To get started with robotics, I would check out nxtrobots.org. This video demonstrates the 7 degree of freedom Cyton Arm. It is a robotic arm mounted atop a MobileRobots Pioneer P3DX. If you’re new to robotics but would like the best and easiest way to get started, check out http for details.
Robotic vision may phase out walking stick to help blind navigate …
May 2nd, 2012London - Researchers are adapting technologies – originally made for robot navigation – to help visually impaired people navigate indoor and outdoor spaces independently.
One such system, being designed by Edwige Pissaloux and colleagues at the Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics at the Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, France, comprises a pair of glasses equipped with cameras and sensors similar to those used in robot exploration.
The system, launched at a talk at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this month, produces a 3D map of the wearer’s environment and their position within it that is constantly updated
and displayed in a simplified form on a handheld electronic Braille device, New Scientist reported.
According to Pissaloux, it could ultimately let blind people to make their way, unaided, wherever they want to go.
“Navigation for me means not only being able to move around by avoiding nearby obstacles, but also to understand how the space is socially organised – for example, where you are in relation to the pharmacy, library or intersection,” she said.
Two cameras on either side of the glasses produce a 3D image of the scene. A processor analyses the image, picking out the edges of walls or objects, which it utilizes to craft a 3D map.
The system’s collection of accelerometers and gyroscopes – resembling those used in robots to monitor their position – keeps track of the user’s location and speed.
This data is combined with the image to find out the user’s position in relation to other objects.
The system generates nearly 10 maps per second that are transmitted to the handheld Braille tool to be displayed as a dynamic tactile map.
The Braille pad includes an 8-centimetre-square grid of 64 taxels – pins with a shape memory alloy spring in the middle.
When heat is applied to the springs, they expand, lifting the pins to symbolize boundaries. The Braille version of the map is updated fast enough for a visually-impaired wearer to pass
through an area at walking speed, said Pissaloux.
However, this is not the only robotics project to be re-purposed. Software that envisages how far a robot has travelled based on information from its on-board sensors is being modified to
track a person’s movements on the basis of their stride length.
David Ross at the Atlanta Vision Loss Center in Decatur, Georgia, asserted that the sensing problems faced by robots and blind people are alike but there are huge differences.
“Sensing systems developed for mobile robots may have some application, but must be adapted considerably to suit a wide variety of human needs and situations,” he added.
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Interactive teddy bear helps kids manage diabetes
May 2nd, 2012[From Mashable; short videos are available here and here]
Dr. Roboto? Interactive Teddy Bear Helps Kids Manage Diabetes
April 27, 2012 by Lauren Hockenson
Name: Jerry the Bear
Big Idea: Jerry the Bear is a robotic teddy bear that “has” diabetes. Children are able to take care of Jerry by checking his blood glucose levels, giving him “insulin shots” and “feeding” him a variety of foods.
Why It’s Working: Targeted specifically to children living with type 1 diabetes, Jerry helps sick kids not only learn about the procedures that are performed on them daily but also empowers them to understand the importance of symptom-checking and self-care.
People with type 1 diabetes, a lifelong genetic condition that prevents the accurate breakdown of glucose in the blood, rely on a steady amount of insulin to be delivered to their bodies every day. Since young children cannot manage an insulin pump, test their own glucose or deliver their own injections, parents with diabetic children must administer at least 3 finger-sticking blood glucose checks and frequent insulin injections every day to ensure diabetes is managed. For a five-year-old child, that’s a lot of boo-boos in the name of love.
Enter Jerry the Bear, a fully interactive robotic teddy bear with type 1 diabetes and the brainchild of Northwestern students and Design for America fellows Aaron Horowitz and Hannah Chung. Horowitz, now CEO for the duo’s company Sproutel, explains that Jerry the Bear was inspired by the teddy bears children often get after their diabetes diagnosis.
“They respond really well to these inanimate objects that they ascribe all sort of feelings to,” Horowitz explains. “We just saw there was a great potential to use this thing they’re so attached to and try to make it convey information that could actually help them learn.”
The initial mechanics of Jerry, who is specifically targeted to diabetes-stricken children from ages three to seven, are designed to enable a child to become the bear’s caretaker. Children can check Jerry’s paw for a blood glucose level and administer an “insulin shot” to any one of the bear’s five ports. Jerry also comes with a “food pack” of simple foods, like an apple or cheese, which a child can “feed” to the bear when he has low blood sugar. Horowitz explains that the children are able to react to Jerry’s cues and determine whether the bear’s blood sugar is too high or too low.
