Tag Archive for robotics

Face to Face With Sweden’s Social Robot

Featured Image: Robot by Laurentiu Cosmoiu SOURCE: Public Domain Pictures

From Science Daily

Dec. 3, 2013 — Human interaction with robots is about to get a little more personal. Meet “Furhat,” the face of tomorrow’s interactive technology.

An increasingly important — and sometimes frustrating — part of daily life is dealing with so-called “user interfaces.” Whether it’s a smartphone or an airport check-in system, the user’s ability to get what they want out of the machine relies on their own adaptability to unfamiliar interfaces.

But what if you could simply talk to a machine the way you talk to a human being? And what if the machine could also ask you questions, or even address two different people at once? . . . Read Complete Report

From youtube uploaded with Crosstalks TV

Samer Al Moubayed: “One big role in the communications is the human face”

Published on Nov 28, 2013

Samer Al Moubayed, reasearcher at KTH Royal Insitute of Technology explains how robots need to learn communicate in the same way as humans, and that we are not just communicating with our voices.

Dig A LITTLE DEEPER ~ THEI Archive  “Robots Replacing Humans”

DARPA Robotics Challenge trials to be held December 20-21

Featured Image:  THOR (Tactical Hazardous Operations Robot), a bipedal, electromechanical humanoid.Team THOR is a Track A participant in the DARPA Robotics Challenge. SOURCE: Team THOR.

 From GizMag By  November 25, 2013

DARPA_Logo. jpg SOURCE Wikipedia Public DomainThe development of robots capable of operating in a melange of disarray and hazards will allow relief agencies to reduce the danger to disaster victims and first responders alike. This is the goal of DARPA’s multi-year Robotics Challenge, which in December will pit a variety of robots and software against a series of eight real-world tasks that might be encountered in actual disaster situations. . . Read Complete Report w/photos and videos.

From Darpa: The DARPA Robotics Trials December 20-21, 2013 at Homestead Speedway in Florida will be open to the public. Learn about event details here.

Dig A LITTLE DEEPER ~ THEI Archive “DARPA”

Robot Wars – USA

Featured image: The Armed Robotic Vehicle (ARV) at the FCS National Mall Display 11 June 2008. CREDIT: U.S.Army. SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons (Public Domain)

From youtube uploaded by Journeyman Pictures

Robot Wars – USA

Uploaded on May 9, 2011

Dispute rages over ethics of killer machines

From youtube uploaded by DNews

The Plan To Stop Killer Robots

Published on Apr 27, 2013

30 years ago, The Terminator was science fiction. Today, many fear it’s far too close to becoming reality. Anthony tells us about the effort underway to stop the development of KILLER ROBOTS!

Dig A LITTLE DEEPER ~ THEI Archive “Killer Robots”

‘Terminator’ on hold? Debate to stop killer robots takes global stage

Featured image: The Armed Robotic Vehicle (ARV) at the FCS National Mall Display 11 June 2008. CREDIT: U.S.Army. SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons (Public Domain)

From NBC News Nidhi Subbaraman 4 hours ago (10/21/13)

A proposal to pause the development of “killer robot” technology is seeing a surge of interest from robotics researchers as well as the representatives of key nations at the United Nations this month.

At a UN General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament and International Security side event Monday, mission delegates from Egypt, France, and Switzerland voiced an interest in regulating “killer robots” — completely autonomous weapon systems — in warfare. They are some of the first international voices backing ideas that the Human Rights Watch and Campaign to Stop Killer Robots have been championing for about a year. . . . Read Complete Report

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Dig A LITTLE DEEPER ~ THEI Archive “Killer Robots”

 

Robotics: Robocopters to the Rescue (With Video)

Featured Image: [In The] the early 1480s, . . .  Leonardo da Vinci created a design for a machine that could be described as an “aerial screw”, that any recorded advancement was made towards vertical flight. His notes suggested that he built small flying models, but there were no indications for any provision to stop the rotor from making the craft rotate.[13][14

Source: Wikipedia Commons (Public Domain).

From IEEE Spectrum By Lyle Chamberlain & Sebastian Scherer

Posted 

We’re standing on the edge of the hot Arizona tarmac, radio in hand, holding our breath as the helicopter passes 50 meters overhead. We watch as the precious sensor on its blunt nose scans every detail of the area, the test pilot and engineer looking down with coolly professional curiosity as they wait for the helicopter to decide where to land. They’re just onboard observers. The helicopter itself is in charge here.

