Built to deal with situations in space which are too dangerous for astronauts, as well as too dull, Robonaut 2 is set to make history as the first robot in space.
The robot isn't a form of artificial intelligence, (although it reportedly has some built into it) and runs on preprogrammed commands. It also has mechanical limbs similar to arms so it can use the same tools astronauts use on the space station.
As you can see in the photo, the robot only has a head, torso and arms, but no legs.
The immediate goal is to find out how the robot can operate in microgravity situations and if it can actually be a help to astronauts as it was made for.
Robonaut 2 has been a hit on Twitter, although it has no ability to speak.
It is set for its maiden voyage on the November mission.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Caterpillar Bodies May Inspire Soft-body Robot Design
A recent study shows that the unique constitution of caterpillar bodies could give ideas to develop robots with soft bodies.
Speaking of what was dubbed as a "two-body" system, Barry Trimmer, a professor of biology and of natural sciences at Tufts University, said in a university news release, "Understanding this novel motion system may help efforts to design soft-bodied robots. It may also prompt re-examination of the potential role soft tissues play in biomechanical performance of humans and other animals."
Not only would the focus be on the exterior of the caterpillar and how that would effect external robotic design, but the interior of the caterpillar as well.
Trimmer added, "The focus to date has been on robots' external design, but we also have to look at how it's most advantageous to arrange the inside of the robot and any payload. Would motion be enhanced, for example, by packing more mass toward the rear, as these caterpillars seem to do?"
The U.S. National Science Foundation funded the initial research.
Speaking of what was dubbed as a "two-body" system, Barry Trimmer, a professor of biology and of natural sciences at Tufts University, said in a university news release, "Understanding this novel motion system may help efforts to design soft-bodied robots. It may also prompt re-examination of the potential role soft tissues play in biomechanical performance of humans and other animals."
Not only would the focus be on the exterior of the caterpillar and how that would effect external robotic design, but the interior of the caterpillar as well.
Trimmer added, "The focus to date has been on robots' external design, but we also have to look at how it's most advantageous to arrange the inside of the robot and any payload. Would motion be enhanced, for example, by packing more mass toward the rear, as these caterpillars seem to do?"
The U.S. National Science Foundation funded the initial research.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
South Korea's SGR-1 Machine-Gun Robots
With tensions mounting between North and South Korea, South Korea has decided to deploy robots throughout the 160-mile DMZ.
The primary developer of the robot is Samsung Techwin, which are identified as SGR-1 robots.
"Human soldiers can easily fall asleep or allow for the depreciation of their concentration over time," said Samsung Techwin spokesman Huh Kwang-hak. "But these robots have automatic surveillance, which doesn't leave room for anything resembling human laziness. They also won't have any fear (of) enemy attackers on the front lines."
The SGR-1s cost 200,000 each, and are remote controlled, working together with other related technology like radar and cameras.
For the machine guns mounted on the cameras, they are 5.5 millimeter, with a 40-millimeter automatic grenade launcher included.
The robots are able to fire automatically on targets, and must have a human operator give it permission to attack.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Robots Start Work on BP (NYSE:BP) Containment Cap
If BP (NYSE:BP) can successfully put a new containment cap on the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico using underwater robots, they should be able to contain the vast majority of oil spilling into the region.
The robot submarines will take off the old cap and replace with the new, or at least attempt to. There are a number of backup caps to put back on if the attempt fails.
The new cap will fit tighter and keep almost all of the oil from leaking, and would result in capturing up to 80,000 barrels a day, including a new vessel which would be attached to another part of the leak.
"This new sealing cap has not been deployed at these depths or under these conditions, and there can be no assurance that the sealing cap will be successfully installed or installed within the anticipated timeframe," BP said in a statement.
If successful, it will effectively stop the leaking oil well, while waiting for the relief wells to be put into effect, which will be the permanent solution to the leak.
The robot submarines will take off the old cap and replace with the new, or at least attempt to. There are a number of backup caps to put back on if the attempt fails.
The new cap will fit tighter and keep almost all of the oil from leaking, and would result in capturing up to 80,000 barrels a day, including a new vessel which would be attached to another part of the leak.
"This new sealing cap has not been deployed at these depths or under these conditions, and there can be no assurance that the sealing cap will be successfully installed or installed within the anticipated timeframe," BP said in a statement.
If successful, it will effectively stop the leaking oil well, while waiting for the relief wells to be put into effect, which will be the permanent solution to the leak.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Robot Centipedes About to be Put to Work
Small robot insects looking like and built like centipedes may be released into specific circumstances which require certain tasks to be accomplished.
The new thing about these microrobots is their ability to carry much more than their own weight, which could ultimately lead to them being independent. That means they may be able to carry a power source.
That leads to another challenge: There really aren't any power sources out there at this time which would all them to run much more than about 10 minutes. If that can be overcome, some of the potential tasks they could be sent to do would be more realistic, and done in a efficient time frame.
All microrobots at this time, including these new ones from the University of Washington, are only able to move at a snails' pace of about 3 feet an hour. Some are much slower than that, which could be detrimental to their purpose if time is a factor in their missions.
The big advancement in these little robots is the ability to carry far more than their weight. That provides the potential for a power source to be created which would allow it to operate for much longer periods of time.
The new thing about these microrobots is their ability to carry much more than their own weight, which could ultimately lead to them being independent. That means they may be able to carry a power source.
That leads to another challenge: There really aren't any power sources out there at this time which would all them to run much more than about 10 minutes. If that can be overcome, some of the potential tasks they could be sent to do would be more realistic, and done in a efficient time frame.