“If you feed Jerry, say, a juice box, that will have the same effects on him as it would on a child,” Horowitz says. “There’s sort of a simulation of digestion in his processors, so when you feed him foods, his blood glucose level goes up, when you give him insulin his blood glucose level goes down.”
Horowitz says that Jerry has come a long way from his first prototype: A teddy bear augmented with basic robotics and the eyes of a Furby. The new, improved Jerry will come with a scalable software that will become more complex as the child grows. Horowitz explains that Jerry “matures” to give older kids a better grasp on the subtleties and warning signs of their own disease and help them understand milestone medical changes.
“One of the key transitions is that when the child gets an insulin pump, the tree on Jerry’s screen behaves like a pump,” Horowitz says. “The navigation is very similar.”
Sproutel is currently participating in the BetaSpring accelerator program and will be debuting the new Jerry at the end of April, during the program’s launch week. From there, Horowitz says that a beta-testing round is next — 100 families who signed up for Jerry the Bear will receive one and provide feedback to Sproutel. Horowitz explains that after the beta, he plans to have a mass-production of Jerry in the works for November 14, 2013 — World Diabetes Day. In the long run, Horowitz says the company’s goals are to develop toys that help kids manage other chronic illnesses, including asthma and obesity.
“We make these toys for kids with chronic illnesses, and diabetes is really the proving ground for education as play and to really demonstrate how powerful it can be to have these playful companions that kids can feel attached to, share their emotions with, and learn from,” Horowitz says.
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PandoList: Top 5 UC Berkeley Engineers | PandoDaily
April 14th, 2012Tom Magrino
Student
Tom Magrino’s friends call him a “Linux hipster” because he uses a lot of non conventional software. Well, I guess that makes sense, because Tom has a tendency to modify and customize technology, often using programs that someone else would think twice about, like Terminal or Arch Linux.
“I guess people would describe me as a hacker, because I do security research. I enjoy tinkering with stuff, and I think the most interesting way of doing that is to make software do something that the maker of the product didn’t originally intend.”
Tom was not always interested in computer science, he originally wanted to study chemistry or math until a friend of his taught him C# in his high school chemistry class sophomore year. After learning C# Tom started dabbling in Python and Linux, triggering his interest in servers, distributed computing, and cloud computing.
Tom began his degree by doing economics research and realized he was more interested in the programming problems than the actual economics. For the past 2 years, Tom’s predominantly been researching security and is currently working on phone technology, examining the Android operating system. He wants to create tools that allow other developers to make their programs safer.
Tom has never done an internship. Every summer throughout college, he’s been involved in different types of research for various fields such as economics, voting, and mobile platforms.
For one of his more memorable Berkeley projects, Tom designed a Python compiler which was basically a variation on the Python language. To put it in simpler terms, Tom and his group wrote their own programming language that was based off of Python. I took a course on Python, and it didn’t go well. So I can’t even imagine how one would go about creating a language based off of it.
“That project was when I realized I wanted to do more language research, so I’m moving towards language techniques for security. My goal is to program languages that are inherently secure.”
For the past four semesters, Tom has helped to teach CS61A, “Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs,” while also helping with some of the teaching at an after-school program in robotics for local high-school students.
When Tom isn’t coding one his own projects or teaching, you can find him reading a lot of science fiction, especially cyberpunk. He’s also recently started watching all the old episodes of “Dr. Who,” so that’s taking up a lot of his time.
“Science fiction inspires technology and vice versa. It is the sort of stuff that inspires what you saw in the Matrix. “Neuromancer” is a book that has really paved the way for technology. It is all inspired by science fiction.”
Another of Tom’s passions is webcomics. One of his earliest projects was a Web crawler that took image files from his favorite webcomics and displayed them in a viewing window that was available offline.
It’s because of that project that he became comfortable with Python, which is now his programming language of choice. Tom is planning on pursuing a career in academia, instead of working for a big company, so next year he’ll be heading to Cornell to do his PhD.
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Northwest Community Bank Helps Regional's 'All-Star' Robotics …
April 14th, 2012
“We love to help the students in their endeavors,” Gayle Moraski, Vice President of Northwest Community Bank told our reporter. So when Gayle heard that Northwestern Regional # 7′s Robotics team had only a couple of weeks to raise the funds necessary for the team members to travel to St. Louis later this month to compete in the Robotics World Championships, she didn’t hesitate to offer her bank’s help.
