# Latest in Robotics news thread



## ScienceRocks

Nano-bots to farm bots...To Robo-cop! 

Robot kills weeds on farms with 98% accuracy

1st October 2012

Another step towards autonomous and eco-friendly farming could soon be achieved.
visionrobotics.com - Orange Harvesting



> Blue River Technology  a startup founded in 2011 by two Stanford University Alumni  has announced $3.1 million in funding from angel investors led by Khosla Ventures.
> 
> The company is developing an alternative to chemical-intensive agriculture, which is both expensive and hazardous to the environment. With advanced computer vision techniques for identifying weeds and selectively killing unwanted plants, Blue River Technology's equipment is much faster and more efficient than traditional methods of weed killing. Known as "Lettuce-bot", this machine is particularly well-suited to organic agriculture and fields with chemical-resistant weeds.
> 
> During tests, this automated system gathered over a million images as it moved through the fields. Its Computer Vision System was able to detect and segment individual plants  even those that were touching each other  with 98% accuracy.
> 
> 
> "We intend to invest the proceeds of this round in growing our engineering team and accelerating our new product roadmap," said Jorge Heraud, co-founder and CEO of Blue River Technology. "Our culture fosters extreme innovation aimed at real-world problems. We are looking for passionate engineers to advance the boundaries of computer vision, machine learning and robotics and help us reinvent food production. "
> 
> "With global population expected to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, increasing food production in a sustainable way is going to be one of the great challenges of this century," said Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. "Blue River Technology's solution will not only be more cost effective than current solutions, but has the potential to reduce U.S. herbicide use by over 250 million pounds a year."
> 
> Currently, the machine only works on Iceberg and Romaine lettuce, as the database of images was generated for those plants only. However, it is hoped that more varieties will be possible soon. A number of other companies are developing robots for agriculture and these machines are expected to become fairly commonplace by 2016.
> 
> Further into the future, robots working in fields could do more than just eliminate weeds. They could also monitor insects, identify pests, measure the soil pH and nitrogen levels, and check the water content, keeping fields in near-perfect condition.


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## ScienceRocks

Fast Food Robotics &#8211; An Update

October 1, 2012econfutureLeave a commentGo to comments




> Back in June, I wrote a post suggesting that fast food automation could potentially have a dramatic impact on low-wage jobs:
> Fast Food Robotics &#8211; An Update « econfuture | Future Economics and Technology
> 
> Millions of people hold low-wage, often part-time jobs in the fast food industry. Historically, low wages, few benefits and a high turnover rate have helped to make fast food openings relatively abundant. These jobs, together with other low-skill positions in retail, provide a kind of safety net for workers with few other options.
> 
> In the current economic environment, these jobs are, of course, much harder to get. McDonald&#8217;s recent high-profile initiative to hire 50,000 new workers resulted in over a million applications &#8212; numbers that give McDonald&#8217;s a lower acceptance rate than Harvard.
> 
> What about the future? Most forecasts assume that the fast food industry will continue to be a significant job creator. The Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks food preparation as one of the top four fastest-growing occupations, and that trend is expected to continue at least through 2018. Is it possible that these projections miss the impact of technology? Could these jobs begin to disappear?
> 
> &#8230;
> 
> Increased automation in fast food and beverage providers is likely to someday offer increased convenience, speed, and ordering accuracy. Robotic food preparation could also be viewed as more hygienic as fewer workers come into contact with food. And of course, price will ultimately be the determining factor &#8230; If jobs in the fast food industry start to disappear, or even if the rate of job growth slows significantly, the implications for the workers that depend on these jobs of last resort will be dire. There may be few other alternatives for workers at that skill level, especially since other low-wage retail jobs may be similarly threatened.
> 
> (The full post is here)
> 
> Momentum Machines is a new San Francisco-based start-up that is planning to automate the burger production process. The company&#8217;s website claims its robot will save the average restaurant $135K/year in wages and overhead and that the machine will pay for itself in one year.
> 
> One news story notes that the company
> 
> * &#8230; has developed a robot designed to take the place of humans in burger restaurants. Its creators believe their patty-flipping Alpha robot could save the fast-food industry in the United States about US$9 billion (Dh33.05bn) a year. Designed to entirely replace two to three full-time kitchen staff, it can grill a beef patty, layer it with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions, put it in a bun, and wrap it up to go &#8211; no less than 360 times an hour. Momentum believes kitchen robots are not only more cost-effective than human staff, they are also more hygienic.*
> 
> Momentum Machines is a tiny company that has just emerged from start-up incubator Lemos Labs.  However, I think it is very likely that we&#8217;ll see soon see a lot more interest in this area from both start-ups and larger companies. If one of the major fast food chains gains a competitive advantage with technology like this, the entire industry will have to follow suit &#8212; and it could happen quite rapidly.
> 
> Update
> 
> Here&#8217;s another good article at Xconomy   (thanks to commentor &#8220;wjtgpf&#8221. Includes a great quote from a company co-founder:
> 
> &#8220;Our device isn&#8217;t meant to make employees more efficient,&#8221; said co-founder Alexandros Vardakostas. &#8220;It&#8217;s meant to completely obviate them.&#8221;
> 
> Alexandros might want to take some lessons in how to spin things from Jeff Burnstein of the Robotic Industries Association&#8230;


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## flacaltenn

That's what I've been trying to tell folks.. Low skilled sweat labor is pretty much dead. Those robot hamburglars are gonna have a ball flirting with the customers during the break. 

But they'll always be jobs TEACHING robots to assemble customized or new menu items.

We have a MONSTROUS societal shift about to take place... As large and disruptive as the industrial revolution.. And all we want to talk about is how evil rich folks are responsible for taking all the jobs away.. We're being badly misled..


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## ScienceRocks

Smartphones to steer unmanned rotorcraft on the battlefield
October 3, 2012 



> The Office of Naval Research (ONR) awarded contracts to Lockheed Martin and Aurora Flight Sciences on Sept. 28 to develop robotic rotorcraft capable of supporting rapid autonomous aerial cargo delivery to the battlefield.
> 
> The system would support Navy and Marine Corps units under hostile conditions and could be operated by any warfighter on the ground with a smartphone-like device.
> 
> "AACUS responds to warfighter needs derived from our experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Mike Deitchman, who heads ONR's Naval Air Warfare and Weapons Department. "We are trying to develop an autonomous system to deliver supplies to the battlefront more quicklyand to get our vehicle convoys off dangerous roads, where they're much more vulnerable to attack."


Smartphones to steer unmanned rotorcraft on the battlefield


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## ScienceRocks

Robot firefighters help mitigate hazardous conditions

 October 7, 2012 by Nancy Owano Enlarge (Phys.org)&#8212;



> Events worldwide remind us of the fact that modern-day fire-fighting has taken on added complexities such as explosions, chemical leaks, and nuclear accidents. In fact it was after Fukushima that two brothers in Waterboro, Maine, resolved to start making their fire-battling robots. The two had been working with the military and they realized how applicable their machines might be to help out in natural disasters. "We could have helped out in Fukushima," they said, and they resolved to come up with robots that can reduce the exposure of human firefighters to out-of-control fires.
> 
> Their company, Howe and Howe Technologies, offers a set of robots, in modular fashion, that are designed to clear paths, pull debris and bodies out of the way, and spray water, and the robots can be transported on an all-terrain customized truck. The Howe and Howe portfolio of robots includes the "Guardian" that uses its robotic arm to move debris out of the way of the disaster scene, the "Terra Maxa," to clear the way with a plough, and the "Thermite" which uses a multidirectional nozzle that can spray 600 gallons of water every minute.



 Read more at: Robot firefighters help mitigate hazardous conditions


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## ScienceRocks

Unstaffed drone refuelling test 'successful' Two unmanned drones were able to fly closely at 48,000ft for 2.5 hours 
BBC News - Unstaffed drone refuelling test 'successful'



> Two unmanned drones were able to fly close enough together for an automated refuel to take place, in tests carried out by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa).
> 
> The two planes flew closely at an altitude of 48,000ft (14,630m) for "the majority" of a 2.5 hour flight, the US agency said.
> 
> The fuel probe could only be 100ft (30m) at most from the fuel receiver.
> 
> During earlier tests this had only been possible with a pilot on board.
> 
> "The goal of this demonstration was to create the expectation that future Hale [High Altitude Long Endurance] aircraft will be refuelled in flight," said Jim McCormick, from Darpa.
> 
> "Such designs should be more affordable to own and operate across a range of mission profiles than systems built to satisfy the most stressing case without refuelling."
> 
> The drones used in the experimental flights were modified RQ-4 Global Hawk planes, which are generally used for surveillance.
> 
> The result is the culmination of a two-year research project called the Autonomous High Altitude Refuelling (AHR) programme.
> 
> The team said the conclusion of the project was better than expected.
> 
> "Since Hale aircraft are designed for endurance at the expense of control authority, the programme started with the expectation that only one of six attempts would achieve positive contact (17%). The final analysis, however, indicated that 60% of the attempts would achieve contact," said a statement on the Darpa website.
> 
> "The lessons from AHR certainly extend beyond the Hale flight regime, and insights into non-traditional tanker concepts may offer further operational advantages," said Mr McCormick.


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## ScienceRocks

Pew pew: Boeing's laser truck powers up

Pew pew: Boeing's laser truck powers up | DVICE



> Lasers are the future. Of everything. From food to medicine to rainbows, lasers can do it all. As every science fiction movie ever will attest to, the absolute coolest thing that lasers can do, of course, is blow stuff up, and this is why Boeing is making a truck into a mobile laser weapon system.
> 
> This eight-wheel, 500-horsepower Oshkosh HEMTT (Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck) has already been modified by Boeing with a beam control system &#8212; which is that laser turret thing on top &#8212; along with tracking and targeting hardware and software. The only missing piece is the laser itself, and Boeing has just reached an agreement with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command to shove a ten-kilowatt solid-state laser system into it, making the HEL MD (that would be, High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator) fully armed and operational.
> 
> Over the next year, Boeing will practice using the HEL MD to pop a bunch of different "threat-representative" targets, which will likely include things like rocket, artillery and mortar projectiles, and not things like tanks, planes and humans. Ten kilowatts is about ten times less power than what's generally accepted as the power a weapons-grade laser really needs, but this is just a demonstrator. When high-power lasers eventually become available, Boeing will be able to shove them into the back of the HEL MD and start fulfilling all of our Command and Conquer fantasies.


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## ScienceRocks

*NASA&#8217;s Inventing In Style with Awesome Robot Pants*
NASA's Inventing In Style with Awesome Robot Pants

Eric Limer


> You already have NASA to thank in part for everyday, Earthly wonders like memory foam and water filters, but a new one is coming to the list: powered exoskeletons.
> 
> The Xi Robotic Exoskeletion is a device&#8212;and in some ways almost a vehicle&#8212;currently in development by NASA and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Weighing in at 57 pounds, the motorized pants aim to someday offer extra resistance to astronauts in space, who can suffer from muscle atrophy from extended bouts of weightlessness, as well as parapalegics here at home.
> 
> The suit has four motorized joints located at the hips and knees, as well as six passive joints up and down the leg which allow for extra freedom of motion so you aren't just locked into walking forward like, well, a robot. A lot of the groundwork for this tech comes from the Robonaut 2, who's already serving on the ISS.
> 
> The X1 is still in development, with plans to add even more joints for bonus mobility. Even so, the current models are looking pretty promising. Here's to hoping development continues to go well because really, who wouldn't want to try on a pair of these? [NASA via Technabob]


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## flacaltenn

Matthew said:


> *NASAs Inventing In Style with Awesome Robot Pants*
> NASA's Inventing In Style with Awesome Robot Pants
> 
> Eric Limer
> 
> 
> 
> You already have NASA to thank in part for everyday, Earthly wonders like memory foam and water filters, but a new one is coming to the list: powered exoskeletons.
> 
> The Xi Robotic Exoskeletion is a deviceand in some ways almost a vehiclecurrently in development by NASA and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Weighing in at 57 pounds, the motorized pants aim to someday offer extra resistance to astronauts in space, who can suffer from muscle atrophy from extended bouts of weightlessness, as well as parapalegics here at home.
> 
> The suit has four motorized joints located at the hips and knees, as well as six passive joints up and down the leg which allow for extra freedom of motion so you aren't just locked into walking forward like, well, a robot. A lot of the groundwork for this tech comes from the Robonaut 2, who's already serving on the ISS.
> 
> The X1 is still in development, with plans to add even more joints for bonus mobility. Even so, the current models are looking pretty promising. Here's to hoping development continues to go well because really, who wouldn't want to try on a pair of these? [NASA via Technabob]
Click to expand...


There's a bigger market here.. It's perfect for the obesity epidemic.. Needs to come in XXXL size and be hyped by a Kardashian.. (Kirsty Ally will do if she doesn't break a hip dancing)...


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## ScienceRocks

Stair-climbing wheelchair turns wheels into legs



> While wheelchair design is advancing, allowing chairs to do things like move sideways and diagonally and follow the person next to them, stairs and curbs remain a formidable hurdle for all but a few models. It's an obstacle, however, that Japanese researchers are looking to overcome.
> 
> A team at Chiba Institute of Technology has rolled out a new robotic wheelchair that can climb over steps, ditches, and other roadblocks. The four-wheel-drive, five-axis vehicle maneuvers like a typical wheelchair -- except when it encounters an obstacle. Then it uses its wheels like legs.
> 
> 
> "The robot has five sensors on its feet, to see if there's anything nearby," team leader Shuro Nakajima, a Chiba associate professor, says in the DigInfo TV video below. "It can also see how far it is from a step."
> 
> The robot's various sensors can also assess a stair's size, a step up from current stair-climbing wheelchairs that require level steps to operate.
> 
> The wheelchair user commands the direction of the device using a joystick, but the robot does the rest of the work. It can keep its seat level when it senses uneven terrain such as a bumpy lawn, and can also line up its wheels and extend stabilizers to the left and right, enabling it to turn in a circle. This maneuver makes it easy for users to reverse direction, even in narrow spaces.
> 
> Robots that can climb stairs aren't brand new. Earlier this year, we were somewhat terrified to discover that stairs and ramps could no longer save us from determined humanoid robots.



Stair-climbing wheelchair turns wheels into legs | Cutting Edge - CNET News


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## ScienceRocks

*Watch a Robotic Navy Boat Shoot Missiles for the First Time Ever*
By Spencer AckermanEmail Author
October 26, 2012 | 
4:21 pm | 
Watch a Robotic Navy Boat Shoot Missiles for the First Time Ever | Danger Room | Wired.com



> Killer robots have officially gone out to sea. For the first time, the Navy has fired missiles from a remote-controlled boat, as shown in the video above.
> 
> The firing came as part of a test off the Maryland coast on Wednesday. Six of Rafael&#8217;s anti-armor Spike missiles got fired off a moving inflatable hulled watercraft, aiming for a floating target about two miles away. The missile firings and the boat&#8217;s controls were all handled remotely by Navy personnel on shore at the Navy&#8217;s Patuxent River base.
> 
> It&#8217;s the &#8220;first significant step forward in weaponizing surface unmanned combat capability,&#8221; Mark Moses, the Navy&#8217;s program manager for the armed drone boat project, tells Danger Room. Sure, the U.S. military has no shortage of armed robotic planes and &#8212; soon &#8212; helicopters. But it doesn&#8217;t have weaponized drones that patrol the seas, either above it or below it. The Navy&#8217;s early experiments with robotic submarines are for spying and mine clearance, not for attack. Until this week&#8217;s tests at Pax River, the Navy didn&#8217;t have a robotic surface vessel capable of firing a weapon &#8212; the fulfillment of a goal the Navy set for itself in 2007.


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## ScienceRocks

New mind-controlled bionic limb to debut with a 103-story stair-climb
By Graham Templeton on November 4, 2012 at 9:00 am
Comment


New mind-controlled bionic limb to debut with a 103-story stair-climb | ExtremeTech


> Zac Vawter thinks big. A software engineer and former competitive long-distance runner, Vawter&#8217;s blog is a list of his not-so-modest aspirations, things like winning a marathon or writing a new large-scale search engine. After the motorcycle accident that took his right leg, Vawter kept running and quickly volunteered as a test subject for experimental new therapies. Now the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is using that tenacity to help debut its new, thought-controlled prosthetic leg in a grueling 103-floor stair-climb of Chicago&#8217;s Willis Tower. And Vawter is determined to do it in under an hour.
> 
> Unlike many other thought-controlled prosthetics, Vawter&#8217;s experimental leg requires no electrodes be implanted in or on the brain, and instead takes its cues entirely from the nerves and muscles in Vawter&#8217;s upper leg. Researchers used a procedure called &#8220;targeted muscle reinnervation&#8221; to re-wire nerves previously bound for below the knee to the remaining hamstring muscle. Years of careful study then allowed them to read and interpret the signals meant for Vawter&#8217;s lost lower leg.
> 
> Lead researcher Levi Hargrove told the Chicago Tribune that Vawter &#8220;thinks about doing those movements and the signals travel down the nerves and are redirected onto hamstring muscle. The body doesn&#8217;t know that the ankle is not contracting.&#8221; Vawter himself calls previous leg replacements his &#8220;dumb&#8221; legs, since they are incapable of responding to his unconscious impulses. The 31-year-old will have to return the leg after the climb, however, and get by on the simple limbs until the technology is approved for commercial sale.


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## ScienceRocks

BeBionic 3: Watch a highly advanced bionic hand in action



> If you haven't kept up with advancements in prosthetics, now's a good time to observe how a new generation of devices can undertake even the most precise tasks.
> Several months ago, my colleague Tim Hornyak wrote about the BeBionic 3 myoelectric prosthetic hand, a landmark prosthesis that enables a spectacular range of Terminator-like precise gripping and hand maneuverability.
> 
> A video making the rounds this week stars 53-year-old Nigel Ackland -- a wearer of the device -- who shows us that we've come extraordinarily far in prosthetic research, perhaps shockingly so if you don't keep up with the subject.
> 
> Ackland lost part of his arm in an industrial blender accident six years ago, went through an elective trans-radial amputation, and then used several aesthetic and electric arms that were disappointingly dysfunctional or cosmetically inferior.



BeBionic 3: Watch a highly advanced bionic hand in action | Cutting Edge - CNET News


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## ScienceRocks

One Step Closer To Efficient Robotic Limbs


One Step Closer To Efficient Robotic Limbs : Discovery News


> A device that would allow paralyzed people to use their thoughts to move robotic limbs fluidly and realistically is now one step closer to reality.
> 
> A team of scientists from Harvard, MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital led by Ziv Williams have found two groups of cells in one area of the monkey brain that allow the animals to remember a sequence of two movements at once. The team was then able to program a computer to interpret those brain patterns, in turn moving a cursor on a screen in the planned sequence.
> 
> The development is an improvement over current brain-machine interfaces, which focus on translating a single thought into a single movement in an external device.
> 
> Most real-world actions are multi-faceted. When planning to take a sip from a cup or play a song on a piano, for example, people imagine the fluid behavior, not each individual movement required to get it done.
> 
> To bring technology closer to the goal of fluid and efficient movements, the researchers trained two male rhesus monkeys to move a cursor on a computer screen to two targets that had previously flashed in front of them, one after the other. During each round, the researchers recorded activity in 281 neurons in two areas of the prefontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning complex actions.


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## ScienceRocks

*Carrier-bound X-47B drone passes remote-control test*

On dry land, Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy show that they can use a handheld controller to maneuver the drone as if around the tight quarters of an aircraft carrier.





> The X-47B during remote-control tests in November 2012.
> 
> How do you drive a jet-powered drone around the deck of an aircraft carrier? If you've ever guided a remote-control toy car around your kitchen floor, you'll have an idea.
> 
> Northrop Grumman said today that it has done its first shore-based tests of a wireless handheld controller that can steer its X-47B unmanned aerial vehicle, a key step toward getting the UAV ready for flight tests on an aircraft carrier in 2013.
> 
> In the trial run, which took place earlier this month, Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy used the project's Control Display Unit to roll the X-47B forward and to stop it, to execute tight turns, to maneuver it into a catapult and out of a landing area, and to control engine thrust. The overriding goal is to be able to scoot the drone -- also known as the Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator -- safely around the crowded confines of the carrier's flight deck, without disrupting its normal, busy rhythms.



Carrier-bound X-47B drone passes remote-control test | Cutting Edge - CNET News



This may have something to do with robotics one day. 


*Wax-filled nanotech yarn behaves like powerful, super-strong muscle (w/ video)*
November 15, 2012 



> New artificial muscles made from nanotech yarns and infused with paraffin wax can lift more than 100,000 times their own weight and generate 85 times more mechanical power during contraction than the same size natural muscle, according to scientists at The University of Texas at Dallas and their international team from Australia, China, South Korea, Canada and Brazil.





> The artificial muscles are yarns constructed from carbon nanotubes, which are seamless, hollow cylinders made from the same type of graphite layers found in the core of ordinary pencils. Individual nanotubes can be 10,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, yet, pound-for-pound, can be 100 times stronger than steel.
> 
> "The artificial muscles that we've developed can provide large, ultrafast contractions to lift weights that are 200 times heavier than possible for a natural muscle of the same size," said Dr. Ray Baughman [pronounced BAK-man], team leader, Robert A. Welch Professor of Chemistry and director of the Alan G. MacDiarmid NanoTech Institute at UT Dallas. "While we are excited about near-term applications possibilities, these artificial muscles are presently unsuitable for directly replacing muscles in the human body."



http://phys.org/news/2012-11-wax-filled-nanotech-yarn-powerful-super-strong.html


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## ScienceRocks

*
U.S. Navy to ditch its dolphin and sea lions in favor of robots*

U.S. Navy to ditch its dolphin and sea lions in favor of robots | DVICE



> The U.S. Navy's Marine Mammal Program started back in the '60s, and the dolphins and sea lions in it help defend harbors, retrieve sunken equipment and, most dangerously, identify mines for deactivation. By 2017, the Navy wants robots to do all that, instead.
> 
> The dolphins and sea lions the Navy uses really pull their weight: they're highly trained, and a team of veterinarians and handlers keep the animals primed and ready to be deployed anywhere in the world. The flip-side to that is that they're also expensive to train and maintain and, unlike a robot, when you lose one, you have to start all over again with a fresh animal. A robot arrives trained right out of the box, and you don't have to worry about its health in said box if you ship it abroad.
> 
> 
> 
> That's the Knifefish by Bluefin Robotics, which can operate continuously underwater for up to 16 hours &#8212; a dolphin's stay under the sea is measured in minutes before one needs to breathe. Like a dolphin, however, the Knifefish will use sonar to hunt for mines. The Knifefish could be joined by other 'bots, too &#8212; the Navy is purchasing a German-made underwater robotic vehicle to perform similar tasks &#8212; and while the dolphins and sea lions are out, divers will work alongside the robots on missions.
> 
> Don't bust out the tissues yet, though. According to the BBC, the Navy indicated that "there may still be some specialized missions where sea mammals are needed past 2017." Like what, you ask? Well, maybe this. (But probably not.)


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## ScienceRocks

Blurring the boundary between biology and machines, engineers create light-activated skeletal muscle for robots



> Scientists at MIT and the University of Pennsylvania have genetically engineered muscle cells to flex in response to light, and are using the light-sensitive tissue to build highly articulated robots.
> 
> This &#8220;bio-integrated&#8221; approach, as they call it, may one day enable robotic animals that move with the strength and flexibility of their living counterparts.
> 
> The group&#8217;s design effectively blurs the boundary between nature and machines, says Harry Asada, the Ford Professor of Engineering in MIT&#8217;s Department of Mechanical Engineering.
> 
> &#8220;With bio-inspired designs, biology is a metaphor, and robotics is the tool to make it happen,&#8221; says Asada, who is a co-author on the paper. &#8220;With bio-integrated designs, biology provides the materials, not just the metaphor. This is a new direction we&#8217;re pushing in biorobotics.&#8221;


 

http://www.kurzweila...scle-for-robots


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## ScienceRocks

Rat heart cells help create walking 'bio-bots' Each twitch of the rat cells helps the tiny bio-bot move 



> Tiny biological robots that walk to the beat of a thin sheet of rat heart cells have been created by US scientists.
> 
> The "bio-bots" were fabricated using a 3D printer and then seeded with the cardiac cells.
> 
> The regular twitching motion of the heart cells makes the tiny structure flex and slowly inch along.
> 
> The project could lead to bio-bots with different shapes, seeded with all sorts of cells, that find a role in medicine or as sensors, said the researchers.



BBC News - Rat heart cells help create walking 'bio-bots'


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## flacaltenn

Matthew said:


> Rat heart cells help create walking 'bio-bots' Each twitch of the rat cells helps the tiny bio-bot move
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tiny biological robots that walk to the beat of a thin sheet of rat heart cells have been created by US scientists.
> 
> The "bio-bots" were fabricated using a 3D printer and then seeded with the cardiac cells.
> 
> The regular twitching motion of the heart cells makes the tiny structure flex and slowly inch along.
> 
> The project could lead to bio-bots with different shapes, seeded with all sorts of cells, that find a role in medicine or as sensors, said the researchers.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> BBC News - Rat heart cells help create walking 'bio-bots'
Click to expand...


Sounds too much like those alien parasites that go in your ear and come out your eye sockets. That's gonna be a big seller at PetsMart..


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## ScienceRocks

It sure does. 


*Brain surgery robot uses MRI to remove hard to reach tumors*



http://dvice.com/archives/2012/11/brain-surgery-r-1.php


> Brain surgery continues to make great strides in terms of safety and efficacy, but the delicacy involved requires a skill and precision that makes the practice a risky procedure. In the hopes of reducing some of that risk, a research group has developed a brain surgery robot.
> 
> Created by a team at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, the Minimally Invasive Neurosurgical Intracranial Robot is designed to assist neurosurgeons in the removal of hard to reach brain tumors. Because tumors can move during surgery, keeping the tumor in sight can be difficult while performing intracranial removals. The brain surgery robot works in tandem with an MRI scanner to always keep the tumor in sight, allowing the removal to proceed unhindered by brain shift complications.
> 
> Bringing the robot out of the prototype phase and one step closer to operating rooms, this week the National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded the group $2 million to continue developing the robot into a full-fledged medical tool. In a statement announcing the grant, team member Jaydev P. Desai said, "This technology has the potential to revolutionize the treatment and management of patients with difficult to reach intracranial tumors and to have a direct impact on improving their quality of life."
> 
> You can see an early version of the robot in action, sped up 2x, in the video below.


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## ScienceRocks

HEARBO robot can tell beeps, notes, and spoken word (w/ Video)
November 21, 2012 by Nancy Owano  



> (Phys.org)&#8212;Research seeking to improve the features and functions of robots has made impressive gains with prototypes of robots that can help out in settings that range from assistive living, to hospital care, to inventory-taking retail stores. One area of robot technology receiving special attention at Honda is "robot audition." How effectively can scientists fashion robots that can hear? And, by hearing, how can hearing be ramped up to include speech recognition, even with noise interference? HEARBO, which stands for (HEAR-ing roBOt) is a robot that has been developed at Japan's Honda Research Institute&#8211;(HRI-JP), and its creators want HEARBO to stand out as an above-average example of how robots can understand sound. Their line of research is called Computational Auditory Scene Analysis.





> In brief, HEARBO can pick up, distinguish, and analyze multiple simultaneous sound sources without difficulty. HEARBO's edge is in the word "analyze," as it can sift and sort different sounds going on at the same time, such as children playing on one side of the room, with a doorbell ringing on the other.
> 
> The Honda researchers say that the robot has a three-step process of: localization, separation, and recognition. Sound Source Localization (SSL) in robot audition conveys the location and number of sound sources, used for sound source separation. "Since robots should work in real-time and localize sound sources in a noisy environment, SSL for robots mainly requires noise-robustness, high-resolution, and real-time processing," according to Honda researchers.



HEARBO robot can tell beeps, notes, and spoken word (w/ Video)


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## ScienceRocks

This robot can catch and toss as good as a human
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=83eGcht7IiI]Playing Catch and Juggling with a Humanoid Robot - YouTube[/ame]


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## ScienceRocks

Some interesting stuff here. 
Judgment Day update: Disney&#8217;s grenade-catching robot, and the burger-flipping robot that could replace 2 million US workers | ExtremeTech



> On the robotics front, this week saw the unveiling of two very different but equally chilling robots. First up is Disney&#8217;s throw-and-catch-and-juggle robot (video above), complete with eerie, human-like gestures when it accidentally drops the ball. Ostensibly this robot would be used to entertain guests at theme parks such as Disneyland, but how long until we have robot baseball players &#8212; or robotic soldiers capable of throwing grenades?
> 
> 
> Disney doesn&#8217;t give us any meaty details about how the system works, other than there&#8217;s a camera that tracks the ball, and an algorithm that works out exactly where the ball is going to land (and thus where to position its robotic arm). High-speed robot dexterity combined with computer vision isn&#8217;t exactly new, though &#8212; and it&#8217;s actually one of the areas that robots particularly excel at. The video below is from 2009, and to this day it&#8217;s still one of my favorite displays of robot dexterity.
> 
> If Disney&#8217;s robot didn&#8217;t scare you, check this out: The first hamburger made entirely by robot.
> 
> *The robot, created by Momentum Machines, will soon be the head chef at a chain of fast food restaurants, saving the company millions of dollars in staffing costs. If all goes to plan, Momentum Machines says that its automated burger robot &#8212; which does everything from flipping burgers, to slicing tomatoes, to toasting the bun &#8212; could save the fast food industry $9 billion in wages.*
> 
> Sadly, Momentum Machines hasn&#8217;t yet published a video of its automated burger flipper in action &#8212; just a bunch of photos like the one above, and the diagram you see below.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After automating almost every other production line, fast food seems like the next obvious choice for robotic assimilation. With approximately two million workers employed by the fast food industry in the US alone, Momentum Machines could be on to a winner &#8212; if its offices aren&#8217;t burnt down by an angry mob first, of course.



I think they're freaking out way too much. I'd just warn that if you create a killing machine with the ability to think for its self. Well, that may not be wise. Outside of that what's the fucking problem?


----------



## ScienceRocks

Automation Reaches French Vineyards With A Vine-Pruning Robot




> Now that Wall-Ye V.I.N. has been built we can rest assured that there are no jobs too sacred to be handed over to the automated expertise of robots. Wall-Ye is a robot that takes the human touch out of caring for those grape vines that make French wines among the best in the world.
> 
> Created by Christophe Millot, an inventor based in the Burgundy region of France, Wall-Ye will soon be taking on the most labor-intensive of chores performed in wine vinyards: pruning and de-suckering, or clipping off fruitless shoots. I asked Millot about Wall-Ye and how he might expect French winemakers to feel about putting the fate of their precious grapes in the hands of a robot.
> 
> Decked out in white with red trim, Wall-Ye stands about 50 cm (20 in) tall, 60 cm (2 ft) wide and weighs about 20 kg (44 lbs). As it travels up and down the rows of vines six cameras are used to navigate in between, image and cut the plants. Cameras located on the top and bottom ensure that it maintains a straight path in between the vine lanes. Other cameras store the shape and, with GPS, location of every vine. A 3D model AI tells it when to cut the shoots, which it performs with a pair of camera-guided arms with clippers. Unlike its human counterparts Wall-Ye never takes a break and can work day and night to prune up to 600 vines per day. That kind of productivity is why some winemakers are eager to get Wall-Ye working despite its 25,000 euro ($32,000) price tag.
> 
> Wall-Ye wine robot takes bow in Burgundy - YouTube



Automation Reaches French Vineyards With A Vine-Pruning Robot | Singularity Hub


----------



## ScienceRocks

Team develops robot systems to remove aircraft coatings

27 November 2012




> Researchers in the US are developing autonomous robotic systems capable of removing coatings from aircraft.
> 
> Carnegie Mellon University&#8217;s National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) and Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) are working with the US Air Force Research Laboratory and Ogden Air Logistics Center 309 AMXG to develop and demonstrate a system that uses high-powered lasers to remove coatings from fighter and cargo aircraft.
> In a two-year project sponsored by the National Defense Center for Energy and Environment, CTC, under contract with NREC as a subcontractor, will build six autonomous mobile robots, each with a laser coating remover, and deploy them to work in teams to remove paint and other coatings from aircraft at Hill Air Force Base (AFB) in northern Utah.



Read more: http://www.theengine...e#ixzz2DNST3pp0


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## ScienceRocks

Transforming RC robot reaches production form packing heat and a WiFi camera (video)

By Jon Fingas posted Nov 26th, 2012 at 5:10 PM8


Transforming RC robot reaches production form packing heat and a WiFi camera (video)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------



> If you're like us, seeing that transforming RC robot in the spring was a mild form of torture without any clues as to when (and if) we could try it for ourselves. Kenji Ishida has clearly been busy assuaging our fears since then, as he just took the wraps from what should be the finished version of his brainchild. The now Brave Robotics-branded machine is more polished, with a 3D-printed shell, but it's the technical upgrades that will have more of us scrambling for the product page: the production model is toting a missile launcher in each arm as well as a WiFi camera to follow its exploits in both car and robot modes. Anyone who wants the robot as quickly as possible will have to contact Ishida-san, if it's not too late; there are just 10 units in the initial batch, and pricing is only available on request. A one-month wait for shipping will scuttle any hopes of getting one as a timely gift, too. That said, we can only imagine that any robotics fan would be ecstatic to get an IOU under the tree for Brave Robotics' project.


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## ScienceRocks

Sewage-Powered Robot Cleans Wastewater, Poops
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU6zi1_aZiw&feature=player_embedded]Ecobot III Goes Poo - YouTube[/ame]




> A partnership between Wessex Water and the Bristol Robotics Laboratory in England has led to an autonomous robot that runs off the very wastewater it helps to clean. The EcoBot III, which contains microbial fuel cells, is powered by human waste. Because it takes in biomass, uses it to produce electricity and then gets rid of the waste, the robot, in a sense, is able to poop.



Sewage-Powered Robot Cleans Wastewater, Poops : TreeHugger


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## ScienceRocks

Burger-making robot could make fast food workers obsolete

Robot culture blossoms in Bay Area - SiliconValley.com
Burger-making robot could make fast food workers obsolete | DVICE



> Over the last few decades, the fast food industry has remained a bulletproof option for the low wage worker, but thanks to robotics those days appear to coming to an end. A new device promises to revolutionize the fast food world while delivering high-quality meals, Rube Goldberg style.
> 
> A company called Momentum Machines has designed a robotic burger maker called Burgeon designed to replace short order cooks in fast food restaurants. The company claims that the Burgeon can make up to 360 burgers per hour. And, in case there's any doubt about the intention of the device, the company's message, posted on its website, is clear, "Our alpha machine replaces all of the hamburger line cooks in a restaurant. It does everything employees can do except better."
> 
> Of course, the Burgeon doesn't appear to account for the human skill of actually creating a "tasty" burger, but the company claims that the machine can stamp out beef patties, grill the meat, toast the buns, and even apply pickles, tomatoes, and condiments. The company doesn't show off much of the Burgeon burger bot on its site, but during a recent tour given to the Mercury News, the team offered a rare close-up look at the machine.
> 
> The fact that this development is occurring right around the time that U.S. fast food workers have launched the biggest wage protest in the history of the industry doesn't bode well for the future of the usually solid gig. Future versions of the Burgeon will be designed to reduce the burger-making time down to 10 seconds per burger.