Traveling at 40 knots, it banks to the right. We smile: The aircraft has made its decision, probably setting up to do a U-turn and land on a nearby clear area. Suddenly, the pilot’s voice crackles over the radio: “I have it!” That means he’s pushing the button that disables the automatic controls, switching back to manual flight. Our smiles fade. “The aircraft turned right,” the pilot explains, “but the test card said it would turn left.” . . . Read Complete Report

Artificial Muscles Created Which Can Lift Loads 80 Times Its Weight, a First in Robotics

Featured Image: Lifting weights CREDIT: Mohamed Ibrahim SOURCE Clker.com (Public Domain)

From Science Daily

Sep. 3, 2013 — A research team from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Engineering has created efficient artificial, or “robotic” muscles, which could carry a weight 80 times its own and able to extend to five times its original length when carrying the load — a first in robotics. The team’s invention will pave the way for the constructing of life-like robots with superhuman strength and ability. . . . Read Complete Report

From youtube uploaded by rahul thakkar

Artificial muscles lift 80 times their weight

Robotics: Serengeti lions shrug off mini robot tank, micro drone (With Video)

Featured Image: Lioness at Okonjima Lodge, Namibia. CREDIT: Falense SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons. (This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.  Public Domain) 

From CNet  by  

Photography machines prompt yawns from the big cats, but capture stunning images for National Geographic.

How close would you want to get to a lion with your camera for that perfect shot? It turns out that one way to capture the terrifying beasts — and produce spectacular images — is with a mini roving robot.

National Geographic lensman Michael “Nick” Nichols and videographer Nathan Williamson used a remote-controlled camera robot and a MikroKopter mini UAV to photograph a pride of lions in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. . . . Read Complete Report

From youtube uploaded by NationalGeographic

Published on Aug 6, 2013

National Geographic photographer Michael “Nick” Nichols and videographer Nathan Williamson used a remote-controlled helicopter and a small robot tank to capture unique images of Serengeti lions.

Read the article from National Geographic News:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/ne…

Robot Treats Brain Clots With Steerable Needles (With Video)

Featured Image: The human brain. brain SOURCE www.wpclipart.com (Public-Domain).

From Science Daily

Aug. 8, 2013 — Surgery to relieve the damaging pressure caused by hemorrhaging in the brain is a perfect job for a robot.

That is the basic premise of a new image-guided surgical system under development at Vanderbilt University. It employs steerable needles about the size of those used for biopsies to penetrate the brain with minimal damage and suction away the blood clot that has formed. . . . Read Complete Report

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From youtube uploaded by  VanderbiltUniversity

Robot treats brain clots with steerable needles

Published on Aug 7, 2013

A collaboration between Vanderbilt mechanical engineer Robert Webster and neurosurgeon Kyle Weaver has designed a special robotic system that uses tiny, steerable needles to suction out brain clots formed by intracranial hemorrhaging.

Videography by Joe Howell

3D character acts as job interview coach (Video Report)

Featured Image: robot thingy. SOURCE: wpclipart.com (Public-Domain).

From youtube uploaded by newscientistvideo

Published on Jul 23, 2013

Read more: http://www.newscientist.com/article/d…
My Automated Conversation Coach is a 3D avatar who can recognise your gestures and facial expressions and give you useful advice on getting that dream job

 

Robot Revolution? Scientists Teach Robots to Learn

Featured Image:Hollow Robotman. Original art produced by Jim Sutton. SOURCE: RobotClipArt (Public Domain).

Another “Robots into Humans” Archive piece. . . EDITOR

From National Geographic Brian by Handwerk Published July 18, 2013

Would a robot serving you coffee in bed make waking up easier on weekday mornings? Could a household robot help an elderly relative who is living alone? How would you like to climb into a robotic car and eat breakfast with the kids while you’re all driven to school and work?

These scenarios may sound like science fiction, but experts say they’re a lot closer to becoming reality than you probably think.

Brown University roboticist Chad Jenkins expects a near-term robot revolution that will echo the computing revolution of recent decades. And he says it will be driven by enabling robots to learn more like humans do—by watching others demonstrate behaviors and by asking questions. . . . Read Complete Report

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Dig a LITTLE DEEPER ~ THEI Archive: “Robots into Humans”