robotics

Avatar Robot Created by Japanese Scientist

February 15, 2012 by noemi Leave a Comment

Telesar V

James Cameron’s Avatar made a very big splash when it came out, with practically everyone raving about the movie. Well, maybe not about the story line but the movie in general. It was not my first 3D experience, but I found it pretty fun. Truth be told, I have never seen it again in its entirety. Once was enough, in my opinion.

What is interesting about Avatar is the concept of being able to project yourself as another being. Now that is the stuff that science fiction is made of, and these things are always fascinating. What if this can actually be done in real life? [Read more…] about Avatar Robot Created by Japanese Scientist

Little Drummer Boy Brought to You by a Robot and a Scanner

December 14, 2011 by noemi 1 Comment

Little Drummer Boy Robots — Little Drummer Boy

Nope. You won’t see the little drummer boy that you are used to seeing around this time of the year in that picture. You know how some technophobes (and even technophiles) say that people will one day be replaced by machines? Well, this is a great example of how that is totally possible.

YouTube user bd594 apparently had some time on his hands, so he decided to tinker around with an HP scanner – the flatbed kind, obviously, a snare drum, and some other electronic items. His masterpiece? A two-gadget band rendering its own version of the Little Drummer Boy. Yes, that ubiquitous piece of Christmas music that I am pretty sure you have gotten enough of by this time. [Read more…] about Little Drummer Boy Brought to You by a Robot and a Scanner

PR2 Robot Helps Mute Quadriplegic Scratch an Itch

July 19, 2011 by noemi 1 Comment

Robots have been the subject of many a science fiction novel or movie. The idea of having robots help humans enjoy more convenient lives is nothing new. For many of us, though, the dream of having robot house help is far from being a reality.

For Henry Evans, a mute quadriplegic, science fiction is becoming reality. He got hold of a PR2, a two-armed wheel robot developed by Willow Garage, a robotics research lab and technology incubator. Together with robotics development platforms, this company also works on robot operating systems.

For the past 10 years, Evans has been unable to do many things that you and I take for granted. Thanks to the collaboration of Willow Garage and Georgia Tech’s Healthcare Robotics Lab, the PR2 is helping Evans live a more independent life in spite of his physical condition.

Men – you probably dislike the chore of having to shave every so often. For people like Evans, being able to shave one’s self is a dream. And imagine this – prior to having the PR2, Evans was not even able to scratch when he felt an itch! I don’t know about you, but that would be pure torture! Thanks to PR2, for the first time in 10 years, Evans was able to scratch an itch himself.

Here is an inspiring video about PR2 and what it can do.

This development is made possible by a project called Robots for Humanity. ((Willow Garage Blog)) The collaborators are mainly using PR2 and researching ways by which this particular robot can help disabled people live more independently. The ultimate goal of the project is to be able to make robots accessible to people who need them most. As they say, Evans is only the beginning.

I applaud Willow Garage and Georgia Tech’s Healthcare Robotics Lab for their efforts and for focusing on a group which really has the need for robotic assistance in the home. While it is cool for those who have no handicap to have a robot assistant (I wouldn’t mind having one!), the idea of helping those in need first is admirable.

It’s one of those moments when you really really wish that a concept were fully part of reality and not a thing of science fiction.

FIRST Robotics Competition: This Is the Real Thing

May 2, 2011 by noemi 1 Comment

Recently, the FIRST Robotics Competition was held at the Boston University. FIRST stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology” and was conceptualized by no less than Dean Kamen. If the name is unfamiliar, think of the Segway Human Transporter. Does that ring a bell?

This competition covers four annual contests open to all grade levels in the United States: Junior LEGO League (ages 6 to 9), LEGO League (ages 9 to 12), and Tech Challenge (high school students). The main thing going for FIRST, though, is the Robotics Competition, which has gathered 12,000 students who are probably real geeks. Not the hipsters who seem to take pride in labeling themselves as geeks.

In the recently concluded FIRST Robotics Competition, teenagers are tasked with creating robots that are supposed to perform specific tasks. At the same time, the robots need to be able to defend against other robots so that the assigned tasks can be completed.

While the whole idea seems fun – and indeed, the contestants find it fun – there is a lot of hard work involved. The contestants actually get a kit at the start of the school year so that they have several months to work on their project. The ultimate test comes when they all get together to pit their robots against one another.

Here’s a sampling of what went on at the competition.

12,000 kids screaming and not for Justin Bieber. Any parent can be proud to have his/her kid in that crowd. I know I would.

Via PopSci

Robotics Merit Badge for the Boy Scouts of America

April 12, 2011 by noemi 1 Comment

Let it not be said that the Boy Scouts of America do not keep up with the times. Countless boys belonging to various generations have long been working hard to earn merit badges. These badges are testaments to the skills and talents that Boy Scouts have acquired over the years. Traditionally, the merit badges were all about sports and wilderness survival, among many others.

This week, however, the Texas-based organization is upping the level by adding a new merit badge: the Robotics Merit Badge. One goal in creating this merit badge is to promote science and technology and engineering and maths (STEM). In doing so, the BSA is adjusting to the new developments in technology and is making itself more relevant to the youngsters of today.

How do the Boy Scouts of today earn this new merit badge? Just think about creating your own electronics kits and joining competitions. These kits can range from the simplest of devices to some of the more complicated robots. Here are more examples of how one can earn the merit badge. ((Source: PR for Robotics Merit Badge))

Explain and discuss hazards and safety prevention
Explain how robots are used today
Discuss three of the five major fields of robotics (human-robot interface, mobility, manipulation, programming, sensors)
Design, build, program, and test their robot
Demonstrate the robot, and share the engineering notebook for that robot
Attend a robotics competition or do research on robotics competitions

If the mere mention of the Boy Scouts make you think of only camping, making fires without matches, and tying knots, think again. This organization is rather important in molding young boys and it is great that technology is not being ignored!