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## ScienceRocks

*This Light, Affordable Exoskeleton Could Help The Paralyzed Walk Again*


A new design for a device that increases mobility for paraplegics could open up whole new worlds of activity to the disabled.

This Light, Affordable Exoskeleton Could Help The Paralyzed Walk Again | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation



> Brian Shaffers kids call him Iron Man. He was paralyzed from the waist down in a motor accident, and has been testing out a new robotic exoskeleton that is changing the way he moves. Most recently, hes been giving it a spin around a kitchen setup, opening and shutting the refrigerator and reaching into cabinets--access far beyond the scope of a wheelchair. When he walks up to a doorway, he can pause to open the door for himself, and when through, reach behind to close it behind him.
> 
> Therapists whove worked with other exoskeleton designs say this one fits better, moves better, and is easier to use than the two other robotic walking suits in the market. Best yet, its makers say it could also be the most affordable exoskeleton out there.
> 
> 
> The new suit is built at the Vanderbilt labs of Michael Goldfarb. The team recently licensed their technology to control and motions systems manufacturer Parker Hannifin, who hopes to have the device in the U.S. market in 2014.


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## ScienceRocks

Spaun, the most realistic artificial human brain yet
By Sebastian Anthony on November 30, 2012 at 8:06 am
9 Comments





> A group of neuroscientists and software engineers at the University of Waterloo in Canada are claiming to have built the world&#8217;s most complex, large-scale model simulation of the human brain. The simulated brain, which runs on a supercomputer, has a digital eye which it uses for visual input, a robotic arm that it uses to draw its responses &#8212; and it can pass the basic elements of an IQ test.
> 
> The brain, called Spaun (Semantic Pointer Architecture Unified Network), consists of 2.5 million simulated neurons, allowing it to perform eight different tasks. These tasks range from copy drawing to counting, to question answering and fluid reasoning. At this point, you should watch the video below to get a rough idea of how Spaun works &#8212; and then read on to find out why Spaun is so interesting.


Spaun, the most realistic artificial human brain yet | ExtremeTech


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## ScienceRocks

Prototype of European combat drone makes maiden flight
December 2, 2012 by Patrick Rahir 
Prototype of European combat drone makes maiden flight

A prototype of a European combat drone, the Neuron, makes its maiden flight Saturday from a base in the south of France, project leader Dassault Aviation announces.



> A prototype of a European combat drone, the Neuron, made its maiden flight Saturday from a base in the south of France, project leader Dassault Aviation announced.
> 
> "It inaugurates the next generation of combat aircraft, whether piloted or not, with the ambition of preserving European autonomy in this field," the French defence ministry said in a statement.
> 
> "It's a major accomplishment on both the technological and industrial levels," it added.
> 
> The aircraft, which has no vertical tail in order to make it as furtive as possible, flew for 25 minutes under the watch of two test pilots based on the ground.
> 
> The Neuron is a prototype, or model serving to test and develop technologies that could be used one day in a pilotless fighter plane which would equip European air forces around 2030.
> 
> The programme, launched by France in 2003 with support from Italy, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Greece, cost 406 million euros ($527 million), of which France contributed about half.


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## ScienceRocks

Telepresence Robots Invade Hospitals &#8211; &#8220;Doctors Can Be Anywhere, Anytime&#8221;



> A disembodied human face hangs atop a robot chassis next to a Redmond, Oregon hospital bed (not pictured). The doctor on the screen is 20 miles distant, in Bend. But from there he is able to assess the patient and determine whether she should be moved to a better equipped hospital in Bend or further afield.
> 
> The doctor&#8217;s name is Dr. Kevin Sherer, the volunteer patient Anita Boucher, and together they recently performed a test run using an InTouch Health RP-7i telepresence robot nicknamed Roda (robotic office diagnostic assistant).
> 
> Dr. Sherer can pilot Roda down the hall with a joystick, turn its camera to check vitals, and interact with the patient by way of the screen atop Roda&#8217;s chassis. In addition to telepresence capabilities&#8212;and with the help of a nurse placing a special stethoscope&#8212;he can remotely check the patient&#8217;s heart beat over headphones.
> Though Central Oregon&#8217;s latest robot helper kicked up some dust in the press, St. Charles Redmond is not the first hospital to use the technology. According to InTouch Health, their robots are in over 650 hospitals worldwide, enabling an average &#8220;5,000 remote clinical sessions per month.&#8221;
> 
> And it&#8217;s not hard to see why. As the sheer volume of medical knowledge increases and becomes more specialized, telepresence robots like Roda bring specialist expertise wherever it is needed, regardless of location.


Telepresence Robots Invade Hospitals &#8211; &#8220;Doctors Can Be Anywhere, Anytime&#8221; | Singularity Hub


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## ScienceRocks

Building a sensitive robot, and perhaps a future politician?



> An MIT spin-off is working on a sensitive robot that can handle handshakes and wine glasses without ruining anyone's musical career or mimosa.
> 
> 
> There are few formalities more terrifying than the prospect of having to shake hands with a potentially miscalibrated robot. If it misinterprets the size of your hand, it could end up crushing a few phalanges and create an embarrassing scene for both machine and master.
> 
> Boston-based MIT spin-off Robot Rebuilt is working on a solution by creating a more sensitive, perhaps even more gentle robot hand.
> 
> Eduardo Torres-Jara first began working on a robot named Obrero that is capable of sensitive manipulation at MIT, and now he's in the process of striking out on his own with a successor bot named Tactico that's even more in touch with its (tactile) feelings.


Building a sensitive robot, and perhaps a future politician? | Cutting Edge - CNET News


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## ScienceRocks

Get ready for spy bots that fly through open windows

These eyes in the sky are tethered to their controllers, giving them virtually unlimited power. They could be used by military and police.
Get ready for spy bots that fly through open windows | Cutting Edge - CNET News




> You gotta hand it to the marketers who come up with robot acronyms. Can it get any better than Extreme Access System for Entry (EASE)?
> 
> Sounds innocuous enough, right? Until this little critter tries to float into your room to spy on you. It's one of two bots unveiled by CyPhy Works, headed by iRobot co-founder Helen Greiner.
> 
> EASE and PARC (that's Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance & Communication), a communications relay, are compact flying machines that can fly between 3 feet and 1,000 feet while remaining tethered to their human controllers via microfilaments.


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## ScienceRocks

*Feedback System Lets Amputees "Feel" Prosthetic Leg*

A sensorized shoe insole translates pressure into tactile feedback, helping amputees learn to walk on a prosthetic limbwith a normal, healthy gait.





> Carbon-fiber and plastic polymers are making artificial limbs stronger and lighter. They can be controlled using just a thought or a muscle twitch. They can even be re-engineered for rock-climbing or Olympic sprinting. But a continuing problem is that most prosthetic limbs don&#8217;t provide sensory feedback to the user.
> 
> As you walk, muscles and neurons constantly send information to your brain about where your legs are, where your feet hit the ground, and how hard they push off. Without that feedback, it can be hard to coordinate movement. As a result, amputees who wear prosthetic legs commonly develop gait abnormalities such as shorter strides, slower walking speeds, and standing on tip-toe to swing the prosthetic leg.
> 
> "The lack of sensation can affect mobility and quality of life," says Zachary McKinney, a graduate student in biomedical engineering at UCLA. McKinney and his colleagues have been working on a simple feedback system that can be incorporated with almost any below-the-knee prosthetic leg. "Our goal is to improve sensory awareness of the prosthetic," he said at a meeting of the Biomedical Engineering Society in late October.



Feedback System Lets Amputees "Feel" Prosthetic Leg - Popular Mechanics


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Mitsubishi unveils two-armed nuclear plant bot*

Meister has two arms and a toolkit for cutting pipes and taking radioactivity samples. Too bad it wasn't developed 10 years ago.
Mitsubishi unveils two-armed nuclear plant bot | Cutting Edge - CNET News



> Call it too little, too late.
> 
> Mitsubishi is the latest Japanese conglomerate to show off a new robot to work at the devastated Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, following Toshiba's flubbed demo of a quadruped walker.
> 
> Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Japan's largest defense contractor, yesterday unveiled the Maintenance Equipment Integrated System of Telecontrol Robot (Meister), a two-armed unit that rolls around on four tracks.
> 
> The remote-controlled bot can wield a variety of tools such as cutters and drills, clear obstacles, and pierce through concrete to check radiation levels, according to MHI.
> 
> Just like human arms, its robotic appendages can move along seven axes. Check it out cutting a pipe in the video below.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Grand Award Winner: Lockheed Martin/Kaman K-Max 



This chopper can save soldiers with limited human intervention.





> Since 2008, roadside bombs and other IEDs have accounted for the deaths of more than half the U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Moving cargo in large convoys put many of those soldiers at risk. The Kaman K-Max autonomous helicopter removes the people from those supply lines.
> 
> The pilotless copter can haul 6,000 pounds up to 250 miles, with its load suspended from a 75-foot tether. The only human intervention comes when a Marine with a laptop and an Xbox-like controller presses the start button; after that, K-Max&#8217;s autonomous flight controls take over, using data collected by onboard altitude and orientation sensors to fly along preprogrammed GPS routes, day or night. Since last December, the two pilotless K-Max choppers deployed in Afghanistan have carried more than 2 million pounds of cargo.


 
Range: 250 miles
 Cargo Capacity: 6,000 pounds
 Top Speed: 100 knots (115 mph)


Grand Award Winner: Lockheed Martin/Kaman K-Max | Popular Science

Wow, I didn't know we had a few of these.


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## ScienceRocks

Will automated agriculture help meet the world's food demand? 



> Automation can "increase efficiency and yield by having many of the manual tasks of farming performed by specially designed agricultural robotic devices," says Professor Salah Sukkarieh. Australia's potential to become the 'food bowl' of Asia has triggered a drive to develop robots for use in farming and agriculture and University of Sydney mechatronics experts are leading the way.
> 
> Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems Salah Sukkarieh at the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies leads a team that is developing robotic devices with the ability to autonomously sense, analyse and respond to their own surroundings.
> 
> Traditionally it has been necessary for someone to actually walk through the orchard, taking and analysing soil and other samples and making decisions on the health and yield quality of the plants," he says. "The devices we've developed can collect, analyse and present this information autonomously, so a major part of the farmer's job can be done automatically."
> 
> The second stage, which the team will commence in the new year, involves applying this technology to standard farm tractors, so that as well as being able to perceive their environment and identify any operations required, they will also be able to perform many of these operations themselves, such as applying fertilisers and pesticides, watering, sweeping and mowing.
> 
> The third and most complex stage will be to enable the devices to carry out harvesting. "The devices we've developed already can identify each individual fruit on the tree and its degree of ripeness, which is about 80 percent of the job done. But being able to harvest them is our ultimate goal." As well as developing the technology, the team is working with farmers to determine how small changes to traditional agricultural practices can allow them to make the most of this new technology.



 Read more at: Will automated agriculture help meet the world's food demand?

It might get to the point where a robot does everything.


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## ScienceRocks

*Automated Blackhawk Helicopter Completes First Flight Test*

Automated Blackhawk Helicopter Completes First Flight Test | Singularity Hub




> Does it seem believable that the wars of the future will be fought entirely with robots while humans are safely miles away, monitoring and controlling? The US military is certainly making a case for such a scenario. The latest installation is a JUH-60A Blackhawk helicopter that flies, lands, and avoids threats &#8211; all without a pilot.
> 
> The autonomous Blackhawk&#8217;s official name is Rotorcraft Airscrew Systems Concept Airborne Laboratory, or RASCAL, and it has just completed its first test flight at the Diablo Mountain Range in San Jose, California. Pilots were actually aboard during the two-hour test flight for an emergency takeover, but turned out they weren&#8217;t needed.
> 
> RASCAL&#8217;s navigation system successfully negotiated an obstacle field with terrain-sensing and statistical processing. It flew within a range of 200 to 400 feet above ground and identified a landing site &#8211; a forest clearing &#8211; and was able to hover 60 feet above the site within 1-foot accuracy. Risk assessment and threat avoidance tests were also considered a success.


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## ScienceRocks

Japanese researchers build robot with most humanlike muscle-skeleton structure yet (w/ video) December 12, 2012 by Bob Yirka Enlarge (Phys.org)&#8212;


> Researchers at the University of Tokyo have taken another step towards creating a robot with a faithfully recreated human skeleton and muscle structure. Called Kenshiro, the robot has been demonstrated at the recent Humanoids 2012 conference in Osaka, Japan.



 Read more at: Japanese researchers build robot with most humanlike muscle-skeleton structure yet (w/ video)


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## ScienceRocks

*Tablet-controlled assembly line robots ready for the masses *

Tablet-controlled assembly line robots ready for the masses | DVICE





> We've heard about Foxconn's legion of robots scheduled to take over for the company's human work force, and we know that robots are already working in many factories in the U.S. But bringing this kind of automation to the masses by making it simple to use and affordable has been elusive, until now.
> 
> Danish company Universal Robots has unveiled the UR5 and UR10 robots that offer the promise of a lightweight, easy to set up, cost efficient robot for small companies. Paired with a touchscreen tablet controller, the user has the ability to program the robot to carry out complex functions that require speed and a delicate touch. And, if the user decides to have the mechanism work alongside humans, the robot has a safety function that instantly brings it to a halt when met with resistance or an obstacle not programmed into its functions.
> 
> Universal Robots founder and CTO Esben Ostergaard said, "We decided to make programming intuitive by developing a graphical user interface combined with a 'teaching function' allowing the user to simply grab the robot arm and show it how a movement should be performed. The robot can be integrated into any production process very quickly. Our experience shows this is generally done in a few hours."


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## ScienceRocks

*Robotic Surgery Saves a British Soldier from Amputation*

 The British soldier, who suffered a severe leg injury while serving in Afghanistan, can walk again thanks to a world-first operation and custom-fit joint 

By Robotics Trends' News Sources - Filed Dec 12, 2012 



> Captain James Murly-Gotto faced the prospect of amputation after being hit by machine gun fire during a 10-day mission in Helmand province.
> 
> One bullet passed straight through the flesh of his left leg, but the other tore through the bones in his right. The inside of his knee was destroyed, and two major leg bones were splintered.
> 
> However, he sought out a world-leading surgeon who helped create replacement parts that - in the soldier&#8217;s words - &#8220;slot in like flat-pack furniture&#8221;.
> 
> The operation at the King Edward VII&#8217;s Hospital Sister Agnes in London involved marrying two technologies for the first time.
> 
> Initially, he underwent 3D scanning to create tailor-made computer designed replacement parts.
> 
> Then Professor Justin Cobb, a leading orthopaedic surgeon, used a robotic arm to remove just the right amount of bone - and not a speck more.
> 
> The operation was such a success that Capt Murly-Gotto has been able to take to the golf course once again, with the help of a buggy, and even ride a bike.


Service and Healthcare: Robotic Surgery Saves a British Soldier from Amputatio | Robotics Trends


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## ScienceRocks

*Syrian Rebels Aim Armored Car's Gun With PS3 Controller*

Jeremy Hsu, TechNewsDaily Senior Writer

December 11 2012 12:09 PM ET
http://www.technewsdaily.com/15879-syrian-rebels-gun-ps3.html



> A screenshot from a Russia Today video report about the Syrian rebels' homemade armored car that uses a PS3 controlller to aim the gun.
> 
> A Syrian rebel holding a PlayStation game controller looks like he's playing "Battlefield 3" or "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" on his flat panel TV. But it's no game &#8212; he's controlling a machine gun located on a homemade armored car cobbled together by enterprising rebel engineers in their fight against Syrian military forces.
> 
> The armored vehicle, called Sham II, has rusting steel armor about 2.5 centimeters thick that can supposedly survive 23 mm cannon fire, according to Agence France-Presse. But the rebels won't enjoy similar protection against incoming fire from tanks or rocket-propelled grenades.



Well, even rebels are using robots!


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## ScienceRocks

*Tiny Robots Tested in Terminator-style Intelligent Swarms (Video)*


Christine Lepisto
Technology / Clean Technology
 December 16, 2012 




> University of Colorado Boulder Assistant Professor Nikolaus Correll dreams of great things in the future of distributed intelligence in the robotic sciences.
> 
> Every living organism is made from a swarm of collaborating cells. *Perhaps some day, our swarms will colonize space where they will assemble habitats and lush gardens for future space explorers.*
> 
> To speed up the achievements of new breakthroughs, Correll has set up a lab at U. Colorado Boulder where students can probe the possibilities that robot swarming can offer. The lab includes 20 robots the size of pingpong balls, which the team refers to as "droplets." When the droplets work together, they form a "liquid that thinks."
> In a similar manner, tiny robots such as the &#8220;nanomorphs&#8221; envisioned in the &#8220;Terminator&#8221; films could swarm into oil spills to clean up, could work together to assemble equipment in space, could use sensor and pattern recognition technology to map and study difficult to access ecosystems. Correll also continues to work on a project in which robots learn to tend gardens, which he started when he was with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.



Tiny Robots Tested in Terminator-style Intelligent Swarms (Video) : TreeHugger


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## ScienceRocks

*Mind-controlled hand offers hope for the paralysed*



> Pentagon-backed scientists on Monday announced they had created a robot hand that was the most advanced brain-controlled prosthetic limb ever made.
> 
> The mind-powered prosthesis is a breakthrough, the team of neurologists and bio-engineers reported in The Lancet. With further development "individuals with long-term paralysis could recover the natural and intuitive command signals for hand placement, orientation and reaching, allowing them to perform activities of daily living," they said.
> 
> She had been left paralysed from the neck down, unable to move her arms and legs due to a condition called spinocerebellar degeneration. Two weeks after the operation, the prosthesis was connected and the woman embarked on 14 weeks of training&#8212;but on only the second day, she was able to move the limb through mind power. The training aimed at achieving skills in nine tasks, such as gripping and moving small objects, stacking cones and bumping a ball so that it rolled outside a loose coil of wire. At the end, the volunteer completed the tasks with a success rate of up to 91.6%, and more than 30 seconds faster than at the start of the trial.



 Read more at: Mind-controlled hand offers hope for the paralysed


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## waltky

The arm was controlled by thought...

*Paralysed woman's thoughts control robotic arm*
_16 December 2012 - Unrivalled control of a robotic arm has been achieved using a paralysed woman's thoughts, a US study says._


> Jan Scheuermann, who is 53 and paralysed from the neck down, was able to deftly grasp and move a variety of objects just like a normal arm.  Brain implants were used to control the robotic arm, in the study reported in the Lancet medical journal.  Experts in the field said it was an "unprecedented performance" and a "remarkable achievement".  Jan was diagnosed with spinocerebellar degeneration 13 years ago and progressively lost control of her body. She is now unable to move her arms or legs.
> 
> Robo-arm
> 
> She was implanted with two sensors - each four millimetres by four millimetres - in the motor cortex of her brain.  A hundred tiny needles on each sensor pick up the electrical activity from about 200 individual brain cells.  "The way that neurons communicate with each other is by how fast they fire pulses, it's a little bit akin to listening to a Geiger counter click, and it's that property that we lock onto," said Professor Andrew Schwartz from the University of Pittsburgh.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The pulses of electricity in the brain are then translated into commands to move the arm, which bends at the elbow, wrist and could grab an object.  Jan was able to control the arm after the second day of training and over a period of 14 weeks became increasing skilful.  The report said she gained "co-ordination, skill and speed almost similar to that of an able-bodied person" by the end of the study.
> 
> Prof Schwartz told the BBC that movements this good had not been achieved before.  "They're fluid and they're way better, I don't know how to say it any other way, they're way better than anything that's been demonstrated before.  "I think it really is convincing evidence that this technology is going to be therapeutic for spinal cord injured people.  "They are doing tasks already that would be beneficial in their daily lives and I think that's fairly conclusive at this point."
> 
> *Sense of touch*


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Flying Hexapod Quadcopter is the robot insect from your nightmares*



> Spiders, especially the big ones, can be creepy, right? But what if there was such a thing as a giant, flying spider? Now what if that giant, flying spider had the intelligence of say, a low-level robot? That would be a nightmare, right? Well, friends, some nightmares come true. Introducing, the Hexapod Quadcopter.


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sOvP9PhDQU&feature=player_embedded]Walking Quadcopter, or Flying Hexapod? - YouTube[/ame]

Flying Hexapod Quadcopter is the robot insect from your nightmares | DVICE


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## ScienceRocks

A powerful microscale actuator for microrobotics and drug delivery

Can deliver a force 1000 times greater than human muscle of the same weight




> A powerful new microscale actuator that can flex like a miniature beckoning finger has been developed by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)&#8217;s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California, Berkeley.
> 
> It is based on a material that expands and contracts dramatically in response to a small (15 degrees C) temperature variation. It is smaller than the width of a human hair and is promising for microfluidics, drug delivery, and artificial muscles.
> 
> &#8220;We believe our microactuator is more efficient and powerful than any current microscale actuation technology, including human muscle cells,&#8221; says Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley scientist Junqiao Wu. &#8220;What&#8217;s more, it uses this very interesting material &#8212; vanadium dioxide (VO2).


 


http://www.kurzweila...d-drug-delivery


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Legged Squad Support System (LS3): DARPA's four-legged robot with voice recognition (video)*
December 19, 2012 

Legged Squad Support System (LS3): DARPA's four-legged robot with voice recognition (video)



> (Phys.org)Today's dismounted warfighter can be saddled with more than 100 pounds of gear, resulting in physical strain, fatigue and degraded performance. Reducing the load on dismounted warfighters has become a major point of emphasis for defense research and development, because the increasing weight of individual equipment has a negative impact on warfighter readiness. The Army has identified physical overburden as one of its top five science and technology challenges. To help alleviate physical weight on troops, DARPA is developing a four-legged robot, the Legged Squad Support System (LS3), to integrate with a squad of Marines or Soldiers.
> 
> Leader-follower tight: LS3 attempts to follow as close as possible to the path its leader takes
> Leader-follower corridor: LS3 sticks to the leader but has freedom to make local path decisions, so the leader doesn't need to think about LS3's mobility capabilities
> Go-to-waypoint: LS3 uses its local perception to avoid obstacles on its way to a designated GPS coordinate
> Additionally, technologies to allow squad members to speak commands to LS3 are anticipated to be added during this period.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Driverless vehicles travel road to future
Updated: 2012-12-20 07:46
By Wang Xiaodong ( China Daily)




> The road to the future, for those who would like to take a hands-off approach to driving, could have been glimpsed recently on a highway from Beijing.
> 
> What was once the realm of science fiction, passengers in driverless vehicles reading or playing video games as their vehicle hurtles down the road, is now science fact.
> 
> A black driverless sport utility vehicle completed a 114-kilometer journey last month from Beijing to Tianjin in 85 minutes.
> 
> "The average speed was 79 km per hour, but it could have been higher as traffic on the road was a little heavy," said professor Xu Youchun, who is in charge of the research program.
> 
> Junjiaomengshi 3 (Lion 3), the vehicle's nickname, completed more than 10,000 km in tests, reaching a top speed of 120 km/h, said Xu, a specialist on "intelligent vehicles" at the Military Transportation University in Tianjin.
> 
> The vehicle looks exactly the same as any SUV, except for three sensors on the front, back and top. Three other sensors inside the vehicle, three cameras, a navigational system and three computers keep the vehicle safely on the road.


Driverless vehicles travel road to future[1]|chinadaily.com.cn


----------



## ScienceRocks

*$16k 4-in-1 farming device could help save billions of dollars*



> 65-year-old Sulaiman Famro built a prototype of his one-stop processing plant for vegetables and grains a few years ago. He calls his design Farmking and claims that it could save his home country of Nigeria $1 billion a year.
> 
> It cost Famro $16,000 to build his prototype, which can be used to process cassava, soy beans, maize, sweet potatoes, yams and a host of other vegetables and grains. The current processing methods of these foods in Nigeria tends to waste starch. But Famro's 4-in-one machine captures starch and recycles it for future use.
> 
> Farmking has a diesel engine and lighting for processing around the clock in remote locations. One side of Famro's design can handle chipping, grating and milling. The power plant is in the middle and there's a large steel drum in the back that can hold milled cassava. It uses a spin filter to turn tons of milled cassava into starch.
> 
> Famro hopes to market Farmking throughout Nigeria and that is what he's currently working on. That, and possibly adding a gasifier to his next prototype to power his creation with crop waste.


$16k 4-in-1 farming device could help save billions of dollars | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

Continental first to receive Nevada automated driving testing license
Brittany Hillen, Dec 21st 2012 Discuss [0] 



> Continental, an international automotive supplier, became the first supplier to receive an Autonomous Vehicle Testing License. With this license, Continental will be able to test its automated driving vehicles on the state&#8217;s public roads. The license was issued after Continental provided automatic driving demonstrations in Nevada.
> The car that Continental is testing is designed so that it can be easily spotted by those around it. One of its distinguishing marks is a red license plate with an infinity symbol on it, which is reserved for the public testing of automated driving vehicles. By testing on public roads, the automated cars can be taken to the next level.
> 
> Continental&#8217;s Executive Board Chairman Dr. Elmar Degenhart offered this statement. &#8220;At Continental, we continue to invest in research and development for next generation technologies &#8211; such as our highly automated vehicle &#8211; that will drive us toward a safer, more efficient and more comfortable future &#8230; We will be able to develop the first applications for highly and ultimately fully automated driving, even at higher speeds and in more complex driving situations, ready for production by 2020 or 2025.&#8221;


Continental first to receive Nevada automated driving testing license - SlashGear


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Telepresence robots let employees 'beam' into work (Update)*



> Terence Chea Engineer Dallas Goecker attends meetings, jokes with colleagues and roams the office building just like other employees at his company in Silicon Valley.
> 
> But Goecker isn't in California. He's more than 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) away, working at home in Seymour, Indiana. It's all made possible by the Beam&#8212;a mobile video-conferencing machine that he can drive around his company's offices and workshops in Palo Alto. The five-foot (1.5-meter)-tall device, topped with a large video screen, gives him a physical presence that makes him and his colleagues feel like he's actually there. "This gives you that casual interaction that you're used to at work," Goecker said, speaking on a Beam. "I'm sitting in my desk area with everybody else. I'm part of their conversations and their socializing." Suitable Technologies, which makes the Beam, is now one of more than a dozen companies that sell so-called telepresence robots. These remote-controlled machines are equipped with video cameras, speakers, microphones and wheels that allow users to see, hear, talk and "walk" in faraway locations.


 Read more at: Telepresence robots let employees 'beam' into work (Update)


----------



## ScienceRocks

HyTAQ robot rolls on the ground and flies through the air
Shane McGlaun, Dec 28th 2012 Discuss [0] 



> We&#8217;ve seen plenty of remote-controlled toy robots over the years. We&#8217;ve seen remote-controlled devices that can fly such as the AR Drone and remote-controlled devices that roll around on the ground as well. What I don&#8217;t recall seeing is a remote-controlled device that combines both ground and air capability into one device.
> 
> This cool little toy is called the Hybrid Terrestrial and Aerial Quadrotor (HyTAQ) and was designed by Arash Kalantari and Matthew Spenko. Both of the designers hail from the robotics laboratory at the Illinois Institute of Technology. The device looks a lot like your typical four rotor flying helicopter toy inside a cage to help prevent you from breaking it when you smack into the wall.


HyTAQ robot rolls on the ground and flies through the air - SlashGear


----------



## ScienceRocks

Neuristors: The future of brain-like computer chips
By John Hewitt on December 31, 2012 at 9:30 am



> Hewitt Crane was a practical minded kind of guy. To help the world get a better feel for just how much oil it used in a year, he came up the unit he called the cubic mile of oil (CMO), to considerable acclaim. Crane was actually one of the pioneers of computing. He was an early developer of magnetic core RAM, eye-tracking devices, pen input devices, and invented the first all-magnetic computers still finding extensive use for fail-safe systems in the military. Today, another kind of device he presciently envisioned back in 1960 is starting to attract attention &#8212; the neuristor.
> 
> A neuristor is the simplest possible device that can capture the essential property of a neuron &#8212; that is, the ability to generate a spike or impulse of activity when some threshold is exceeded. A neuristor can be thought of as a slightly leaky balloon that receives inputs in the form of puffs of air. When its limit is reached, it pops. The only major difference is that more complex neuristors can repeat the process again and again, as long as spikes occur no faster than a certain recharge period known as the refractory period. A neuristor uses a relatively simple electronic circuit to generate spikes. Incoming signals charge a capacitor that is placed in parallel with a device called a memristor. The memristor behaves like a resistor except that once the small currents passing through it start to heat it up, its resistance rapidly drops off. When that happens, the charge built up on the capacitor by incoming spikes discharges, and there you have it &#8212; a spiking neuron comprised of just two elementary circuit elements.



Neuristors: The future of brain-like computer chips | ExtremeTech


----------



## ScienceRocks

Robots will be farming within 40 years



> Robots will do a large part of farming by the middle of the century with 'driverless' tractors in UK by 2014, according to agriculture experts.



http://www.telegraph...n-40-years.html


----------



## Mr. H.

This one shoots missles from his hand. Top THAT!


----------



## ScienceRocks

Famibot patrols your home and cleans your air

Ecovacs' roaming robot is also a home sentry, communications tool, and music player.

Famibot patrols your home and cleans your air | Cutting Edge - CNET News
 (Credit: Tim Hornyak/CNET) 


> LAS VEGAS--People are getting very used to having robots like Roomba running around their floors. They're very popular as animal and baby vehicles too.
> 
> Chinese vacuum-maker Ecovacs, though, wants more functionality in domestic bots. At CES 2013, it demonstrated its Famibot and Minibot, which can perform a host of handy functions while you're busy being lazy.
> 
> Shown off at IFA 2012, Famibot is a service droid that can be controlled via your smartphone or any Wi-Fi connection.
> 
> Its primary function is to roam around your floors and purify the air. When it senses a particularly dirty zone, such as cigarette smoke, it will focus on that area.
> 
> Ecovacs staff put it through its paces, though interference from the Las Vegas Convention Center venue messed up wireless commands and it was slow to respond.
> 
> Equipped with cameras, Famibot can act as a telepresence robot when you're away, giving you video of what's going on at home, or letting you chat with an elderly relative living alone, for example.
> 
> It can also play music, and give you remote control of connected household appliances like your air conditioner or lights.
> 
> Famibot will also send you alerts if it detects an unexpected person in the home, or if it picks up smoke from a possible fire.
> 
> Minibot, meanwhile, is Famibot's smaller companion. It has many of the latter's features but not the air purifying.
> 
> Ecovacs says the two droids should hit U.S. markets in the first half of 2013, with Famibot having a suggested retail price of $899, and Minibot priced at $499.
> 
> Not bad for some very handy tin cans.


----------



## ScienceRocks

One of the world's fastest robots mimics roach legs for speed 



> The hated cockroach has been the scourge of restaurants and big cities throughout history. But now a clever roboticist may have finally found a use for the pests by developing a way to mimic their legendary crawling speed.
> 
> Berkeley Ph.D. student Duncan Haldane wanted to explore the benefits of creating bio-inspired mechanisms to increase the terrestrial locomotion of robots. His research resulted in the creation of the VELOCIRoACH, a tiny robot that, according to Haldane, is the fastest running robot to date, relative to size. Weighing just 30 grams, the 10-centimeter-long hexapedal millirobot can travel as fast as 26 body lengths per second.



One of the world's fastest robots mimics roach legs for speed | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

Medical robot RP-VITA gets FDA approval

*This bot from iRobot and InTouch Health can roll up to your bedside and help a remote doctor treat you.*



> LAS VEGAS--How would you feel if you were hospitalized and your doctor were talking to you through a 5-foot robot?
> 
> RP-VITA (Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant) is a remote-, iPad-operated telepresence bot. It's become the first self-navigating communications robot to receive FDA certification, developers InTouch and iRobot said at CES 2013.
> 
> The machine is approved "for telemedicine consults inclusive of active patient monitoring in high-acuity environments where immediate clinical action may be required," InTouch said in a release. Specifically, it's cleared for "active patient monitoring in pre-operative, peri-operative and post-surgical settings, including cardiovascular, neurological, prenatal, psychological, and critical care assessments and examinations."
> 
> Based on iRobot's AVA telepresence platform, RP-VITA was unveiled last year. It's been put through trials at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and Children's Hospital of Orange County, and leasing will begin this year at about $6,000 a month.



Medical robot RP-VITA gets FDA approval | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robofish Grace glides with the greatest of ease*

Robofish Grace glides with the greatest of ease



> A high-tech robotic fish hatched at Michigan State University has a new look. A new skill. And a new name. MSU scientists have made a number of improvements on the fish, including the ability to glide long distances, which is the most important change to date. The fish now has the ability to glide through the water practically indefinitely, using little to no energy, while gathering valuable data that can aid in the cleaning of our lakes and rivers.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot Serves Up 360 Hamburgers Per Hour *


> No longer will they say, &#8220;He&#8217;s going to end up flipping burgers.&#8221; Because now, robots are taking even these ignobly esteemed jobs. Alpha machine from Momentum Machines cooks up a tasty burger with all the fixins. And it does it with such quality and efficiency it&#8217;ll produce &#8220;gourmet quality burgers at fast food prices.&#8221;
> 
> With a conveyor belt-type system the burgers are freshly ground, shaped and grilled to the customer&#8217;s liking. And only when the burger&#8217;s finished cooking does Alpha slice the tomatoes and pickles and place them on the burger as fresh as can be. Finally, the machine wraps the burger up for serving.
> 
> And while you fret over how many people you invited to the barbecue, Alpha churns out a painless 360 hamburgers per hour.



Robot Serves Up 360 Hamburgers Per Hour | Singularity Hub


----------



## Mr. H.

Matthew said:


> *Robot Serves Up 360 Hamburgers Per Hour *
> 
> 
> 
> No longer will they say, Hes going to end up flipping burgers. Because now, robots are taking even these ignobly esteemed jobs. Alpha machine from Momentum Machines cooks up a tasty burger with all the fixins. And it does it with such quality and efficiency itll produce gourmet quality burgers at fast food prices.
> 
> With a conveyor belt-type system the burgers are freshly ground, shaped and grilled to the customers liking. And only when the burgers finished cooking does Alpha slice the tomatoes and pickles and place them on the burger as fresh as can be. Finally, the machine wraps the burger up for serving.
> 
> And while you fret over how many people you invited to the barbecue, Alpha churns out a painless 360 hamburgers per hour.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Robot Serves Up 360 Hamburgers Per Hour | Singularity Hub
Click to expand...