All microrobots at this time, including these new ones from the University of Washington, are only able to move at a snails' pace of about 3 feet an hour. Some are much slower than that, which could be detrimental to their purpose if time is a factor in their missions.
The big advancement in these little robots is the ability to carry far more than their weight. That provides the potential for a power source to be created which would allow it to operate for much longer periods of time.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Robot Power Line Inspectors Coming
Robots created for the purpose of traveling along thousands of miles of power lines are about to make their debut over the next several years, particularly in the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline region, where trials are set to begin in 2014.
The power line robots will weigh in at 140 pounds and their length will be six feet long.
Their mode of moving will be rollers attached to them which they'll move along at a respectable 3 mph. Special cables will be attached which they can use to navigate around pylons.
Although they'll have solar panels on them, their major source of energy will be the electricity in the power lines themselves (shield wire), with the panels being a backup power system.
Each robot will be able to cover approximately 160 miles of line a year, and cost less than $500,000. That sounds steep, but is less than what it costs for helicopter carrying inspection crews.
This will be interesting, but inspection crews won't have to worry about their jobs just yet, as there is still a need for human eyeballs, and it'll obviously take some time before these robots are ready for prime-time, or to do the job completely by themselves.
After all, what's the point of paying that much for them when you still have to pay for human help?
Testing for the robots will begin in the latter part of June.
The power line robots will weigh in at 140 pounds and their length will be six feet long.
Their mode of moving will be rollers attached to them which they'll move along at a respectable 3 mph. Special cables will be attached which they can use to navigate around pylons.
Although they'll have solar panels on them, their major source of energy will be the electricity in the power lines themselves (shield wire), with the panels being a backup power system.
Each robot will be able to cover approximately 160 miles of line a year, and cost less than $500,000. That sounds steep, but is less than what it costs for helicopter carrying inspection crews.
This will be interesting, but inspection crews won't have to worry about their jobs just yet, as there is still a need for human eyeballs, and it'll obviously take some time before these robots are ready for prime-time, or to do the job completely by themselves.
After all, what's the point of paying that much for them when you still have to pay for human help?
Testing for the robots will begin in the latter part of June.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Robots Looking For Your Job?
As if human competition isn't enough, now we have robots adapting to prepare themselves to fit better into the workplace, ultimately being cheaper than humans, and in a number of cases, replacing them.
Well, at least the manufacturers of robots are responding to needs in the workplace and adapting in order to place their robots in an larger number of places.
"Big robots were often behind fences," Jeff Burnstein, president of the trade group Robotic Industries Assn. "Now, we’re seeing movement in making robots more intrinsically safe so they can work side-by-side with humans."
The changing market conditions for robots is significantly increasing demand, as it will grow for personal robots along from $1.16 billion in 2009 to an estimated $5.26 billion by 2015.
Well, at least the manufacturers of robots are responding to needs in the workplace and adapting in order to place their robots in an larger number of places.
"Big robots were often behind fences," Jeff Burnstein, president of the trade group Robotic Industries Assn. "Now, we’re seeing movement in making robots more intrinsically safe so they can work side-by-side with humans."
The changing market conditions for robots is significantly increasing demand, as it will grow for personal robots along from $1.16 billion in 2009 to an estimated $5.26 billion by 2015.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Contact Page Robots
Contact Us
You can contact any of the authors of Robots: Past, Present, Future at raesally@comcast.net. Authors can be fowarded your email if you want to contact one individually.
Allen Nine
Gary Thomas
Tomassino Conito
Jim Stevens
Ellen Stevens
Ray Esally
Kyle Simon
You can contact any of the authors of Robots: Past, Present, Future at raesally@comcast.net. Authors can be fowarded your email if you want to contact one individually.
Allen Nine
Gary Thomas
Tomassino Conito
Jim Stevens
Ellen Stevens
Ray Esally
Kyle Simon
Robots: Past, Present, Future Authors
Robots: Past, Present, Future Authors:
Allen Nine
Gary Thomas
Tomassino Conito
Jim Stevens
Ellen Stevens
Ray Esally
Kyle Simon
Allen Nine
Gary Thomas
Tomassino Conito
Jim Stevens
Ellen Stevens
Ray Esally
Kyle Simon
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Friday, May 28, 2010
Underwater Robot Sent to Oil Spill
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has launched an underwater robot in the oil spill area of the Gulf of Mexico to gather data to gain more information on the situation.
The robotic submersible will be able to get a clearer picture of what is happening under the waters, in order to complement the surface images and info gained from satellite and aircraft surveillance.
It will especially be able to probe the underwater oil plumes and see how extensive they are and a the nature of the challenge to deal with them.
The robotic vehicle is programmed on the surface before being released into the water, and then travel on their own through the water to gather data as the go.
The robotic submersible will be able to get a clearer picture of what is happening under the waters, in order to complement the surface images and info gained from satellite and aircraft surveillance.
It will especially be able to probe the underwater oil plumes and see how extensive they are and a the nature of the challenge to deal with them.
The robotic vehicle is programmed on the surface before being released into the water, and then travel on their own through the water to gather data as the go.
Robot Moon Base Planned by Japanese
Japan believes it is paramount to have a moon base as a precursor to exploring the solar system, and their first step in making that a reality will be to send robots there to begin building the base.
The robots are expected to be on the moon by 2015 to start scoping out the area, and ultimately to start building the lunar base by 2020 near its South Pole.
Surveying the moon would entail the 660 pound robots to gather rocks, take photos, and send both back to earth for evaluation.
The initial base will be constructed by the robots by and for themselves, but ultimately human colonizers could inhabit the base, which is planned to be powered by solar panels.
Costs are relatively low at $2 billion, if they hold, which when considering robots, they might.
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