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Robotics
A Layperson's View of Future Technology and Society
The Future of Robotics
Life Like Robots
Robotic
engineers are designing the next generation of robots to look, feel and
act more human, to make it easier for us to warm up to a cold
machine.
Realistic looking hair and skin with embedded sensors will allow robots to react naturally in their environment. For example, a robot that senses your touch on the shoulder and turns to greet you.
Subtle actions by robots that typically go unnoticed between people, help bring them to life and can also relay non verbal communication.
Artificial eyes that move and blink. Slight chest movements that simulate breathing. Man made muscles to change facial expressions. These are all must have attributes for the socially acceptable robots of the future.
The brain behind the beauty will be the key to turning a realistic looking machine into a life like robot. AI plays a pivotal role in successful human/robot interaction.
Links
Life-like walking female robot (video)
Ultra-Lifelike Robot Debuts in Japan
Rescue Robots
Imagine yourself lost deep in the forest on a cold autumn night and nightfall is rapidly approaching. Too windy for search aircraft and too dark for ground teams, this could be a life threatening situation. Fortunately for you, it is ten years into the future and hundreds of tiny intelligent robots will be combing the woods for you throughout the night.
All terrain robots (ATRs), will truly function as a team by sharing their locations, discoveries, search patterns and more. Large ATRs could carry many smaller robots and provide them with localized control and power.
These smaller more specialized robots will have cameras, sonar, heat sensors, motion detectors and can be sent out by the large ATRs as needed. Smaller robots might work together to perform tasks such as moving a large obstacle.
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Robotic Competitions
The ultimate goal of the RoboCup project is to develop a team of fully autonomous humanoid robots that can win against the human world champion team in soccer by the year 2050.
The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of young people and their mentors to solve a common problem in a six-week timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a common set of rules. Teams build robots from the parts and enter them in competitions.
Robotic Insects
Insects have come up with many interesting solutions for the problems that future robots will have to deal with like cooperation, specialized movement and adapting to changing environments. Robotic engineers are incorporating examples found in nature into their designs.
Robotic Prosthetics
Prosthetics are one of the best uses for robotics and man-machine interfaces.
Man controls cybernetic hand with thoughts
Exoskeletons
Wearable bionic suits are being developed primarily for the military to allow soldiers to carry heavier loads and to conserve energy. Other uses for exoskeletons are assisting rescue workers move heavy objects and bionics for motor-impaired patients.
Wearable Robotics - Exoskeletons
Exoskeletons Around the World - Pictorial
Robot Caretakers
Mobile robot assistants designed to people in daily life activities.
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Visitor Comments
06/10/10
Impressive video of Boston Dynamics' Little Dog learning to overcome obstacles.
Anonymous
Robot Articles, Blogs and Web Sites
All Links open in a new window. Bold = Recommended. Links do not imply endorsement.
| Title | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|
| MIT researchers unveil autonomous oil-absorbing robot | MIT News | 08/10 |
| Shape-shifting robots | MIT News | 08/10 |
| Telenoid R1: Hiroshi Ishiguro's Newest and Strangest Android | Automation | 07/10 |
| Robots get an artificial skin | PhysOrg | 07/10 |
| HIRO III lets you feel what you see on screen (w/Video) | PhysOrg | 07/10 |
| Japan's baby robot 'Noby' to shed light on human development | Canada.com | 06/10 |
| Sand-swimming sandfish lizard | Georgia Tech | 06/10 |
| Advances made in walking, running robots | PhysOrg | 05/10 |
| Lobsters teach robots magnetic mapping trick | New Scientist | 09/09 |
| Robots to get their own operating system | New Scientist | 07/09 |
| Robot uses human mind tricks to navigate | New Scientist | 02/09 |
| Title | Description |
|---|---|
| Amlux | Flickr image |
| Amphibious snake robot | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
| ASIMO | Honda humanoid robot |
| Auto show robot | Image from 2005 |
| Bionic Learning Network | Festo |
| Boston Dynamics | BigDog//Rhex/Petman/RiSe/Squishbot |
| Case Biorobotics Lab | Case Western Reserve University |
| Child-robot with Biomimetic Body | Japan Science and Technology Agency |
| Christian the walking bug robot | Flickr image |
| Claytronics Project | Modular robots |
| COGNIRON The Cognitive Robot Companion | Project funded by the European Commission |
| DOMO | Force sensing MIT robot |
| HIRO | Human Interactive Robot |
| Hubo Lab | Humanoid Robot Research Center |
| Humanoid Robotics Institute | Waseda University, Japan |
| i-foot | Flickr image |
| IfBot | Communication robot |
| I-Sobot | Tomy |
| JPL Robotics | JPL |
| Jumping robot | New Scientist video |
| Kondo | Kondo Kagaku |
| Laboratory of Intelligent Systems | EPFL |
| Microdynamic Systems Laboratory | MSL Robotics |
| Microsoft Robotics | Robotic operating system |
| Mr Woo Robots | Robotic arm |
| NAO | Humanoid robot |
| Nexi | MIT Media Lab |
| Nuvo | Humanoid robot for home use |
| Owen Holland | Anthropomimetic robots |
| PETMAN - BigDog gets a Big Brother | Boston Dynamics |
| Quadrocopter | Flying robot |
| Readybot Challenge | Kitchen robot |
| RoboCommunity | Robot Blog |
| Robo-Erectus | Advanced Robotics & Intelligent Control Centre |
| Robo Garage | Tomotaka Takahashi |
| RoboSingularity | Robot Blog |
| Robot | Flickr image |
| Robotics | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory |
| Robotics Alliance Project | NASA Robotics |
| Robotics Blog | Robot blog |
| Robotics research | Directory of robotic research in Japan |
| Robotorama | Robot Blog |
| Robots | Podcast |
| Robots.net | All the news that's fit to assimilate |
| Robots Dreams | Robot news blog |
| Robot Magazine | Robot Emagazine |
| ROCR | Wall climbing robot |
| Rovio | Remote surveillance robot |
| SENSOPAC Project | SENSOrimotor structuring of Perception and Action for emergent Cognition |
| Shalab | Shuji Hashimoto Laboratory |
| Sony Robot History | Sony robot web site |
| Superbot | Modular robot |
| Talking robot | Takanishi Lab |
| Telepresence Robot Kit | Carnegie Mellon University Robotics |
| Toyota Robots | Toyota partner robot web site |
| Dr. ir. Bram Vanderborght | Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
| WAM Arm | Robotic arm |
| Willow Garage | Open source software for personal robotics applications |
| WowWee robots from CES 2008 | Flickr images |
| Zeno | YouTube video |
| Article | Sources |
|---|---|
| Life like robots | Article by ffa Image 1 credit: Gnsin Image 2 credit: angela n. |
| Robot Pets | Image courtesy of mikewade |
| Rescue Robots | Article by ffa |
| Robocup | Image Courtesy of hello_naomi (Flickr) and the Newcastle Robotics Laboratory |
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