Great idea for a consistently busy establishment. But during the "slow" hours, all the ingredients must remain cold. And I bet cleaning that equipment is a bitch.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*NASA's RASSOR robot could mine the Moon for water and ice*

Raymond Wong

NASA's RASSOR robot could mine the Moon for water and ice | DVICE
Wednesday, January 30, 2013 - 5:12pm



> Now that NASA is pretty sure there's water on the Moon and Mars, the next step is extracting it for us to use. It's not like NASA can just send some astronauts up with jackhammers, though: digging on the Moon will require a robot, so it's a good thing NASA has just the right one for the job.
> 
> RASSOR, short for Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot, is a tank-like robot with spinning digging drums for arms. The 100-pound prototype robot is designed to dig up lunar soil and transfer it to a processing unit for automatic water and ice extraction. The goal is to ultimately turn the chemicals within the soil into "rocket fuel or breathing air for astronauts working on the surface" of the Moon. Sounds like a good start for a lunar colony, doesn't it?


----------



## Mr. H.

You ignoring me?

Clean the equipment, bitch.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Mr. H. said:


> You ignoring me?
> 
> Clean the equipment, bitch.



We need another robot to clean the damn thing?


----------



## ScienceRocks

Veebots Needle Wielding Robot to Automate Blood Draws

Veebot?s Needle Wielding Robot to Automate Blood Draws | Singularity Hub



> Taking blood is a fine art. Even the most experienced practioner may require more than one stab to find a veinseems only natural to wonder, might a robot do the job better? Mountain Views Veebot thinks so. Veebot wants to take the art out of needlework with their robotic venipuncture machine.
> 
> In the litigious healthcare industry, if they get it right, one imagines there will be a marketmaybe a big one. According to Veebot, there are two million reported needlestick injuries a year. 20% to 25% of all venipunctures miss the mark on their first attempt. The danger may seem minortwo tiny pinpricks instead of one.
> 
> But theres more to it than just that.
> 
> The problem is failed sticks dont only result in a little discomfort and a second attempt. Sometimes practitioners miss the vein and hit a nerve instead causing temporary to permanent damage depending on the depth of the miss.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Veebots Needle Wielding Robot to Automate Blood Draws

Veebot?s Needle Wielding Robot to Automate Blood Draws | Singularity Hub



> Taking blood is a fine art. Even the most experienced practioner may require more than one stab to find a veinseems only natural to wonder, might a robot do the job better? Mountain Views Veebot thinks so. Veebot wants to take the art out of needlework with their robotic venipuncture machine.
> 
> In the litigious healthcare industry, if they get it right, one imagines there will be a marketmaybe a big one. According to Veebot, there are two million reported needlestick injuries a year. 20% to 25% of all venipunctures miss the mark on their first attempt. The danger may seem minortwo tiny pinpricks instead of one.
> 
> But theres more to it than just that.
> 
> The problem is failed sticks dont only result in a little discomfort and a second attempt. Sometimes practitioners miss the vein and hit a nerve instead causing temporary to permanent damage depending on the depth of the miss.


----------



## editec

flacaltenn said:


> That's what I've been trying to tell folks.. Low skilled sweat labor is pretty much dead. Those robot hamburglars are gonna have a ball flirting with the customers during the break.
> 
> But they'll always be jobs TEACHING robots to assemble customized or new menu items.
> 
> We have a MONSTROUS societal shift about to take place... As large and disruptive as the industrial revolution.. And all we want to talk about is how evil rich folks are responsible for taking all the jobs away.. We're being badly misled..



Oh, its going to be far FAR worse than the shift to industrialism, I think.

As to your faith that there will always be jobs teaching robots (which I presume you mean there will always be programmers?).

Yes, but the number of people capable of doing that effectively will continue to be a smaller and smaller part of the population.

Computer technology's assault on the value of human labor AND human intellectual activity, too, is speeding up, not slowing down.

The vast majority of the human workers (doing both menial and intellectual labor) is becoming redundant.

It isn't JUST factory workers whose jobs are threatened.

I know many of you doubt this.

But consider for example, how much easier it is now do do basic REAEARCH.

I can now find data in micro-seconds that twenty years ago, it might have taken me months to find.

I can now have statsitical analysis done for me that formerly I'd have had to hire a statistican to do for me.

The value of human labor, both meanial and intellectualy labor, is eroding right before your very eyes, kiddies.

Tell youself this won't effect special YOU, if that helps, but denying that this trend isn't going to effect all of us sooner or later is desperate denial of the truth that by now every one of you should be able to see.

Think back just 20 years.

What can you do more cheaply and easily now, thanks to changing technology,  than what you did back then?


----------



## ScienceRocks

Robots can be a very good thing as our society could be fed not needing to pay someone(giving him benefit), so it's easier to give everyone food as it becomes a moral issue. 



*US military&#8217;s BigDog robot learns to throw cinder blocks, grenades&#8230;*
By Sebastian Anthony on March 1, 2013 at 9:04 am
US military?s BigDog robot learns to throw cinder blocks, grenades? | ExtremeTech



> Boston Dynamics, the robotics company behind AlphaDog, Petman, and Cheetah, has now outfitted its BigDog robot with an arm that&#8217;s capable of flinging 50-pound (23kg) concrete blocks across a room at high speed.
> 
> This really is as terrifying as it sounds &#8212; but if you don&#8217;t trust me, watch the video below.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Researchers create an Internet for robots*

Researchers create an Internet for robots


> Software engineers at five European universities have developed a cloud-computing platform for robots. The platform allows robots connected to the Internet to directly access the powerful computational, storage, and communications infrastructure of modern data centers&#8212;the giant server farms behind the likes of Google, Facebook, and Amazon&#8212;for robotics tasks and robot learning. Read/Comment


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Researchers create an Internet for robots*

Researchers create an Internet for robots


> Software engineers at five European universities have developed a cloud-computing platform for robots. The platform allows robots connected to the Internet to directly access the powerful computational, storage, and communications infrastructure of modern data centersthe giant server farms behind the likes of Google, Facebook, and Amazonfor robotics tasks and robot learning. Read/Comment


----------



## ScienceRocks

Fearsome UK Robot Aircraft Is Semi-Autonomous and Will Fly in 2013
Fearsome UK Robot Aircraft Is Semi-Autonomous and Will Fly in 2013 | Singularity Hub




> There&#8217;s a robotic arms race on. We recently covered the US Navy&#8217;s X-47B drone, a stealth jet capable of landing autonomously on an aircraft carrier. Well, not to be outdone by its trans-Atlantic ally, the UK&#8217;s Ministry of Defense (MoD) is said to be soon testing a superdrone called Taranis. The drone is designed to fly intercontinental missions at supersonic speeds, undected by radar&#8212;and almost completely free of human direction.
> 
> Named after the Celtic god of thunder, Taranis is a £142.5 million ($223.25 million) project under development by British aerospace firm BAE and the MoD since December 2006. BAE says Taranis will &#8220;push the boundaries&#8221; of stealth and autonomy.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*
Window Cleaning Robots Making Their Way To Skyscraper Happy United Arab Emirates*



Source: Serbot



> These robotic window washers are not afraid of heights, high winds, or hard-to-reach places. Gekko Façade and its sister, solar panel cleaning robot Gekko Solar, imitate their lizard namesake by clinging to high places that would unnerve the most intrepid of humans. Which is why the humans could very soon be out of the job.
> 
> Gekko Façade is better than window washers, hanging precariously outside office windows on a swinging platform. Not only for the sheer glass it can cover &#8211; 576 square meters per hour &#8211; but its suction cup feet allow it to stay safely attached while it cleans with a rotating brush, even on curved surfaces. It&#8217;s sufficiently nimble to get to all those hard to reach places like a Spiderman Roomba. Of course, it doesn&#8217;t always perform death-defying cleaning stunts. Gekko Façade can clean flat surfaces as well.
> 
> Gekko Solar is the insect-like robot that crawls across solar panels, cleaning along the way at a rate of 3,000 square meters per hour. And Gekko Solar does more than just clean solar panels. A contactless voltage measuring device allows it to check the efficiency of each panel while it&#8217;s operating. Faulty panels can be easily identified and replaced. The Gekkos use very little water while cleaning which is more environmentally friendly and economical than conventional washers and saves users money.


Window Cleaning Robots Making Their Way To Skyscraper Happy United Arab Emirates | Singularity Hub


----------



## LoudMcCloud

To get an idea of what you would study look up Artificial General Intelligence or Strong AI.  The guy that has the most videos on AGI looks like a neanderthal.  lol.  No offense.  He's pretty sharp.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Video: DARPA tire-changing robot, almost as good as a mechanic *

Adario Strange

Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 12:17pm


Video: DARPA tire-changing robot, almost as good as a mechanic | DVICE



> Sometimes it seems like a lot of the robots we find in development are dedicated to carrying out exceedingly specific, and often impractical tasks that offer little in the way of addressing some of our most basic needs. But a new video demonstration from the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) offers hope that one day the vital task of emergency roadside assistance may come via an automaton.
> 
> In a new video posted this week, DARPA shows off its Autonomous Robotic Manipulation (ARM) actually changing a tire. The demonstration is designed to illustrate how humans can work in tandem with robots using only "task-level instructions" rather than requiring the human operator to deliver specific, step-by-step guidance to the robotic system.


----------



## LoudMcCloud

In ten years, it will have doubled in power 5 times.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*PETMAN tests chemical suit*



> Back in October 2011, Boston Dynamics released a video of PETMAN &#8211; a surprisingly realistic humanoid robot. This was intended for eventual use in testing protective clothing worn by the military. The machine has since been redesigned with a head and other upgrades. These include sensors to detect leaks within a suit, along with artificial perspiration to simulate the micro-climate experienced by a real person. With its added clothing, PETMAN has been undergoing validation experiments and will soon be tested inside an exposure chamber with sarin, mustard gas and other deadly chemicals.


PETMAN tests chemical suit


----------



## ScienceRocks

Huge six-legged robot built in UK by enthusiast
By Zoe Kleinman

Technology reporter, BBC News


> BBC News - Huge six-legged robot built in UK by enthusiast
> Boy 'lived as a robot' for two months Watch
> 
> A giant-mantis robot with hydraulic legs has been unveiled by a designer who spent four years creating it.
> 
> Matt Denton, from Hampshire, estimates his "very expensive toy" has cost him hundreds of thousands of pounds.
> 
> He says a mining company and a marine research organisation are now interested in his design and he hopes it might be used at science fairs.
> 
> During its development the machine had one outing, at a music festival, where Mr Denton says it was well received.
> 
> "It's an entertainment vehicle," he said. "But I hope it will inspire people."


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robotic Insects Make First Controlled Flight*

Robotic insects make first controlled flight


> May 2, 2013  In the very early hours of the morning, in a Harvard robotics laboratory last summer, an insect took flight. Half the size of a paperclip, weighing less than a tenth of a gram, it leapt a few inches, hovered for a moment on fragile, flapping wings, and then sped along a preset route through the air.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*
Robot bartenders mix cocktails at Google I/O*

Megan Wollerton

Friday, May 17, 2013 - 5:39pm

Robot bartenders mix cocktails at Google I/O | DVICE
.


> Makr Shakr is an interactive mixology system that debuted this week at the Google I/O After Hours event in San Francisco. Here's how it works:
> 
> 
> 1. Order your drink of choice from an app on your phone
> 
> 2. The ingredients are released by a drink dispenser
> 
> 3. A robotic arm will finish off the drink with any necessary flourishes, like a lemon slice or a quick shake
> 
> 4. Your drink is sent down a conveyor belt for easy access
> 
> The progress of your order is displayed in real-time while you wait. You can see how many people are in line ahead of you, approximately how long you will have to wait, and when your drink is ready. It also lets you know what drinks are trending that night, and you can provide input on cocktails from your phone if you think you can improve the recipe.
> 
> This all sounds awesome, but (unfortunately) the goal isn't to replace human bartenders with robotic ones. Yaniv Turgeman from MIT's SENSEable City Lab led this project to learn more about how something social, like drinking, can be influenced by technology. How might consumption patterns change if you can see what your peers are drinking? Will that influence what you order next?


----------



## ScienceRocks

iRobot&#8217;s RP-Vita Telepresence Robots Start Work At Seven Hospitals

iRobot?s RP-Vita Telepresence Robots Start Work At Seven Hospitals | Singularity Hub



> As smart as they are, doctors can&#8217;t compete with the volume of knowledge that a robot can retain. In an effort to join the best of both worlds &#8211; human experience with robotic data &#8211; a number of companies are developing telemedicine robots that not only allow doctors to reach out to patients miles or continents away, but can offer immediate information and advice that draws from volumes of medical research and case studies. In January the FDA approved the telepresence platform RP-Vita, developed by iRobot and InTouch Health. Now seven hospitals across North America have enlisted the services of RP-Vita, bringing us one step closer to robotics-augmented healthcare.
> 
> The company recently announced that seven hospitals in the North America are using RP-Vita: Dignity Health, Sacramento, CA; Hoag Memorial Hospitial Presbyteria, Orange County, CA; Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Burbank, CA; Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA; St. Mary&#8217;s Medical Center, Huntington, WV; Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH; and Instituto de Salud del Estado de Mexico, Toluca, Mexico.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*
This pet drone could be your new best friend*

Robin Burks

Monday, May 27, 2013 - 3:56pm

This new pet drone could be man?s new best friend | DVICE


> Sorry, dog-lovers. The position of your best friend may soon be compromised. Meet the Pet AR. Drone. Unlike a traditional pet, the robot is capable of doing much more for you. It will be able to follow you around, post to your Facebook, take photos and video of you, and even remind you to get milk when you&#8217;re out. And for those of you who prefer cats? Any feline attitude that the drone may posses can be disabled with the click of a button.
> 
> Using the technology behind the Parrot AR. Drone remote controlled quadrotor, Sameer Parekh originally envisioned his "pet" drone to act as an extreme sports photographer.For example, if you were to bungee jump off of a cliff, the drone would follow you to record the entire experience for you to view and share with your friends and family later (assuming that you survived the experience). Parekh has created some open source software that works with the drones to track users to make it into something more than a remote controlled toy. "I want to build flying robotic pets," he said. "The robot would follow you everywhere, take pictures of you and your friends, tweet for you, carry your keys and do other stuff for you."


----------



## ScienceRocks

Stanford Lab developing new kinds of robot aircraft



> (Phys.org) &#8212;Researchers at Stanford's Biometrics and Dexterous Manipulation Laboratory just south of San Francisco, have come up with two new innovations in robotic aircraft design. One is an improvement on jumping robots that mimic the actions of natural flying fish, while the other is a plane that can land on the side of a building.



 Read more at: Stanford Lab developing new kinds of robot aircraft (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Drones Close In On Farms, The Next Step In Precision Agriculture*
Drones Close In On Farms, The Next Step In Precision Agriculture | Singularity Hub



> Drones continue their steady approach into the different aspects of our lives. But while controversy rages over drone devastation over foreign soil and prying surveillance over US soil, experts are beginning to point our attention to the real future of unmanned aerial vehicles: farming.
> 
> Drones are expected to benefit farms both big and small &#8211; small farms can save money and resources through greater precision, big farms can map and characterize crop health and yield, for example, of large areas more easily. Such land monitoring was once performed on foot, with farmers seeing for themselves which areas need more water or fertilizer. With the advent of precision agriculture, remote sensing has already become vital to many large farm operations. Satellites and aircraft take pictures in infrared to determine water distribution and movement, as well as weed coverage. Thermal infrared sensors that measure heat can determine crop health from afar. Tractor booms are also being fitted with the multi-spectral cameras so that they can take measurements simultaneous with doing their jobs.



Drones can be used for good in many ways. Hell, I wouldn't say the fact that using them instead of special forces is bad either.


----------



## flacaltenn

Matthew said:


> *Video: DARPA tire-changing robot, almost as good as a mechanic *
> 
> Adario Strange
> 
> Wednesday, April 3, 2013 - 12:17pm
> 
> 
> Video: DARPA tire-changing robot, almost as good as a mechanic | DVICE
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sometimes it seems like a lot of the robots we find in development are dedicated to carrying out exceedingly specific, and often impractical tasks that offer little in the way of addressing some of our most basic needs. But a new video demonstration from the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) offers hope that one day the vital task of emergency roadside assistance may come via an automaton.
> 
> In a new video posted this week, DARPA shows off its Autonomous Robotic Manipulation (ARM) actually changing a tire. The demonstration is designed to illustrate how humans can work in tandem with robots using only "task-level instructions" rather than requiring the human operator to deliver specific, step-by-step guidance to the robotic system.
Click to expand...


OK -- as a Nascar fan -- you're gonna have to put this claptrap up against a Sprint Cup Pit Crew and see who wins... I got 4 tires in 11 seconds (and a full tank of gas). What you got?


----------



## ScienceRocks

*WABIAN robot from Japan steps closer to human walk*

9 hours ago by Nancy Owano weblog


> (Phys.org) &#8212;Researchers designing adult bipedal robots have faced a challenge in limitations in a robot's walking pattern. They seek ways to improve on designs to have robots move more naturally. Improving the walking function has been the goal of researchers at the Humanoid Robotics Institute at Waseda University in Japan. Last month, led by Professor Atsuo Takanishi, the team presented the results of their efforts at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Germany. What they achieved more closely replicates normal human foot movements than before. The Institute's researchers turned to their humanoid robot, WABIAN-2R (WAseda BIpedal humANoid - No. 2 Refined), which already had a flexible pelvis, and stretched knees. WABIAN-2R's feet also had the distinction of a curving arch and flexible toes, landing heel-first and lifting off at its toes, noted the IEEE Spectrum report. The robot is under 5 feet tall (148 cm), and weighs 64 kg (141 pounds), with 41 degrees of freedom.



 Read more at: WABIAN robot from Japan steps closer to human walk


*Explosive growth predicted for automotive electronics*

May 31, 2013 by Ronald D. White 



> The global market for advanced automotive electronics - everything from driver assistance programs to new kinds of visual displays - will jump to $240 billion by 2020, up more than 50 percent from 2010, according to a recent report from IHS Inc.'s IMS Research.
> 
> The leap "reflects the field's rising importance to the car industry at large, especially as original equipment manufacturers ratify in-vehicle electronics to be an essential selling feature for an automobile," said Ben Scott, automotive analyst for IHS.
> 
> Some of the drivers, no pun intended, are government safety mandates for things like improved electronic stability control and tire pressure monitoring systems.




 Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-05-explosive-growth-automotive-electronics.html#jCp


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Perfect skin: More touchy-feely robots*

May 31, 2013 



> Robots could become a lot more 'sensitive' thanks to new artificial skins and sensor technologies developed by European scientists. Leading to better robotic platforms that could one day be used in industry, hospitals and even at home.
> 
> The new capabilities, and a production system for building touch-sensitivity into different robots, will improve the way robots work in unconstrained settings, as well as their ability to communicate and cooperate with each other and with humans.




 Read more at: Perfect skin: More touchy-feely robots


----------



## ScienceRocks

*'DomiCopter' Drone From Domino's Delivers Pizza By Air (VIDEO) *


The Huffington Post  |  By Rachel Tepper		 Posted: 06/04/2013 11:21 am EDT  |  Updated: 06/04/2013 1:01 pm EDT 
'DomiCopter' Drone From Domino's Delivers Pizza By Air (VIDEO)



> We're crossing our fingers that Domino's new "DomiCopter" -- a drone that delivers pizzas -- is real. In a recent test video, the contraption traveled about four miles in 10 minutes on a two-pizza delivery in the U.K.
> 
> Domino's hired creative agency T + Biscuits to develop and test out the contraption. Founder Tom Hatton told NBC that so far, the DomiCopter has been a success. "If anything it went quicker than a pizza boy," he said, pointing out that the DomiCopter doesn't need to stop at red lights. "We were amazed at how easy it was going to be."


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Boeing's new robots outperform human workers*

Boeing's new robots outperform human workers


> Aerospace company Boeing has been showing off its new robot painters.
> 
> These machines glide along tracks on either side of a 777 wing. Manually, it takes a team of humans 4.5 hours to do the first coat. The robots do it in 24 minutes with perfect quality. By midsummer, all 777 wings will be painted this way. Worldwide, the population of robots employed in service and industrial roles is growing exponentially and forecast to reach over 100 million by 2020.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Segway-like robot helps fight fires with 3D, thermal imaging



> Engineers at UC San Diego are testing small, mobile robotic vehicles that create virtual reality maps with temperature data that first responders can use in real time.
> In 2012, 83 firefighters died in the line of duty in the U.S. alone, and another 37 fatalities have been reported thus far in 2013. But, with better scouting tools, these numbers could be lowered.
> 
> Thank goodness for robots.
> 
> A new one out of the University of California, San Diego, may soon help first responders survey a fiery scene with its ability to enter a burning building and immediately transmit data on the state and location of the fire, the building's structural integrity, and the presence of any volatile gases -- all while on the lookout for survivors.



Segway-like robot helps fight fires with 3D, thermal imaging | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*British Army takes remote-control of Terrier, the digging-est dog of war*

British Army takes remote-control of Terrier, the digging-est dog of war


> The British Army has taken ownership of its first Terrier combat engineer vehicle, which maker BAE Systems claims is the most advanced of its type. The armored vehicle has been described as a Swiss Army Knife for the battlefield, capable of clearing routes or creating cover. Perhaps most significantly, the Terrier is drive-by-wire, and can be controlled remotely with a device very much like a console game pad.
> 
> The British Army is taking ownership of 60 Terriers, the last of which is due for delivery in January. Here's a BAE Systems video of Terrier in action.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Drone waiter offers table service to U.K. diners *

Adario Strange



> Monday, June 10, 2013 - 11:43am
> 
> 
> We've seen food delivery drones, and even wedding proposals via drone, but one restaurant in the U.K. aims to inject a bit of this robo-fueled futurism into your dining experience.
> 
> London-based Yo Sushi has started using an iPad-controlled quadicopter to deliver meals to customers at its restaurant. The drone waiter, called the iTray, also features two high-definition cameras that allow the cooking staff to see the reactions of the diners once the meal arrives.
> 
> There's just one problem with this seemingly very cool idea: there's not one video showing a customer or waitress taking the food off the drone's serving platter. Why? Well, my guess would be that those pesky rotor blades that keep the device flying probably make it a bit difficult to pick up the plate without hitting them and quickly turning a cool concept into a spilled meal and bruised fingers.


Drone waiter offers table service to U.K. diners | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Namiki Lab air hockey robot can play with strategy (w/ Video)*

8 hours ago by Nancy Owano weblog


> (Phys.org) &#8212;Robots playing air hockey can play strategically as a result of work by researchers in Japan at Chiba University's Namiki Lab. The system they constructed consists of an air-hockey table, a Barrett four-axis robotic arm, two high-speed cameras, and an external PC. This is not the first air hockey playing robot. Back in 2008, for one, there was the Nuvation Air Hockey robot that grabbed admirers. This was an industrial robot equipped with an optical sensor programmed to follow and react to a moving object. The differentiator with the Namiki Lab robot is that this one is able to strategize playing against its human opponent. Professor Akio Namiki and his group have designed a robot that can shift its strategy based on the opponent's playing style. The robot isn't just playing but is making its plays specifically against the opponent in any one game.


 Read more at: Namiki Lab air hockey robot can play with strategy (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

A robot that runs like a cat (w/ Video)

17 minutes ago 


> Thanks to its legs, whose design faithfully reproduces feline morphology, EPFL's 4-legged 'cheetah-cub robot' has the same advantages as its model: It is small, light and fast.
> 
> Even though it doesn't have a head, you can still tell what kind of animal it is: the robot is definitely modeled upon a cat. Developed by EPFL's Biorobotics Laboratory (Biorob), the "cheetah-cub robot," a small-size quadruped prototype robot, is described in an article appearing today in the International Journal of Robotics Research. The purpose of the platform is to encourage research in biomechanics; its particularity is the design of its legs, which make it very fast and stable. Robots developed from this concept could eventually be used in search and rescue missions or for exploration.


 Read more at: A robot that runs like a cat (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Ford using robots to stress test new vehicles*


Craig Lloyd, Jun 17th 2013 Discuss [0]	
Ford using robots to stress test new vehicles - SlashGear



> Vehicles being driven by robots is nothing new. We&#8217;ve seen that in Google&#8217;s self-driving cars, as well as prototypes from Lexus and Audi. However, Ford is putting the technology to a different use. They&#8217;re using autonomous robots to operate new vehicles for the sole purpose of stress testing them on Ford&#8217;s race course.
> 
> One of the purposes behind using robots to test new vehicles is most notably to prevent humans from having to do it. Testing out vehicles can be pretty stressful on the body, especially if you&#8217;re going over bumps at high speeds and taking all sorts of sharp turns. Robots, thankfully, aren&#8217;t as fragile as humans are, and they&#8217;re able to drive around the track for ages if they could.
> 
> Ford teamed up with Autonomous Solutions, Inc to implement robotics inside vehicles that are able to drive cars themselves without any human interaction. The system uses GPS that&#8217;s accurate up to one inch, which is fairly impressive. This allows up to eight robot-controlled cars allowed on the track at once.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Stanford's Artificial Neural Network Is The Biggest Ever *

It's 6.5 times bigger than the network Google premiered last year, which has learned to recognize YouTube cats. 


> Last summer, in conjunction with Stanford researchers, Google[x], the R&D arm where ideas like Project Glass are born, built the world's largest artificial neural network designed to simulate a human brain. Now Andrew Ng, who directs Stanford's Artificial Intelligence Lab and was involved with Google's previous neural endeavor, has taken the project a step further. He and his team have created another neural network, more than six times the size of Google's record-setting achievement.
> 
> Artificial neural networks can model mathematically the way biological brains work, allowing the machine to learn to think in the same ways that humans do--making them capable of recognizing things like speech, objects and even cats like we do.
> 
> The model Google developed in 2012 was made up of 1.7 billion parameters, the digital version of neural connections. It successfully taught itself to recognize cats in YouTube videos. (Because, what else is the human brain good for?)



Stanford's Artificial Neural Network Is The Biggest Ever | Popular Science


----------



## ScienceRocks

*ROSPHERE: A spherical robot for exploration missions*

11 hours ago 



> Researchers at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain, have developed a robot prototype by using an unconventional motion mode to conduct missions on wild environments.
> The Robotics and Cybernetics Research Group from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid has special interest in developing robots able to live in environments where the motion can be a difficulty due to uneven ground. They studied, designed and built a land mobile vehicle that has an unconventional motion.



 Read more at: ROSPHERE: A spherical robot for exploration missions


----------



## ScienceRocks

UC Davis investigates using helicopter drones for crop dusting



> Researchers at University of California, Davis, in cooperation with the Yamaha Motor Corporation, are testing UAV crop dusting on the Oakville Experimental Vineyard at the UC Oakville Station using a Yamaha RMax remote-controlled helicopter. The purpose is to study the adaptation of Japanese UAV crop dusting techniques for US agriculture, but not all the hurdles they face are technological.



UC Davis investigates using helicopter drones for crop dusting


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Now, robotic birds can take to the skies*

Travis Andrews
Now, robotic birds can take to the skies | DVICE
Sunday, June 23, 2013 - 6:40pm



> Sure, we&#8217;ve created robotic birds. But we&#8217;ve never created robotic birds that can actually flap their wings independently of each other.
> 
> Apparently, what sounds so incredibly simple has actually been out of reach, until now. The problem, obviously, isn&#8217;t the simple mechanics of having the wings flap independently of each other. It&#8217;s having the thing fly while they&#8217;re flapping independently of each other. The design process is a sloth-like crawl, because every time a bird doesn&#8217;t work, it crashes to the ground. And is generally destroyed in the process.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Don't try shaking this robot ape off your car*

This cyber-simian from Germany's DFKI keeps its balance even on a wobbly surface. How long before it starts to walk upright?



> Here's something I would totally sic my BigDog on, were I lucky enough to own one: a robot ape that can walk around on four legs and may one day stand up on two.
> 
> Researchers at Germany's DFKI, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, have been working on what they call the iStruct Demonstrator.
> 
> Its purpose is unclear, but with backing from Germany's Space Agency and its application being described as "space robotics," I can only speculate. Planet of the robot apes, perhaps?
> 
> Weighing only 40 pounds and powered by lithium-polymer batteries, iStruct is laden with force sensors and accelerometers to keep it moving steadily.



Don't try shaking this robot ape off your car | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Introducing TORO, Germany's new humanoid robot*


Introducing TORO, Germany's new humanoid robot


> Engineers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) have proven once again that they know how to make a snazzy looking robot. Quietly announced to little fanfare, DLR's Robotics and Mechatronics Center recently put the finishing touches on its DLR-Biped, a pair of shiny blue legs that first stepped onto the scene in 2009. Those legs have now been upgraded to the status of a full-fledged humanoid robot, sporting an all-new upper body and a new name: the Torque Controlled Humanoid Robot, or TORO for short.
> 
> "Now that the robotic body is complete, we can test processes where the robot carries out sequences of movements with foresight and fluency," explains Project Manager Christian Ott. "If a person opens a heavy door, for example, they do so in a dynamic process; they know subconsciously which moves must be performed. Our robot should be able to do this as well. Another goal is to climb stairs. This involves TORO learning how to pull itself up on a handrail like a human."


----------



## Mr. H.

Watch the video. Kinda cool, kinda creepy LOL.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Soft exosuit offers an alternative to rigid exoskeletons*



> Powered exoskeletons show great promise both for augmenting the abilities of able-bodied users, and for rehabilitating the disabled. That said, they also tend to be hard-bodied contraptions that don&#8217;t look particularly comfortable (or light) to wear. Researchers at Harvard University&#8217;s Wyss Institute recently demonstrated what they hope will be a more user-friendly alternative &#8211; a &#8220;soft exosuit.&#8221;
> 
> Sensors on the wearer&#8217;s lower back, hip, calf and ankle detect user-initiated movements. The system responds to those movements by selectively pumping air into bladders within the suit, providing support and a boost to the user&#8217;s own muscle power.



Soft exosuit offers an alternative to rigid exoskeletons


----------



## ScienceRocks

*DARPA's ATLAS robot unveiled (w/ Video)*



> On Monday, July 8, 2013, the seven teams that progressed from DARPA's Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC) arrived at the headquarters of Boston Dynamics in Waltham, Mass. to meet and learn about their new teammate, the ATLAS robot. Like coaches starting with a novice player, the teams now have until late December 2013 to teach ATLAS the moves it will need to succeed in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) Trials where each robot will have to perform a series of tasks similar to what might be required in a disaster response scenario.


 Read more at: DARPA's ATLAS robot unveiled (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*HUBO ready for DARPA's Robotics Challenge trials (w/ Video)*

3 hours ago 



> The Humanoid Robot Research Center (HUBO Lab) at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Rainbow Co., a spin-off venture company of the university, unveiled a new model of HUBO that will be entered in an international robotics competition scheduled later this year.
> 
> The competition is hosted and sponsored by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is called the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC). Kicked off in October 2012, the DRC's goal is to spur the development of advanced robots that can assist humans in mitigating and recovering from future natural and man-made disasters.



 Read more at: HUBO ready for DARPA's Robotics Challenge trials (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*JPL's Robosimian Advances in DARPA Competition*



> RoboSimian, an ape-like disaster-recovery robot designed and built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has passed a critical design review.
> 
> The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) selected RoboSimian to advance in competition to the agency's Robotics Trials to be held at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida in December.


 A full list of teams progressing to the DARPA Robotics Trials is online at: 2013/07/11 DARPA?s ATLAS Robot Unveiled .


----------



## ScienceRocks

*New military underwear to give Iron Man performance*



> They&#8217;re like Underoos for big boys -- but unlike the childhood version covered in Spiderman graphics, these really do give the wearer extra powers.
> 
> While on long patrols, often in rugged terrain and extreme temperatures, U.S. service personnel are regularly required to carry a crazy amount of weight. Warfighters often lug 100 pounds or more in body armor, equipment and other essentials.
> 
> And as the weight increases, so does the rate of joint and soft-tissue injuries.
> 
> Designed by DARPA, the military&#8217;s advanced research arm, the Warrior Web undergarment will help prevent injury, reduce fatigue and improve endurance -- and the next phase of testing is about to kick off.


Read more: New military underwear to give Iron Man performance | Fox News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Engineers designing robots to revolutionize farming, ease labor woes*



> SALINAS, Calif. &#8211;  On a windy morning in California's Salinas Valley, a tractor pulled a wheeled, metal contraption over rows of budding iceberg lettuce plants. Engineers from Silicon Valley tinkered with the software on a laptop to ensure the machine was eliminating the right leafy buds.
> 
> The engineers were testing the Lettuce Bot, a machine that can "thin" a field of lettuce in the time it takes about 20 workers to do the job by hand.
> 
> The thinner is part of a new generation of machines that target the last frontier of agricultural mechanization &#8212; fruits and vegetables destined for the fresh market, not processing, which have thus far resisted mechanization because they're sensitive to bruising.




Read more: Engineers designing robots to revolutionize farming, ease labor woes | Fox News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Computer smart as a 4-year-old*



> Artificial and natural knowledge researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago have IQ-tested one of the best available artificial intelligence systems to see how intelligent it really is.
> 
> Turns out&#8211;it's about as smart as the average 4-year-old, they will report July 17 at the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Conference in Bellevue, Wash.
> 
> The UIC team put ConceptNet 4, an artificial intelligence system developed at M.I.T., through the verbal portions of the Weschsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence Test, a standard IQ assessment for young children.



 Read more at: Computer smart as a 4-year-old


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Naro-nanin educational robot fish takes a dip*



> A new breed of robot fish that is both relatively inexpensive and highly customizable is teaching students between the ages of 10 and 18 about technology and biology. It's the latest in a line of biologically-inspired underwater robots developed within the naro (nautical robots) project at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), which has previously developed robots based on tuna fish and sea turtles.



Naro-nanin educational robot fish takes a dip


----------



## ScienceRocks

*ERO demolition robot concept recycles on the fly*


ERO demolition robot concept recycles on the fly


> When it comes to demolishing buildings, there are almost as many ways to take them apart as put them up. We knock them down, blow them to bits, and build machines to take them apart. But what about a robot that eats buildings? Omer Haciomeroglu of Sweden&#8217;s Umeå Institute of Design has come up with the concept ERO concrete de-construction robot, which uses high-pressure water jets to strip concrete from rebar and recycle it on the spot


.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*RoboSimian is JPL's ape-inspired first responder*



> Later this year, DARPA will be hosting what promises to be a watershed event in the world of robotics: the Robotics Challenge. Huge, expensive robots will have to navigate obstacle courses and complete complex tasks that simulate how robots might be able to help out after a major disaster. NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) recently announced that they will be entering the fray with their monkey-based robot, RoboSimian. With four general purpose limbs and no real front, RoboSimian is designed for both economy of motion and enhanced perceptual awareness.