On Thursday morning, April 12, Gayle came to the New Hartford office of Northwest Community Bank and she and Carol Monroe, Manager of the local branch, presented a $1,000 check for the Robotics program to Dr. Judith Palmer, Regional # 7′s Superintendent. Judy told Gayle and Carol how Regional’s newly-formed Robotics team had competed for the first time at the Robotics Regional Competition in Hartford at the end of March and how they had finished 22nd out of the 64 teams that were competing. “And they were named the 2012 Rookie All-Star Team, winning them a place in the World Competition in St. Louis!” Judy said proudly. “We’re so happy to be able to help out,” Gayle said, adding that they were very fortunate that Steve Reilly, their bank president, has made such a strong commitment to the community.
The three women went on to talk briefly about the highly successful banking program which the bank and the school have partnered in at Regional for many years. And then, with many thanks for their bank’s donation to the new Robotics program, Judy left to return to Regional, carrying with her the bank’s donation that would help the team get one step closer to St. Louis.
From left to right, Gayle Moraski and Carol Monroe present Superintendent Judy Palmer with the bank’s donation to help the Regional Robotics team travel to St. Louis for the World Competition. Photo: Maria Moore
Help Support The Robotics Team: ‘Benefit Blast’ Tomorrow Evening, Saturday, April 14!
.
With the World Competition in St. Louis in just two weeks, the Robotics team really needs your help to travel to St. Please contribute to this amazing group of kids and their mentors:
- Donate directly to the team using the Donate button in the upper right-hand corner of the NRG 4055 website;
- Mail your check to: RSD#7 (write ‘Robotics’ in the memo), 100 Battistoni Drive, Winsted CT 06098;
- Buy tickets to the ‘Benefit Blast’ being held tomorrow evening, Saturday, April 14, and enjoy a great party while contributing to the team!
For more information, check out the NRG 4055 website.
Please show your support for this wonderful group of kids by giving generously to help them fund the next step in their incredible journey as the ‘Rookie All-Stars’!
The NRG 4055 Gearheads team with the completed robot. Photo courtesy of the NRG 4055 Gearheads
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Robotics boosters tout Michigan potential | Artificial Intelligence SEO …
April 11th, 2012Robotics boosters tout Michigan potential
Robotics boosters tout Michigan potential
By Maureen MacDonald Ann Arbor— With the simple push of a button, a swarm of black and white, 2-foot Cyclops-style robots jutted around the conference room, identifying potential bombs and terrorists. The “bots” were mini-commandos that could be …
Read more on The Detroit News
“Cyberplasm” Micro-Robot Takes Inspiration From Parasitic Fish
by Scott Jung on Apr 10, 2012 • 1:39 pm How would you feel if a tiny robot modeled after the pesky sea lamprey(pictured) was coursing through your bloodstream, seeking out harmful diseases? It may have a face that only a mother can love, …
Read more on Medgadget.com
Partners praise robotics center project, stress need
An architectural rendering of the proposed robotics and advanced engineering education center to be housed at Tri-Rivers Career Center. / Submitted photo MARION – Partners in a proposed robotics training center have announced what they said is a chance …
Read more on Marion Star
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Pentagon Offers $2 Million Prize In Competition to Create Life …
April 11th, 2012
Pentagon Offers $2 Million Prize In Competition to Create Life-saving Robots / image via DARPA
The US Defense Department is offering a $2 million prize for the winning developer of next-generation robots capable of saving lives in disaster events.
The BBC Wednesday said the Pentagon’s advanced research laboratory or DARPA is opening the competition starting October, with the $2 million prize going to the creator of robots that can adapt to the requirements of disaster scenarios, and capable of using human tools, including handheld equipment and vehicles.
The competition will feature emergency response physical challenges for competing models.
DARPA said it expects broad response from experts not only in the esoteric field of robotics, but also from software engineers and video game developers, to intensify the creativity and innovativeness of competing entries.
DARPA’s program manager Gill Pratt told BBC the aim of the contest is to push the creative envelop for robotics one step further, leading to the development of robots with high degrees of perception and mobility, dexterity, strength and endurance in emergency scenarios, and most of all autonomy.
Pratt noted the disaster-induced degradation of environmental elements require the use of non-human rescue responses, making disaster-response robots the inevitable option.
The defense official stressed their expectations are high that competitors will succeed in the development of fully autonomous robots, with less and less human operator assistance.
