RobotNext

Robotic Lifeguard to Assist Their Human Counterparts

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?

CBS Local

Robotic lifeguards making their way to the beach
WNCT
Meet a state-of-the art robotic lifeguard called "EMILY." Lisa Konicki, the Executive Director of the Westerly-Pawcatuck area Chamber of Commerce, has worked tirelessly to bring this invention to her town. "EMILY" is an acronym for Emergency Integrated ...
Robotic buoy to be used as lifeguard in Rhode IslandNew Haven Register
Robotic Lifeguards Making Their Way To East Coast ShoreHartford Courant
Lifeguarding goes high tech in WesterlyWRNI
all 15 news articles »

Robotic lifeguards making their way to the beach - WNCT
Tue, 22 May 2012 18:37:41 GMT

Next-Generation Robot Inspector for Nuclear Power Plants

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.

Photo Credit: Babbage/Saneef

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 ...

Energid develops robot for inspecting nuclear power plants - Boston Globe
Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:06:55 GMT

Robots Taking Over Typical Human Roles in the Job Market

Photo Credit:  The U.S. Army's photostream

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

At new NYC hotel, a robot handles the luggage | The Associated ...
The Associated Press
Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:15:24 GMT

Robots for Australia Mines Could Replace Humans

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 ...

More robots for Australia mines may plug labour crunch - Reuters UK
Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:19:37 GMT

Technorati Tags: robots,bellhops,miners

Robot Uses Bernoulli's Principle to Crawl Up Walls

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.

Image credit: University of Canterbury. (PhysOrg.com)

Robot uses supersonic air jets to climb on walls and ceilings (w/ video)
PhysOrg.com
In this clip from the video below, the robot crawls up a wall using a non-contact vacuum grip, due to Bernoulli's principle.  Instead of using sticky footpads to climb on walls and ceilings, ...
Video: Robot's Supersonic Air Jets Allow it to Climb Just About Any Surface 

Robot uses supersonic air jets to climb on walls and ceilings (w/ video) - PhysOrg.com
Tue, 24 May 2011 21:45:43 GMT

Pitsco Designing Robots for Education

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.

Pitsco robots designed to take over education (The Morning Sun)
Wed, 19 Aug 2009 05:53:03 GMT

* 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.

National Instruments Demonstrates Robots at NI Week

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.

Credit:  AEGMexico

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 ...

National Instruments Focuses on Addressing Global Challenges With ... - TMCnet
Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:02:00 GMT

Firefighting Robot Team

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.

Credit:  Channel 4 News

Robotic firefighting team debuts
BBC News
The robots range from a nimble, stair-climbing reconnaissance unit to a diesel-powered robot with a large claw. The two-year project is funded by Network ...
Firefighting robot team unveiledUberGizmo
Robots join the London Fire BrigadeNewsLite
Rise of the Machines?Channel 4 News
all 10 news articles »

Robotic firefighting team debuts - BBC News
Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:02:00 GMT

Weekly Newswrap: Leftover Stuff

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

Robot hits runway at Osaka fashion show
Press Trust of India - New Delhi,India
Sun, 26 Jul 2009 13:16:19 GMT

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.

Robby the Robot goes underwater (St. Tammany News)
Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:27:29 GMT

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

High-tech robot allows doctors to treat soldiers remotely
CNN International - USA
Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:44:26 GMT

Archie robot wants to helps humans despite creepy appearance - DVICE

Archie robot wants to helps humans despite creepy appearance
DVICE
Though it may look crude on its surface, the fact is that the Archie robot is the result of a lot of hard work by researchers at the Vienna University of ...

Archie robot wants to helps humans despite creepy appearance - DVICE
Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:28:28 GMT

Robots to Advertise on the Moon

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

Robots to Advertise on the Moon
PR Newswire (press release) - New York,NY,USA
Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:19:26 GMT

Astrobotic Technology Reveals Robot Design To Survive Moon's Extreme Heat

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.

Photo Credit:  Astrobotic Technology

New design overcomes intense lunar heat

For the company vying for the Google Lunar X Prize, it's all about keeping the (robot's) head cool.  

Astrobotic Technology Reveals Robot Design To Survive Moon's Extreme Heat
Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:24:12 GMT

Monkey Uses Mind Control to Move Robot

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.

 

Image Credit:  Sky News - UK

Sky News

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

Monkey Moves Robot Using Mind Control
Sky News - UK
Mon, 13 Jul 2009 07:44:19 GMT

Cortical control of a prosthetic arm for self-feeding : Article ...

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Monkey's brain controls robot arm

Study: Monkeys Control Robotic Arm with Brain : NPR

Monkeys Control a Mechanical Arm With Their Thoughts - NYTimes.com

Mind Over Matter: Monkey Feeds Itself Using Its Brain