RoboSimian is JPL's ape-inspired first responder | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Heres a Look at the Worlds First Smart Restaurant, Kitchen-Free and Run by Robots*


Here?s a Look at the World?s ?First Smart Restaurant,' Kitchen-Free and Run by Robots | FoodbeastFoodbeast



> Earlier this year, we caught wind of a young robotics company out of San Francisco that had created its very own burger making machine. Just insert tomatoes, pickles, onions, lettuce, buns and meat and out the other end pops  you guessed it  a fully-cooked, ready-to-eat, gourmet hamburger.
> 
> Weve already explored the implications a machine like this would have on the QSR market, the human jobs it would replace, but up until a few days ago, all we really had was speculation (and our own over-active imaginations). Well my friends, imaginate no longer! The global robo- takeover is officially upon us.
> 
> But its not as bad as you think.
> 
> Momentum Machines  the minds behind the burger maker  have expressed plans to create their own smart restaurant chain, serving burgers made by their own crime-fighting cooking robots. According to the companys site, the technology will provide the means for the next generation of restaurant design and operation.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Driverless tractors till German high-tech farm*

10 hours ago by Benoit Toussaint 



> As the harvest nears, the employees of German farmer Klaus Muenchhoff are busy making the final checks on imposing tractors ready to roll into the golden fields.
> But these tractors are steel monsters with a differencedriverless and satellite-guided, they can operate on the fields with an accuracy of a few centimetres (inches).
> 
> Impervious to fatigue and indifferent to poor visibility, they reduce distances travelled by each vehicle, saving their owner fuel costs and improving crop yields.



 Read more at: Driverless tractors till German high-tech farm


----------



## ScienceRocks

* 
Fish-tracking robots take to the seas and skies off Portugal*



> A unique field experiment being conducted off the coast of Portugal this week combines ocean robotics and marine biology in a complex aquatic dance. Researchers are using a fleet of robotic vehicles to track over a dozen Mola mola (ocean sunfish) as they forage across the coastal ocean. During this experiment, engineers and marine biologists are working together to test new techniques for tracking multiple animals in real time, collecting environmental data in the water around each animal, and controlling and coordinating a diverse group of robotic vehicles. Collaborators are also testing advanced capabilities for seafloor mapping and for search and rescue, in concert with local maritime authorities.


 Read more at: Fish-tracking robots take to the seas and skies off Portugal


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Paper-thin e-skin responds to touch* 
 July 22, 2013 9:49 am  |  by Sarah Yang, UC Berkeley  |  News  |    




> A research team led by Ali Javey of the Univ. of California, Berkeley, has created the first user-interactive sensor network on flexible plastic. The new electronic skin, or e-skin, responds to touch by instantly lighting up. The more intense the pressure, the brighter the light it emits.



http://www.rdmag.com/news/2013/07/paper-thin-e-skin-responds-touch


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Stainless steel robot arm designed to experiment with drugs*

Stainless steel robot arm designed to experiment with drugs



> If you were designing a robotic arm for use in pharmaceutical research, you&#8217;d want to make it easy to sterilize between uses. That&#8217;s why Kawasaki Heavy Industries has encased its snazzy-looking new MSR05 arm entirely in stainless steel.
> 
> Recently demonstrated at the Interphex Japan pharmaceutical industry trade show, the MSR05 is intended specifically for use in drug discovery experiments involving dangerous substances. In order to minimize the risk of contamination taking place within those experiments, the whole assembly can be safely sterilized using hydrogen peroxide gas.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Artificial muscle contracts and expands with changes in humidity

2 hours ago 



> (Phys.org) &#8212;A small plastic strip can do "weight training" to effortlessly lifts many times its own weight, driven by cyclic changes in the humidity of the surrounding air. This strong "artificial arm" is based on the interaction between microgels and a layer of polycations that shrinks as it dries, according to a report presented by Canadian researchers in the journal Angewandte Chemie.




 Read more at: Artificial muscle contracts and expands with changes in humidity


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Japan's IBIS keyhole surgery robot demonstrated (w/ Video)*



> A group of robotics scientists in Japan have demonstrated their pneumatic robot, IBIS, which is designed for performing keyhole surgery. They say it may cost as little as one tenth the price of its main rival, Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci robot.
> 
> The team of scientists from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (TokyoTech), have been developing their robotics system for some years. It consists of a master unit connected to a slave unit. The master unit is operated by the surgeon, who views the surgery on a stereoscopic 3D display and moves the robot's arms by means of two finger- and hand-operated joysticks with multiple controls. The slave unit consists of pneumatically driven arms that carry out the delicate surgery.


 Read more at: Japan's IBIS keyhole surgery robot demonstrated (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*IIT's HyQ quadruped robot gets better reflexes*

IIT's HyQ quadruped robot gets better reflexes



> Similar in size to Boston Dynamics' BigDog, the HyQ hydraulically-actuated quadruped robot can walk, trot, kick, and jump, but its reflexes need an upgrade before it can move from flat ground to more challenging terrain. To that end, researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology's (IIT) have developed an animal-like step reflex algorithm that quickly detects when the robot's feet run into obstacles, preventing trips and falls.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Crabster Robot to Walk Along the Ocean Floor, Investigate Shipwrecks*


> As six-legged robots go, other than its nifty red and yellow paint job, the Crabster robot has a pretty standard look. It isn&#8217;t the biggest hexapod, like the impressive two-ton Mantis, or a tiny hexapod with a weird gait, like Boston Dynamics&#8217; RHex. What makes Crabster special isn&#8217;t so much what it is but where it will walk&#8212;the robot was designed to navigate the seafloor.
> 
> Ocean researchers already use both autonomous and remote-control undersea vehicles, but propulsion systems tend to kick up sediment, adversely affecting visibility, and lack the power to deal with strong currents.



Crabster Robot to Walk Along the Ocean Floor, Investigate Shipwrecks | Singularity Hub


----------



## BlueGin

*Would you have surgery at 'hands' of a robot?*

CNN) -Every day, we happily entrust more of our lives to automated machines at home and in our cities. But you could be forgiven for blanching at the prospect of a four-armed robot bearing over you, scalpel glinting. 

But fear not, a human, and a highly-trained one at that, is at the controls of the da Vinci robotic surgical system.

"I think it's very important to explain robotic surgery," says David Rosa from da Vinci creators, Intuitive Surgical.

"The robot doesn't do anything on its own. Every movement, all of its controls are controlled by a surgeon who sits at a console."

The company's tele-operated robots have performed more than 1.5 million operations from abdominal general surgery and gynecology procedures to thoracic and lung operations. 

Would you have surgery at 'hands' of a robot? | Technology - Home


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robots taking over to help medical research*




> It has been a long and stealthy takeover, but robots now dominate many leading bioscience laboratories, doing in just hours what once took days or weeks. Now the convergence of automation with nanotechnologies, biomedics and advanced algorithms promises to take robotization of medical research much further.
> 
> In May of this year, Ross King, professor of machine intelligence at the UK's University of Manchester, traveled east to talk to students at the University of Nottingham campus in Ningbo, China. His paper "Robot scientists: Automating biology and chemistry" was a vindication of theories he and colleagues first proposed almost a decade ago.



 Also Included In: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Robots taking over to help medical research


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Electrically-charged hydrogel has applications for soft robotics and biomedical fields*
Electrically-charged hydrogel has applications for soft robotics and biomedical fields



> Soft robotics is a quickly emerging field that takes a lot of inspiration from marine creatures like squids and starfish. A light-controlled hydrogel was recently developed that could be used for control of these new robotic devices, but now researchers at North Carolina State University are taking the development of soft robotic devices to a new level with electrically-charged hydrogels.
> 
> The "ionoprinting" technique, as the team has dubbed it, uses a copper electrode to inject positively-charged copper ions into a hydrogel material (a highly absorbent polymer material that is nearly 99.9 percent water). The copper ions bond with negatively charged ions n the hydrogel's polymer network, creating a more robust and mechanically stiffer structure.


----------



## BlueGin

*Japan launches talking humanoid robot into space*

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan has launched the world's first talking humanoid robot "astronaut" toward the International Space Station.

Kirobo  derived from the Japanese words for "hope" and "robot"  was among five tons of supplies and machinery on a rocket launched Sunday from Tanegashima in southwestern Japan, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said.

The childlike robot was designed to be a companion for astronaut Koichi Wakata and will communicate with another robot on Earth, according to developers. Wakata is expected to arrive at the space station in November.

Robot designer Tomotaka Takahashi, of the University of Tokyo, advertiser Dentsu and automaker Toyota Motor Corp. worked on the robot.

The challenge was making sure it could move and talk where there was no gravity. 

Japan launches talking humanoid robot into space - Yahoo! Finance


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Neuromorphic chips could help reverse-engineer the human brain*


Neuromorphic chips could help reverse-engineer the human brain



> Researchers at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich have designed a sophisticated computer system that is comparable in size, speed and energy consumption to the human brain. Based on the development of neuromorphic microchips that mimic the properties of biological neurons, the research is seen as an important step in understanding how the human brain processes information and opens the door to fast, extremely low-power electronic systems that can assimilate sensory input and perform user-defined tasks in real time
Click to expand...


----------



## ScienceRocks

*FAA clears drones for civilian use*


> Despite being constantly in the news, UAVs haven&#8217;t been seen much in the skies of the US except in military training areas or by law enforcement agencies. That&#8217;s beginning to change, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that is has issued operating permits for a pair of civilian unmanned aircraft to a company based in Alaska. The two unmanned aircraft are the AeroVironment Puma, which is a hand-launched, battery powered UAV that uses an electro-optical and infrared video camera for surveillance, and the other is the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle; a small, long-endurance craft based on a fish-spotting design.
> 
> Until now, the FAA has had a dim view toward issuing flying permits for civilian UAVs in the US. Except for a few for law enforcement and research purposes, the answer has been a flat &#8220;no.&#8221; According to the FAA, a ScanEagle and a Puma UAV have received restricted category type certificates that permit aerial surveillance. These permits are an extension of the authority the FAA used for acceptance of the two craft for military service


.
FAA clears drones for civilian use


----------



## ScienceRocks

*SkySweeper robot makes inspecting power lines easy and inexpensive (w/ Video)*



> Mechanical engineers at the University of California, San Diego invented a robot designed to scoot along utility lines, searching for damage and other problems that require repairs. Made of off-the-shelf electronics and plastic parts printed on an inexpensive 3D printer, the SkySweeper prototype could be scaled up for less than $1,000, making it significantly more economical than the two models of robots currently used to inspect power lines.



 Read more at: SkySweeper robot makes inspecting power lines easy and inexpensive (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*New Robot Could Fight Climate Change By Spotting Methane Leaks With Lasers*

 By Jeff Spross on  August 6, 2013 at 10:27 am


New Robot Could Fight Climate Change By Spotting Methane Leaks With Lasers | ThinkProgress


> Researchers at Orebo University in Sweden are working on a robot that can help fight climate change by spotting methane leaks in landfills. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases, able to force 22 to 33 times more warming than carbon dioxide on a pound-for-pound comparison. And the impact of methane leaks from decaying garbage in landfills is under-appreciated: when correctly accounted for, landfills are the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, just behind electricity generation, transportation, and factories.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Ability to perceive minds of others emerges in robot*
07 August 2013 by Celeste Biever
Magazine issue 2929. Subscribe and save
For similar stories, visit the Robots and The Human Brain Topic Guides



> THE pearly white humanoid watches placidly as the woman moves a toy brick sitting on the table. Inside, iCub's imagination is running wild.
> 
> The robot is being tested for its ability to track the mental states of others. Known as theory of mind this gives humans many sophisticated traits, including empathy and deception Robots have demonstrated theory of mind before but iCub is different. Last week, at the Living Machines conference in London, researchers revealed that it is the first robot to acquire theory of mind without specific programming. "This all emerged," says Peter Dominey, leader of the research team.
> 
> Dominey is one of a band of roboticists who are showing that building with basic biological machinery &#8211; instead of ever-more complex algorithms &#8211; can endow robots with lifelike characteristics. "We can directly take advantage of the evolutionary lessons of nature," says biologist Joseph Ayers ...


Sign in to read: Ability to perceive minds of others emerges in robot - tech - 07 August 2013 - New Scientist


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Building Eraser: Smart Robot Scans & Deconstructs Concrete*


> Whether the building is a bare-bones warehouse or five-star hotel, demolition is an equally messy business &#8211; but perhaps it does not have to be. What if demolition teams could precisely separate the component parts of the concrete forming the walls, floors and ceilings of a structure?



Building Eraser: Smart Robot Scans & Deconstructs Concrete | WebUrbanist


----------



## ScienceRocks

US *researchers create robot that jumps*




> Researchers in the U.S. have put together a robot that can jump and climb.
> 
> That could make it particularly useful for military search missions or supply transport.
> 
> The RHex robot project at the University of Pennsylvania began about 15 years ago, when researchers at several universities began asking how robots could be able to traverse rugged terrain as well as animals do.
> 
> Legged robots, unlike wheeled ones, have the animal-like ability to overcome obstacles like stairs and ledges. But until the latest RHex, developed by engineering professor Daniel Koditschek and doctoral student Aaron Johnson, legged robots couldn't negotiate gaps in terrain any better than robots with wheels




 Read more at: US researchers create robot that jumps


----------



## ScienceRocks

So much for drones being bad. LOL! RIDE THAT HORSEY!!!!



*In Peru, drones used for agriculture, archeology*



> Drones are most often associated with assassinations in remote regions of Pakistan and Yemen but in Peru, unmanned aircraft are being used to monitor crops and study ancient ruins.
> 
> Forget Reapers and Predators&#8212;the drones used here are hand-held contraptions that look like they were assembled in a garage with gear from a hardware store.
> 
> They are equipped with a microcomputer, a GPS tracker, a compass, cameras and an altimeter, and can be easily programmed by using Google Maps to fly autonomously and return to base with vital data.




 Read more at: In Peru, drones used for agriculture, archeology


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Solar-Powered Unmanned Aircraft Flew 9 Consecutive Hours*



> An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) called the Puma AE was recently able to fly for 9 consecutive hours and 11 minutes, significantly longer than the rest of the aircrafts of this type.
> 
> According to Green Car Congress, the Puma AE is solar-powered, and it achieved this flight length using Aerovironment&#8217;s latest &#8220;long endurance&#8221; battery. This battery enables it to fly for 3 hours without solar power.
> 
> This plane is for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). It is a 13-pound aircraft that is water-resistant, can be assembled by hand in minutes, and requires no infrastructure (for example, no runways). It is currently in the research and development phase. A production version is planned for 2014. The Puma AE has even received a permit for flight in the Arctic.


Read more at Solar-Powered Unmanned Aircraft Flew 9 Consecutive Hours


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Quadcopter piloted by a smartphone*



> The quadcopter, which was developed at TU Vienna, can negotiate its way through a room completely on its own. It does not need any human interference, and in contrast to other models, it is not assisted by any external computer. All the necessary computing power in on board; the image processing is done by a standard smartphone.
> 
> Quadcopters have become a popular toy for academic research. The small aircraft, powered by four electrical engines, are perfect for testing advanced feedback control systems, which make them fly steadily and safely. But beyond that, quadcopters are also used to test how machines can be made to perceive their environment and act autonomously.


 Read more at: Quadcopter piloted by a smartphone


----------



## ScienceRocks

*A personalised robot companion for older people*



> A highly customisable robot companion designed by EU-funded researchers to offer support to older people is currently being presented across Europe and could find its way into people's homes within two or three years, potentially greatly enhancing quality of life for older citizens and people with memory or mobility problems.
> 
> The robot, a mobile wheeled semi-humanoid figure equipped with cameras, sensors, audio and a touch screen interface, can remind users to take their medicine, suggest they have their favourite drink or prompt them to go for a walk or visit friends if they haven't been out for a while. As part of a larger smart-home environment that can include smart clothing to monitor vital signs, the system can monitor user's health and safety, and alert emergency services if something is amiss.



 Read more at: A personalised robot companion for older people


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Titan Aerospace readies solar-powered, long-endurance UAVs*


> (Phys.org) &#8212;A New Mexico company, Titan Aerospace, founded in 2012, is taking a serious step in launching unmanned aircraft that can function as satellites but at far less cost. Making news earlier this month at the Association of Unmanned Systems International (AUVSI) conference and exhibition in Washington, the company introduced its Solara 50 and Solara 60, behaving as long-endurance solar powered drones and described by the company as atmospheric satellites.



 Read more at: Titan Aerospace readies solar-powered, long-endurance UAVs


----------



## ScienceRocks

*'Iron Man' exoskeleton could give astronauts superhuman strength*

'Iron Man' exoskeleton could give astronauts superhuman strength - NBC News.com



> Astronauts could one day get a power surge from hi-tech robotic suits, like real-life versions of "Iron Man" hero Tony Stark.
> 
> 
> That's not to suggest that spaceflyers will soon become superheroes; most of Iron Man's abilities will long remain in the realm of science fiction. But the X1 Robotic Exoskeleton, which NASA is co-developing with several partners, could give superhuman strength to people on long-duration space missions to an asteroid or Mars, or act as a "resistive device" for exercising, agency officials say.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Researchers granted patent for system that fuses human and computer intelligence*

6 minutes ago by Stephanie Koons 



> In complex crisis situations involving military situation awareness, homeland security and other time-sensitive scenarios, teams of experts must often make difficult decisions within a narrow time frame. However, voluminous amounts of information and the complexity of distributed cognition can hamper the quality and timeliness of decision-making by human teams and lead to catastrophic consequences.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Rumor: Google building its own self-driving cars for 'robo taxis' *


Rumor: Google building its own self-driving cars for 'robo taxis' | DVICE


> Although Google's self-driving cars have yet to become anywhere close to mainstream &#8212; they're only approved in three states including California, Nevada and Florida &#8212; it's not difficult to ponder all the doors (no pun intended) driverless cars could bring for humanity, especially for disabled folk, who are blind or unfit for driving.
> 
> So far, Google's prototype self-driving cars have been of the Toyota Prius and Lexus RX450h variety, retrofitted with a gazillion sensors. But according to former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessica Lessin, who is launching a new technology publication, Google wants to build its own self-driving cars. The website reports Google's talks with major car companies have "failed to yield a partnership." Without any willing car partners, it may have to design and build its robotic dream car on its own.
> 
> Another option, Jessica Lessin reports, is Google may operate a "robo taxi" fleet, if it builds its own self-driving cars:
> 
> "One idea Google has been studying is how its vehicles could become part of robo-taxi systems in which a fleet of self-driving cars would pick up passengers and work commuters on demand, according to people familiar with the matter. Google believes that such systems could potentially reduce the need for people to own cars and reduce accidents."


----------



## ScienceRocks

*DARPA&#8217;s human-augmentation suit*



> One of the most common risks that dismounted Soldiers face in the field is injury from carrying their gear &#8212; often topping 100 pounds &#8212; for extended periods over rough terrain.
> 
> Heavy loads increase the likelihood of musculoskeletal injury and also exacerbate fatigue, which contributes to both acute and chronic injury and impedes Soldiers&#8217; physical and cognitive abilities to perform mission-oriented tasks.
> 
> To help address these challenges, DARPA seeks performers for the last phase of its Warrior Web program.
> 
> Warrior Web aims to develop a soft, lightweight undersuit that would help reduce injuries and fatigue and improve Soldiers&#8217; ability to efficiently perform their missions. The garment would protect injury-prone areas and promote efficient and safe movement over a wide range of activities (walking, running, jumping, crawling, etc.).
> 
> Comfortable, durable and washable, the garment would not interfere with body armor or other standard clothing and gear. DARPA seeks to create a working prototype that significantly boosts endurance, carrying capacity and overall Soldier effectiveness &#8212; all while using no more than 100 watts of power.
> 
> &#8220;Many of the individual technologies currently under development show real promise to reduce injury and fatigue and improve endurance,&#8221; said LTC Joseph Hitt, DARPA program manager for Warrior Web. &#8220;Now we&#8217;re aiming to combine them &#8212; and hopefully some new ones, too &#8212; into a single system that nearly every Soldier could wear and would provide decisive benefits under real-world conditions.&#8221;
> 
> DARPA has scheduled a Warrior Web Task B Proposers&#8217; Day for potential performers on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013. The Special Notice for the Proposers&#8217; Day is available at http://go.usa.gov/jJjT and more information is available here. The Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Warrior Web Task B is available at http://go.usa.gov/jJbR.
> 
> DARPA seeks proposals in the following technology areas:
> Integrated advanced control systems across multiple joints
> Materials, fabrics, structures, sensors, sensor interfaces and human factors associated with developing conforming, assistive wearable technologies
> Technologies that significantly reduce the potential for acute or chronic injury of a wearer under typical warfighter mission profile situations
> Technologies that increase physical capabilities and/or endurance of humans during activities such as running, lifting, climbing, carrying a load, marksmanship, etc.
> Additional assistive wearable technologies for rehabilitation, physical therapy or those intended to help improve quality of life for the aging population



http://www.kurzweilai.net/darpas-human-augmentation-suit


This is why it would be good to double darpa's budget. Take it out of the combat budget.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*3D Robotics announces GPS-guided quadcopter for the masses*



> Autonomous UAVs may be all the rage these days among professionals, but unfortunately a lot of the GPS-guided quadrotors on the market are a bit too complicated for the average consumer to control. 3D Robotics is aiming to inject a little more simplicity into the equation with its recently unveiled Iris. Billed as a ready-to-fly, fully-autonomous, user-friendly UAV, the Iris supports simple GPS controls through any computer, tablet, or smartphone.


3D Robotics announces GPS-guided quadcopter for the masses


----------



## ScienceRocks

*How to make a brain perceive an exoskeleton as its new body*



> Miguel Nicolelis is a man with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Since claiming that he will build the robotic exoskeletal suit that enables a paraplegic to perform the opening kickoff during the next world cup, he has been scrambling to make good on his self-imposed mandate. By all measures, he has logged several important advances en route to that goal this year alone. The latest offering from his lab at Duke provides an important link into how an exoskeleton will be incorporated at the cortical level, into the so-called body schema. In other words, how the mind comes to perceive its new self.
> 
> The &#8220;rubber hand illusion&#8221; is a well-known phenomenon which illustrates how plastic our body schema can be. It is best experienced by visually substituting a mannequin arm for your own arm, and applying a physical stimulus like a stroke or prick, to both. In a matter of minutes, your perceptions and concerns begin to morph to what is going on at the mannequin arm. This happens to the point that your brain begins to identify closer with the fake arm. In support of this view, many psychologies like to point to several studies that have shown that the real arm decreases in temperature under these circumstances.



How to make a brain perceive an exoskeleton as its new body | ExtremeTech


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robotics first: Engineering team makes artificial muscles that can lift loads 80 times their weight*

5 hours ago 



> 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 &#8211; 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 more at: Robotics first: Engineering team makes artificial muscles that can lift loads 80 times their weight


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Harvest Automation Brings Affordable Robotics to Big Ag*



> If you were starting a robotics company, what would you build a robot to do? You could build one to master a particular form of motion, to prove a point. Or you could build one to perform a task that&#8217;s impossible for a human to perform, such as explore under the ocean. You&#8217;d end up with something sexy but expensive and only useful to a handful of institutions. And unless you had a contract with a well-funded national military, you&#8217;d probably be out of business pretty fast.
> 
> Harvest Automation has built a robot to do something that&#8217;s neither difficult nor sexy: move potted plants around in nurseries and greenhouses. It&#8217;s a task the Boston-based company decided to tackle with its first robot, dubbed Harvey, not because humans can&#8217;t do it, but because they don&#8217;t.
> 
> &#8220;It&#8217;s often very difficult strenuous work, and increasingly it&#8217;s harder and harder to find people to do that work,&#8221; Harvest Automation CEO John Kawola told Singularity Hub.



Harvest Automation Brings Affordable Robotics to Big Ag | Singularity Hub


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Dash 'origami' robot lets you build your own insect buddy*

UC Berkeley researchers take their pet insect robot from the lab to a crowdfunding-fueled public debut as a DIY robotics kit.



> Your own personal robot minion is pretty close to going into production. Dash Robotics has just launched a crowdfunding campaign to put insect-inspired robot kits into the hands of the masses. The Dash bots are cute and affordable.
> 
> Dash comes as a flat sheet. You fold and assemble it, like a robotic version of origami. It includes the necessary motor and electronics to make the little beastie run. It takes about an hour to do the assembly, no soldering required.
> 
> There are quite a few features packed into the robot, including a gyroscope, light sensor, LEDS, and a micro-USB connector. Controlling Dash requires an iOS device that supports Bluetooth 4.0. The team is planning to offer an  Android app, but there are no guarantees at this point.


Dash 'origami' robot lets you build your own insect buddy | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Drones in China deliver packages, even a birthday cake*

Parcel service SF Express was spotted the other day doing drop-off via aerial drone in the Chinese city of Dongguang, setting up a possible new standard in package delivery.



> In China, robots can cook and serve food while serenading customers, are being built into a "million robot army" to revolutionize manufacturing, and are a cornerstone of youth education. So it would make sense that in the Chinese city of Dongguang aerial drones are now delivering packages.
> 
> Spotted in the city -- located in the southern province of Guangdong with a population of roughly 8 million -- by a Weibo user who posted the photos on the Chinese social network, the drones are eight-rotor helicopters, or octocoptors, operated by the delivery service SF Express, whose logo was conveniently plastered on the side of the drone. The company admitted to running trials of the service after media reports picked up on the photos.
> 
> Because it is only in the testing phase, SF Express drones are not in widespread deployment, yet. However, it's estimated by Chinese media reports that the octocoptor can fly roughly 328 feet in the air, deliver packages within two meters of customers, and withstand a load of approximately 6.5 pounds.


Drones in China deliver packages, even a birthday cake | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*MSU lands first drone*



> Farmers can now get a birds-eye view of their fields &#8211; in full HD &#8211; thanks to Michigan State University landing its first drone.
> 
> MSU researchers are using its first unmanned aerial vehicle to help farmers maximize yields by improving nitrogen and water management and reducing environmental impact such as nitrate leaching or nitrous oxide emissions.
> 
> For this initiative, MSU's UAV measures how crops react to stress, such as drought, nutrients deficiency or pests. The drone flies over the field documenting the field's status *&#8211; down to centimeters. The portrait gives farmers details on the current health of their crops.





 Read more at: MSU lands first drone


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Giant robots harnessed to excavate the mines of the future*


> Somewhere deep in the Australian outback there are massive robots operating a mine. Each of them weighs 210 metric tons and has a voracious appetite for, er, carrying stuff. You see, the robots are dump trucks &#8212; and they could kick the crap out of Audi and Google's self-driving cars.
> 
> As part of Australia's mine of the future, the dump trucks make up the Autonomous Hauling System (AHS), and are capable of navigating their surroundings and delivering rock to on-site processing machinery. How they navigate their surroundings can be preset and altered by off-site human operators, similar to how military drones function.



Giant robots harnessed to excavate the mines of the future | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Tesla Motors will put a self-driving car on the road within three years*



> There aren&#8217;t many names that can stir the public&#8217;s interest simply by announcing their intent to enter a race. Some can&#8217;t be ignored due to sheer size and resources &#8212; the Microsofts and Googles of the world &#8212; but others get by on a narrower but highly prestigious track record, such as the Valves and the Amazons. In terms of hardware, Tesla Motors definitely falls into the latter category; in just a decade it has built a worldwide auto competitor and the first plug-in to excite enthusiasts as a car, rather than as an electric car. Though new, Tesla has definitely acquired the air of an elite contender.



Tesla Motors will put a self-driving car on the road within three years | ExtremeTech


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot knows who wants one for the road*



> (Phys.org) &#8212;JAMES has a head that is actually a tablet. JAMES is an efficient waiter yet only has one arm. JAMES can read your body language to know you want a drink without your saying a word. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all, however, is that the EU is funding this project. JAMES stands for The Joint Action in Multimodal Embodied Systems. The project started in 2011 and continues until January. Actually, its research and results will be helpful for scientists to know how robots can assist people in meaningful ways. Beyond rescue missions, intelligence-gathering and warfare, robots may be useful partners in daily life. JAMES offers interesting cues as to what can be accomplished in robot-human interactions.


 Read more at: Robot knows who wants one for the road


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Japan robot can pick strawberry fields forever for farmer*

29 minutes ago 



> A robot that picks ripe strawberries as the farmer sleeps was unveiled in Japan on Wednesday, with its developer saying it could cut workloads by two-thirds.
> The device, which can gather a piece of fruit every eight seconds, uses three cameras to determine which strawberries are ready to pick before darting out an arm and snipping them into its basket.
> 
> The two-metre (6ft 6ins) robot moves on rails between rows of strawberries, which are usually grown in elevated planters in greenhouses in Japan.



 Read more at: Japan robot can pick strawberry fields forever for farmer


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Mercedes-Benz S-Class stability system uses sensors, stereo camera (w/ Video)*



> (Phys.org) &#8212;This week German automaker Mercedes-Benz put the world on alert to its latest ride control technology in an entertainment-focused ad effort starring chickens, not luxury sedans. The result is that many bloggers are talking a lot about the chickens. The ad promoting the new 2014 S-class cars breaks the auto industry advertising mold, in a move to a viral ad-inducing stare at an animal curiosity. In this instance, the chickens are intended as metaphor for the feature called Magic Ride Control. This involves a stabilized ride that has been compared to a magic carpet ride. The ad, though, had no signs of royal carriages on wheels racing on empty highways or pulling up to opera houses.



 Read more at: Mercedes-Benz S-Class stability system uses sensors, stereo camera (w/ Video)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Surprisingly simple scheme for self-assembling robots*

Small cubes with no exterior moving parts can propel themselves forward, jump on top of each other, and snap together to form arbitrary shapes.

Surprisingly simple scheme for self-assembling robots - MIT News Office



> In 2011, when an MIT senior named John Romanishin proposed a new design for modular robots to his robotics professor, Daniela Rus, she said, &#8220;That can&#8217;t be done.&#8221;
> 
> Two years later, Rus showed her colleague Hod Lipson, a robotics researcher at Cornell University, a video of prototype robots, based on Romanishin&#8217;s design, in action. &#8220;That can&#8217;t be done,&#8221; Lipson said.


----------



## ScienceRocks

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE3fmFTtP9g&feature=player_embedded]Introducing WildCat - YouTube[/ame]



cool


----------



## ScienceRocks

*SOCOM Seeks TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit)*

By Steven Hoarn (Associate Editor)	- May 18, 2013 




> A notional combat suit for a future U.S. Armuy soldier. U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) believes that innovation between industry can accelerate the introduction of leap-forward capabilities embodied in a tactical combat outfit for a future soldier. U.S. Army photo by Conrad Johnson, RDECOM Public Affairs
> 
> Few Requests for Information (RFIs) are accompanied by the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Senior Enlisted Advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Chris Faris, almost simultaneously saying, &#8220;there is no one industry that can build that.&#8221; But that was the case for the RFI solicitation for the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS), released on May 15. SOCOM is seeking technology demonstration submissions from research and development (R&D) organizations, private industry, individuals, government labs, and academia for inclusion in SOCOM experimentation events. According to the RFI, SOCOM sees these experimentation events as part of an effort &#8220;to accelerate the delivery of innovative capabilities to the SOF warfighter.&#8221;



SOCOM Seeks TALOS (Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit) | Defense Media Network


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Ford car takes control of steering to avoid collisions*



> A car that takes control of the steering wheel when it detects the risk of a collision is being tested at a research facility in Germany.
> 
> Ford said the Obstacle Avoidance system first warned the driver of danger and then took charge if they did not react.
> 
> The firm said the equipment had been fitted to one of its vehicles as part of a project involving other carmakers and suppliers.
> 
> One analyst said it was a staging post on the route to "driverless cars".
> 
> The system scans up to 200m (650ft) ahead by using three radars, a number of ultrasonic sensors and a camera, which are all installed in the vehicle.
> 
> An additional built-in display shows a warning sign and sounds a chime. Then, if necessary, it applies the brakes, scans for a gap in the road ahead, and steers to avoid a crash.


BBC News - Ford car takes control of steering to avoid collisions


----------



## flacaltenn

Matthew said:


> *Ford car takes control of steering to avoid collisions*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A car that takes control of the steering wheel when it detects the risk of a collision is being tested at a research facility in Germany.
> 
> Ford said the Obstacle Avoidance system first warned the driver of danger and then took charge if they did not react.
> 
> The firm said the equipment had been fitted to one of its vehicles as part of a project involving other carmakers and suppliers.
> 
> One analyst said it was a staging post on the route to "driverless cars".
> 
> The system scans up to 200m (650ft) ahead by using three radars, a number of ultrasonic sensors and a camera, which are all installed in the vehicle.
> 
> An additional built-in display shows a warning sign and sounds a chime. Then, if necessary, it applies the brakes, scans for a gap in the road ahead, and steers to avoid a crash.
> 
> 
> 
> BBC News - Ford car takes control of steering to avoid collisions
Click to expand...


I don't mind a brake-tapping warning. Wouldn't have a problem riding in a fully autonomous vehicle. BUT -- I'm not up with grabbing the steering or the brakes FULLY while I'm at the wheel... 

I can just see the collision avoidance system keeping me on the train tracks because there's not enough room in front to pull up... 

Can you say --- Lawyer Retirement Fund?? New Majority Owner of Ford thru litigation?


----------



## ScienceRocks

Agree on that.

but looks like near or total autonomous will be here soon. 


*Toyota rolling out near-autonomous cars in five years  *




> The race towards autonomous vehicles appears to be picking up steam. Nissan set 2020 as the year it would put autonomous cars on the road, and now Toyota lays out specifics on autonomous car technologies it will put into production "in the mid-2010s", according to a press release.
> 
> Toyota calls its core autonomous car technology Automated Highway Driving Assist (AHDA), noting that it consists of two new features, Cooperative-adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Trace Control.


Toyota rolling out near-autonomous cars in five years | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Gizmag talks about the Monsieur robotic bartender with CEO Barry Givens*



> Want to serve cocktails at your next party, but don&#8217;t know beans about mixology? The Monsieur company of Atlanta, Georgia thinks it has the answer with the home version of its Monsieur machine. It&#8217;s a robotic bartender tailored to your individual lifestyle that the company sees as a way of enhancing social drinking without having to constantly refer to a book or acting as bartender all night at a party. We caught up with co-founder and CEO of Monsieur, Barry Givens, to discuss the machine-made cocktail.


Gizmag talks about the Monsieur robotic bartender with CEO Barry Givens


----------



## ScienceRocks

*'Bionic man' walks, breathes with artificial parts*

7 hours ago by Barbara Ortutay 


> Gentlemen, we can rebuild him, after all. We have the technology. The term "bionic man" was the stuff of science fiction in the 1970s, when a popular TV show called "The Six Million Dollar Man" chronicled the adventures of Steve Austin, a former astronaut whose body was rebuilt using artificial parts after he nearly died.
> 
> Now, a team of engineers have assembled a robot using artificial organs, limbs and other body parts that comes tantalizingly close to a true "bionic man." For real, this time.
> 
> The artificial "man" is the subject of a Smithsonian Channel documentary that airs Sunday, Oct. 20. Called "The Incredible Bionic Man," it chronicles engineers' attempt to assemble a functioning body using artificial parts that range from a working kidney and circulation system to cochlear and retina implants.



