Firefighting Robots
Remote controlled robots formerly used in combat situations in Iraq are now being used by London firefighters to combat dangerous fires; especially when they find acetylene gas is part of the situation.
Created by defense contractor, QinetiQ, the tree robots will be able to enter into danger areas and safely deal with the gas cylinders.
This is important because even if acetylene gas cylinders have cooled off, they are still a danger to explode, and so the robots can help deal with that situation safely.
Because of that, fire crews have had to stop transport links for up to a period of 24 hours and also evacuate local communities from a danger zone.
What the robots can help with is cooling off the cylinders much more quickly, and then they can be remove safely by the firefighters in a more efficient manner.
one robot is able to find a hot acetylene cylinder, while another can cool it off with water quickly. The final robot can clear debris out of the way and also pick up the cylinder with its claw.
In experimental trials, the robots were able to do the job in under three hours, whereas in other situations it has taken firefighters over 19 hours on average to take care of.
The robots and their controllers will work with London firefighters for the next two years, and will be funded by Network Rail, the Highways Agency and Transport for London.
Firefighting Robots
Showing posts with label Robot Control Systems. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robot Control Systems. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Medical Robot | Robot Treats Battle Injuries
Medical Robot
A new robot that is able to find small pieces of shrapnel in flesh and guides a needle to the exact location could aid in treating battle injuries, according to researchers in North Carolina.
"It can be very difficult using conventional means to detect small pieces of shrapnel, especially in the field," Duke University researcher Stephen Smith said. "The military has an extensive program of exploring the use of surgical robots in the field, and this advance could play a role."
Other uses for the robot could be for medical procedures, such as removing radioactive "seeds" used to treat cancers and extracting foreign, metallic objects from the eye, Smith said.
Using ultrasound technology and 3-D moving images, the Duke robot, without human assistance, located tiny pieces of metal in water baths, then directed a needle on the end of a robotic arm to the exact location, Smith said.
"The movement caused by the electromagnet on the shrapnel was not visible to the human eye," researcher A.J. Rogers said. "However, on the 3-D color Doppler system, the moving shrapnel stood out plainly as bright red."
Medical Robot
A new robot that is able to find small pieces of shrapnel in flesh and guides a needle to the exact location could aid in treating battle injuries, according to researchers in North Carolina.
"It can be very difficult using conventional means to detect small pieces of shrapnel, especially in the field," Duke University researcher Stephen Smith said. "The military has an extensive program of exploring the use of surgical robots in the field, and this advance could play a role."
Other uses for the robot could be for medical procedures, such as removing radioactive "seeds" used to treat cancers and extracting foreign, metallic objects from the eye, Smith said.
Using ultrasound technology and 3-D moving images, the Duke robot, without human assistance, located tiny pieces of metal in water baths, then directed a needle on the end of a robotic arm to the exact location, Smith said.
"The movement caused by the electromagnet on the shrapnel was not visible to the human eye," researcher A.J. Rogers said. "However, on the 3-D color Doppler system, the moving shrapnel stood out plainly as bright red."
Medical Robot
Monday, June 8, 2009
Robot Control System to be Created for Next-generation Automated Drilling and Exploration Platforms
Under WaterRobot Control Systems
Advanced Control Systems Enable Robotic Oil and Natural Gas Drilling
Cambridge, MA /PRNewswire/ -- Seabed Rig AS has licensed technology and contracted with Energid Technologies Corporation to create a robot control system for its next-generation automated drilling and exploration platforms.
Seabed Rig AS is developing a new autonomous drilling rig that operates in ultra deep water and arctic environments. Unlike traditional surface operations, the new rigs will lie on the ocean floor and connect to a surface vessel for power and communication. This breakthrough patented approach will make it possible to explore and tap the estimated 40% of world oil reserves yet to be found that are in these extreme areas.
Practical operation on the hostile ocean floor is only possible using robotics. The robots maintaining the rig must be versatile and able to perform many tasks, from drill pipe insertion to maintenance and repair. They must be mechanically advanced and intelligently controlled.
Energid Technologies will use its premier robotics software, Actin(TM), to simulate and control the complex robots used by Seabed Rig. Actin will be responsible for coordinating the motion of multiple robots, each with many moving parts.
"We developed Actin for NASA robots," said Neil Tardella, COO at Energid, "for the harsh environment of space. With it, we can bring to reality Seabed Rig's startling vision of undersea robots."
Drilling oil wells from the turbulent ocean surface can cost more than $600,000 per day, with progress stopped by bad weather. And it can be very challenging to reach potentially rich resources in arctic and deep water. Seabed Rig has developed the safe, economical technology that will allow wells to be drilled under ice and at the bottom of the sea.
