 425-horsepower diesel so impressed that he proclaimed over loudspeakers: “The first autonomous vehicle that the Army will ever buy will be very similar to the Terramax. Unfortunately, different from Terramax after only 90 minutes.

For Volkswagen, which supports junior at Stanford University, is the military focus of the Challenge is a problem. Research chief Juergen Leohold: “We always consider whether we can still agree with our objectives. As soon as it were in the competition for any military scenarios, would be for us a clear day. “

The German group, which is directly next to the Stanford University in Palo Alto maintains a research laboratory of electronics, is used to competition for the development of its driver assistance systems: lane departure warning, automatic parking, automatic distance keeping, it is already, the next could Leohold automatic emergency braking with full brake imagine. “We’re here not because we believe in 20 years to build self-propelled cars. But because this is the tip of the science in this field here. “

At the end of the VW Passat comes with the name Junior finished first, but it gains the “Boss”, an imposing Chevrolet Tahoe, the robot controller brings him earlier, after taking account of all imposed penalties for driving error time by about 20 minutes into the goal. Three missions, one is indeed in the military as a guest who have completed six to finally remaining in the race cars, three were the teams five minutes before the start of a USB stick attached, which the route was saved by the Darpa the respective car had prescribed. Waypoint to waypoint had to be shut down, and the two winners saw whenever they went somewhere along, very confident. The Boss of the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, accelerated even more confident, had during the Stanford team’s robotic Passat more to ensure safety and focuses a little bit slower.

All of the cars were limited to a maximum speed of 30 miles (50 km / h), which is only slowly at first glance – after all, they were without a driver or remote control on the move. “When you consider that, even ten miles are very fast,” says Darpa-man Whitaker. “We have learned not to turn off their back.”

Field Robots Conquer Agriculture

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Field robots conquer AgricultureThe agricultural sector has developed into a highly technical area of global significance for food, energy and landscape management. Connect the demand for new ideas for technical solutions to the economic benefits with social and environmental impact is great.

A major platform for the development of autonomous robots is the field from the University of Wakening, launched Field Robot Event. Since 2003, the event not only encourages the development of autonomous field robots, but also for interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge exchange between all parties involved. From the outset, the University of Applied Sciences Innsbruck, which has hosted the competition this year in June? The robot had to be overcome in specially prepared corn field’s different tasks: Navigating in curved rows of corn, including turning process, the detection of foreign bodies in the form of golf balls and the lowering of corn rows presented challenges in extreme conditions dark.

Intelligent assistants what started out as a gadget comes along to satisfy specific needs in the future of agriculture? Where farmers are under price pressure because the demand for Automatis rung is great. In the spirit of effective field treatment, the intelligent assistant could not only eliminate weeds and spreading seed and fertilizer. Ideally, they also recognize the pests of plants and the ripening of the fruit – and all without remote control. In other areas there is a great need for rationalization. “The self-propelled feed mixer technology is a big issue,” says jury member Dr. John Marque ring. Ten teams have taken upon themselves during the competition in the various tasks. The university itself has participated with the team “Agronauten” in the competition. For months, 15 students tinkered under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Arno Ruckelshaus engineering scientists in their robots and programming the necessary software. “In the weeks before the event we worked twelve to 16 hours a day,” says team member Timothy Brenningmeyer. Chances of overall victory settled the other hand, not from Innsbruck: “This going to be the teams from Brunswick and Helsinki this out among themselves,” suggested Brenningmeyer. And he should keep quite: The students from Helsinki to the robot with the simple name “4M” seasoned with a systematic approach and a very good reaction to the mechanics, electronics and software. The group from the Technical University of Braunschweig came with their robot “Helios” and placed behind the Finns on the 2nd Rank. Three years ago the group was founded at the initiative of the University. In 2006, the nine trying for the first time took part in a competition in Hohenheim in Stuttgart. The base of the robot at that time was from a monster truck that was equipped with appropriate sensors, a camera and software. According to a former position in the midfield, the Group won last year’s total victory.

Practical experience various theses of students have been introduced in the further development of Helios. The work on the robot is not only a practical experience, but also an examination of the team members. The Brunswick have used their free time for weeks on the completion of the robot and made many a night into day. “Had breakfast we have lunch in the cafeteria,” says Mark Robert wink. Students in the tenth semester of practical experience in addition to irritate especially the discussions and professional contacts during the event. And they were plentiful during the event, because in the course of the event was also held an exhibition of companies and institutions. For the students an excellent opportunity to position themselves through their work and have time to get close to potential future employers. Not only for students offered the Field Robot Event ways to present practical skills. For the second time the competition was “Field Robot Junior” discharged, which met strong response: A total of 30 student teams had a deployable robot and provided an exciting and entertaining contest. The robot had to follow a course within the course of a white line. The track was completely flat in the first section, while the second section, however, showed uneven and slopes had. The second task required a drive along a by gangs and artificial corn plants limited range. The top two teams won the Kopi-Rob 1 and 2 of Copernicus Gymnasium in Rheine. Third place was shared by the team’s battle cookies and bubble from the Goethe Gymnasium in Hamburg. Some universities presented to the public autonomous robots that have almost reached the stage of mass production. Among them was the Lawnmower Casmobot, which was developed at the University of Southern Denmark. The mower could be used in football stadiums or in parks.

Sustainable Technology In addition to the competitions and demonstrations of knowledge exchange took place between the participating student groups not to short. In a scientific symposium, the participants exchanged on the current state of development. Overall, was present at the Field Robot Event 2008 Lower Saxony much know-how. Both the student groups and the participants at the Field Robot Junior convinced with advanced services.