 Read more at: 'Bionic man' walks, breathes with artificial parts


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Bionic limbs will one day sense the grass under prosthetic feet*



> With the first thought-controlled bionic leg pioneered in Chicago, the next steps for smart prosthetics are refining them for widespread use and tackling a huge hurdle: sensory feedback.
> 
> It sounds like something straight out of science fiction: artificial limbs that not only move, flex, and feel like their flesh counterparts, but also respond directly to one's thoughts and even translate sensory feedback -- the feeling of grass beneath one's feet or the sensation of a limb floating in space -- straight back to the brain.
> 
> Thanks to an aggressive push in funding from the US military in an effort to the improve the lives of injured veterans, those advancements are no longer such farfetched dreams. While the idea of "Blade Runner"-level prosthetics is still a far-off fantasy, impressively capable, thought-controlled bionic limbs are now a modern-day reality thanks to pioneering research between the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), DARPA, and a growing sector of companies developing the next generation of artificial limbs.


Bionic limbs will one day sense the grass under prosthetic feet | Cutting Edge - CNET News

This is one of the few departments I'd gladly double the budget for.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Australian textbook delivery, care of drones*



> A textbook rental start-up will deliver its packages to Sydney customers by drone starting next spring. From ordering to delivery, the entire process could take as little as two minutes.
> 
> 
> If you just ordered a book from textbook rental start-up Zookal, look skyward.
> 
> Zookal has partnered with aerial-technology startup Flirtey (a joint venture between Zookal and Vimbra) to start delivering its packages to customers via unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as of next year. The technology they're using, the companies say, was previously only available to the military and to universities.
> 
> As of March 2014, customers within 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) of Sydney's central business district will be able to arrange free delivery by air from one of six hexacopters. They will have to order delivery to an outdoor area, and the drone will find the customer based on GPS coordinates sent from an  Android app (an iOS app will be built after the program is launched). The UAV will hover over the location and lower the textbooks on a retractable cable, allowing the customer to detach the parcel and the drone to be on its way. The entire process could take as little as two or three minutes.
> 
> If the customer isn't there, the textbooks won't be lowered; the customer will have to hit a button on the app to lower the parcel. The drone will wait a short time for the command before flying away, and delivery will have to be rescheduled.
> 
> Zookal CEO and Flirtey co-founder Ahmed Haider said the system will save a lot of money on deliveries.


Australian textbook delivery, care of drones | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Columbia University students design low cost humanoid "Rosie the Robot"*


> A team of students at Columbia University, led by Jason Ravel, has taken inspiration from a number of sources, including the Turtlebot by Willow Garage, Boxie the Robot from MIT, and Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons, to design a human-sized general purpose robot called Talos. Built for just US$800, this low cost robot has arms, a face, and can answer voice commands.
> 
> At the base of the Talos robot is an iRobot Create robot platform, which provides locomotion and an ability to sense walls and stairs. Above that is a standard laptop, while the body of the robot is a cardboard tube with a box on top that forms the robot&#8217;s head and face. Connected to its tubular body are two mechanical arms with hands from OWI Robots for picking up objects and shaking hands, while its face features lights in the eyes that change color in response to various commands. Sitting atop its head is a Microsoft Kinect 3D sensor for detecting 3D objects, walls, and doors.
> 
> This first version of Talos was designed to carry out several simple functions. The original concept was to use the robot for telepresence operations, like guarding the lab at night. The robot can retrieve an object and bring it to a person; it can respond to several simple voice commands, like &#8220;follow me&#8221; or &#8220;shake hands&#8221;; it can be controlled by a remote application on a tablet computer; and it can dance, as an entertainment function.


Columbia University students design low cost humanoid "Rosie the Robot"


----------



## ScienceRocks

I don't think it is bad as this been occurring for the past 200 years. New things develop and the more robots we have the less we have to rely on people to run the basics to functions. Machines during the early 19th century did this...Machines in the 20th did this and now this does this...Slowly life is easier and better for our nation.

*Briggo's intelligent Coffee Haus could make baristas obsolete*

http://www.gizmag.com/briggo-coffee-haus/29463/


> Do you like visiting with that cute barista at the local coffee shop? Well, she/he may be on their way to being replaced by a machine ... maybe. This July, Texas-based company Briggo announced the installation of its first "intelligent" Coffee Haus on the University of Texas at Austin campus. The machine grinds and brews espressos, mochas and other specialty coffees on the spot, to the exact specifications of the customer.
> 
> The Coffee Haus is an improved version of an automated coffee-making kiosk that Briggo installed on the campus in 2011. The new machine uses "sustainable high-altitude Latin American direct trade coffee, fresh milk and gourmet syrups," plus it keeps users apprised of the status of their order, and it allows them to take a peek at its robotic workings as it prepares that order.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Flying mini-robot cleaners wins Electrolux Design Lab competition*

4 hours ago by Bob Yirka report


> (Phys.org) &#8212;The winners of the annual Electrolux Design Lab competition have been announced, and first place has gone to a young designer from Colombia, Adrian Perez Zapata. His design is of a ball shaped unit that houses sensing technology along with 908 independent tiny flying miniature flying robots&#8212;upon command from the host unit, they fly off and clean up dust and dirt in someone's house. They can also deposit air freshening chemicals. Second place went to Brazilian designer Luiza Silva&#8212;she came up with a 3D food printer. Jeabyun Yeon, from Korea, came in third for a concept he calls a Breathing Wall.
> 
> The annual Electrolux Design Lab competition is held by the famous household appliance maker for the purpose of stimulating, and prodding to action, design students from around the world. The first prize winner this year gets 5,000 Euros and a chance to work with professionals in the field at Electrolux's main design center for six months.



 Read more at: Flying mini-robot cleaners wins Electrolux Design Lab competition


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Toyota details its Automated Highway Driving Assist system *


> The race to the car that drives itself continues to heat up. Automakers around the world are eager to tease their latest autonomous capabilities. Most recently, we've seen a self-parking system from Volvo and a glimpse at Nissan's plans. Last week, Toyota became the latest automaker to show its hand, providing a look at its Automated Highway Driving Assist, a feature that should be available within the next two or three years.
> 
> Toyota's Automated Highway Driving Assistant is a two-part system that takes over acceleration, deceleration and lane maintenance on highways. The AHDA system represents a more capable, next generation version of features that are available today. It is the latest marketable technology to come from Toyota's advanced active safety research vehicle.


Toyota details its Automated Highway Driving Assist system


----------



## Mr. H.

Gun-Toting Robots May Fight Alongside Soldiers in Future Battles


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot makers index fund launches on Nasdaq*



> Robo-Stox is a newly launched index that tracks robotics and automation companies, making it easier to invest in the industry.
> 
> One hundred years ago, the smart money went into automobiles. Thirty years ago, it was personal computers. Is now the right time to invest in robots?
> 
> Some people think so, and Tuesday they launched the Robo-Stox Global Robotics and Automation Index, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
> 
> It's billed as the world's first benchmark index tracking robotics and automation companies, with 77 stocks from companies around the world included in the fund.
> 
> Trading under the ticker ROBO, the fund was launched by Exchange Traded Concepts, an ETF platform with a license from Dallas-based Robo-Stox LLC, which developed the underlying index.


Robot makers index fund launches on Nasdaq | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*$35k &#8216;affordable&#8217; robot is powered by Ubuntu, controlled by PS3 controller*


$35k ?affordable? robot is powered by Ubuntu, controlled by PS3 controller | ExtremeTech


> Robots have become almost commonplace in technology news, but that masks the sad truth that all the really cool robots are still incredibly expensive &#8212; often into six figures for the ones capable of manipulating objects with human-like arms. A company called Unbound Robotics is endeavoring to bring the cost of advanced robotics down so more businesses and research institutions can afford to have these devices scuttling around the halls. The company&#8217;s first effort is the UBR-1, a semi-autonomous robot sporting a single arm with seven degrees of freedom and a heart of consumer electronics.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Throwable iRobot 110 recon bot gets sensors, manipulator*



> The FirstLook rover is augmented with tools like a thermal camera and sensors to detect radiation or chemical and biological agents.
> Robots have become an indispensable part of the modern military arsenal, especially machines that can provide detailed reconnaissance of hazardous areas.
> 
> iRobot's 110 FirstLook is essentially a Webcam on treads that's light and sturdy enough to be tossed around, even through windows.
> 
> Now it can be equipped with tools such as a manipulator arm and sensors that can detect radiation and other threats.
> 
> The remote-controlled robot weighs about 5 pounds, and the optional arm can lift up to 3 pounds with its gripper and extend 12 inches, allowing it to interact with its environment.


Throwable iRobot 110 recon bot gets sensors, manipulator | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*HOSPI-R drug delivery robot frees nurses to do more important work*




> Panasonic's ongoing effort to automate Japanese hospitals continued this month with the launch of the HOSPI-R, an autonomous delivery robot that is now on sale. In its press release, Panasonic contends that robots like this one are needed to maintain and improve the quality of nursing services due to Japan's rapidly aging society. The latest in the company's line of HOSPI robots is designed to transport samples and drugs so that lab technicians and nurses won't have to.
> 
> Panasonic has been working on this particular problem for the past few years. In early 2010, nurses and pharmacists complained that their work was being constantly interrupted whenever drugs had to be delivered. Beginning with just two robots to help out during the night shift, soon the robots were working 24/7. Finally, after more than two years of experimental use at the Matsushita Memorial Hospital, the robots are ready to go pro.
> 
> The main benefit of the HOSPI-R is its autonomous navigation capabilities. Whereas many automation systems rely on obtrusive rail systems or other delineated routes, the HOSPI-R navigates using just its onboard sensors. When compared with conventional rail systems, Panasonic's system implementation costs reduce to between 25 and 50 percent (and maintenance costs are reduced to 20 percent).
> A map of the building is programmed in advance, which it uses to plan its route. If the route changes because an extension is built onto existing facilities, the system is flexible enough to handle it, and the robot can even take the elevators automatically. If, along the way, it encounters obstacles during its trip, such as a person in a wheelchair, the robot automatically adjusts its route using its sensors.



[/quote]HOSPI-R drug delivery robot frees nurses to do more important work


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Shop 'til you drop with Budgee robotic basket*



> No one likes to haul shopping purchases, but would you pay $1,400 for a robot cart that follows you around?
> I'd usually rather watch paint dry than go shopping, but a bit of robotic technology makes the whole prospect far more appealing.
> 
> Budgee  is a shopping robot that automatically follows you around. No more cart-jockeying, basket-lugging, or even using your recyclable bag.
> 
> Just dump your stuff into Budgee and it'll keep following you. It may run over a few things in the process, but as long as you don't have to work, who cares?
> 
> Shown off recently at RoboBusiness 2013 in Santa Clara, Calif., Budgee was developed by New Jersey-based startup Five Elements Robotics, which plans to launch it on Kickstarter.


Shop 'til you drop with Budgee robotic basket | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Moneual's Rydis H67 robot both vacuums and mops*


> Sometimes, we just don't find the time we need to clean our homes. That's where cleaning robots can be a real life saver, as they do the cleaning for you. A new one from Moneual, called the Rydis H67, combines a vacuum for carpets and mop for tile and wood floors into one electronic workhorse.
> 
> Generally, most floor cleaning robots come in one of two flavors &#8211; vacuum cleaner or mop. This is fine for people with only one type of floor throughout their home, but not all houses are designed this way, and with the somewhat lofty price tags of these devices, most people are not going to run out and buy two. At US$400, the H67 looks to be a decent option, as it saves users from having to purchase double the cleaning robots.
> 
> The mop portion of the H67 is added by the user when hard floor cleaning is necessary, and the device actually detects that the microfiber mop has been attached and avoids carpeted surfaces until it's removed. This means users can leave it alone without worrying about it getting their nice carpets all wet. The package includes two washable mops, so users can keep the robot working while one mop is being cleaned.



Moneual's Rydis H67 robot both vacuums and mops


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Roll-cage equipped drones shrug off impacts to keep flying*



> One of the jobs robots are being groomed for is disaster relief. When we're in need, robots will be capable of reaching us anywhere on the globe, in mere hours. In ways humans can't, they'll be able to locate us amongst rubble, deliver food and medicine, and get us back on our feet.
> 
> Small, agile drones will be among some of the first robots on the scene. But navigating debris fields and crumbling buildings in search of survivors presents a number of challenges. The average drone can't take an impact from falling debris or bounce it's way through tight passages. That's why the folks at the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at EPFL have worked up designs for drones that can take a hit and keep on flying.


Roll-cage equipped drones shrug off impacts to keep flying | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Fuelmatics and Husky develop petrol-pumping robot*




> There was a time when pulling into a service station would coincide with an attendant in a pressed uniform and a peaked cap running up to your car to ask if you&#8217;d like to fill &#8216;er up. That scene may be relegated to Mad Men, but a robotic replacement has arrived. At this month&#8217;s 2013 PEI Convention at the NACS Show in Atlanta, the Husky Corporation&#8217;s booth played host to a robotic fuel attendant called the Fuelmatics Automatic Refueling System (ARS) that the company is developing in collaboration with Stockholm-based Fuelmatics Systems AB.
> 
> The Fuelmatics ARS isn't much to look at. At first glance, it seems to be a fuel pump on a track that somebody forgot to install hoses on. That&#8217;s because it&#8217;s designed so the customer doesn't have to do anything. The robotic ARS handles all of the fueling operation and the customer doesn't even have to open the window.
> 
> The customer drives up to the ARS and either uses a payment card or a smartphone app to purchase fuel. The Fuelmatics robot then looks for the refueling flap and opens it using a suction arm. It then inserts a hose into the refueling line and either fills the tank or dispenses the amount requested. With the app, opening the window isn't necessary and the receipt is sent by email or text. According to Fuelmatics, the whole operation takes 30 percent less time than conventional pumping.



Fuelmatics and Husky develop petrol-pumping robot


----------



## ScienceRocks

*DJI releases camera-equipped Phantom 2 Vision quadcopter*



> DJI Innovations unveiled its GPS-enabled Phantom quadcopter less than a year ago, and since then it has become perhaps the go-to aerial platform for the GoPro HERO actioncam. In April, the company provided us with a sneak peek at the next model in the line, the Phantom 2 Vision. While there weren't many details available at the time, that's changed as of today, with the Vision's official commercial release. Among its new features are improved battery life, a video-stabilizing platform and most significant of all, an included HD video camera that allows for first-person-view via a mobile device.



DJI releases camera-equipped Phantom 2 Vision quadcopter


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Video: iStruct robot ape stands upright thanks to its active spine*


> Back in June the world got its first glimpse of the iStruct, a robot ape developed at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the University of Bremen. We predicted that in addition to the stability afforded by walking on all fours, the robot ape could feasibly stand up to free its hands for other kinds of work. Now the team has published a video that shows how their robot accomplishes this maneuver with the help of its flexible spine and sensitive feet.




Video: iStruct robot ape stands upright thanks to its active spine


----------



## ScienceRocks

*MQ-8C Fire Scout robo-copter makes first flight*

MQ-8C Fire Scout robo-copter makes first flight | Cutting Edge - CNET News



> The B variant has already help the Navy capture drug smugglers and carry out recon missions in Afghanistan and Somalia. The new MQ-8C is bigger and will pack a bigger payload.
> The US Navy wants its Fire Scout drones to grow up in a hurry.
> 
> Late last week, the Navy and Northrop Grumman sent word that the latest version of the unmanned rotorcraft, the MQ-8C Fire Scout, made its first flights on Halloween day. They weren't long affairs -- the first lasted 7 minutes, the second one, 9 minutes -- but the key is that the latest Fire Scout airframe got off the ground.



Really cool


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Unbeatable rock-paper-scissors robot gets even faster*



> Remember that high speed robot from last year, that could beat humans at rock, paper, scissors? Since then, researchers at the University of Tokyo's Ishikawa Oku Lab have continued to work on it. The result? Well, they couldn't really improve its accuracy beyond 100 percent, so instead they made it faster.



Unbeatable rock-paper-scissors robot gets even faster


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Driverless cars to invade England by 2015*



> If you've been to London's Heathrow Airport recently, chances are you've caught a glimpse of something called an ULTra PRT transport pod. Since 2011, these driverless pods have been shuttling travelers from terminal to terminal at the massive airport. That's all well and good, but now these driverless robo-cars are breaking free of their confines and heading out into the city streets.
> 
> The city of Milton Keynes lies just to the north of London. Over 200,000 folks call the place home, meaning that the streets can get a tad congested from time to time. But thanks to a new fleet of pod cars, that might just be about to change. The first few units will be deployed as early as 2015. By 2017, Milton Keynes is expected to have 100 of the futuristic, driverless vehicles.


Driverless cars to invade England by 2015 | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*3D-scanning quadrotor wheel conquers air, land and sea*



> There's a new quadrotor out there, one which defies all categorization. All at once, it can fly, roll across the ground and sail along the water. It's also got some seriously precise handling, giving it a possible future as a search and rescue vehicle. It's called the MUWA, which is short for "Multi-field Universal Wheel for Air-land Vehicle with Quad Variable-pitch Propellers".
> 
> The secret to MUWA's abilities is a simple foam ring, designed to allow the quadrotor to roll along the ground. The addition of a second, deployable ring both allows it to navigate waterways as well as to deliver flotation devices to those who need them.



3D-scanning quadrotor wheel conquers air, land and sea | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*AgriRover brings Mars rover technology to the farm*



> We tend to think of livestock farmers as "one man and his dog," but if AgResearch of New Zealand has anything to say, that pair may have to move over to include a robot. A team led by Dr. Andrew Manderson is developing AgriRover, an agricultural robot inspired by NASA&#8217;s Mars rovers. It&#8217;s a proof-of-concept prototype designed to show how robots can make life easier and more productive for livestock farmers.
> 
> The basic idea behind AgriRover is precision agriculture. That is, instead of using conventional methods of tending to entire fields at one time, the farmer uses robotics and other technologies to deal with problems on a much smaller scale.



AgriRover brings Mars rover technology to the farm


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Cyberdyne shows new industrial cleaning robot at IREX 2013*


> Better known for producing the world's most advanced exoskeletons, Japan's Cyberdyne is expanding its portfolio with a new as-yet-unnamed industrial cleaning robot for very large areas such as factories and warehouses.



Cyberdyne shows new industrial cleaning robot at IREX 2013


----------



## itfitzme

> Researchers from Cornell University are using human trainers to help teach robots to not make stabbing motions with knives around humans. The researchers created a video showing a robot checking out items at a grocery store, including a knife.
> 
> Over a process of trial and error, the human is able to teach the robot how close they can get with a knife without scaring or hurting humans nearby. The learning algorithm used in the robot allows the researchers to teach the robot in small increments and refine its trajectory over time.
> 
> YouTube - Human touch makes robots smarter: On Learning Context-Driven User Preferences



http://www.slashgear.com/robots-trained-to-not-stab-people-by-cornell-university-researchers-06304410/

Now if only the robot would learn from being yelled at.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Asahi unveils robotic draft beer dispenser for high-volume bars*



> Japan's largest brewery, Asahi, looks set to steal a march on its competition by developing a robotic beer pouring machine for high-volume bars. Connecting to the keg, the machine pours up to six perfect beers at a time, taking around 12 seconds per glass, but more importantly, doing so without specialized labor and with zero wastage.


Asahi unveils robotic draft beer dispenser for high-volume bars


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Kubota developing exoskeletons for manual workers and fruit pickers*


> Osaka-based Kubota Corporation has built a robust brand for its agricultural machinery over the last three decades, and hence it was no surprise to see the company showing an unpowered exoskeleton at the International Robotics Exhibition.
> 
> Though not yet at market, the ARM-1 is a finished product that is expected to sell in the range of JPY 110,000 to 120,000 (US$1,100 to $1,200) as a productivity aid for fruit picking and any activity where a worker's arms are held above their shoulders for extended periods.
> 
> For my sins, I spent a university vacation picking fruit many moons ago, and still recall the pain in my back and arms from having my arms above my shoulders for 10 to 12 hours a day. After trying the ARM-1 in a faux grape-picking situation, I immediately understood the benefits. Think of the ARM-1 as an adjustable set of arm rests, that are stabilized by the exoskeleton structure and anchored on the hips and shoulders.



Kubota developing exoskeletons for manual workers and fruit pickers


----------



## ScienceRocks

*2013 James Dyson Award winners announced*


> A US team from the University of Pennsylvania has taken out the 2013 James Dyson Award with the Titan Arm, an upper body exoskeleton that augments human strength. The team will receive the £30,000 (US$48,260) first prize, with an additional £10,000 (US$16,100) going to the University Of Pennsylvania Engineering department. Competing against 650 international entries, which were whittled down to 20 finalists, the Titan Arm shared the limelight with two runners up, who will each take home £10,000.




2013 James Dyson Award winners announced


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Artificial heart to pump human waste into future robots*

5 hours ago 



> A new device capable of pumping human waste into the "engine room" of a self-sustaining robot has been created by a group of researchers from Bristol.
> 
> Modelled on the human heart, the artificial device incorporates smart materials called shape memory alloys and could be used to deliver human urine to future generations of EcoBot &#8211; a robot that can function completely on its own by collecting waste and converting it into electricity.




 Read more at: Artificial heart to pump human waste into future robots


----------



## ScienceRocks

*FAA cautiously agrees to some use of civilian drones*



> While still far from giving a thumbs up to unmanned flying vehicles crowding the skies, the government agency recommends that some drones be allowed.
> The Federal Aviation Administration weighed in on the increasing civilian use of autonomous drones on Thursday. The government agency released a report outlining a roadmap for certain cases in which unmanned drones could be permissible.
> 
> In the report (pdf), with the lengthy title "Integration of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System Roadmap," the FAA said that autonomous drones are already being used in disaster response, cargo transport, aerial mapping, and commercial photography. While drones are already buzzing around, the FAA is cautious with allowing wholesale use of the flying machines.


FAA cautiously agrees to some use of civilian drones | Cutting Edge - CNET News

GOOD news. There's a lot of good that can come out of drones. I'd like to see them watching fires, being used all the times in storms and transporting goods to people.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Student Dyson Award Winners Build Titan Arm Exoskeleton for Just $2,000*


> Exoskeletons are fusing man and machine to reduce workplace injuries and restore freedom to the disabled or infirm&#8212;but they have yet to escape the lab, and worse, only a few folks could realistically afford one even if they did.
> 
> A group of University of Pennsylvania students hope their Titan Arm exoskeleton, winner of the 2013 James Dyson Award, might change that.
> 
> &#8220;Current exoskeletons are prohibitively expensive at more than $100,000,&#8221; the team notes, &#8220;Using lean principles, we created Titan for less than $2,000.&#8221;
> 
> Titan Arm is an untethered aluminum exoskeleton powered by a wearable battery pack. It fits over one arm and is controlled by a joystick, a motor in the back, and a cable threaded through a pulley at the elbow joint.
> 
> When wearing the Titan Arm users are endowed with super strength&#8212;in this case, the ability to lift 40 pounds more than usual.




Student Dyson Award Winners Build Titan Arm Exoskeleton for Just $2,000 | Singularity Hub


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Roomba 880 ditches brushes for extra dirt-busting power*



> As an idea, the Roomba sounds like every lazy but clean-loving person's dream. Most people know Roomba as the little circular vacuum 'bot that can get under tricky areas like beds and uses sensors to seamlessly suck up your house's dirt.
> 
> And though current Roombas have mostly been able to live up to that idea, iRobot decided an upgrade to suction power was in order. With the help of its newfangled AeroForce technology, the clean-loving bot is now able to use a combination of three grime-busting features to give your house a thorough sweep.



Roomba 880 ditches brushes for extra dirt-busting power | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*It takes human researchers 12 years "to do what this robot can do in a week."*



> Every week at a National Institutes of Health (NIH) drug-testing lab, a robotics system performs millions of experiments faster and with greater precision than any human could. The simple goal: to find new treatments and cures.



It takes human researchers 12 years "to do what this robot can do in a week."


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Iran develops sea rescue drone prototype in Tehran *




> Iranian engineers have tested a drone designed to rescue people at risk of drowning.
> 
> The Pars robot has eight propellers and can carry up to three life rings which it can drop within arms-length of potential victims.
> 
> The project's engineers said they were able to reach targets more quickly than a lifeguard in tests carried out near the shore of the Caspian Sea.
> 
> But they said more time and funds would be needed to carry out real rescues.
> 
> The early-stage experiments were carried out in August, but the details were only recently reported outside Iran by the Robots.net news site.
> 
> In them the robot raced against a human lifeguard to reach a person pretending to struggle 75m (247ft) out to sea.
> 
> At its fastest, the drone was able to release a life ring to the target within 22 seconds of launch, beating the lifeguard who took about 90 seconds to reach him.
> 
> "We carried out 13 tests over a four-day period - some were done at day and a few at night using LED lights," Amin Rigi, co-founder of Tehran-based RTS Lab told the BBC.



BBC News - Iran develops sea rescue drone prototype in Tehran

Good for iran. Drones are here to stay!!! Thank fucking god!


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Hybrid ESTOLAS aircraft combines aspects of a plane, helicopter, hovercraft and airship*


> As evidenced by ongoing efforts in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, getting aid and support personnel in and victims out of disaster-stricken areas is a major problem when infrastructure such as runways has been rendered unusable. A new aircraft concept combining features of an airship, plane, helicopter and hovercraft that is being developed as part of the European Commission's Extremely Short Take Off and Landing On any Surface (ESTOLAS) project could help address the problem.



Hybrid ESTOLAS aircraft combines aspects of a plane, helicopter, hovercraft and airship


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Honda steps forward with walking assist device*



> Company begins a clinical trial of its Walking Assist Device at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to assess its ability to help stroke patients improve mobility.
> 
> Honda's latest foray into the world beyond cars and bikes may sound like a bit of a leap, but it's the next logical step in the company's line of personal mobility devices.
> 
> The Walking Assist Device, which we took a look at back in 2008 but ultimately dates back to 1999, has evolved from an interesting concept that might make walking a bit easier to the subject of a new clinical trial that might help stroke patients improve their mobility.



Honda steps forward with walking assist device | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Tiny U.S. Army surveillance drone uses bird stealth technology*


Tiny U.S. Army surveillance drone uses bird stealth technology | DVICE


> Drones are a great way for the military to check out the enemy without putting soldiers in danger, but most of them aren't exactly stealthy. This tiny new drone called the Maveric fixes that problem, by looking to most casual observers like just another pesky bird.


----------



## william the wie

Just a bump to keep track of new developments


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot sea turtle flaps its way to sunken treasure*



> In the search for sunken treasure, finding a wreck is only part of the problem. Rusted, aging ships are often dangerous and inaccesible to human divers. Traditional ROVs provide an alternative, but are often clumsy and too bulky to squeeze through tight spaces. Enter U-CAT, the crafty little ROV modeled after the gentle sea turtle.



Robot sea turtle flaps its way to sunken treasure | DVICE

I like robots as they do a lot of good for human exploration.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Nissan's Autonomous Drive Leaf hits the highway in Japan*



> Two weeks after taking Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a short drive around the National Diet Front Garden in central Tokyo, the Leaf packing Nissan's Autonomous Drive (AD) technology has hit the public highways for the first time.
> 
> The drive took place on November 25 with the modified Leaf entering the Sagami Expressway, southwest of Yokohama, at 40 km/h (25 mph), before driving at speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph). For the spin, Shinzo Abe relinquished his seat alongside Nissan Vice Chairman Toshiyuki Shiga to Yuji Kuroiwa. Kuroiwa is the Governor of Kanagawa prefecture, which will be home to Nissan's Autonomous Driving proving ground.



Nissan's Autonomous Drive Leaf hits the highway in Japan


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Volvo to debut fleet of autonomous cars in Sweden by 2017*



> Sweden has just become the latest in a series of countries to announce that they will play host to self-driving cars in the next couple of years. England, Japan, Singapore and the good ol' U.S. of A. have already announced that they will host fleets of auotonomous automobiles, but Sweden's 100-car strong automotive army will be the first manufactured by Volvo.



Volvo to debut fleet of autonomous cars in Sweden by 2017 | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*UPS is also considering a future filled with delivery drones*
UPS is also considering a future filled with delivery drones | DVICE

.


> For the first time in a long time, the talk of the tech world doesn't involve an iPhone or an iPad or some new smartwatch. Amazon's bold Prime Air initiative to use drones to deliver parcels by 2015, took everyone by surprise. (Especially us Americans who were recovering from our Thanksgiving feasts and crazy shopping madness.) Optimistic as Bezos and company's plan is, we cautioned the roadblocks that could prevent drones from being used for commercial deliveries anytime soon, namely heavy regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
> 
> If you think Amazon's ballsy enough to announce a drone delivery service, think again. Naturally, the United Postal Service (UPS) aka the world's largest parcel service and FedEx are also doing their homework on the possibilities of using unmanned aircraft, according to The Verge. A UPS rep told the tech and culture website:
> 
> "The commercial use of drones is an interesting technology and we&#8217;ll continue to evaluate it. UPS invests more in technology than any other company in the delivery business, and we&#8217;re always planning for the future."


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Google robots may pose challenge to Amazon drones*

BBC News - Google robots may pose challenge to Amazon drones



> Google has revealed it has taken over seven robotics companies in the past half a year and has begun hiring staff to develop its own product.
> 
> A spokesman confirmed the effort was being headed up by Andy Rubin, who was previously in charge of the Android operating system.
> 
> The spokesman was unwilling to discuss what kind of robot was being developed.
> 
> But the New York Times reports that at this stage Google does not plan to sell the resulting product to consumers.



This is fucking cool


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Google Adds to Its Menagerie of Robots*



> SAN FRANCISCO &#8212; BigDog, Cheetah, WildCat and Atlas have joined Google&#8217;s growing robot menagerie.
> 
> Google confirmed on Friday that it had completed the acquisition of Boston Dynamics, an engineering company that has designed mobile research robots for the Pentagon. The company, based in Waltham, Mass., has gained an international reputation for machines that walk with an uncanny sense of balance and even &#8212; cheetahlike &#8212; run faster than the fastest humans.



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/14/technology/google-adds-to-its-menagerie-of-robots.html?_r=1&

Go google go!!!


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Ford's self-driving car unveils itself*



> Well, not exactly. The prototype can't quite manage its own public relations yet, but it can, apparently, "see" in the same way a bat or dolphin can.
> 
> In the future, Mustang Sally might be a robot.
> 
> Ford Motor unveiled its first self-driving  car this week -- well, a prototype anyway. The Automated Fusion Hybrid Research Vehicle, developed with the University of Michigan and State Farm insurers, will help the storied US automaker "test the limits of full automation and determine the appropriate levels for near- and mid-term deployment," Raj Nair, group vice president, Ford global product development, said in a statement.



Ford's self-driving car unveils itself | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Google&#8217;s Schaft robot takes top spot at DARPA Robotics Challenge*



> Leave it to DARPA to turn disaster relief into a competitive sport for robots, and for Google to walk away with the prize. On Saturday, 16 robotics teams from around the world competed in the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials for 2013, as part of DARPA&#8217;s project for developing robots capable of autonomously navigating disaster areas and doing useful work using tools and materials at hand. The two-day event was streamed live on December 20 and 21 from Florida&#8217;s Homestead Miami Speedway. Google&#8217;s Schaft humanoid robot scored 27 points and won first place as it navigated an obstacle course which was made to simulate a disaster area, while carrying out a series of tasks.



Google?s Schaft robot takes top spot at DARPA Robotics Challenge


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Engineers create robot muscles 1,000 times stronger than yours*



> If the research being conducted at UC Berkeley is any indication of where robotics is headed, taking a punch from a robot could soon be akin to getting socked in the jaw by Superman. The Berkeley Lab is reporting that they have developed robot muscles that are 1,000 times the strength of the average human. This does not bode well for those of you prepping for the robopocalypse.
> 
> Berkeley's new robot "muscles" take advantage of the rare properties of vanadium dioxide, a compound that changes from an insulator to a conductive metal at 67 degrees Celsius. That transition yields an incredible amount of strength. According to Berkeley Labs, their robo-muscles are "...able to catapult objects 50 times heavier than itself over a distance five times its length within 60 milliseconds &#8212; faster than the blink of an eye."




Engineers create robot muscles 1,000 times stronger than yours | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Mind-controlled exoskeleton to help youth kick off 2014 World Cup*



> The world of professional sports isn't necessarily the first place we'd want to see mind-control, but at this year's World Cup, at least one person on the field will be moving things with their mind. As the World Cup kicks off, a teenager paralyzed from the waist down will use a mind-controlled exoskeleton to take the ceremonial first kick.
> 
> The exoskeleton is part of Duke University' Walk Again Project, which aims to get paralyzed teens walking again. Since the patients receiving the exoskeletons can't send nerve signals to their legs, operating their lower limbs will instead be enabled through the use of a mind-reading headset. Brain waves detected through the patient's scalp will be sent wirelessly to the exoskeleton, which will then move accordingly.



Mind-controlled exoskeleton to help youth kick off 2014 World Cup | DVICE


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Bosch shows automated park assistance at CES*

18 minutes ago by Nancy Owano weblog


> (Phys.org) &#8212;CES in Las Vegas, in full swing, has a number of gadgetry themes at this year's show, not least of which is automotive technologies that pave the way for driverless cars which, in the interim, complete tasks with driverless autonomy. Yesterday's highlight came from technology suppliers Bosch, which has been working on self-parking technology to shape the future of automated driving. What's not to like? Every year, says a Bosch promotional video, we waste an entire day on parking. Bosch has developed a way to give people that day back. That way consists of a parking function that can be remotely activated by the driver, The driver can activate the function outside the car by pressing a button on the key or via smartphone app. Press and the car drives itself into and out of parking spaces.


Bosch shows automated park assistance at CES


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Parrot debuts rolling MiniDrone and Jumping Sumo bot*


> Well-known drone-maker Parrot has been drawing quite a few onlookers to its booth at CES with two high-flying additions to its robotic lineup: the MiniDrone and the Jumping Sumo. The MiniDrone is a small quadcopter that can fly in the air and roll along the ground using detachable wheels, while the Jumping Sumo is a remote-controlled ground bot that leaps into the air using a high-powered piston.



Parrot debuts rolling MiniDrone and Jumping Sumo bot


----------



## ScienceRocks

*ICM gets to grips with two new climbing robots*



> International Climbing Machines (ICM) has announced two new wall climbing robots will be joining its original Climber robot this year. Targeted at inspecting dams, wind turbines, and submarines, the MINI robot will be used to squeeze into tight spaces, while the MAXI model will be used to tackle large surfaces.



ICM gets to grips with two new climbing robots


----------



## ScienceRocks

*A gripper using soft robotics*



> A robot gripper invented by researchers at the University of Chicago and Cornell University is now available commercially from Empire Robotics as VERSABALL for industrial automation, scheduled to ship later in January.
> 
> Company officials believe the technology might also be useful for prosthetic devices that can assist with work tasks, for in-home assistive devices, and in mobile military robots.



A gripper using soft robotics | KurzweilAI


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Georgia Tech uses human arm sensors to make robots safer*



> A control system helps robots quickly adjust to subtle changes in the way their operators move, which could improve safety in manufacturing settings.
> Imagine you work in a manufacturing plant where your job is to hang a car door on a hinge with the help of a large robot. You're using a lever to guide the bot to the precise drop-off location, so you need to be close enough to see what you're doing. Chances are, you want this bot to be as intelligent as possible, unless of course you're willing to risk life and limb for some kind of disability pay.
> 
> Well, the good folks at Georgia Institute of Technology are working hard on the intelligence factor -- devising a control system to make robots smarter and ultimately safer.
> 
> The researchers are using arm sensors on mortal humans (mortality being a weakness that's tough to work around) to train the robots to mimic, respond to, and even predict the person's movements so that the two can work side-by-side more seamlessly.
> 
> "It turns into a constant tug of war between the person and the robot," Billy Gallagher, a recent Ph.D. graduate in robotics and project head, said in a school news release. "Both react to each other's forces when working together. The problem is that a person's muscle stiffness is never constant, and a robot doesn't always know how to correctly react."


