Autonomous Robots
August 11, 2010
DEPTHX Finds New Bacteria
Thanks to NASA's ASTEP funding, an underwater robot is studying biology in a series of sinkholes in Zacatón in northeastern Mexico. So far the autonomous DEPTHX, guided by a team of several universities, has gathered 100 types of microbes, including three new phyla of bacteria. It will continue to seek the unknown in months to come.
Via MSNBC
July 30, 2010
Must Have: Escape Robot Kit
Elenco's latest kit can create an Escape Robot that can process information and maneuver around objects autonomously. The kit has a microprocessor, three infrared emitting modules and on IR receiving module. Two different sets of legs can be used for different types of movement. Some soldering is required (iron and solder not included.)
Via Elenco Kits
July 28, 2010
Ecobot III is Self Sufficient
Bristol Robotics Laboratory's Ecobot III's sole purpose in life is your basic eat, digest, poop. The bot has a digestive system that ingests biomass via microbial fuel cells and turns it into hydrogen atoms with the addition of water and then excretes. Because of the microbes, the robot can exist on waste. So far the team has found that it can maintain itself for up to a week but only utilizes 1% of the energy that is available.
Via BRL
July 26, 2010
Semi-Autonomous Vehicles Travel to China
Two semi-autonomous vehicles from VisLab, of the University of Parma in Italy, left that city for a trek to Shanghai, China. The electric pair that run on solar energy will be following a vehicle driven by a human and travel 8,000 miles over the next three months. They will be traversing over various terrains with no fuel or human intervention. You can track the journey from the site with a map and cameras on the vehicles.
via VisLab
July 1, 2010
Naos Synchronized Dance
The Nao robot from Aldebaran Robotics has been around since 2006, but the humanoid is constantly being updated in design and now has up to 25º of movement. To prove their point, the company released a video of 20 of them practicing a synchronized dance for France's Pavillion Day. The bots also have touch, face and voice recognition ability. Even weirder is this clip that replaced the original tune with Beyonce's "Put a Ring On it." There is something really eerie about their performance and we hope they stick to entertainment when the final robotic takeover occurs.
Via Aldebaran
June 24, 2010
Emiew 2 Sees Improvements
Hitachi has been working on improvements on Emiew (Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existence as Workmate.) The humanoid robot can now distinguish voices while cancelling out his own inner buzzes and whirrs and can keep his balance when going over obstacles left on the floor. At a height of 32" and a weight of 30 lbs., he can do his thing on either 2 or 4 wheels. Plans for Emiew 2 include surveillance and as a visitor guide.
Via Hitachi
June 21, 2010
Noby Reacts to Keeper, Kind of
Kosuke Nakamura, a University of Tokyo post grad student, proudly displayed 2ft. 4 inch baby Noby recently. The baby bot, equipped with cams for eyes, mics for ears and 600 tactile sensors, was designed to better help understand human nature and development. It seems to have a ways to go.
Via Day Life
June 11, 2010
Chicago Gets Robotic Dinosaur Exhibit
KumoTek Robotics has launched an interactive robotics exhibit at Chicago's Field Museum. It features several dinosaurs built by Japan's Kokoro that respond to each visitor in a different way. The star of the show is RoboSUE, a Tyrannosaurus rex that has cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence, and is bound to scare the little ones. The show is scheduled to run through September 6.
Via Field Museum
May 31, 2010
Octavia Attends Fleet Week
The Office of Naval Research has been funding a project at their Research Lab in Washington D.C. Octavia, named after sci-fi author Butler, made an appearance at last week's Fleet Week in New York City. The autonomous bot was designed to work with humans in a computational cognitive way. She has an expressive face, including moving eyes and head, workable hands and fingers, and gets around on wheels. Her sensor and camera system can react to her environment. Octavia is one of 3 MDS robots, the others being Isaac (Asimov) and Lucas (George.)
Via Fox News
May 25, 2010
Waldo to Seek Oil in Loop Current
Mote Marine Laboratory will be launching an AUV from a boat 15 miles off Key West today. Waldo can detect oil and chemicals and will seek out residue in the Loop Current. It will then collect the data and send it to researchers via satellite. Pay attention, BP. This is the second bot that Mote has sent out and there are plans for a third to be launched off SW Florida. It's somewhat comforting to see active involvement without the bureaucracy.
Via Naple News
Autonomous MuCar-3 Treks in Germany
Last week, the MuCar-3 was presented at the European Land Robot Trial in Germany. One of the first autonomous military vehicles, it can follow a lead car, stop and back up when necessary. The plan is that the bot, which is fitted with camera systems, computers, sensors and scanners, will be able to assist in seeking out explosives so that humans won't have to.
Via Mumbai Mirror
April 20, 2010
Autonomous Shelly Begins Tests
Stanford University's Center for Automotive Research (CARS) has been toiling away on its autonomous race car. Shelley is a computerized Audi TTS that uses GPS receivers to sty the course and algorithms to adjust to surrounding terrain. Capable of speed of up to 130 mph, the vehicle will be tested on a dry lake bed in California and up Colorado's Pikes Peak. Stanford is working with Volkswagen and plan to have one ready for consumers by 2028.
Via Motor Authority
April 5, 2010
UC Berkeley's PR2 Folds Towels
You know those Willow Garage folks make some of the best robots. Under the guidance of Asst. Professor Pieter Abbeel, a team at UC Berkeley used an algorithm and got their open source PR2 to fold towels, pick them up, catch the corners and after finishing, put them on the table. They say they had a 100% success rate when the bot folded 50 at the 2010 ICRA. We can't wait until they teach it about sheets, tablecloths, pillow cases...
(Thanks, Jim)
Via UC Berkeley
March 25, 2010
PR2 Self-Calibrates
We previously mentioned Willow Garage's PR2, the bot that managed to avoid obstacles, open doors and head back to his home base to recharge. Now he can recalibrate some of his sensors as well. It won't be long before he figures out who can really be in charge.
Via Willow Garage
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