Archive for September 2014
BEAR that stands for Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot is a military robot under
the development of Vecna
Technologies that will be used for taking out wounded
soldiers from the battlefield with no risk to human life. The humanoid robot uses a
powerful hydraulics system
to carry humans and other heavy objects over long distances and rough terrain
such as stairs. The robot's cameras and microphone allow an operator to
remotely control the BEAR. Daniel Theobald invented the robot in 2005. The BEAR is currently
still being developed and tested for applications on and off of the battlefield.
It is a six feet tall humanoid robot with
advanced technology and features that makes it effective and intelligent.
It is remotely controlled, has several sensors, and contains a hydraulic actuator.
The initial versions of the
BEAR were remotely controlled by a human operator who was able to see and hear
through the robot's sensors. Developments to the BEAR's AI have given the robot the ability to
process commands given by an operator such as "go to this
location" or "pick up that box." If the robot is unable to execute the operator's
command, it is programmed to ask the operator for assistance to complete a task.
The
robot may also be remotely controlled by a soldier through a device known as
the iGlove. The motion-capture glove developed by AnthroTronix allows the
soldier to make a simple hand gesture to command the BEAR. Another remote
control for the BEAR is called the Mounted Force Controller. It's a specialized
rifle grip mounted on an M-4 carbine so
soldiers can continue to command the BEAR without putting down their weapon.
The humanoid robot
from NASA just might be mistaken for a superhero it resembles like the Marvel's
superhero Iron Man.
Valkyrie a 6 foot 2 inch tall (1.9 meters)
robot with a glowing NASA logo on its chest. A team of engineers at NASA's
Johnson Space Center in Houston, Tex. designed and built Valkyrie in just nine
months.
This robot was developed for the DARPA Robotics Challenge and is designed to help humans during disasters. To test its capabilities, the DARPA competition will test Valkyrie through a variety of situations that it might encounter in life and death situations. It needs to drive a vehicle, clean up debris, cut through a wall and perform other tasks to show that it has the right stuff.
"We want to get to Mars," the team
leader for Valkyrie, Nicolaus Radford told IEEE
Spectrum in a video about the robot. "Likely, NASA will send
robots ahead of the astronauts to the planet. These robots will start preparing
the way for the human explorers and when the humans arrive, the robots and the
humans will work together in conjunction building habitats laying foundation
and just work together. Technologies such as
Valkyrie are going to really lead into the type of robotic systems that will
one day be the precursor missions before the astronauts go to Mars."
Actroid is a type of android (humanoid robot) with
strong visual human-likeness
developed by Osaka
University and manufactured by
Kokoro Company Ltd. It was first unveiled at the 2003 International Robot
Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan. The robot's appearance has been modelled after an average young woman of Japanese descent.
It can
do such lifelike functions as blinking,
speaking, and breathing. The
"Repliee" models are interactive robots with the ability to recognize and process speech and
respond in kind.
Technology
Internal sensors allow Actroid to react with a natural appearance
by way of air actuators placed at many points of articulation in the upper
body. So far, movement in the
lower body is limited. The operation of the robot’s sensory system in tandem with its air powered movements makes
it quick enough to react to sudden motions, such as a slap or a poke. Artificial intelligence gives it the ability
to react in a different way
to more gentle kinds of touch, such as a pat on the arm.
The Actroid can also imitate human-like behavior, head and eye movements
and the appearance of breathing in its chest. Additionally, the robot
can be "taught" to imitate human movements by facing a person who is wearing reflective dots at key
points on their body. By tracking the dots with its visual system and
computing limb and joint movements to match what it sees, this motion can then be
"learned" by the robot and repeated.
The skin is composed of silicone and appears real.
The interactive Actroids can also communicate on a basic level
with humans by speaking. Microphones within those Actroids record the speech of a human,
and this sound is then filtered
to remove background noise - including the sounds of the robot's own
operation. Speech recognition software is then used to convert the audio stream into words and sentences,
which can then be processed by the Actroid's A.I. A verbal response is then
given through speakers external to the unit.
A humanoid robot designed and developed by Honda.
Introduced on 21 October 2000, ASIMO was designed to be a multi-functional mobile assistant.
At 130 cm (4 ft 3 in) tall
and 48 kg (106 lb), ASIMO was designed to operate in real-world environments,
with the ability to walk or run on two feet at speeds of up to 6 kilometres per
hour (3.7 mph).
With aspirations of helping
those who lack full mobility, ASIMO is frequently used in demonstrations across
the world to encourage the study of science and mathematics.
In addition to ASIMO's ability to walk like we do, it can also understand
pre-programmed gestures and spoken commands, recognize
voices and faces and interface
with IC Communication cards. ASIMO has arms and hands so it can
do things like turn on light
switches, open doors, carry objects, and push carts. ASIMO could also do
jobs that are too dangerous for humans to do, like going
into hazardous areas, disarming bombs, or fighting fires.
NAO is a 58-cm tall humanoid robot. He is small, cute and round. You can't help but love him! NAO is intended to be a friendly companion around the house. He moves, recognises you,hears you and even talks to you!
Aldebaran created
NAO to be a true daily
companion. He is the little creature who helps you be your best. His humanoid form and extreme interactivity make him really endearing and loveable.
Features:
25 degrees of freedom, for movement
· Two cameras, to see its surroundings
· An inertial measurement unit,
which lets him know whether he is upright or sitting down
· Touch
sensors to detect your touch
· Four directional microphones,
so he can hear you
The first body massaging robot in the world, WheeMe is a palm sized robot which caresses and massages the body with a slow and steady movement. Using the 'Tilt sensor technology', WheeMe will stay on your back without falling or losing grip.', providing a delightful sense of bodily pleasure. Weighing just 240 grams, this device has proven itself a great therapeutic device, and costs only $69.