Georgia Tech uses human arm sensors to make robots safer | Cutting Edge - CNET News


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Beam+ robot heads for homes, waving $995 price tag*



> The new telepresence robot from a Willow Garage spinoff wants to be be a boon companion for you and your family, and be a bargain to boot.
> LAS VEGAS -- With the unveiling Wednesday of Suitable Technologies' Beam+, telepresence robots are becoming more affordable for many of the people who need them most.
> 
> Over the last few years, a range of companies have built telepresence robots -- devices that roll around, connecting people remotely through the use of video screens and microphones. But until now, many of the robots have been too costly for all but a few people, and have mainly belonged in the corporate world.
> 
> The Beam+, however, will start at $995 (for the first thousand units) and then will cost $1,995. This could make the robots accessible for many senior citizens, families, and others who want the ability to communicate over video regardless of where they are.



http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57617243-76/beam-robot-heads-for-homes-waving-$995-price-tag/


----------



## william the wie

Matthew thanks for the cost data on the last post but a trendline of cost/hour for robotics in economics would be highly useful in predicting, for example, when the Chinese real estate bubble will bust and get you better feedback.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Not my job to post data that isn't given to me. 


*A smart-object recognition algorithm that doesn&#8217;t need humans*




> BYU engineer Dah-Jye Lee has created an algorithm that can accurately identify objects in images or video sequences &#8212; without human calibration.
> 
> &#8220;In most cases, people are in charge of deciding what features to focus on and they then write the algorithm based off that,&#8221; said Lee, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. &#8220;With our algorithm, we give it a set of images and let the computer decide which features are important.&#8221;




A smart-object recognition algorithm that doesn?t need humans | KurzweilAI


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Humans to be put out to pasture in favor of robot farm workers*


> The quiet life of a farmer is under assault, and has been for quite some time. First, mega-farms drove the majority of family farms out of business. Next, the price-gouging, genetically-modified seed corporation Monsanto played out its costly, destructive drama on the national stage. Now a new threat is looming, one that might just put every last farm worker in the world out of a job: robots.
> 
> From crop dusting mini helicopters to berry-plucking rovers reminiscent of tiny tanks, these robo-workers are poised to take over almost every aspect of farm management. Pictured above is Wall-Ye, the tiny tank designed to trim grape vines and navigate vineyards. The time is fast approaching when there will be a robot for every job on the farm. While they go about their primary jobs, robots can also serve as data collectors, creating detailed reports on the health of every plant, how it's been trimmed, and when it was last harvested. Crop dusting drones can also keep an eye on livestock and even take part in herding.
> 
> In the UK, the powers that be have seen the writing on the wall. Rather than run from this robotic farming future, the British Parliament has established its very first "agri-tech" strategy. With a budget of $263 million, the commission will help to commercialize agriculture robots and to bring farmers up to speed. What might be bad news for farm hands, states the commission, could ultimately be good for individual farms hard-pressed to make a profit. Ideally, the implementation of robots would shift farm work from low-wage, back-breaking work to a more specialized, higher-wage career for those able to make the adjustment to the robot-driven farming of the future.



Humans to be put out to pasture in favor of robot farm workers | DVICE

Solution for Americans not wanting to do certain jobs


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Drones delivering pizza? Not such a far-fetched idea*



> If someday soon it's possible to have a hot pizza delivered to your door by a drone, it may be because of work now underway on the remote and sandy shores of the Texas Gulf Coast.
> 
> There, where the extra-salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico push their way onto the fertile fields of the historic Kenedy Ranch along Laguna Madre, a team of acclaimed scientists and engineers is carefully researching how to fly airplanes without pilots. They're conducting their research on behalf of the Federal Aviation Administration in this unpopulated area, mainly so no one gets hurt.
> 
> To be clear, they're not there to expedite an order of pepperoni with extra cheese to your house. In fact, many of the researchers bristle at the suggestion that in just a few years the work they're doing with unmanned aircraft could lead to drones buzzing among birds, treetops and tall buildings, making restaurant and retail deliveries in major metro areas such as Dallas-Fort Worth, 500 miles to the north.
> 
> Instead, they say, the real benefit of unmanned aircraft will be in police work, firefighting and other public services - in which remote-control machines can gather intelligence without putting humans at risk.
> 
> "There's so many needs for these things today - the forest fires, hurricanes," said John Hugeley, mission commander for a series of unmanned test flights conducted last week by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. "But I'd rather see us crawl, then walk, then run."




Drones delivering pizza? Not such a far-fetched idea


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robotic ankle could help with foot and leg rehab, making RoboCop*



> Recently, we&#8217;ve seen science fiction become more like science fact, at least in the field of robotics. From giving us artificial muscles that make us stronger, to creating exoskeletons that can allow the paralyzed to walk, technology is constantly pushing the boundaries on how robotics can help us in our daily lives. Now, scientists at CMU, Harvard, the University of Southern California, MIT, and BioSensics have developed a robotic ankle that can assist those with injuries or illnesses that affect their lower legs.
> 
> The robotic ankle device is made with soft materials, unlike existing exoskeletons. What makes it unique is that its artificial muscles are actually a series of pneumatic tubes which are configured like real muscles. These tubes also act like real muscles, expanding and contracting as sensors above the knee tell them what to do, based on the motion of the person wearing the device. This creates a natural motion in the ankle, moving it in a way to create normal walking movement. Not only does the device provide support for walking, it also helps condition the real muscles underneath.




Robotic ankle could help with foot and leg rehab, making RoboCop | DVICE

I think these advances are really good.


----------



## Mr. H.

Do robots have black cocks?


----------



## ScienceRocks

wow 

*Ford is working with MIT, Stanford to build &#8220;common sense&#8221; into self-driving cars *



> Ford Motor Company is teaming up with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University to research the future brains of its autonomous cars. Projects like Ford&#8217;s research vehicles are putting the sensors and computing power into cars that would allow them to read and analyze their surroundings, but these two universities are developing the technology that will allow them to make driving decisions from that data.



Ford is working with MIT, Stanford to build ?common sense? into self-driving cars ? Tech News and Analysis


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Details of successful first test flight of Taranis UCAV demonstrator revealed*


> The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) and BAE Systems this week announced details of last year's first test flight of the Taranis unmanned combat demonstrator aircraft, which BAE bills as the "most advanced aircraft ever built by British engineers." The 15-minute test flight took place at an undisclosed location outside of the UK on August 10, 2013 as part of a project to show the UK&#8217;s ability to create a unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) capable of surveillance, targeting, intelligence gathering, deterrence, and strikes in hostile territory.



Details of successful first test flight of Taranis UCAV demonstrator revealed


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Harvard researchers create termite-inspired robot builders*

Harvard researchers create termite-inspired robot builders



> Researchers at Harvard University have taken inspiration from the swarm construction method used by termites to create TERMES. These robots are intended as the first step in a project with the ultimate goal of creating a fully automated robotic workforce that can create complex structures without the need for centralized control.
> 
> The robots are designed &#8220;with a philosophy of simplicity&#8221; needing to perform only a few simple functions with a high degree of reliability. Each robot houses ten sensors and three actuators in order to detect its position relative to the blocks used in the project as building materials.
> 
> TERMES units are only aware of their immediate vicinity and have no concept of the progression on the structure as a whole, or of the work conducted by their fellow robots. They simply progress what is in front of them to its final state.




Who said that one day we couldn't all sit on our asses?


----------



## ScienceRocks

*SuperDroid fields remote control snow plow*


> In the southeast United States, snow storms are as about as common as canoes on Mount Everest, which is what makes the current task of digging the region out from under the recent deposit of the white stuff so irksome. To aid the inexperienced snow shoveler, SuperDroid of Raleigh, North Carolina is selling a remote-controlled robotic snow plow that allows you to clear the drive while sitting where it&#8217;s warm with a cup of cocoa.



SuperDroid fields remote control snow plow


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Scientists make artificial muscles out of fishing line and thread*



Scientists make artificial muscles out of fishing line and thread | Science Recorder


> Scientists have been creating a lot of artificial things lately. First it was artificial leaves and now artificial muscles. That&#8217;s right, scientists simply twisted a sewing thread and fishing wire and ended up with a muscle that&#8217;s 100 stronger than animal or human tendons. The invention is explained in the journal Science and could aid in the constructions of human-like robots, prosthetic limbs, medical equipment and even comfortable clothing.
> 
> Artificial muscles also exist in the form of carbon nanotube yarns and metal wires, but they are generally too costly or collect rather small amounts of energy, scientists said.
> 
> These new powerful polymer fibers, composed of affordable everyday supplies that cost around $5 per kilogram, pull their energy from their geometry. The University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson conducted an experiment that involved twisting these thin fibers,that were only a few hundred micrometers long, until they begin to coil. (The same effect will happen if you twist a rubber band until it collapses to form bigger loops.)


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot Cargo Ships could have 20-50% lower operating costs*
Robot Cargo Ships could have 20-50% lower operating costs



> Rolls-Royce is designing unmanned cargo ships. Dontrol centers will command hundreds of crewless ships.
> 
> Drone ships would be safer, cheaper and less polluting for the $375 billion shipping industry that carries 90 percent of world trade, Rolls-Royce says. They might be deployed in regions such as the Baltic Sea within a decade, while regulatory hurdles and industry and union skepticism about cost and safety will slow global adoption, said Oskar Levander, the companys vice president of innovation in marine engineering and technology.
> 
> Researchers are preparing the prototype for simulated sea trials to assess the costs and benefits, which will finish next year


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Rise of the human exoskeletons*

BBC News - Rise of the human exoskeletons


> On the outskirts of Pisa in a back room of a modern block, a machine is waiting for its operator.
> 
> The device has arms and legs and is suspended by ropes from a metal frame. Its only other tether is a thick umbilical cable plugged into its back.
> 
> After a few final checks, research engineer Gianluca approaches the machine, turns, and puts his feet on its feet and buckles them in. He straps himself in across his chest and puts his arms into its arms.
> 
> With a finger he then presses a button, and the machine jolts into life, lights flashing and joints whirring as he cautiously steers his body suit across the floor.


----------



## waltky

Granny'd like to get one of `em to clean the trailer...

*Q&A: Robots Join Fight Against Ebola*
_October 23, 2014 -   As the world scrambles to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak, which has infected up to 9,900 people and claimed nearly 4,900 lives, some hospitals have turned to robots to help them fight back._


> Xenex Disinfection Services, a Texas-based company founded by two epidemiologists, has developed a line of robots to help eliminate pathogens that cause infections. The company’s CEO, Morris Miller, offered more insight into the Xenex technology in an email interview with TECHtonics.
> 
> Q. What do your robots do exactly?
> 
> Miller: … Xenex robots are scientifically proven to be effective against the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C. diff), Ebola virus, norovirus, influenza, and staph bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A Xenex germ-zapping robot can disinfect a typical patient/procedure room in 5-10 minutes.
> 
> … The Xenex germ-zapping robot works by pulsing xenon, an inert gas, twice a second at high intensity in a xenon ultraviolet flashlamp. This produces ultraviolet C (UVC), which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is instantly fused so that they are unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces and in the air without contact or chemicals.
> 
> Q. Is the technology harmful in any way?
> 
> Miller: No … Xenex robots are considerably faster, safer and “greener” than other automated cleaning and infection control methods, including toxic mercury UV and hydrogen peroxide-based systems, which can take multiple hours to achieve the same level of disinfection.
> 
> Q. Have the machines been field-tested?
> 
> Miller: The robots are in use in more than 250 U.S. hospitals. Hospitals using our robots to disinfect their facilities are reporting a drop in their infection rates (a decrease in healthcare- associated infections – HAIs), which is how we measure success. Xenex represents a significant advancement in UV disinfection technology, which has historically relied upon mercury bulbs requiring significantly greater exposure times to disinfect.
> 
> Six peer-reviewed studies have been published supporting the efficacy of the Xenex technology, including three where Xenex customers reported significantly reduced HAI rates after implementing the Xenex robot for room disinfection. No other UV technology has peer-reviewed studies demonstrating the impact of the technology on actual patient infection rates.
> 
> *Q. Why are the robots not deployed in more hospitals, especially where Ebola cases have emerged?*


----------



## waltky

Granny'd like to get one of `em to clean the trailer...

*Q&A: Robots Join Fight Against Ebola*
_October 23, 2014 -   As the world scrambles to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak, which has infected up to 9,900 people and claimed nearly 4,900 lives, some hospitals have turned to robots to help them fight back._


> Xenex Disinfection Services, a Texas-based company founded by two epidemiologists, has developed a line of robots to help eliminate pathogens that cause infections. The company’s CEO, Morris Miller, offered more insight into the Xenex technology in an email interview with TECHtonics.
> 
> Q. What do your robots do exactly?
> 
> Miller: … Xenex robots are scientifically proven to be effective against the most dangerous pathogens, including Clostridium difficile (C. diff), Ebola virus, norovirus, influenza, and staph bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A Xenex germ-zapping robot can disinfect a typical patient/procedure room in 5-10 minutes.
> 
> … The Xenex germ-zapping robot works by pulsing xenon, an inert gas, twice a second at high intensity in a xenon ultraviolet flashlamp. This produces ultraviolet C (UVC), which penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, mold, fungus and spores. Their DNA is instantly fused so that they are unable to reproduce or mutate, effectively killing them on surfaces and in the air without contact or chemicals.
> 
> Q. Is the technology harmful in any way?
> 
> Miller: No … Xenex robots are considerably faster, safer and “greener” than other automated cleaning and infection control methods, including toxic mercury UV and hydrogen peroxide-based systems, which can take multiple hours to achieve the same level of disinfection.
> 
> Q. Have the machines been field-tested?
> 
> Miller: The robots are in use in more than 250 U.S. hospitals. Hospitals using our robots to disinfect their facilities are reporting a drop in their infection rates (a decrease in healthcare- associated infections – HAIs), which is how we measure success. Xenex represents a significant advancement in UV disinfection technology, which has historically relied upon mercury bulbs requiring significantly greater exposure times to disinfect.
> 
> Six peer-reviewed studies have been published supporting the efficacy of the Xenex technology, including three where Xenex customers reported significantly reduced HAI rates after implementing the Xenex robot for room disinfection. No other UV technology has peer-reviewed studies demonstrating the impact of the technology on actual patient infection rates.
> 
> *Q. Why are the robots not deployed in more hospitals, especially where Ebola cases have emerged?*


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot Waiters Already At Work In China*


> A restaurant in China is now staffed by a team of robot servers.  The automated waiters take orders and serve food to any table within the restaurant, and tell customers to enjoy their meal.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*ASIMO in New York: Beginning Of Robot Uprising Chillingly Documented In “ASIMO Visits The Big Apple”*




> Earlier this year, the Honda ASIMO humanoid robot became the most popular four-foot tall, anthropomorphized, non-sentient object to hit NYC since Kermit and the Muppets took Manhattan back in 1984. During his tour of the city, ASIMO made a television appearance on “LIVE with Kelly and Michael,” dazzled tech journalists at an invitation-only demonstration event at the New York International Auto Show, and waved to human onlookers who will one day serve him and his robot brethren once the Great Robot Uprising of 2025 has come to fruition.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*15,000 robots usher in Amazon's Cyber Monday*



> An army of 15,000 robots is ready to roll as Amazon's fulfillment centers prepare for the holiday sales onslaught.
> 
> To pick, pack and ship those items, the company is launching a full-scale deployment of a robotic fulfillment system it purchased in 2012 and tested in 2013.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Anyone Can Now Use IBM's Watson To Crunch Data For Free*


> You probably know IBM's Watson platform best from its winning performance on Jeopardy. But the supercomputer is more than just a mechanism for IBM to publicly shame smart people. It's arguably the most powerful natural-language supercomputer in the world, and thanks to anew public beta, its number-crunching abilities are open to all.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*A robot to guard your property for $6.25 an hour* 
Meet Silicon Valley's newest crime fighter: the K5 robot.


> As the world grapples with the onset of drones and trembles at the increasing likelihood of sentient machines, a 300-pound machine is being deployed in places like corporate campuses and shopping malls. Like something out of a science fiction movie, the K5 is part of a broader effort to predict and prevent illegal activities.
> 
> While they are not quite artificially intelligent, these autonomous robots can see, feel, hear and smell, the man behind the bot told CNBC in an interview this week.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot pal brings school to ailing student*
Robot pal brings school to ailing student Fox News



> On a typical school day, seventh-grader Max LaDue answers a question from his teacher and chats with classmates at his Durham County public school. But 12-year-old Max, who suffers from a chronic gastrointestinal condition that keeps him homebound, takes part in class through a robot that he controls from his house.
> 
> The high-tech VGO Telerobot sits at Max’s desk, with a real-time image of the boy, who sits inside his Durham, N.C., home controlling the robot’s every move through his computer’s Internet. When Max has a question he’d like to answer, a light signals on the robot, prompting the teacher to call on him. When the period is over, Max is able to drive the robot from one classroom to another. The VGO Telerobot also has a camera that enables the boy to take screenshots of the classroom board, which are then downloaded to his laptop so he has class notes available when he needs them.
> 
> For a 12-year-old boy who loves to play video games, the chance to attend school via a high-tech robot is “awesome.”
> 
> “It’s pretty awesome to just be able to roam around on the robot and go from class to class instead of relying on someone to take the computer from class to class,” Max told FoxNews.com.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Palm Computing and Numenta Founder Jeff Hawkins Says True Machine Intelligence Now Less Than Five Years Away*


> The man who produced the first Palm Pilot and went on to found Numenta told a Silicon Valley gathering last week that he believes his company will successfully produce the first computers which can think and reason on their own. "We're going to finish this off in less than five years," declared Jeff Hawkins, co-founder of Numenta.
> Hawkins, who founded Palm Computing in 1992 and has been leading Numenta for the past nine years, delivered his prediction at the SVForum iHuman Conference in San Mateo, California last Thursday. Widely regarded as one of the country's foremost experts in the biological structure of the human brain, Hawkins has been working on machine learning technology that would give computers the ability to gather large amounts of data and use it to become even smarter as time goes on.
> "I'm trying to reverse engineer the neocortex," explained Hawkins, referring to the area of the brain where spatial reasoning and conscious thought reside.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Computers Catch Up To Primate Brains*



> For decades, neuroscientists have been trying to design computer networks that can mimic visual skills such as recognizing objects, which the human brain does very accurately and quickly.
> Until now, no computer model has been able to match the primate brain at visual object recognition during a brief glance. However, a new study from MIT neuroscientists has found that one of the latest generation of these so-called “deep neural networks” matches the primate brain.
> Because these networks are based on neuroscientists’ current understanding of how the brain performs object recognition, the success of the latest networks suggest that neuroscientists have a fairly accurate grasp of how object recognition works, says James DiCarlo, a professor of neuroscience and head of MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and the senior author of a paper describing the study in the Dec. 18 issue of the journal PLoS Computational Biology.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Artificial Muscles That Remember *


> But these polymers could be even smarter if they incorporated another capability, shape memory. Shape memory polymers can be deformed to take on a particular shape—say, a spiral—then return to their original shape—flat, for instance—when triggered by a stimulus such as a change in temperature.
> 
> Smoukov is working on developing ionic actuators that also have shape memory, to make muscles that move back and forth between two, or possibly even three, states. “We can actually design about any function or any combination of functions that you like,” he told a session of the Materials Reseach Society’s fall meeting in Boston last week.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Scientists Create a Robot capable of Studying Movement over Various Terrains *

Submitted by Joseph Gibson on Mon, 12/22/2014 - 12:59






> It has been reported that scientist have developed a stick bug robot, dubbed Hector, that will be able to study movement over various terrains.
> 
> The researchers from Germany's Bielefeld University built a giant robot insect with six independently moving legs in order to study movement over various terrains.
> 
> For the design of the robot, the researchers actually motion captured a real stick insect walking and climbing.



- See more at: Scientists Create a Robot capable of Studying Movement over Various Terrains Perfect Science


----------



## ScienceRocks

Researchers develop new-generation 'thinking' biomimetic robots as ocean engineering solutions


> NUS Engineering researchers are closer to creating underwater robotic creatures with a brain of their own – besides behaving like the real thing. In the near future, it would not be too tall an order for the team to produce a swarm of autonomous tiny robotic sea turtles and fishes for example, to perform hazardous missions such as detecting nuclear wastes underwater or other tasks too dangerous for humans.
> In the underwater robotic world, turtle robots are among the most maneuverable. The NUS team's turtle robot, besides being maneuverable, can also go about determinedly performing what it is set out to do, while being able to react to exigencies and obstacles.


----------



## ScienceRocks

* Amphibious HexH2o drone shoots both aerial and underwater video *
By Ben Coxworth
December 23, 2014
5 Pictures





> Readers who checked out our recent article on the Seahorse human-powered airboat may have noticed something at least as impressive in the accompanying video – a camera-equipped quadcopter that can land on the water to shoot underwater footage. It's called the QuadH2o, and is made by a Thailand-based company of the same name. Now, that drone is about to be joined by a companion that sports another two propellers, along with some other extra features. It's time to say hello to the HexH2o.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*  Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout makes first destroyer flight *
By David Szondy
December 28, 2014
2 Pictures





> A helicopter landing on the flightdeck of a destroyer is hardly news – unless it's the US Navy's latest Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Northrop Grumman's MQ-8C Fire Scout became the first unmanned helicopter to operate from a US destroyer on December 16. Under guidance of the ship's ground control station, the MQ-8C made 22 takeoffs and 22 precision landings on the guided missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) off the coast of Virginia.



No pilot need die!


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## ScienceRocks

* Sea turtle robot charges its own batteries *
By Ben Coxworth
December 30, 2014
2 Pictures


 


> They may be slow on land, but when they're in the water, sea turtles are fast and maneuverable – qualities that are also desirable in underwater robots. Additionally, the robotic equivalent of a turtle's streamlined shell could be stuffed full of electronic components and batteries. It shouldn't come as a surprise, therefore, that both ETH Zurich and the ARROWS project have recently created their own turtle-bots. Now, the National University of Singapore has announced its own entry in the field, that can self-charge its batteries while at sea.


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## ScienceRocks

* Delivery drone test success in France *
By Paul Ridden
December 31, 2014
3 Pictures


 


> If pilot projects from companies like Bizzby and DHL Parcel are any indication, the skies of Europe could soon be buzzing with parcel delivery drones. GeoPost, the express delivery arm of French mail service La Poste, has now revealed that it undertook drone delivery testing at the Centre d'Etudes et d'Essais pour Modèles Autonomes (CEEMA) in September.


----------



## ScienceRocks

* Robodynamics' Luna personal robot hits Kickstarter *
By David Szondy
December 31, 2014
12 Pictures





> Back in 2011, Gizmag looked at Robodynamics' Luna personal robot. At that time, the details were a bit scarce, though the company did say that the machine was shipping that year. As 2014 draws to a close, Luna has still to reach market, but the maker has launched a Kickstarter to raise money to start manufacturing while giving us a closer look at the robot's specs.


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## ScienceRocks

* Ghost Drone follows its user, and is controlled via their phone *
By Ben Coxworth
December 31, 2014
6 Pictures





> It was just this June that we heard about the HEXO+ and AirDog drones, which were two of the first consumer multicopters to offer a Follow function – that's the ability to track the location of their user, and fly along above them. Since then, models including the Iris+ and Zano have come out with the same feature. Now, Chinese/American company Ehang is successfully raising production funds for its Follow-equipped GoPro-toting Ghost Drone. Developed in partnership with Duke University, not only is the quadcopter able to track and film its user, but it's also reportedly easier to fly than its competitors.


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## ScienceRocks

* Musk hints at robotic charging arm for all Model S cars *
By David Szondy





> Showing his penchant for dropping bombshells on Twitter, Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk revealed that the company is working on a robotic arm for recharging its Model S electric cars.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot learns to use tools by ‘watching’ YouTube videos*
*January 2, 2015*
*[+]*




> Imagine a self-learning robot that can enrich its knowledge about fine-grained manipulation actions (such as preparing food)simply by “watching” demo videos. That’s the idea behind a new robot-training system based on recent developments of “deep neural networks” in computer vision, developed by researchers at the University of Maryland and NICTA in Australia.


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## ScienceRocks

* Omnidirectional underwater robot inspired by the cuttlefish *
By Ben Coxworth
January 7, 2015
5 Pictures





> Cuttlefish are fascinating animals, in that they use a pair of undulating fins to move forward and backward, turn on the spot, or hover in place. If you wanted to make an underwater robot that was highly maneuverable yet quiet and immune to tangled propellers, then the cuttlefish would be a good creature to copy. Well, a group of mechanical engineering students from Switzerland's ETH Zurich have done just that – plus they gave it an extra set of fins, allowing it to also move straight up and down.


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## ScienceRocks

* Cooki robotic chef whips up meals at the push of a button *
By Darren Quick
January 7, 2015
4 Pictures






> Some claim that cooking is becoming a lost art, with many in Gen Y relying on frozen pre-packaged meals or eating out rather than learning the required skills from their parents. The Cooki from Sereneti Kitchen might not do anything to reverse this trend, but it could at least enable the cooking-impaired to enjoy a meal made from fresh ingredients. On display at CES in prototype form, this ambitious culinary contraption uses a robotic arm to whip up meals from pre-portioned ingredients.


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## ScienceRocks

*World's first artificial intelligence personal robot developed by US startup Robotbase*


> "Not only can the robot understand what I say, it can actually see things around it in the same way that we humans do," said Robotbase CEO Duy Huynh at a demonstration of the technology. "It recognises faces, it recognises objects around the house in order to navigate by itself.
> 
> "We are the very first company to apply deep learning to robotics. It has computer vision, facial recognition, emotion recognition and pattern recognition with a single algorithm.
> 
> "Not just a robot, it's artificial intelligence. Not just recognising your face, it knows your mood. Not just understanding what you say, it knows what you really mean. It learns and gets smarter every day."


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## ScienceRocks

* Robot sub beats nets for discovering what lurks at the bottom of the sea *
By Ben Coxworth
January 13, 2015
2 Pictures





> Curious about what's living on the deep sea floor? Well, the Autosub6000 AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) is helping us find out. Led by Dr. Kirsty Morris, a team at the UK's National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has equipped one of the unmanned submarines with a high-resolution photographic system. As a result, it's claimed to be far more effective at identifying deep-sea life than the usual approach of scientific trawling.


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## ScienceRocks

*Algorithm Improves Object Recognition For Robots *
*Algorithm Improves Object Recognition For Robots IFLScience*
January 12, 2015 | by Lisa Winter








> The field of robotics has just taken a step forward with the development of an algorithm that will give artificial intelligence an increased ability for object recognition. This will help robots navigate their surroundings and become better equipped to help out around the house. Lawson Wong of MIT is lead author of the paper, which will appear in an upcoming issue of the _International Journal of Robotics Research_.
> 
> When robots are becoming familiar with objects, they view it in many different perspectives so that they recognize a coffee mug as a coffee mug, whether the handle is pointed to the left or right. The robot then needs to scan its database and search for the identity of the object. Unfortunately, after the artificial intelligence system learns to recognize a large number of items, it takes a long time to search through the database and make a correct identification.
> 
> The research completed by Wong’s team has utilized an algorithm which aggregates the different viewpoints, resulting in object identification that occurs up to ten times faster and makes fewer mistakes than previous versions which only take a single perspective into account. This allows the robot to operate more seamlessly, making real-time decisions and actions.


----------



## ScienceRocks

* DARPA Humanoid Atlas robotsand other DARPA bots now will have no strings for competition *







> A total of $3.5 million in prizes will now be awarded to the top three finishers in the DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC), the final event of which will be held June 5-6, 2015.
> 
> The most significant changes to the Altas robot are to the robot’s power supply and pump. Atlas will now carry an onboard 3.7-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, with the potential for one hour of “mixed mission” operation that includes walking, standing, use of tools, and other movements. This will drive a new variable-pressure pump that allows for more efficient operation.
> 
> “The introduction of a battery and variable-pressure pump into Atlas poses a strategic challenge for teams,” said Pratt. “The operator will be able to run the robot on a mid-pressure setting for most operations to save power, and then apply bursts of maximum pressure when additional force is needed. The teams are going to have to game out the right balance of force and battery life to complete the course.”
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _The Atlas robot was redesigned with the goal of improving power efficiency to better support battery operation. Approximately 75 percent of the robot was rebuilt; only the lower legs and feet were carried over from the original design. (DARPA image)_
> 
> 
> 
> Other major upgrades to Atlas focused on increasing efficiency, dexterity, and resilience, and include:
> 
> Repositioned shoulders and arms allow for increased workspace in front of the robot and let the robot view its hands in motion, thus providing additional sensor feedback to the operator.
> New electrically actuated lower arms will increase strength and dexterity and improve force sensing.
> The addition of an extra degree of freedom in the wrist means the robot will be able to turn a door handle simply by rotating its wrist as opposed to moving its entire arm.
> Three onboard perception computers are used for perception and task planning, and a wireless router in the head enables untethered communication.
> Re-sized actuators in the hip, knee, and back give the robot greater strength.
> A wireless emergency stop allows for safe operation.
> As a result of the new pump, Atlas is much, much quieter than before!
> The seven DRC teams using Atlas are scheduled to receive their upgraded robots by the end of January. The robots will be delivered with a “battery emulator,” a training tool temporarily mounted in the robot that simulates how the real battery will perform. This will allow them to switch modes between constant voltage for routine practice and metered voltage to simulate actual battery life.
> 
> Given their identical hardware, the Atlas teams will have to differentiate themselves through software, control interfaces, and competition strategy. Teams will have a few options on the selection of tasks they choose to attempt and the order they do them—and must manage time and battery life during their runs—but DARPA expects that the top-placing teams will complete all of the tasks.
> 
> Teams are likely to keep their robots connected to fall arrestors during much of the remaining months of training as a safeguard against premature damage to the robot. DARPA demonstrated the new Atlas with a fall arrestor in place.
> 
> “Risk mitigation is part of the game,” Pratt said. “It’s up to the teams to decide what chances they’re willing to take during training and risk falls and damage, but come the DRC Finals, the cords are cut.”
> 
> 
> The competing teams have been operating under extreme pressure since the 2013 DRC Trials, working to upgrade their robots and software for the more demanding DRC Finals. In June 2014, DARPA announced a series of additional hurdles that teams will face in the Finals:
> 
> Robots will have to operate completely without wires—they may not be connected to power cords, fall arrestors, or wired communications tethers. Teams will have to communicate with their robots over a secure wireless network.
> 
> Teams are not allowed any physical intervention with their robot after it begins a run. If a robot falls or gets stuck, it will have to recover and continue with the tasks without any hands-on assistance. If a robot cannot sustain and recover from a fall, its run will end.
> 
> DARPA will intentionally degrade communications between the robots and human operators working at a distance. The idea is to replicate the conditions these robots would face going into a disaster zone. Spotty communication will force the robots to make some progress on their own during communications blackouts.


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## ScienceRocks

http://nextbigfuture...million-in.html



> AGI Innovations Inc, (www.AGi-3.com ) an R and D company focused on advancing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has secured $4 million in funding to support research on long-term AGI development. AGI is the AI discipline concerned with developing systems with human-like cognitive abilities such as general learning, reasoning, and problem solving. AGI Innovations Inc, also known as AGi3, was formed early in 2014 to continue research originally spearheaded by Adaptive A.I. Inc (a2i2), an AGI R and D company formed in 2001. On completing its first generation AGI engine in 2008, a2i2 launched


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## ScienceRocks

*The Boston Robotics Industry Is Crushing This Month* 



> If January is any indication, 2015 is going to be a milestone year for a number of Boston-area robotics companies. At CES earlier in the month, multiple Boston firms showcased upgraded machines, which are capable of doing everything from cleaning your floor to challenging you in a round of beirut. And these companies have gotten substantial support, too, between funding from noteworthy VCs, buzz from a late night celebrity and news of a partnership with a major multinational corporation.


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## ScienceRocks

*Mind of a Worm Uploaded to a LEGO Robot to Make the Weirdest Cyborg Ever*








> In a breakthrough for artificial intelligence research, a digital clone of the mind of a roundworm (C. Elegans) has been uploaded into a robotic body made from LEGO, as part of the Open Worm Project.
> 
> Once the software facsimile of the worm brain was integrated into the LEGO robot it, with no additional programming, exhibited behaviour consistent with the C. Elegans species, avoiding obstacles and attracted by food. The robot carries sensors that imitate the senses of a roundworm, bridged by software modelled on a worm’s nervous system.


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## ScienceRocks

* WowWee shows off gesture-controlled dinosaurs and clever cars *
By Stu Robarts
January 27, 2015
9 Pictures


 


> Hi-tech toy firm WowWee showcased a couple of its upcoming offerings at the London Toy Fair last week. Its REV cars allow users to battle each other in either single- or multi-player modes. The MiPosaur, meanwhile, is a robotic dinosaur that responds to gestures.


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## ScienceRocks

* VineRobot will keep tabs on the grapes *
By Ben Coxworth
January 28, 2015
3 Pictures


 


> While many of us may fantasize about running a vineyard someplace like the south of France, doing so wouldn't actually be all ... well, wine and roses. For one thing, you'd need to regularly walk up and down all those rows of vines, continuously stopping to check on the plants themselves and their grapes. It's the sort of thing that it would be nice if a robot could do. A robot like the VineRobot


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## ScienceRocks

*Care-O-bot 4: A Robot Servant We All Want But Most Can't Afford*
http://spectrum.ieee...ile-manipulator


> Mobile manipulators are the robots we want, because they’re the robots that have the most potential to do the things that we care about: working in our homes and businesses, making things better and faster and easier. Robots have a long way to go before better and faster and easier become a thing that consumers get to experience directly, but with each new and updated platform, we get a little closer. Today, that little bit closer is the new and improved Care-O-bot 4, from Fraunhofer IPA.


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## ScienceRocks

Robots Are Learning How To Cook - Using YouTube



> Robots are using the powers of technology - YouTube - to learn how to complete a necessary human task, writes Tech Times.
> 
> The robots are being taught how to cook using the video-sharing website, writes Tech Times.
> 
> Researchers from the University of Maryland, funded by DARPA's Mathematics of Sensing, Exploitation, and Execution program, are showing robots cooking videos on YouTube to study whether the robots then learn to recognize, grasp and use the correct kitchen utensils and ingredients that are being used in the educational videos.


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## ScienceRocks

* SAFFiR, the US Navy’s prototype firefighting robot gets baptism of fire *
By David Szondy
February 4, 2015
2 Pictures


 


> If there's one job that a person would probably prefer to lose to a robot, it would be fighting fires aboard ships. To help make such a vision a reality, the US Navy and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) released details of demonstration exercises conducted by their Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot (SAFFiR) aboard the fire training ship USS Shadwell last November.


