Chiba University demonstrates Quadcoptors flying in formation using motion capture

The Nonami Group at Chiba University is developing drone robots for information gathering, and the group has demonstrated four multi-rotor helicopters, flying in formation using image processing.
“The cameras capture the markers, and send all the images to the host computer, which calculates the position and attitude. Positioning can be done to within 1 mm. The control frequency is 100 Hz, so position and attitude are calculated every 10 ms, to prevent collisions.”
Each helicopter …

Ford uses RUTH robot to quantify interior comfort

I’ve never really sat back and thought about how you could realistically and repeatedly determine how comfortable the interior of a vehicle is. Sure you can sit in one car, then sit in another, and come up with an arbitrary decision that one is more comfortable than the other is. However, if you want hard data to prove scientifically just how comfortable things are between two vehicle interiors, how exactly would you pull that off?

Ford has a scientific method of measuring vehicle interior comfort, and the automaker does this with an interesting robot dubbed RUTH. RUTH stands for Robotized Unit for Tactility and Haptics. The robot looks a lot like the ones you see welding on the assembly line in a Ford factory. The robot uses mathematical evidence to prove that the interior in a Ford vehicle is comfortable, and that Ford is capable of reproducing the same level of fit, finish, and comfort on vehicles it produces.

The robot can determine that the feel of the trim and the touch of the buttons inside the car are just right. Ford says that it uses RUTH to ensure that the interiors of designs are comfortable feel correct down to how the buttons feel when pressed. RUTH is a giant robotic arm with six joints that is programmed to poke interior trim, turn the knobs, push buttons, and interact with the vehicle’s interior areas just like a person would. Check out the video to learn more about RUTH and how Ford uses the robot to ensure its vehicle interiors are perfect.


Ford uses RUTH robot to quantify interior comfort is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
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Swumanoid robot is the most advanced ever – for now

A swimming robot? Wait a minute, don’t we already have that in the form of Emily who recently saved a couple of lives? I guess there is more than meets the eye with the Swimming Human Model, where it is known as Swumanoid for short. His designers are real proud of him, and for good reason, too. After all, he is touted to be the “most advanced swimming robot ever made”, where he was created so that engineers are able to better study the fluid mechanics at work surrounding competitive swimmers in the pool. The whole idea of Swumanoid is to improve swimmers’ actions – and as a result, lap times. Measuring half the size of a human, all four limbs will move simultaneously courtesy of a combination of 20 independent motors that will control key joints.

According to Associate Professor Motomu Nakashima, Tokyo Institute of Technology, “I believe that this level of a realistically human-like swimming robot being perfected is a first in the world.” Swumanoid holds a huge advantage over human test subjects, as he can reproduce the same pre-programmed movements repeatedly without fail or having any variance for a more accurate analysis. Does this mean Speedo can slow down on their swimsuit research? No, but one thing’s for sure – expect even more world records to fall in the future as swimming strokes are perfected.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iRobot Packbot defuses bombs , Emily robot lifeguard finally saves lives,

iRobot Packbot defuses bombs

Now here is a robot that while it might not be able to save lives of those who are drowning, it is still capable of making sure that a country’s troops do not suffer from any more unnecessary loss of life. iRobot, the company who has churned out the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaners, also does churn out other kinds of robots that will operate in hostile situations, including the front lines of combat and even in hostage situations. Known as the Packbot, this military-grade robot has seen service in detecting and disarming roadside bombs, performing tests on the structural integrity of the fallen World Trade Center after September 11, 2001, as well as performing reconnaissance in radiation-spoiled areas such as those around Japan’s Fukushima nuclear reactors. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Emily robot lifeguard finally saves lives, FACE robot crosses over uncanny valley many times over,

Emily robot lifeguard finally saves lives

The Emily robot lifeguard was the first kind of robot of its kind, where it was touted to help save lives for those who have less than enough strength when tossed through the tempestous waters. A couple of folks actually managed to experience the wonders of this lifesaving robot near the Devil’s Punch Bowl, with Assistant Chief Training Officer Hank Walling with the Depoe Bay Fire District saying, “I was more than impressed the way everything worked. Everything fell into place.” Basically, the Emily robot lifeguard helped firefighters save a child and his father who were both swept out to sea no thanks to a rip current.