BBC observed that robots have moved debris and taken measurements in such recent disaster events as the Fukushima nuclear plant explosion in Japan, as well as undertaken extremely hazardous tasks in conflict areas where robots have to check for explosives in Afghanistan and Iraq.
These devices, however, relied heavily on human operators.
Source: BBC
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Toysmith 4M Tin Can Robot | GeekAlerts
March 28th, 2012
You’ll never want to throw your pop cans away after bringing the Toysmith 4M Tin Can Robot to life. Hello, Mr. googly eyes with drinking straw arms, and see-through, battery-operated jetpack! Actually, the would-be jetpack is more like his walking motor, but what’s not to love about this guy? With such personality, he definitely deserves a name.
After assembling the robot and studying his mechanisms, you can start forming ideas on how to make a whole colony of soda can robots, and better yet, engage them in a mini battle… sort of along the lines as that show they used to air a while back. Was it “Battlebots?”
Your mama is going to love you for filling your room with even more trash, and meanwhile Mama Earth will love you for reusing and reducing waste. Young minds will be inspired and turned on to the exciting field of robotics and how random parts around the house can be salvaged to build something incredible. And you know future geeks are going to be intrinsic in the battle of cleaning up the mess we humans have made.
Toysmith 4M Tin Can Robot
- Recycle your favorite beverage can by turning it into a silly “robot” that can move
- Tin Can Robot Kit contains everything you need (except your recycled soda can, 2-AA batteries, and screwdriver)
- Great for the “science” enthusiast in your family
- Kit includes parts and instructions
Order the 4M Tin Can Robot from only $9.50 at Amazon.com.
For more DIY robot projects, you might also like the Build-a-Robot 2012 Papercraft Calendar, Piperoids, and the Yumbots Robot Cupcake Molds. Boop-beep-boop-beep-beep!
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Sand Flea Jumping Robot by Boston Dynamics (Video)
March 28th, 2012Featured, OMG, Sci/Tech — By Dave on 2012/03/27 9:45 PM
Boston Dynamics just released a video of their incredible jumping robot called the Sand Flea. It’s an 11-lb robot that drives like an RC car, but can jump 30 feet into the air. The Sand Flea robot is funded by the The US Army’s Rapid Equipping Force.
via Technabob
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Tacocopter: company delivers food with robotic copter drones …
March 25th, 2012Flying Robots Deliver Tacos To Your Location
Easy Ordering On Your Smartphone
Just tap and let the machines do the rest.
Indeed, the concept behind Tacocopter is very simple, and very American: You order tacos on your smartphone and also beam in your GPS location information. Your order — and your location — are transmitted to an unmanned drone helicopter (grounded, near the kitchen where the tacos are made), and the tacocopter is then sent out with your food to find you and deliver your tacos to wherever you’re standing.You pay online, so the tacos are simply dropped off at your feet by the drone helicopter, which then flies back to the restaurant to pick up its next order.
…
Well, put down your smartphones, because here comes some bad news: The launch of Tacocopter — which is totally real, by the way, despite some doubters, and has been around since July 2011 — is being blocked by the U.S. government.
…
“Current U.S. FAA regulations prevent … using UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, like drones] for commercial purposes at the moment,” Simpson said over Gchat. “Honestly I think it’s not totally unreasonable to regulate something as potentially dangerous as having flying robots slinging tacos over people’s heads … [O]n the other hand, it’s a little bit ironic that that’s the case in a country where you can be killed by drone with no judicial review.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/23/tacocopter-startup-delivers-tacos-by-unmanned-drone-helicopter_n_1375842.html
Website says the company is in “closed beta,” looks like you can try to sign up for it if you live in SF.
Anyhow.. this is what I’ve been talking about.. the coming age of robotics, gradually replacing previously paid human labor, in every sector of employment.
It’s certainly a brilliant idea, only hampered by the FAA for the moment. Not exactly new tech but an ingenious coming together of techs — smartphones, GPS, plus the drone. It would certainly be a lot more fuel efficient and deliveries would be faster without any traffic.
It’s probably safe, I’m guessing you step outside to your yard or parking lot at work, the drone then drops your package from a safe enough height to keep your tacos from breaking yet out of reach of anyone who may try to grab onto the drone or whatever.
So here’s the future. Netflix and the net killed the video stores. Now drones will do the pizza and food delivery. Hell, maybe drones can take a lot of UPS and mail carrier jobs too. Oh I know, all those working class people don’t matter — let them eat cake, let them develop iPhone apps.
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