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## ScienceRocks

*Octopus robot makes waves with ultra-fast propulsion*



> Scientists have developed an octopus-like robot, which can zoom through water with ultra-fast propulsion and acceleration never before seen in man-made underwater vehicles.
> Most fast aquatic animals are sleek and slender to help them move easily through the water but cephalopods, such as the octopus, are capable of high-speed escapes by filling their bodies with water and then quickly expelling it to dart away.


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## fmdog44

Matthew said:


> Nano-bots to farm bots...To Robo-cop!
> 
> Robot kills weeds on farms with 98% accuracy
> 
> 1st October 2012
> 
> Another step towards autonomous and eco-friendly farming could soon be achieved.
> visionrobotics.com - Orange Harvesting
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Blue River Technology  a startup founded in 2011 by two Stanford University Alumni  has announced $3.1 million in funding from angel investors led by Khosla Ventures.
> 
> The company is developing an alternative to chemical-intensive agriculture, which is both expensive and hazardous to the environment. With advanced computer vision techniques for identifying weeds and selectively killing unwanted plants, Blue River Technology's equipment is much faster and more efficient than traditional methods of weed killing. Known as "Lettuce-bot", this machine is particularly well-suited to organic agriculture and fields with chemical-resistant weeds.
> 
> During tests, this automated system gathered over a million images as it moved through the fields. Its Computer Vision System was able to detect and segment individual plants  even those that were touching each other  with 98% accuracy.
> 
> 
> "We intend to invest the proceeds of this round in growing our engineering team and accelerating our new product roadmap," said Jorge Heraud, co-founder and CEO of Blue River Technology. "Our culture fosters extreme innovation aimed at real-world problems. We are looking for passionate engineers to advance the boundaries of computer vision, machine learning and robotics and help us reinvent food production. "
> 
> "With global population expected to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, increasing food production in a sustainable way is going to be one of the great challenges of this century," said Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures. "Blue River Technology's solution will not only be more cost effective than current solutions, but has the potential to reduce U.S. herbicide use by over 250 million pounds a year."
> 
> Currently, the machine only works on Iceberg and Romaine lettuce, as the database of images was generated for those plants only. However, it is hoped that more varieties will be possible soon. A number of other companies are developing robots for agriculture and these machines are expected to become fairly commonplace by 2016.
> 
> Further into the future, robots working in fields could do more than just eliminate weeds. They could also monitor insects, identify pests, measure the soil pH and nitrogen levels, and check the water content, keeping fields in near-perfect condition.
Click to expand...

Read Michio Kaku for the future of robotics totally fascinating.


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## ScienceRocks

*China to Have Most Robots in the World by 2017*




> China will have more robots operating in its production plants by 2017 than any other country as it cranks up automation of its car and electronics factories, the International Federation of Robotics said on Thursday. Already the biggest market in the $9.5 billion global robot trade, China lags far behind its more industrialized peers in terms of robot density. China has just 30 robots per 10,000 workers employed in manufacturing industries, compared with 437 in South Korea, 323 in Japan, 282 in Germany and 152 in the United States.


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## ScienceRocks

*World’s first robot-staffed hotel to open in Japan*


> A robot-staffed hotel, said to be the world’s first, is set to open in Japan in July where guests checking into the futuristic facility will be greeted and served by remarkably human-like robots.
> 
> “In the future, we’re hoping to build 1,000 similar hotels around the world,” says Sawada, CNN quoted Japan’s Nikkei News as saying. Other features will help make Henn-na the most futuristic low-cost hotel in the industry, according to the company.


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## ScienceRocks

*Muscle Powered Bio-Bots Walk On Command*


> “Biological actuation driven by cells is a fundamental need for any kind of biological machine you want to build,” said study leader Rashid Bashir, Abel Bliss Professor and head of bioengineering at the U. of I.
> Bashir’s group has been a pioneer in designing and building bio-bots, less than a centimeter in size, made of flexible 3-D printed hydrogels and living cells. Previously, the group demonstrated bio-bots that “walk” on their own, powered by beating heart cells from rats.
> However, heart cells constantly contract, denying researchers control over the bot’s motion. This makes it difficult to use heart cells to engineer a bio-bot that can be turned on and off, sped up or slowed down.
> The new bio-bots are powered by a strip of skeletal muscle cells that can be triggered by an electric pulse. This gives the researchers a simple way to control the bio-bots and opens the possibilities for customize bio-bots for specific applications.


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## ScienceRocks

*Drone waiters to plug Singapore's service staff gap*



> In Singapore food is a national obsession. But finding enough people to bring the food to diners is increasingly becoming a problem.
> 
> One company thinks it has come up with a solution - flying robot waiters. They are sturdy, reliable, and promise never to call in sick at the last minute.
> 
> Infinium Robotics' drones, due to be introduced at a local restaurant-bar chain by the end of this year, can carry up to 2kg (4.4lbs) of food and drink - that's about two pints of beer, a pizza, and two glasses of wine.
> 
> The unpiloted robots whizz above the heads of diners on paths charted by a computer programme, and navigate using infra-red sensors placed around the restaurant.


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## ScienceRocks

*Boston Dynamics’ new Spot robot gets knocked down, gets back up again*
*Boston Dynamics 8217 new Spot robot gets knocked down gets back up again ExtremeTech*

By Ryan Whitwam on February 10, 2015 at 12:46 pm
14 Comments






> Google-owned Boston Dynamics specializes in creating robots that move in almost impossibly life-like ways. They can climb hills, carry heavy loads, and follow humans around. The company’s latest creation is called Spot, and it has made its video debut showing just how nimble and sturdy walking robots have become. So this is how the world ends — not with a bang, but with a robot that doesn’t fall over when you kick it.
> 
> Spot is a refinement of  the company’s past robots. It’s quadrupedal and electrically powered, unlike that super speedy WildCat robot with its internal combustion engine. Spot’s movements are hydraulically actuated for fine control on a variety of terrains. This robot weighs in at 160 lbs and is considerably more mobile than some of Boston Dynamic’s older models, as illustrated in the video.



If it is doing this on its own. Well, I am utterly fucking amazed!


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## ScienceRocks

*INFOGRAPHIC : Robotics, building the future*


> The world has imagined the emergence of game-changing robotic and automation technologies for decades, but recent years have seen some of the most extraordinary advances in the field. What follows is a look at how robotics is opening up huge potential in important industries and helping to create the world of the future.


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## ScienceRocks

*Driverless Trucks: German Daimler AG hopes to bring them to market by 2025 [The Guardian]*


> Pollution in the trucking industry has long been a public issue, and it’s one that certainly didn’t end when the first federal emission limits were introduced in 1974. For good reason: heavy- and medium-duty trucks, which include everything from ambulances and garbage trucks to cement mixers and semis, make up nearly a quarter of all US greenhouse-gas emissions from transportation, according to the US transportation department.
> 
> Put another way, these trucks add 1.6bn metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions into the atmosphere annually, accounting for 5.75% of emissions globally, according to a 2012 Carbon War Room report (pdf). In the US, trucking accounts for 18% of all oil combustion, or about 3.8m barrels daily, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit focused on efficient resource use. And the trucking market is only expected to grow.


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## ScienceRocks

*Giant robotic teddy bear: Japan's nurse of the future*



> The population of Japan is ageing, and fewer children being born. This creates a variety of problems -- not the least of which is a shortage of caregivers for the elderly, as the elderly population grows while the younger population shrinks. To help compensate, the country has been exploring a different solution: robots.
> In the case of research institute RIKEN, cuddly teddy bear-faced robots that can lift and carry a mobility impaired patient, or help them stand and provide a support to lean on while walking.


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## ScienceRocks

*This robot at U-Md. taught itself to cook by watching YouTube*


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## ScienceRocks

*Rise of Robot Factories Leading 'Fourth Industrial Revolution'*




> Busy day? A million things to do? Well, here’s depressing news: you’ll probably mess up about 1,000 of them. That’s what the research shows, at least: for every million tasks a human performs, even the best of us inserts mistakes between 500 and 1,000 times. It might seem a lot, but think of the number of emails you send containing a typo, the number of dishes that make it to the drying rack with a fleck of food still on them, the gaffes when talking with colleagues, the mismatched socks you only spot at lunchtime.
> 
> None of these slip-ups is likely to prove very costly, whether in terms of time, money or reputation. But the stakes grow higher in certain environments: a pharmacist getting a dosage wrong can take a life; a trader with “fat fingers” can cost his employer millions. It was with this idea in mind, just over 25 years ago, that a team of engineers and scientists at Siemens began to rethink one particular shop floor. The factory in Amberg, a small town near Nuremberg in Germany, made controllers – the boxes stuffed with circuit boards and switches that act as brains for other factories. And it did a pretty good job of it, with customers from across countries and sectors, and a defects per million rate of 550.
> 
> But even that number felt too high, particularly given that a broken controller can quickly shut down a factory, costing its owners millions of euros per day in stopped production alone. So the team at Siemens began moving the factory towards greater automation, counting on computers to beat humans in the race for quality. In 1990, 25% of the shop floor was automated; today, it is 75%. And the defect rate has dropped sharply – to 11.5 per million. Output has increased 8.5 times while employee numbers and floor space have stayed steady.


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## ScienceRocks




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## ScienceRocks

*Researchers Create A [Simplified] Simulated **Mouse Brain in a Virtual Mouse** Body*


> Neurorobotics scientist Marc-Oliver Gewaltig and his team at the Human Brain Project (HBP) built a model mouse brain and a model mouse body, integrating them both into a single simulation and providing a simplified but comprehensive model of how the body and the brain interact with each other. "Replicating sensory input and motor output is one of the best ways to go towards a detailed brain model analogous to the real thing," explains Gewaltig.
> A simplified version of the virtual mouse brain (just 200,000 neurons) was then mapped to different parts of the mouse body, including the mouse's spinal cord, whiskers, eyes and skin. For instance, touching the mouse's whiskers activated the corresponding parts of the mouse sensory cortex. And they expect the models to improve as more data comes in and gets incorporated.


----------



## haissem123

just curious, are all those scientist putting all their eggs in the techno basket? Is that basket protected or backed up in case of emp or other techno electric threats? just wandering are we making ourselves more vunerable or just more lazy?  sorry for the spelling need spell check. see how dangerous tech is? lol


----------



## ScienceRocks

25 Robots Compete for DARPA Robotic Challenge 2015 $2 Million Prize



> A robot competition to be hosted by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will involve 25 competing teams from all over the globe competing to determine which will be able to build a better robot for responding to disasters or calamities.
> 
> Eleven teams were previously selected and will now be joined by 14 new teams from the U.S., Japan, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Germany and Italy. The contest will be held in Pomona, California.


----------



## ScienceRocks

* ATRIAS bipedal robot can take a beating and keep walking *
By Eric Mack
March 18, 2015
8 Pictures



 


> The great tradition of designing robots inspired by the many beautiful forms of locomotion seen in the animal kingdom likely predates robotics itself, arguably stretching all the way back to Michelangelo's time. Standing on the shoulders of such giants is ATRIAS, a series of human-sized bipedal robots that remind us of other two-legged creatures like the ostrich or emu.


----------



## haissem123

Matthew said:


> * ATRIAS bipedal robot can take a beating and keep walking *
> By Eric Mack
> March 18, 2015
> 8 Pictures
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The great tradition of designing robots inspired by the many beautiful forms of locomotion seen in the animal kingdom likely predates robotics itself, arguably stretching all the way back to Michelangelo's time. Standing on the shoulders of such giants is ATRIAS, a series of human-sized bipedal robots that remind us of other two-legged creatures like the ostrich or emu.
Click to expand...

no make it feed itself with solar or wind and change it's own batteries and we can leave it in charge of earth


----------



## ScienceRocks

Google Exec Outlines Advances in Deep Learning


> SAN JOSE, Calif.—Nvidia's overarching theme throughout the GPU Technology Conference here this week has been deep learning, the idea that with the right technology and right algorithms, machines can learn from their experience, and adapt their behavior.
> 
> During his keynote address March 17, Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang folded everything he announced—from a new high-powered GPU to software and hardware tools for researchers and scientists to the detail he gave about the upcoming new Pascal architecture—into the message that they will be leveraged to advance the research and development of deep-learning neural networks.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Artificial Intelligence Is Almost Ready for Business


> Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an idea that has oscillated through many hype cycles over many years, as scientists and sci-fi visionaries have declared the imminent arrival of thinking machines. But it seems we’re now at an actual tipping point. AI, expert systems, and business intelligence have been with us for decades, but this time the reality almost matches the rhetoric, driven by the exponential growth in technology capabilities (e.g., Moore’s Law), smarter analytics engines, and the surge in data.
> 
> Most people know the Big Data story by now: the proliferation of sensors (the “Internet of Things”) is accelerating exponential growth in “structured” data. And now on top of that explosion, we can also analyze “unstructured” data, such as text and video, to pick up information on customer sentiment. Companies have been using analytics to mine insights within this newly available data to drive efficiency and effectiveness. For example, companies can now use analytics to decide which sales representatives should get which leads, what time of day to contact a customer, and whether they should e-mail them, text them, or call them.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Artificial hand able to respond sensitively using smart metal wires*

30 March 2015


> Engineers at Saarland University have taken a leaf out of nature's book by equipping an artificial hand with muscles made from shape-memory wire. The new technology enables the fabrication of flexible and lightweight robot hands for industrial applications and novel prosthetic devices.
> 
> The muscle fibres are composed of bundles of ultrafine nickel-titanium alloy wires that are able to tense and flex. The material itself has sensory properties allowing the artificial hand to perform extremely precise movements.
> The research group led by Professor Stefan Seelecke will be showcasing their prototype artificial hand and how it makes use of shape-memory 'metal muscles' at HANNOVER MESSE - the world's largest industrial fair - from April 13th to April 17th. The team are looking for development partners.
> The hand is the perfect tool. Developed over millions of years, its 'design' can certainly be said to be mature. The hand is extraordinarily mobile and adaptable, and the consummate interaction between the muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones and nerves has long driven a desire to create a flexible tool based upon it.
> The research team led by Professor Stefan Seelecke from Saarland University and the Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technology (ZeMA) is using a new technology based on the shape memory properties of nickel-titanium alloy. The engineers have provided the artificial hand with muscles that are made up from very fine wires whose diameter is similar to that of a human hair and that can contract and relax.






http://www.spacedail..._wires_999.html


----------



## ScienceRocks

*McDonald's is testing digital self-serve kiosk: Just a beginning, tellers will be first to go, then cooks.*



> A McDonald’s Corp. restaurant in Wesley Chapel is among a select few nationwide to test a distinctly new way for McDonald’s customers to order food: Via a digital kiosk.
> 
> The touchscreen system stands in the main lobby of the restaurant and allows customers to customize nearly every item on the menu, from burgers to milkshakes, which is part of a major drive at the fast-food giant to better compete with upcoming rivals like Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc., Dunkin Donuts and Five Guys Enterprises LLC.
> 
> “This is the first step toward teaching our customers that we are able to create a truly customizable McDonald’s,” said John Frost, the owner/operator of a test site McDonald’s restaurant at 27643 S.R. 54 that unveiled the kiosks to customers quietly last week. “From here, we can go so many places, like different forms of payment and mobile apps.”
> 
> (Page 2) Using self-serve kiosks also puts McDonald’s more squarely in competition with some of its fiercest rivals, including more upscale convenience stores like Wawa Inc. which uses self-serve digital kiosks.
> 
> For McDonald’s, Thomas had better news, saying “I’m sure I’ll end up spending more here than I usually do.”


----------



## ScienceRocks

System allows hampered drones to regain control and land safely
By Ben Coxworth
April 7, 2015







> When it comes to concerns about the widespread use of drones, one of the big ones is the worry that the things will crash on peoples' heads. That's why researchers at the University of Zurich have created a system to keep that from happening. Their technology allows a drone to regain stable flight after losing control, and to autonomously land in a "safe" area in the event of mechanical or battery failure


----------



## ScienceRocks

The future will be drone deliveries.


*US approves drone flights for insurer AIG*
*5 hours ago *



> Insurance giant American International Group Wednesday announced that it had won US government approval to use drones to survey disaster areas, including territory that may be otherwise inaccessible.





Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-drone-flights-aig.html#jCp


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Liquid metal discovery paves way for shape-shifting robots*




> It may look like nothing more than a small ball of metal, but the shape-shifting and self-propulsion abilities of a liquid metal alloy discovered by scientists at China's Tsinghua University has captured the imaginations of scientists and science-fiction fans across the world.


----------



## ScienceRocks

* High-end Freefly Alta drone flips aerial photography on its head *
By Nick Lavars
April 15, 2015
8 Pictures





> If you're in the business of making drones for photography, it takes a bit to stand out from the crowd these days. Drone-mounted cameras are only getting better, and the vehicles themselves are only becoming more capable of accommodating higher quality lenses and equipment. Freefly Systems is looking to add another element to the airborne filmmaking mix with a professional-grade UAV that can fly with a camera above its body.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*ROBOT CHEF THAT CAN COOK ANY OF 2,000 MEALS AT TAP OF A BUTTON TO GO ON SALE IN 2017*

Quote


> Stirring, adjusting the temperature, pouring and adding ingredients are all basic skills for a chef but they’re slightly harder to achieve for a robot.
> 
> However, that’s not the case for this pair of robotic hands, which could be set to revolutionise cooking and kitchen operations.
> 
> At present it’s able to knock up a crab bisque, which it creates by replicating the exact movements of a professional chef.
> 
> Creator Moley Robotics says that when the commercial version launches in 2017 users will be able to select one of 2,000 dishes from their phone and the robotic hands in the automated kitchen will make it.
> 
> If the robot is successful, it could mean we can simply tap a button on our phone to have a meal prepared in time for us coming home from work.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Probabilistic programming does in 50 lines of code what used to take thousands*



> Most recent advances in artificial intelligence—such as mobile apps that convert speech to text—are the result of machine learning, in which computers are turned loose on huge data sets to look for patterns.
> 
> 
> To make machine-learning applications easier to build, computer scientists have begun developing so-called probabilistic programming languages, which let researchers mix and match machine-learning techniques that have worked well in other contexts. In 2013, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an incubator of cutting-edge technology, launched a four-year program to fund probabilistic-programming research.
> 
> At the Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition conference in June, MIT researchers will demonstrate that on some standard computer-vision tasks, short programs—less than 50 lines long—written in a probabilistic programming language are competitive with conventional systems with thousands of lines of code.





Another take— http://www.kurzweila...er-vision-tasks


----------



## ScienceRocks

http://www.bizjourna...be-used-on.html


> The UB team has prototyped a series of robots called Onsite Construction Robots, or OSCR for short. The latest stands 18 inches tall and weighs a little less than six lbs. It was designed to climb a ladder and carry three bricks — skills researchers hope to demonstrate once programming is complete. The final prototype, with advanced grippers and powerful motors, will be able to stack five bricks, walk or crawl, and scan the site to track materials.
> 
> The four-legged robot would be able to grab a stack of bricks, carry them across a construction site, climb a ladder and deliver materials to the mason, who tells the robot what's needed and where through a pair of smart glasses that scan the site in 3-D. Information is then transmitted to a developer or architect offsite who monitors the project.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Pilots Need Not Apply: Matternet Launches Autonomous Drone Delivery System*




> But here’s where Matternet ONE is different from most other drones—no pilots are required. The drone flies itself to and from destinations. Also, because it's a delivery system, the drone may need to fly further than limited battery life allows. The solutions to these problems are on the ground and in the cloud.
> 
> Matternet ONE makes use of fixed landing stations. These stations perform two critical functions. First, if the destination is beyond a single charge, they extend the drone’s range by swapping out a dead battery for a fresh one. Second, they allow the drone to plan its flight path in advance and map out obstacles in detail.
> 
> Because drones can't yet sense and avoid obstacles—trees, power lines, people—guidance from ground stations and fixed flight paths make for safer autonomous flights. Also, the drones remain connected to central guidance software in the cloud, maintaining (or altering) their trajectory throughout a flight.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Japan robot receptionist welcomes shoppers*
*3 hours ago *




Humanoid ChihiraAico, clad in a Japanese kimono, greets a customer at an entrance of a department store in Tokyo, on April 20, 2015


> She can smile, she can sing and this robot receptionist who started work in Tokyo on Monday never gets bored of welcoming customers to her upmarket shop.





Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-04-japan-robot-receptionist-shoppers.html#jCp


----------



## ScienceRocks

Cornell's robot barista learns as it brews
By David Szondy
April 22, 2015
3 Pictures






> If robots are going to become part of our everyday lives, they'll need to learn to work with everyday things. That means being able to read instruction manuals and figuring out how to use new machines. That's the plan of researchers at Cornell University, who have programmed a robot barista that can not only make a latte, but figure out how to use an unfamiliar espresso maker.


----------



## ScienceRocks

VerTex hybrid drone combines hovering and fixed-wing flight
By Ben Coxworth
April 23, 2015
3 Pictures






> As consumer drones are becoming increasingly common, we seem to be seeing more of a certain "value-added" feature – quadcopters that are able to hover as needed, but which can also transition to faster and more efficient fixed-wing flight. Recent examples have included the Skyprowler and the X PlusOne. Now, there's also the Vertex.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Tiny robots climb walls carrying more than 100 times their weight*



> Mighty things come in small packages. The little robots in this video can haul things that weigh over 100 times more than themselves.
> 
> The super-strong bots – built by mechanical engineers at Stanford University in California – will be presented next month at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle, Washington.
> 
> The secret is in the adhesives on the robots' feet. Their design is inspired by geckos, which have climbing skills that are legendary in the animal kingdom. The adhesives are covered in minute rubber spikes that grip firmly onto the wall as the robot climbs. When pressure is applied, the spikes bend, increasing their surface area and thus their stickiness. When the robot picks its foot back up, the spikes straighten out again and detach easily.
> 
> The bots also move in a style that is borrowed from biology. Like an inchworm, one pad scooches the robot forward while the other stays in place to support the heavy load. This helps the robot avoid falls from missing its step and park without using up precious power.


Tiny robots climb walls carrying more than 100 times their weight - tech - 24 April 2015 - New Scientist


----------



## ScienceRocks

Lockheed Martin's drones widen the net for search and rescue missions
By Nick Lavars
April 27, 2015






> Spreading eyeballs as widely as possible can make all the difference in the early stages of search and rescue operations. With the recent rise of drones, this has come to include getting eyes up into the sky to give some first responders an aerial perspective. The latest move to enhance search and rescue efforts comes from Lockheed Martin, which will team up with non-profit Project Lifesaver to help locate people with cognitive disorders that wander away from their home.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Fetch Robotics tag teams to speed up warehouse work
By David Szondy
May 1, 2015
5 Pictures






> As internet commerce matures, consumers are expecting more immediate delivery of goods, but a fleet of drones won't do any good unless the packing warehouses can keep up. The latest effort to help speed up this process comes from Fetch Robotics, which has unveiled Fetch and Freight – a robotic tag team that takes over the boring task of collecting and delivering stock.


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## ScienceRocks

*Toward a squishier robot: Engineers design synthetic gel that changes shape and moves via its own internal energy*


> For decades, robots have advanced the efficiency of human activity. *Typically, however, robots are formed from bulky, stiff materials and require connections to external power sources; these features limit their dexterity and mobility.* But what if a new material would allow for development of a "soft robot" that could reconfigure its own shape and move using its own internally generated power?
> 
> By developing a new computational model, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering have designed a synthetic polymer gel that can utilize internally generated chemical energy to undergo shape-shifting and self-sustained propulsion. Their research, " Designing Dual-functionalized Gels for Self-reconfiguration and Autonomous Motion ", was published April 30th in the journal Scientific Reports, published by Nature.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Engineers hand "cognitive" control to underwater robots*


> For the last decade, scientists have deployed increasingly capable underwater robots to map and monitor pockets of the ocean to track the health of fisheries, and survey marine habitats and species. In general, ...


----------



## ScienceRocks

*FAA trials show willingness to let drones fly out of sight of operators*



> The US Federal Aviation Administration has taken one step back from earlier opposition to letting drones fly when pilots can't see them.
> Drones, also called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), are a hot item in technology circles. Entrepreneurs and big businesses want to use drones for chores like taking real estate photos and shooting movies.
> But some other uses, like checking miles of oil pipeline or delivering packages, require drones to fly beyond operators' sight. That wouldn't be allowed under the draft drone regulations the FAA proposed in February.
> On Wednesday, though, the FAA announced industry partnerships that signal the agency could be willing to let drone operators stretch their wings more. The projects will evaluate drones operated beyond the pilot's line of sight, with drone maker PrecisionHawk testing the aircraft for crop monitoring and BNSF Railroad exploring what's necessary to control drones used to inspect railroads.


----------



## ScienceRocks




----------



## ScienceRocks

*Amazon working on drones that will deliver items to wherever you are*
By Nick Lavars
May 10, 2015






> Drone deliveries hey? What could be more convenient than having the milk for your cereal arrive fresh each morning, or that forgotten dinner ingredient plonked down on the doorstep just as you fire up the stove? Well, details now revealed in an Amazon patent application suggest that if its Prime Air drones do materialize, they mightn't just be limited to making house calls. The application outlines plans for drones that track a customer's GPS position, flagging the possibility of having items brought to you even when you're out and about.


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## ScienceRocks

*Thought-controlled robotic arm reacts faster and more smoothly than its predecessors*
By Ben Coxworth
May 22, 2015






> Although we've definitely seen a number of thought-controlled prosthetic arms before, most of those have been activated by implants in the user's motor cortex, which is the brain's movement-control center. The arms' resulting movements have been somewhat jerky, plus there's typically been a delay between the user thinking about moving the arm, and the actual movement taking place. Now, however, a team of researchers has announced the results of an experiment in which those limitations were greatly reduced


----------



## ScienceRocks

*MIT’s Humanoid Robot Goes to Robo Boot Camp*


As one of the Darpa Robotics Challenge’s 25 robot finalists, Atlas will be representing Tedrake’s team at the 2015 challenge in Pomona, California in two weeks. Its purpose in life—along with the other finalists—is to be the best search-and-rescue robot possible. In terrain too dangerous for humans to traverse, a robot that can lift hundreds of pounds and work power tools could save lives without endangering others. The challenge will put those skills to the test.

MIT’s Atlas won’t be the only one with the weight of the world on its shoulders come June. Tedrake’s group is competing against five other Atlases, each running different software and with a few physical modifications to the same body type. Google-owned robotics company Boston Dynamics made Atlas—except for its hands, which come from Robotiq—and donated it to MIT for the competition. In order to win $2 million, MIT’s robot will have one hour to open a door, turn a valve, cut a hole in a wall using a power drill, walk up some stairs, traverse rocky, unstable ground, and handle a surprise task. Oh, and it has to drive a car.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*What’s in This Picture? AI Becomes as Smart as a Toddler*


Artificial intelligence has graduated past the infancy stage of figuring out what's in an image. Computers have previously been capable of little more than a simple game of I Spy: Name a specific object or person, and they'll show you an image containing it. But thanks to new developments in AI research, machines can now answer more complex questions, like, “What is there on the grass, except the person?” (For the answer to that awkwardly worded enigma, take a look at the last image.) 
A research paper published on Thursday in Cornell University's Arxiv outlines a system that learns to identify fine-grained visual features of images, and the words associated with them. Then it combines the two into a dictionary in its digital brain. It then references this to answer new questions about never-before-seen images.


----------



## Syriusly

Matthew said:


> *What’s in This Picture? AI Becomes as Smart as a Toddler*
> 
> 
> Artificial intelligence has graduated past the infancy stage of figuring out what's in an image. Computers have previously been capable of little more than a simple game of I Spy: Name a specific object or person, and they'll show you an image containing it. But thanks to new developments in AI research, machines can now answer more complex questions, like, “What is there on the grass, except the person?” (For the answer to that awkwardly worded enigma, take a look at the last image.)
> A research paper published on Thursday in Cornell University's Arxiv outlines a system that learns to identify fine-grained visual features of images, and the words associated with them. Then it combines the two into a dictionary in its digital brain. It then references this to answer new questions about never-before-seen images.



Matthew- why do you want little Irish boys and girls to get AIDs?


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## Hollie

Would you let a ROBOT teach you how to have sex? Therapist says AI ‘sex surrogates’ could become commonplace - and even be used to treat pedophiles

Read more: ROBOTS could teach you sex help with sexual trauma and even treat pedophiles Daily Mail Online


----------



## ScienceRocks

Syriusly said:


> Matthew said:
> 
> 
> 
> *What’s in This Picture? AI Becomes as Smart as a Toddler*
> 
> 
> Artificial intelligence has graduated past the infancy stage of figuring out what's in an image. Computers have previously been capable of little more than a simple game of I Spy: Name a specific object or person, and they'll show you an image containing it. But thanks to new developments in AI research, machines can now answer more complex questions, like, “What is there on the grass, except the person?” (For the answer to that awkwardly worded enigma, take a look at the last image.)
> A research paper published on Thursday in Cornell University's Arxiv outlines a system that learns to identify fine-grained visual features of images, and the words associated with them. Then it combines the two into a dictionary in its digital brain. It then references this to answer new questions about never-before-seen images.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Matthew- why do you want little Irish boys and girls to get AIDs?
Click to expand...


*Do not reply to this*, but quite simply if they take part in that kind of sex they're far more likely to get it. That is a scientific fact backed up by dozens of studies and mountains of data.


----------



## Syriusly

Matthew said:


> Syriusly said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Matthew said:
> 
> 
> 
> *What’s in This Picture? AI Becomes as Smart as a Toddler*
> 
> 
> Artificial intelligence has graduated past the infancy stage of figuring out what's in an image. Computers have previously been capable of little more than a simple game of I Spy: Name a specific object or person, and they'll show you an image containing it. But thanks to new developments in AI research, machines can now answer more complex questions, like, “What is there on the grass, except the person?” (For the answer to that awkwardly worded enigma, take a look at the last image.)
> A research paper published on Thursday in Cornell University's Arxiv outlines a system that learns to identify fine-grained visual features of images, and the words associated with them. Then it combines the two into a dictionary in its digital brain. It then references this to answer new questions about never-before-seen images.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Matthew- why do you want little Irish boys and girls to get AIDs?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> *Do not reply to this*, but quite simply if they take part in that kind of sex they're far more likely to get it. That is a scientific fact backed up by dozens of studies and mountains of data.
Click to expand...


And Matthew- why do you want little Irish boys and girls to get AID's other than your butt hurt that the citizens of Ireland rejected your hate mongery?


----------



## ScienceRocks

*MIT's robotic cheetah can now leap over obstacles*
By Nick Lavars
May 28, 2015
2 Pictures





> The last time we heard from the researchers working on MIT's robotic cheetah project, they had untethered their machine to let it bound freely across the campus lawns. Wireless and with a new spring in its step, the robot hit speeds of 10 mph (6 km/h) and could jump 13 in (33 cm) into the air. The quadrupedal robot has now been given another upgrade in the form of a LIDAR system and special algorithms, allowing it to detect and leap over obstacles in its path.


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## ScienceRocks

*Thought vectors’ could revolutionize artificial intelligence*

Quote


> Despite all the recent hullabaloo concerning artificial intelligence, in part fueled by dire predictions made by the likes of Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, there have been few breakthroughs in the field to warrant such fanfare. The artificial neural networks that have caused so much controversy are a product of the 1950s and 60s, and remain relatively unchanged since then. The strides forward made in areas like speech recognition owe as much to improved datasets (think big data) and faster hardware than to actual changes in AI methodology. The thornier problems, like teaching computers to do natural language processing and leaps of logic remain nearly as intractable now as they were a decade ago.
> 
> This may all be about to change. Last week, the British high priest of artificial intelligence Professor Geoffrey Hinton, who was snapped up by Google two years back during its massive acquisition of AI experts, revealed that his employer may have found a means of breaking the AI deadlock that has persisted in areas like natural language processing.


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## ScienceRocks

http://sciencefriday...telligence.html


This week scientists unveiled a robot that can sustain injury to one of its six legs, think for a few minutes, and devise a more efficient way to walk—by essentially “limping” away as fast as possible. Jeff Clune and his colleagues accomplished the feat by endowing the robot with what they call a "simulated childhood" of possible motions, and letting the robot figure out the rest.


https://www.youtube....h?v=T-c17RKh3uE


How far can this sort of robotic thought go? According to computer scientist Ashok Goel, if robots have unlimited capability to learn, "why would there be a limit to emotional intelligence?" After all, he says, humans aren’t born with a full set of emotional and ethical intelligence—children learn it by observing adults.


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## danielpalos

I can't wait until I can afford, Huey, Dewy, and Louie.


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## ScienceRocks

*Terapio autonomous robot designed to replace medical carts*
By Ben Coxworth
May 29, 2015
2 Pictures





> Doctors and nurses in Japan – or in other countries, for that matter – may soon have some robotic company when making their rounds. That's because researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology are developing an omnidirectional robot named Terapio, that's designed to take the place of a traditional medical cart.


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## ScienceRocks

*Highlights from the ICRA 2015 robotics conference in Seattle*
By David Szondy
May 30, 2015
61 Pictures





> The city of Seattle saw a robotic population explosion this week as the 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) descended on the Washington State Convention Center. The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society’s flagship conference ran the gamut of all things robotic, from showcases of new technology to forums on government policies as they relate to robotics. Here's our look at the highlights.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robots may soon replace sweatshop workers*



> HUMAN hands are extremely good at making clothes. While many manufacturing processes have been automated, stitching together garments remains a job for millions of people around the world. As with most labour-intensive tasks, much of the work has migrated to low-wage countries, especially in Asia. Factory conditions can be gruelling. As nations develop and wages rise, the trade moves on to the next cheapest location: from China, to Bangladesh and, now that it is opening up, Myanmar. Could that migration be about to end with the development of a robotic sewing machine?
> There have been many attempts to automate sewing. Some processes can now be carried out autonomously: the cutting of fabric, for instance, and sometimes sewing buttons or pockets. But it is devilishly difficult to make a machine in which fabric goes in one end and finished garments, such as jeans and T-shirts, come out the other. The particularly tricky bit is stitching two pieces of material together. This involves aligning the material correctly to the sewing head, feeding it through and constantly adjusting the fabric to prevent it slipping and buckling, while all the time keeping the stitches neat and the thread at the right tension. Nimble fingers invariably prove better at this than cogs, wheels and servo motors.


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## ScienceRocks

*Robot wind-around tentacle can grab, hold ant and egg*
No harm done: a soft robot tentacle can lasso an ant with no killer motives. The tentacle can handle tiny, fragile objects, the result of a soft robot that curls itself into a circle with a radius of just ...