Emily, being an emergency rescue device which is capable of traveling far faster compared to any human rescuer. Firefighters will be the ones controlling Emily though since she has yet to be autonomous, using a remote control to guide it to the victim. Nice to see all that research work finally coming to fruition, and the best part about Emily? You can’t drag her down with you when you struggle for your life.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: iRobot Packbot defuses bombs , FACE robot crosses over uncanny valley many times over,

Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior quality robot, RUTH 2.0

Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior development robot, RUTH 20

That’s RUTH. In the end, she really amounts to a big robot arm with six joints, but Ford clearly has a soft spot for the faceless employee. First utilized in Europe, the Robotized Unit for Tactility and Haptics is currently at work helping to tweak the interiors of the company’s 2013 Fusions, turning data collected from customers across the world into the hard to define concept of “quality,” touching the trim, pushing buttons and turning knobs in the interior of the vehicle, in order to help provide what Ford says is, “the same type of quality they might feel if they were to buy a high-end luxury car.” The version of the arm dubbed Ruth 2.0 is currently being used by Ford alone in North America, and the company has extended her quality checking to include seat comfort in the vehicles. Check out a video of the long arm of the car company after the break.

Continue reading Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior quality robot, RUTH 2.0

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Ford wants you to meet its touchy, feely interior quality robot, RUTH 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Jul 2012 09:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FACE robot crosses over uncanny valley many times over

The FACE robot is highly creepy, sending us over to the uncanny valley many times over by coming in the form of a highly realistic robot – at least in terms of facial expressions. For those who are not familiar with the term “uncanny valley”, it is the “place” where you are when drawn into a creepy sensation in your gut as you come across a robot which looks really realistic, although it has yet to be realistic enough to make a pass for an actual human.

Karl MacDorman, associate professor of human-computer interaction at Indiana University told CNN, “When there are elements that are both human or nonhuman, this mismatch can produce an eerie sensation in the brain. It’s when different parts of the brain are coming to different conclusions at the same time.”

The FACE robot is able to register anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise, with 32 different motors required to control all the “muscles” in her head as well as upper torso.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: SAM robot could fix falling glass issues in Toronto, Table tennis robots might be a worthy opponent some day,

NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch

NCSU creates stretchable conudctors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inchAs often as we’ve seen flexible electronics, there haven’t been many examples that could stretch — a definite problem for wearables as well as any gadget that could afford to take a pull or squeeze. North Carolina State University’s Yong Zhu and Feng Xu may have covered this gap through a form of silver nanowire conductor that keeps the energy flowing, even if the wire is stretched as much as 50 percent beyond its original length. By coating the nanowires with a polymer that traps the silver when solid, the researchers create an elastic material that can crumple and let the nanowire take the strain without interruption. Although the stretchy conductor’s nature as a research project could put any practical use years into the future, Zhu notes that it can take loads of abuse, making it a perfect fit for rugged mobile devices. It should also allow for robots with a gentler touch and a more natural look… although we’ll admit we’re skittish about the creepy androids likely to follow.

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NCSU creates stretchable conductors from silver nanowires, lets gadgets go the extra inch originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jul 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAM robot could fix falling glass issues in Toronto

According to entrepreneur Filip Sobotka, there is a solution to Toronto’s falling glass problems, potentially coming in the form factor of a robot that is known as SAM. This particular device was developed by Filip’s family, which might eventually see the speeding up of building inspections while delivering additional information to determine a building’s health simultaneously. This could not have come at a more timely moment considering how Toronto has been a hotspot for a rising number of accidents that involved glass from highrise buildings crashing down onto the streets below.

Sobotka mentioned to CBC News, “The amount of highrises that are going up in this city and the issues that keep coming up … it keeps going so we think this is very important, before someone gets injured. When a person’s up there they can make errors, they can miss something, they only have one shot unless they go up again to view it.”

The SAM robot is said to be able to scan the whole building’s exterior in a far lesser time and for a fraction of the cost compared to human engineers relying on a swing stage or bosun’s chair to go through a handful of selected spots. I like it – not only is it more efficient, but it helps save lives as well.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Table tennis robots might be a worthy opponent some day, Simple robot smart enough to sniff out underwater mines,

Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle

Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle

Can’t unwind without the aid of open spaces? Skippy the robot might be able to help you out. The aptly named bot lets you remotely skip stones across an Idaho pond using a simple web interface. After waiting for your turn in a virtual queue, the machine lets you adjust its aim, tweak the amount of force behind the pitch and dispatch a rock. Best of all, your stone jumping exploits are automatically recorded, letting you show off your skipping prowess. Devised as a way to raise awareness for Idaho’s Sun Valley resort area during the summer months, the mechanical projectile chucker seems to be arduino-powered, and operates only during daytime hours. Check out the source to start pelting pebbles, or venture past the break for two short videos of the contraption in action.

Continue reading Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle

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Browser-controlled robot lets you skip stones remotely, mentally escape the concrete jungle originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 00:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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