"Our approach is to remotely control the sea-floor drilling system from a surface ship," said Kenneth Mikalsen, Chief Technology Officer of Seabed Rig. "We encapsulate the system to make it environmentally friendly with no discharge to the sea."
Actin will allow the undersea kinematically redundant robot arms to reach around obstacles, optimize for strength, and smoothly avoid joint limits. "Actin will maximize performance and make control from the surface easier by allowing direct control over hand placement," said Mr. Mikalsen.
"Energid is going to help Seabed Rig change the way people think about offshore oil drilling," said David Askey, Chief Business Development Officer at Energid.
For more information, contact Mary Salzman at Energid Technologies, +1.617.401.7090 x 420, or Roald Valen at Seabed Rig, +47.938.31.301.
About Energid Technologies
Energid Technologies develops tools for robotic applications in the aerospace, agriculture, transportation, defense, and medical industries. Energid's Actin(TM) and Selectin(TM) products provide advanced robotics technology in the form of extensible software toolkits. Energid specializes in the sensing, control, and simulation of complex systems. For more information, please visit www.energid.com.
About Seabed Rig
Seabed Rig AS is developing an innovative sea bed drilling rig to carry out cost-effective drilling from a location at the sea bed, in deep waters and in arctic areas. The Seabed Rig is unmanned with automated and robotized working operations that are remotely controlled from an interactive 3D interface. For more information, please visit www.seabedrig.no
Actin, Selectin, and the Energid logo are trademarks of Energid Technologies Corporation.
SOURCE Energid Technologies Corporation
Underwater Robot Control Systems
Advanced Control Systems Enable Robotic Oil and Natural Gas Drilling
Cambridge, MA /PRNewswire/ -- Seabed Rig AS has licensed technology and contracted with Energid Technologies Corporation to create a robot control system for its next-generation automated drilling and exploration platforms.
Seabed Rig AS is developing a new autonomous drilling rig that operates in ultra deep water and arctic environments. Unlike traditional surface operations, the new rigs will lie on the ocean floor and connect to a surface vessel for power and communication. This breakthrough patented approach will make it possible to explore and tap the estimated 40% of world oil reserves yet to be found that are in these extreme areas.
Practical operation on the hostile ocean floor is only possible using robotics. The robots maintaining the rig must be versatile and able to perform many tasks, from drill pipe insertion to maintenance and repair. They must be mechanically advanced and intelligently controlled.
Energid Technologies will use its premier robotics software, Actin(TM), to simulate and control the complex robots used by Seabed Rig. Actin will be responsible for coordinating the motion of multiple robots, each with many moving parts.
"We developed Actin for NASA robots," said Neil Tardella, COO at Energid, "for the harsh environment of space. With it, we can bring to reality Seabed Rig's startling vision of undersea robots."
Drilling oil wells from the turbulent ocean surface can cost more than $600,000 per day, with progress stopped by bad weather. And it can be very challenging to reach potentially rich resources in arctic and deep water. Seabed Rig has developed the safe, economical technology that will allow wells to be drilled under ice and at the bottom of the sea.
"Our approach is to remotely control the sea-floor drilling system from a surface ship," said Kenneth Mikalsen, Chief Technology Officer of Seabed Rig. "We encapsulate the system to make it environmentally friendly with no discharge to the sea."
Actin will allow the undersea kinematically redundant robot arms to reach around obstacles, optimize for strength, and smoothly avoid joint limits. "Actin will maximize performance and make control from the surface easier by allowing direct control over hand placement," said Mr. Mikalsen.
"Energid is going to help Seabed Rig change the way people think about offshore oil drilling," said David Askey, Chief Business Development Officer at Energid.
For more information, contact Mary Salzman at Energid Technologies, +1.617.401.7090 x 420, or Roald Valen at Seabed Rig, +47.938.31.301.
About Energid Technologies
Energid Technologies develops tools for robotic applications in the aerospace, agriculture, transportation, defense, and medical industries. Energid's Actin(TM) and Selectin(TM) products provide advanced robotics technology in the form of extensible software toolkits. Energid specializes in the sensing, control, and simulation of complex systems. For more information, please visit www.energid.com.
About Seabed Rig
Seabed Rig AS is developing an innovative sea bed drilling rig to carry out cost-effective drilling from a location at the sea bed, in deep waters and in arctic areas. The Seabed Rig is unmanned with automated and robotized working operations that are remotely controlled from an interactive 3D interface. For more information, please visit www.seabedrig.no
Actin, Selectin, and the Energid logo are trademarks of Energid Technologies Corporation.
SOURCE Energid Technologies Corporation
Underwater Robot Control Systems
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