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Robot broccoli harvester could cut cost of eating your greens*


> *Three-dimensional camera technology from the University of Lincoln is helping in the development of a fully automated robotic system that can harvest broccoli.*
> 
> The project, which is jointly funded by BBSRC and Innovate UK, will test whether 3D camera technology can be used to identify and select when broccoli is ready for harvesting. This will be a key step towards the development of a fully automatic robotic harvesting system for broccoli, which will significantly reduce production costs.
> The University of Lincoln was one of more than 70 UK businesses and universities to share funding through the £70m Agri-Tech Catalyst, which aims to improve the development of agricultural technology in the UK.
> Project leader Prof Tom Duckett, group co-ordinator of the Agri-food Technology Research Group at the University of Lincoln, said: “Broccoli is one of the world’s largest vegetable crops and is almost entirely manually harvested, which is costly.” This technology is seen as being an important move towards developing fully automatic robot harvesting systems, which could then be used for a variety of different crops.


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## ScienceRocks

*DURUS: SRI's Ultra-Efficient Walking Humanoid Robot [30 times more efficient than ATLAS]*


> While disaster robots were making their way through the DARPA Robotics Challenge courses, over in the exhibit area outside, there was another competition taking place: an endurance challenge, also sponsored by DARPA, where robots from Sandia National Labs and SRI International slowly walked on treadmills with the goal of demonstrating how ultra-efficient they could be.
> What does ultra-efficient mean in the context of walking robots? Think humanoid walking that’s 20 to 30 times more efficient than than Boston Dynamics’ ATLAS. A full size humanoid robot with that level of efficiency would able to operate for anywhere from 4 to 6 hours on a single charge.
> The robot that SRI displayed at the DRC is called DURUS (the root there being “durable”), which was developed under a (super duper secret, apparently) DARPA contract beginning in 2013.
> That year was also when Boston Dynamics unveiled their ATLAS robot, and that’s not a coincidence: DARPA saw ATLAS, immediately realized that power requirements made ATLAS an entirely impractical platform for real-world use, and started funding a program to develop ultra-efficient actuators. This was expanded into an efficient mobility challenge, with the goal of building a humanoid architecture that was similar to the ATLAS robot (with the same kinematics), except 20x to 30x more efficient.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*"There are no human beings" Australian container port goes (almost) fully automated.*



> At Sydney's Port Botany, every hour of every day, the robots are dancing.
> 
> Well, they look like they are dancing – these 45 so-called AutoStrads, or automated straddles, machines that have taken on the work that until a couple of months ago was at least in part performed by dockworkers.
> 
> Almost 20 years ago, the Patrick container terminal at Botany played host to one of the most divisive industrial battles in Australian history, as the stevedoring company attempted to break the back of its union-dominated workforce.
> In some respects that battle was won in April.
> 
> It was then that Patrick introduced, following a four-year investment program, a level of automation into its stevedoring operation that might be unsurpassed in the world.
> 
> "This is fully automated, there are no human beings, literally from the moment this truck driver stepped out of his cabin from then onwards this AutoStrad will take it right through the quay line without any humans interfacing at all," Alistair Field, the managing director of Patrick Terminals and Logistics, a division of Asciano, said on Wednesday.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Google DeepMind Teaches Artificial Intelligence Machines to Read*



> A revolution in artificial intelligence is currently sweeping through computer science. The technique is called deep learning and it’s affecting everything from facial and voice to fashion and economics.
> But one area that has not yet benefitted is natural language processing—the ability to read a document and then answer questions about it. That’s partly because deep learning machines must first learn their trade from vast databases that are carefully annotated for the purpose. However, these simply do not exist in sufficient size to be useful.
> Today, that changes thanks to the work of Karl Moritz Hermann at Google DeepMind in London and a few pals. These guys say the special way that the Daily Mail and CNN write online news articles allows them to be used in this way. And the sheer volume of articles available online creates for the first time, a database that computers can use to learn and then answer related about. In other words, DeepMind is using Daily Mail and CNN articles to teach computers to read.
> The deep learning revolution has come about largely because of two breakthroughs. The first is related to neural networks, where computer scientists have developed new techniques to train networks with many layers, a task that has been tricky because of the number of parameters that must be fine-tuned. The new techniques essentially produce “ready-made” nets that are ready to learn.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*AI program predicts key disease-associated genetic mutations for hundreds of complex diseases*


> A decade of work at Johns Hopkins has yielded a computer program that predicts, with far more accuracy than current methods, which mutations are likely to have the largest effect on the activity of the “dimmer switches” (which alter the cell’s gene activity) in DNA — suggesting new targets for diagnosis and treatment of many diseases.
> 
> A summary of the research was published online today (June 15) in the journal Nature Genetics.
> “Our computer program can comb through the genetic information from a specific cell type and predict which ‘dimmer switch’ mutations are most likely to alter the cell’s gene activity, and therefore its function,” says Michael Beer, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical engineering at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Softbank, Foxconn and Alibaba are joining to sell $1600 humanoid robots like Pepper
 







> Foxconn Technology Group, Japan’s Softbank Corp and Alibaba are planning to set up a joint venture to produce robots, Japan’s Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported yesterday. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Group, and Softbank have agreed on the joint venture deal, which is scheduled to launch production by the end of this year, with an annual capacity


...


----------



## ScienceRocks

No Strings on the running and hurdling Cheetahbot 
 






> MIT researchers who built a robotic cheetah have now trained it to see and jump over hurdles as it runs — making this the first four-legged robot to run and jump over obstacles autonomously and untethered. The robot can “see,” with the use of onboard LIDAR — a visual system that uses reflections from a laser to map terrain. The team developed...


----------



## ScienceRocks

Robots having a steam engine like effect on productivity but are NOT killing jobs overall so far
 




Despite ubiquitous discussions of robots’ potential impact, there is almost no systematic empirical evidence on their economic effects. Researchers analyzed for the first time the economic impact of industrial robots, using new data on a panel of industries in 17 countries from 1993-2007. We find that industrial robots increased both labor...


----------



## ScienceRocks

2016 is when the 21st century gets awesome with Japan vs USA with 15 foot tall humanoid fighting robots
 






> MegaBots uses cutting-edge robotics technology to create the giant piloted fighting robots of science fiction, videogames and movies. These robots fight in epic-scale arena combat the likes of which the world has never seen before. MegaBots are 15-foot-tall, internally piloted humanoid robots that fire cannonball-sized paintballs at each...


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## ScienceRocks

*TIL: A scientist let a computer program a chip, using natural selection. The outcome was an extremely efficient chip, the inner workings of which were impossible to understand.*



> For the first hundred generations or so, there were few indications that the circuit-spawn were any improvement over their random-blob ancestors. But soon the chip began to show some encouraging twitches. By generation #220 the FPGA was essentially mimicking the input it received, a reaction which was a far cry from the desired result but evidence of progress nonetheless. The chip’s performance improved in minuscule increments as the non-stop electronic orgy produced a parade of increasingly competent offspring. Around generation #650, the chip had developed some sensitivity to the 1kHz waveform, and by generation #1,400 its success rate in identifying either tone had increased to more than 50%.
> Finally, after just over 4,000 generations, test system settled upon the best program. When Dr. Thompson played the 1kHz tone, the microchip unfailingly reacted by decreasing its power output to zero volts. When he played the 10kHz tone, the output jumped up to five volts. He pushed the chip even farther by requiring it to react to vocal “stop” and “go” commands, a task it met with a few hundred more generations of evolution. As predicted, the principle of natural selection could successfully produce specialized circuits using a fraction of the resources a human would have required. And no one had the foggiest notion how it worked.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Scientist develops model for robots with bacteria-controlled brains*




> Forget the Vulcan mind-meld of the Star Trek generation -- as far as mind control techniques go, bacteria is the next frontier.
> In a paper published July 16 in Scientific Reports, which is part of the Nature Publishing Group, a Virginia Tech scientist used a mathematical model to demonstrate that bacteria can control the behavior of an inanimate device like a robot.
> "Basically we were trying to find out from the mathematical model if we could build a living microbiome on a nonliving host and control the host through the microbiome," said Ruder, an assistant professor of biological systems engineering in both the College of Agriculture and Life sciences and the College of Engineering.
> "We found that robots may indeed be able to have a working brain," he said.
> Ruder spoke about his development in a recent video:


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Hitchhiking robot embarking on coast-to-coast tour across US*




> With its thumb raised skyward and a grin on its digital face, the robotic creation of two researchers in Canada is about to start a hitchhiking journey across the U.S.
> 
> The humanoid robot named hitchBOT has already caught rides across Canada and in Europe, relying on the kindness and curiosity of strangers. But on Friday it starts its first U.S. tour, setting out from Salem, Massachusetts, with dreams of San Francisco ahead.
> 
> Along the way, it hopes to see some quintessential American sites, including Times Square, Mount Rushmore and the Grand Canyon.
> 
> The kid-size robot is immobile on its own, so it gets from place to place by being schlepped around by strangers. Travelers can pass it off to others they meet, or leave it at a gas station or shop. They can just leave it seated on its kickstand with its thumb raised.
> 
> Ideally, the creators hope, drivers won't leave the bot along busy roads and will charge the battery when it runs low. Otherwise, there are no rules.
> 
> "We want to see what people do with this kind of technology when we leave it up to them," said Frauke Zeller, one of the creators and an assistant professor in professional communication at Toronto's Ryerson University. "It's an art project in the wild—it invites people to participate."


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Algorithms Based on Brains Make For Better Networks*




> When it comes to developing efficient, robust networks, the brain may often know best.
> 
> Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have, for the first time, determined the rate at which the developing brain eliminates unneeded connections between neurons during early childhood.
> 
> Though engineers use a dramatically different approach to build distributed networks of computers and sensors, the research team of computer scientists discovered that their newfound insights could be used to improve the robustness and efficiency of distributed computational networks. The findings, published in PLOS Computational Biology, are the latest in a series of studies being conducted in Carnegie Mellon’s Systems Biology Group to develop computational tools for understanding complex biological systems while applying those insights to improve computer algorithms.


----------



## ScienceRocks

Commercial Exoskeletons for workers from Panasonic, BMW, Audi and others
 






> The Japanese company Panasonic announced recently that it will start selling an exoskeleton designed to help workers lift and carry objects more easily and with less risk of injury. The suit was developed in collaboration with a subsidiary company called ActiveLink. It weighs just over 13 pounds and attaches to the back, thighs, and feet,...


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Japanese consumers quick to welcome robot assistants*

*Once the preserve of automated factories and research and development laboratories, androids are stepping out into Japanese society. DW's Tokyo correspondent Julian Ryall reports.*


> In September, 11 new members of staff are scheduled to start work at Tokyo's Haneda International Airport. The latest additions to the workforce will be tasked with menial jobs, such as cleaning the concourse and transporting luggage, but they are unlikely to complain about their responsibilities as they are robots.
> The operator of the airport has signed an agreement with Cyberdyne Inc. to put the technology company's latest creations to the test in a real-life work environment. And, should the experiment be deemed a success, then both parties say they are ready to deploy more non-human members of staff in the future.
> Putting androids to work at Haneda might be seen as something of a gimmick or a publicity stunt, but there is a more serious reason behind the introduction of robots at the airport - as well as in an increasing number of service sector positions across Japan.


----------



## ScienceRocks




----------



## ScienceRocks

*GE atomic swimmer robot keeps tabs on nuclear reactors*
By David Szondy - August 3, 2015  2 Pictures 





> One truism of nuclear reactors is that you really don't want to be next to one. Unfortunately, reactor cores need to be inspected and maintained, which means teams of workers going inside the containment vessel. It's an operation that's not only hazardous, but expensive and time consuming. In an effort to make such inspections safer, cheaper, and faster, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has developed the Stinger; a free-swimming, remote-controlled robot that replaces humans for cleaning and inspecting reactor vessels.


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## ScienceRocks

*Automation, Algorithms, And Android News Readers: How Robots Are Changing The Face Of Journalism*


> The year is 1986, and radio listeners in Adelaide are shocked. ABC Local Radio has just announced that its newsreaders are being replaced by advanced voice synthesis robots. The station blames reports that even the tone of someone’s voice could introduce bias to a neutrally written story. Veteran radio newsreader Alf Jarvis, fresh from announcing his retirement, rails against this change and declares he is glad to be getting out of the industry. A spokesman for the public sector union also voices their concern for job losses.
> But the date is April 1.
> Technology writer and broadcaster Stilgherrian fondly recalls his prank: “I was one of the producers working on the 8:30am daily talk show. That morning we ran the story straight after AM, and the talkback board lit up with outraged callers. We even used one of the early Mac computer programs to read the day’s news. It was great fun.”
> Fast forward thirty years, and robot journalists are closer to becoming a reality. In June this year, Osaka University Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro unveiled Kodomoroid: the world’s first news-reading android. After years of research and development it can pronounce complex tongue twisters, speak multiple languages and interact with people. It looks like this...


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Roomba just got government approval to make an autonomous lawn mower*


> It's been nearly a decade since the earliest whispers suggested iRobot, makers of the Roomba, were building a lawn mower. But we seem to be a bit closer to the future we were promised: the FCC has granted approval to iRobot to build a hands-free mowing-bot, Reuters reports.
> Although we don't know all of the specifics, the mower, according to Reuters, would operate through stakes in the ground that wirelessly connect to a mower and map out where it should cut. That approach required a waiver from the Commission, which was granted despite objections from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. The observatory argued the mower's signal would interfere with telescopes, but the FCC sided with iRobot, saying its limitations would insure astronomers' work wasn't harmed.
> But a mower still doesn't sound like it will be available to consumers imminently. According to Reuters, iRobot says the waiver will let it "continue exploring the viability of wideband, alongside other technologies, as part of a long-term product exploration effort in the lawn mowing category."


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## ScienceRocks

This is cool


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## ScienceRocks

MIT Finally Does Some Useful Research With Beer Delivering Robots http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/robotics-software/mit-beer-delivering-robots…


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Boeing patents a drone that turns into a submarine*
By Eric Mack - August 18, 2015  1 Picture 





> Boeing has been given a patent for a new kind of amphibious drone that's like something straight out of a classic spy movie. The aeronautics giant has a novel design for an unmanned aerial drone that can spontaneously convert into an unmanned submarine and go for a dive.


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## ScienceRocks

* US Navy will have squadron of large robotic submarines by 2020 and mass production in 2025 *








> The Navy will building prototype large robotic submarines in 2015-2016 and testing in 2018. According to the Navy's ISR Capabilities Division, LDUUV will reach initial operating capability as a squadron by 2020 and full rate production by 2025. The US Navy has released requirements for its long duration large robotic submarine. (LDUUV -...


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## ScienceRocks

*The economic myth of robotics and the robot job-ocalypse*



> Arnold Schwarzenegger’s _Terminator _was science fiction — but so, too, is the idea that robots and software algorithms are guzzling jobs faster than they can be created. There is an astonishing mismatch between our fear of automation and the reality so far.
> How can this be? The highways of Silicon Valley are sprinkled with self-driving cars. Visit the cinema, the supermarket or the bank and the most prominent staff you will see are the security guards, who are presumably there to prevent you stealing valuable machines. Your computer once contented itself with correcting your spelling; now it will translate your prose into Mandarin. Given all this, surely the robots must have stolen a job or two by now?
> Of course, the answer is that automation has been destroying particular jobs in particular industries for a long time, which is why most westerners who weave clothes or cultivate and harvest crops by hand do so for fun. In the past that process made us richer.
> The worry now is that, with computers making jobs redundant faster than we can generate new ones, the result is widespread unemployment, leaving a privileged class of robot-owning rentiers and highly paid workers with robot-compatible skills.
> This idea is superficially plausible: we are surrounded by cheap, powerful computers; many people have lost their jobs in the past decade; and inequality has risen in the past 30 years.
> But the theory can be put to a very simple test: how fast is productivity growing? The usual measure of productivity is output per hour worked — by a human. Robots can produce economic output without any hours of human labour at all, so a sudden onslaught of robot workers should cause a sudden acceleration in productivity.
> Instead, productivity has been disappointing. In the US, labour productivity growth averaged an impressive 2.8 per cent per year from 1948 to 1973. The result was mass affluence rather than mass joblessness. Productivity then slumped for a generation and perked up in the late 1990s but has now sagged again. The picture is little better in the UK, where labour productivity is notoriously low compared with the other G7 leading economies, and it has been falling further behind since 2007.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Atlas, a Humanoid Robot, Takes a Walk in the Woods*



> Scientists trying to build a better robot are encouraged by the steps, however tentative, of a humanoid named Atlas.
> In a video shown recently by Atlas’s makers, it is hard to miss the human in the humanoid as the 6-foot-2 machine takes a casual, careful stroll through the woods. It walks like a crouched limbo contestant (who perhaps imbibed one too many piña coladas), shuffles through a wooded area, tethered by a power cord, and then breaks into a more confident, foot-slapping walk when it reaches flat ground — much as a person would. Scientists hope to make an untethered version soon.


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## ScienceRocks

Biophysicists take small step in quest for 'robot scientist'

27 August 2015


Biophysicists have taken another small step forward in the quest for an automated method to infer models describing a system's dynamics - a so-called robot scientist. Nature Communications published the finding - a practical algorithm for inferring laws of nature from time-series data of dynamical systems.

"Our algorithm is a small step," says Ilya Nemenman, lead author of the study and a professor of physics and biology at Emory University. "It could be described as a toy version of a robot scientist, but even so it may have practical applications. For the first time, we've taught a computer how to efficiently search for the laws that underlie arbitrary, natural dynamical systems, including complex, non-linear biological systems."
Nemenman's co-author on the paper is Bryan Daniels, a biophysicist at the University of Wisconsin.




http://www.spacedail...entist_999.html


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## ScienceRocks

*Deep Learning achieves human-level performance on language task*

Quote

The task is called simlex-999. Basically, it's about telling whether words are "similar" or merely "related". For example, "coffee" and "cup" are "related", obviously; but they are not "similar" -- "coffee" is a beverage, and "cup" is something that holds liquid. On the other hand, "car" and "bus" are similar -- both are modes of transportation; both have drivers; both have passengers; both ride on roads; etc.


Quote

This version differs from the previous one with the inclusion
of Appendix A, which contains details about new higher
dimensional embeddings we have released. These embeddings
achieve human-level performance on SL999 and WS353.





The phone keeps ringing...


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Fully automated lettuce factory to open in Japan*



> If you imagine lettuce as a crop planted in a field and tended by farmers, you're behind the times.
> Kyoto-based vegetable factory operator Spread Co. said it will begin construction of what it calls a fully automated large-scale lettuce factory in spring 2016, which will be able to produce 30,000 heads of lettuce per day with "a push of a button."
> The company isn't quite finished with the factory's development. According to Spread, there are six stages to growing a lettuce at a factory: seeding, germination, raising the seedlings, transplanting them into a larger bed, raising the vegetable and harvesting. The company said it is still working on a machine that can handle the seeding process. And it still requires human eyes to confirm germination. Beyond that, every process is automated, it says.
> Stacker cranes are to carry the lettuce seedlings and hand them over to robots which will take care of transplanting them. Once fully grown, they will be harvested and delivered automatically to the factory's packaging line. The automated process will not only handle the lettuce but also control the temperature, humidity, level of carbon dioxide, sterilization of water and lighting hours, the company said.
> Spread has seven years of experience in growing lettuce in its factories, with the produce being sold in 2,000 stores in Japan. While the lettuce is sold for about the same price as that grown in regular farms today, the company hopes to bring down costs. It says the factory lettuce tastes the same as lettuce grown outdoors.
> Shipments from the fully automated lettuce factory are expected to begin in summer 2017


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## ScienceRocks

*Robots Lay Three Times as Many Bricks as Construction Workers*



> Construction workers on some sites are getting new, non-union help. SAM – short for semi-automated mason – is a robotic bricklayer being used to increase productivity as it works with human masons.
> In this human-robot team, the robot is responsible for the more rote tasks: picking up bricks, applying mortar, and placing them in their designated location. A human handles the more nuanced activities, like setting up the worksite, laying bricks in tricky areas, such as corners, and handling aesthetic details, like cleaning up excess mortar.
> Even in completing repetitive tasks, SAM still has to be fairly adaptable. It’s able to complete precise and level work while mounted on a scaffold that sways slightly in the wind. The robot can correct for the differences between theoretical building specifications and what’s actually on site, says Scott Peters, cofounder of Construction Robotics, a company based in Victor, New York, that designed SAM as its debut product.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*DJI adds intelligent flight modes to Phantom 3 family*



Last month, DJI released the Phantom 3 Standard drone, which slotted in below the Phantom 3 Advanced and Phantom 3 Professional in the company's lineup. At the time, DJI promised compatibility with a series of intelligent flight modes would be forthcoming in a software update and the company has now delivered on that promise.


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## ScienceRocks

*Deep Learning Machine Teaches Itself Chess in 72 Hours, Plays at International Master Level*



> Having trained Giraffe, the final step is to test it and here the results make for interesting reading. Lai tested his machine on a standard database called the Strategic Test Suite, which consists of 1,500 positions that are chosen to test an engine’s ability to recognize different strategic ideas. “For example, one theme tests the understanding of control of open files, another tests the understanding of how bishop and knight’s values change relative to each other in different situations, and yet another tests the understanding of center control,” he says.
> 
> The results of this test are scored out of 15,000.
> Lai uses this to test the machine at various stages during its training. As the bootstrapping process begins, Giraffe quickly reaches a score of 6,000 and eventually peaks at 9,700 after only 72 hours. Lai says that matches the best chess engines in the world.
> “[That] is remarkable because their evaluation functions are all carefully hand-designed behemoths with hundreds of parameters that have been tuned both manually and automatically over several years, and many of them have been worked on by human grandmasters,” he adds.
> ....
> “Unlike most chess engines in existence today, Giraffe derives its playing strength not from being able to see very far ahead, but from being able to evaluate tricky positions accurately, and understanding complicated positional concepts that are intuitive to humans, but have been elusive to chess engines for a long time,” says Lai. “This is especially important in the opening and end game phases, where it plays exceptionally well.”
> And this is only the start. Lai says it should be straightforward to apply the same approach to other games. One that stands out is the traditional Chinese game of Go, where humans still hold an impressive advantage over their silicon competitors. Perhaps Lai could have a crack at that next.


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## ScienceRocks

*System learns to distinguish words' phonetic components, without human annotation of training data*



> Every language has its own collection of phonemes, or the basic phonetic units from which spoken words are composed. Depending on how you count, English has somewhere between 35 and 45. Knowing a language's phonemes can make it much easier for automated systems to learn to interpret speech.
> 
> In the 2015 volume of Transactions of the Association for Computational Linguistics, MIT researchers describe a new machine-learning system that, like several systems before it, can learn to distinguish spoken words. But unlike its predecessors, it can also learn to distinguish lower-level phonetic units, such as syllables and phonemes.
> As such, it could aid in the development of speech-processing systems for languages that are not widely spoken and don't have the benefit of decades of linguistic research on their phonetic systems. It could also help make speech-processing systems more portable, since information about lower-level phonetic units could help iron out distinctions between different speakers' pronunciations.
> Unlike the machine-learning systems that led to, say, the speech recognition algorithms on today's smartphones, the MIT researchers' system is unsupervised, which means it acts directly on raw speech files: It doesn't depend on the laborious hand-annotation of its training data by human experts. So it could prove much easier to extend to new sets of training data and new languages.
> Finally, the system could offer some insights into human speech acquisition. "When children learn a language, they don't learn how to write first," says Chia-ying Lee, who completed her PhD in computer science and engineering at MIT last year and is first author on the paper. "They just learn the language directly from speech. By looking at patterns, they can figure out the structures of language. That's pretty much what our paper tries to do."
> Lee is joined on the paper by her former thesis advisor, Jim Glass, a senior research scientist at the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and head of the Spoken Language Systems Group, and Timothy O'Donnell, a postdoc in the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.


----------



## ScienceRocks

*Fujitsu Achieves 96.7% Recognition Rate for Handwritten Chinese Characters Using Deep Learning AI That Mimics the Human Brain*

*First time ever to be more accurate than human recognition, according to conference*

Quote



> Fujitsu R&D Center Co., Ltd. and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. (collectively Fujitsu) today announced the development of the world's first handwriting recognition technology by utilizing AI technology modeled on human brain processes to surpass a human equivalent recognition rate of 96.7%, that was established at a conference.
> 
> Fujitsu had previously achieved top-level accuracy in this field, as demonstrated by taking first place, with a recognition rate of 94.8%, at a handwritten Chinese character recognition contest(1) held at the International Conference on Document Analysis and Recognition (ICDAR), a top-level conference in the document image processing field. However, in order to further increase recognition accuracy, a new mechanism for studying the diversity of character deformations was required.
> 
> Now, with a focus on a hierarchical model of expanded connections between neurons, a model based on the human brain which grasps the features of the characters, Fujitsu has developed a technology to automatically create numerous patterns of character deformation from the character's base pattern, thereby "training" this hierarchical neural model. Using this method, Fujitsu has achieved an accuracy rate of 96.7%, surpassing the human equivalent recognition rate of 96.1% for handwritten Chinese characters(2).
> 
> Fujitsu expects that this technology will enable further automation of computer input and recognition.
> 
> Ordinarily, while humans can easily recognize media such as characters, images and sounds, for computers this recognition is much more difficult, due to both the many variations in shape, brightness and so on of the object to be recognized, as well as the existence of similar objects. This has become a central problem in artificial intelligence research.
> 
> Fujitsu has decades of experience in character recognition, with commercialized technologies used in such areas as Japan's finance and insurance fields for Japanese language, as well as a Chinese character recognition technology used by the Chinese government for 800 million handwritten census forms. Fujitsu started research using artificial intelligence based on deep learning for character recognition in 2010. In 2013, the character recognition technology developed on the basis of this artificial intelligence took first place (recognition rate of 94.8%) at a handwritten Chinese character recognition contest held at a top-level international contest in the document image processing field, achieving the highest accuracy in the field.


----------



## GHook93

flacaltenn said:


> That's what I've been trying to tell folks.. Low skilled sweat labor is pretty much dead. Those robot hamburglars are gonna have a ball flirting with the customers during the break.
> 
> But they'll always be jobs TEACHING robots to assemble customized or new menu items.
> 
> We have a MONSTROUS societal shift about to take place... As large and disruptive as the industrial revolution.. And all we want to talk about is how evil rich folks are responsible for taking all the jobs away.. We're being badly misled..


Do you really think it will only be low skilled jobs? Smart machines will be able to do accounting better the a person! A lawyer can only process and remember so much regulations and case law and computer can disseminate the entire NY penal code in seconds. 

Will we need pilots, soldier, police etc? They will probably get replaced.

Teachers? Stock Brokers?

The list will go on and on. There will always be jobs, but fewer of them and the ever growing population.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## flacaltenn

GHook93 said:


> flacaltenn said:
> 
> 
> 
> That's what I've been trying to tell folks.. Low skilled sweat labor is pretty much dead. Those robot hamburglars are gonna have a ball flirting with the customers during the break.
> 
> But they'll always be jobs TEACHING robots to assemble customized or new menu items.
> 
> We have a MONSTROUS societal shift about to take place... As large and disruptive as the industrial revolution.. And all we want to talk about is how evil rich folks are responsible for taking all the jobs away.. We're being badly misled..
> 
> 
> 
> Do you really think it will only be low skilled jobs? Smart machines will be able to do accounting better the a person! A lawyer can only process and remember so much regulations and case law and computer can disseminate the entire NY penal code in seconds.
> 
> Will we need pilots, soldier, police etc? They will probably get replaced.
> 
> Teachers? Stock Brokers?
> 
> The list will go on and on. There will always be jobs, but fewer of them and the ever growing population.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


There's SOME pressure from Art. Intelligence on all of those jobs you mentioned. But take an accountant. He's ALREADY automated largely. But the part that cannot be replaced right now -- is the interview to get to the FACTS of the accounting. Has to be familiar with too many varying types of jobs and income and it is necessary to to have follow-up questions in a conversational manner. 

JUDGEMENT is hard to teach a machine when it involves situational awareness. Situational awareness requires many forms of sentient inputs. As in the military, law enforcement, etc. The scenario is more like ALL of these professions will have to rise in education and awareness of how to USE these automations without serious mistakes and errors. 

And more importantly -- we cannot allow any further dumbing down or lowered expectations on REQUIRED education K-12.. AND we will need specializations for EVERY "semi-skilled" profession. Much like a greatly expanded Trade School platform post High School..


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## ScienceRocks

*Bosch is developing a farming robot that can distinguish crops from weed and pics them out mechanically*

Quote

Bosch-funded start-up company Deepfield Robotics is the latest company to develop a field vehicle that can distinguish weeds from crops and neatly fish them out.
The technology, named Bonirob, claims that it will make plant breeding more efficient and reduce the environmental impact of crop farming.
Bonirob, which is the size of a small car, can monitor how well new crop varieties grow, whether they are resistant to pests and how much fertiliser and water they need.
Currently, this is a painstaking manual process done by plant scientists in a laboratory.


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## ScienceRocks

*University of Tehran unveils Surena III humanoid robot*

 Ben Coxworth 
November 19, 2015
 2 PICTURES 



The likes of Asimo, Valkyrie and ATLAS better make some room, as there's a new humanoid robot on the block – and it looks not unlike the Gort bot from the original _The Day the Earth Stood Still_. It's the third version of the University of Tehran's Surena robot, and it was unveiled this Monday.


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## ScienceRocks

*DJI's agriculture drone takes to the air down on the farm*

 Nick Lavars 
November 29, 2015
 3 PICTURES 



They may not capture the imagination in the same way as say, drones that deliver items in 30 minutes or shoot stunning 4K video, but drones stand to have a big impact on agriculture. Crop dusting and seeding has been carried out by aircraft for more than a century, but we are starting to see their autonomous and agile younger cousins emerge as highly suitable tools for the job. This is of course not lost on the world's biggest drone maker DJI, which has just a launched a drone for farmers that can be programmed to cover acres of farmland in pesticides every hour.


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## ScienceRocks

*Drone attachment scans disaster zones for breathing and heartbeats*

 Nick Lavars 
November 29, 2015
 2 PICTURES 



Getting drones into the air to aid in search and rescue missions is becoming one of the technologies more promising applications, with infrared cameras and even artificial intelligence offering valuable new tools in combing areas for humans and objects. But one company is looking to add yet another layer of sophistication to robotic rescue teams, launching a drone-attachment that can detect the heartbeats and breathing of people trapped under rubble.


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## ScienceRocks

*Golf ball-gathering Ball Picker robot is like a Roomba for the range*

 Nick Lavars 
December 6, 2015
 6 PICTURES 





> Roaming around a driving range retrieving the endless scattering of golf balls is a pretty tall order for staff, especially when you consider the bays full of weekend hackers taking aim at their caged buggies. But one company is looking to give golfers a smaller moving target to aim at. The Ball Picker robot autonomously scoots around sucking up golf balls and returns them to a ball dispenser to be teed up once again.


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## AdvancingTime

Interesting topic! I have also written several articles about how robots will change our culture going forward. For example, we should all try to be grownups and face the fact that robots have uses other than moving things around the factory floor. Sex-bots could make our human spouses obsolete, someone had to say it. Robots are being looked at to fulfill a variety of needs, some of these uses are less distasteful than the killing machines the military seeks.

The integration of robots into our culture will bring about massive changes in society and could cause many people to totally rethink how the define the term "relationship". The article below titled, "Sex-bots Could Make Spouse Obsolete" explores some of the ramifications and advancements being made in related industries.

Advancing Time: Sex-bots Could Make Spouse Obsolete


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## ScienceRocks

*Lockheed Martin's Marlin Mk3 AUV is on its way to production*

 Chris Wood 
December 14, 2015






> Lockheed Martin has announced who will build its latest autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) – the Marlin Mk3. The new vehicle boasts some impressive capabilities, including an operational depth of up to 4,000 m (13,000 ft).


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## ScienceRocks

*CES 2016: IBM bringing Watson's brainpower to SoftBank's Pepper robot*



> Being a supercomputer armed with cognitive learning powers, IBM Watson has plans to grow more powerful and maybe even omnipresent in 2016.
> 
> 
> The machine learning wunderkind has an ambitious year ahead of itself with a bevy of new connected alliances made by possible by the wave flooding the Consumer Electronics Show this week: the Internet of Things.
> 
> The first step for introducing Watson into people's lives -- beyond what they might have seen on Jeopardy! -- is getting Watson into people's homes.
> 
> IBM has already made baby steps here through a variety of app experiments, including a collaboration last year with celebrated food magazine Bon Appétit, bringing the glossy's vast library of thousands of recipes accumulated over the year online and into a database for further culinary innovations.
> 
> But while connecting Watson to traditional home appliances -- many of which are now coming online thanks to the proliferation of the Internet of Things -- might foster awareness for machine learning capabilities faster.


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## ScienceRocks

*Watson to Gain Ability to "See" with Planned $1B Acquisition of Merge Healthcare*




> On August 6, 2015 IBM announced that Watson will gain the ability to "see" by bringing together Watson's advanced image analytics and cognitive capabilities with data and images obtained from Merge Healthcare Incorporated's medical imaging management platform.
> 
> The vision is that these organizations could use the Watson Health Cloud to surface new insights from a consolidated, patient-centric view of current and historical images, electronic health records, data from wearable devices and other related medical data, in a HIPAA-enabled environment.


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## ScienceRocks

*Human-level learning achieved by machines*​Quote
This movie shows 20 different people drawing a novel character (left) and the algorithm predicting how those images were drawn (right). Credit: Brenden Lake
According to Science, researchers at MIT, NYU and UofT have demonstrated the capacity of an algorithm to both achieve human-level concept learning and to consistently pass a visual “Turing-test”.
In the words of one of the researchers, Dr. Joshua Tannenbaum, the authors believe that they have created “for the first time… a machine system that can learn a large class of visual concepts in ways that are hard to distinguish from human learners.”
The long-term goal of the authors’ work is to narrow the gap between machine and human learning. An important aspect of this gap is the capacity of human beings to be able to learn concepts with relatively few examples, or even from a single example. For humans, learning to mimic a hand gesture or a written character is something that can be achieved with very few repetitions.
Current machine learning approaches, on the other hand, require algorithms to be trained using tens of thousands of examples. In 2006, for example, the aforementioned authors conducted a study in which they were able to teach an algorithm the structure of 10 handwritten characters, but that process required 60,000 examples.
Jump ahead to today where, using an approach they have called “Bayesian Program Learning” (BPL), the authors have demonstrated the capacity of BPL to replicate human level performance after only a single exposure to visual content.​


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## ScienceRocks

*Deep Learning Helps Robot Learn to Walk the Way Humans Do*


> Darwin the robot wobbles when he walks. And sometimes he falls. But unlike most robots, he learns from his mistakes — just like people do — and adjusts his technique on the fly.
> His baby steps could lead to a new generation of autonomous robots that adapt to changing environments and new situations without a human reprogramming them. These robots could tackle dangerous tasks such as handling rescue efforts or cleaning up disaster areas. Or, they could become assistants that help out around the house or ferry a package across town.
> “An autonomous robot would be able to take a high-level goal and figure out how to achieve it,” said Igor Mordatch, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, who is leading the Darwin research project. “That would be very, very powerful.”​




*Housekeeping ATLAS-style: Tedious but each minute counts*



> Sweeping up, tidying up, pushing the handle of a cleaner back and forth, kneeling for a stray paper and depositing it into a wastebasket, YAWN.


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