Hasta La Gadget!

Robots come in many flavors. There’s the subservient kind, the virtual representative, the odd one with an artistic bent, and even robo-cattle. But, typically, they all hit the same roadblock: they can only do what they are programmed to do. Of course, there are those that posses some AI smarts, too, but Georgia Tech wants to take this to the next level, and build a ‘bot that can interact with its environment on the fly. The project hopes to give machines deployed in disaster situations the ability to find objects in their environment for use as tools, such as placing a chair to reach something high, or building bridges from debris. The idea builds on previous work where robots learned to moved objects out of their way, and developing an algorithm that allows them to identify items, and asses its usefulness as a tool. This would be backed up by some programming, to give the droids a basic understanding of rigid body mechanics, and how to construct motion plans. The Office of Navy Research‘s interest comes from potential future applications, working side-by-side with military personnel out on missions, which along with iRobot 110, forms the early foundations for the cyber army of our childhood imaginations.

Filed under: Robots, Alt

Georgia Tech receives $900,000 grant from Office of Naval Research to develop ‘MacGyver’ robot originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the last times we saw the concept of a self-recharging battery, it was part of a high-minded Nokia patent whose ideas still haven’t seen the light of day. Researchers at Georgia Tech are more inclined to put theory into practice. Starting from a regular lithium-ion coin battery, the team has replaced the usual divider between electrodes with a polyvinylidene difluoride film whose piezoelectric nature produces a charging action inside that gap through just a little pressure, with no outside voltage required to make the magic happen. The developers have even thumbed their noses at skeptics by very literally walking the walk — slipping the test battery under a shoe sole gives it a proper dose of energy with every footstep. At this stage, the challenge mostly involves ramping up the maximum power through upgrades such as more squeezable piezoelectrics. Georgia Tech hasn’t progressed so far as to have production plans in mind; it’s nonetheless close enough that we could see future forms of wearable computing that rarely need an electrical pick-me-up.

Filed under: Wearables, Science

Georgia Tech develops self-charging battery that marches to the owner’s beat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Aug 2012 04:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen a good number of electronic gloves before, and now researchers at Georgia Tech have devised one to rehabilitate patients who suffer from paralyzing spinal cord injuries while teaching them how to tickle the ivories. Christened Mobile Music Touch, the black mitt pairs with a keyboard and cues individual fingers with vibrations to play notes. The handgear also buzzes constantly for several hours to stimulate recovery while users go about their day, similar to another yellowjacket-developed solution. After treatment, some patients could pick up objects and feel textures they hadn’t been able to — especially remarkable since, according to the university, little improvement is typically seen a year after injuries are sustained. Folks who learned to play the piano with the device also experienced better results than those who did without it. Project leader Dr. Tanya Markow believes that the rehab’s success could be caused by renewed brain activity that sometimes lies dormant. For the full skinny, head past the break for the press release and a video of the gauntlet in action.

[Thanks, Timothy]

Continue reading Vibrating glove gives piano lessons, helps rehab patients regain finger sensation and motor skills

Filed under: Science

Vibrating glove gives piano lessons, helps rehab patients regain finger sensation and motor skills originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 08:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shimi certainly has the makings of a viral video hit, but its creators at Georgia Tech want you to know that there’s more to the dancing robot than just a pretty face. The “interactive musical buddy,” designed by the school’s Center for Music Technology, is a one-foot-tall smartphone-enabled “docking station with a brain.” Shimi has a whole slew of functionality, using the phone’s face-detection to track listeners and better position its speakers. Users can also clap out a beat, which the ‘bot will use to pull a matching song from the phone’s playlist, playing the track and, naturally, dancing to the beat. Forthcoming functionality includes the ability for users to shake their heads or wave a hand to affect Shimi’s song choices. Google I/O attendees will get the opportunity for a closer look at Shimi this week in San Francisco. In the meantime, check out a couple of videos of the robot doing its thing after the break.

Continue reading Georgia Tech’s Shimi robot wants to rock with you all night, rock the night away

Georgia Tech’s Shimi robot wants to rock with you all night, rock the night away originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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