Scientists got the idea for this robot from observing actual mice. They noticed that mice moved with extreme ease and balance. This is in part due to their whiskers. A mouse's whiskers ask as an "extension" on their senses. Scientists decided to apply this to a robot. Researchers from the University of Tokyo and the University of Zurich in Switzerland. They named it the Artificial Mouse or the AMouse. They attached real mouse whiskers to a robot which it uses for navigation along with other sensory inputs. The researchers hope to create an adaptive autonomous robot that can recognize objects, navigate, and store memory.
The Article
Another article on the AMouse
The idea for this robot is very inventive. Mice are able to use their whiskers to achieve greater balance and navigation. It makes sense that this ability could be effectively applied to a robot. The use of the whiskers could be used to create a robot that could navigate completely autonomously. Also a robot that can recognize objects and remember things would be very useful. The article also mentions that eh robot could be used for "repair work in tight places, detecting hazardous glass, [and] exploring confined surroundings." This would be very useful. However the robot still need a lot of development before it is ready for such everyday use.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Gears and Speed
1-2. see chart
3. i) Real world error.
ii) see chart
iii) To calculate the average speed
4. see chart
5. it only has a gear ration of 1 so it doesn't tell us anything.
6. you would be excluding the robot traveled before the back wheels hit the front line.
7-14. see chart
15. i) 18.64
ii) 52.28
iii) no
16. i) 51.77
ii) 52.28
iii) yes
17. i) hypothesis B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart
iii) yes, all you have to do is disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B
18-21. see chart
22. i) 51.77
ii) 18.61
iii) no
23. i) 18.64
ii) 18.61
iii) yes
24. i) B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart both times
iii) still yes, all you had to do was disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works more than once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B because it is the only one that works and it has been accurate so far
25. We tested a robot with the same size gears then tested a robot with smaller than larger gears. We then compared the speeds for the different gear robots with the predicted values for the theories. Theory B was very close to actual speed each time so we support hypothesis b.
26. i) b
ii) a
iii) directly
iv) directly
27. (36/3)*(16/16)=(x/3)*(18/6) x=12 cm
28. 1.5*1= x*(8/24) x=4.5 NO
29. 9*(1)=15*(36/x) x=60
3. i) Real world error.
ii) see chart
iii) To calculate the average speed
4. see chart
5. it only has a gear ration of 1 so it doesn't tell us anything.
6. you would be excluding the robot traveled before the back wheels hit the front line.
7-14. see chart
15. i) 18.64
ii) 52.28
iii) no
16. i) 51.77
ii) 52.28
iii) yes
17. i) hypothesis B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart
iii) yes, all you have to do is disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B
18-21. see chart
22. i) 51.77
ii) 18.61
iii) no
23. i) 18.64
ii) 18.61
iii) yes
24. i) B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart both times
iii) still yes, all you had to do was disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works more than once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B because it is the only one that works and it has been accurate so far
25. We tested a robot with the same size gears then tested a robot with smaller than larger gears. We then compared the speeds for the different gear robots with the predicted values for the theories. Theory B was very close to actual speed each time so we support hypothesis b.
26. i) b
ii) a
iii) directly
iv) directly
27. (36/3)*(16/16)=(x/3)*(18/6) x=12 cm
28. 1.5*1= x*(8/24) x=4.5 NO
29. 9*(1)=15*(36/x) x=60
Get in Gear
1ft/2s
1. yes, it did
2. When the motor had more power it moved the wheels forward faster
3. If we put on a smaller gear there will be more wheel rotations per one turn of the large gear.
4. 2ft/1s which is faster than the 1ft/1s before
5. .5ft/1s. it was slower
6. Increase the motor power or swap the second gear to a smaller gear.
7. Decrease the motor power or swap the first gear to a smaller gear.
8. motor
9. i) the gears are the same size so it will move at the same speed
ii) much slower because the gear on the wheel is larger so there will be less rotations of it per rotation of the smaller motor gear
iii) it will increase or decrease the number of rotations per rotation of the gear on the motor.
iv) if the gears are both the same size, it will go the same speed. it the wheel gear is smaller, it will go faster. If the motor gear is larger, it will go slower.
10. i) When the motor rotated, it rotated the gear on the axis. This gear rotated the gear on the wheel. This gear rotated the wheel. However the gear on the wheel was smaller than the gear on the axis so it rotated more times. This in turn rotated the wheel more than before, therefore covering more distance.
ii) It works same as i but instead of being smaller, it was larger so it rotated less times and covered less distance.
iii) the formula assumes that for every rotation of the motor, the wheel is rotating the same. Therefore it assumes that the gear sizes are the same. It will not work if you have different sized gears.
11. i) So the smaller gear on the wheel and the largest gear on the motor
ii) large wheel small motor
iii) large wheel small motor
iv)large motor small wheel
12. different gears would work better for speed vs strength.
1. yes, it did
2. When the motor had more power it moved the wheels forward faster
3. If we put on a smaller gear there will be more wheel rotations per one turn of the large gear.
4. 2ft/1s which is faster than the 1ft/1s before
5. .5ft/1s. it was slower
6. Increase the motor power or swap the second gear to a smaller gear.
7. Decrease the motor power or swap the first gear to a smaller gear.
8. motor
9. i) the gears are the same size so it will move at the same speed
ii) much slower because the gear on the wheel is larger so there will be less rotations of it per rotation of the smaller motor gear
iii) it will increase or decrease the number of rotations per rotation of the gear on the motor.
iv) if the gears are both the same size, it will go the same speed. it the wheel gear is smaller, it will go faster. If the motor gear is larger, it will go slower.
10. i) When the motor rotated, it rotated the gear on the axis. This gear rotated the gear on the wheel. This gear rotated the wheel. However the gear on the wheel was smaller than the gear on the axis so it rotated more times. This in turn rotated the wheel more than before, therefore covering more distance.
ii) It works same as i but instead of being smaller, it was larger so it rotated less times and covered less distance.
iii) the formula assumes that for every rotation of the motor, the wheel is rotating the same. Therefore it assumes that the gear sizes are the same. It will not work if you have different sized gears.
11. i) So the smaller gear on the wheel and the largest gear on the motor
ii) large wheel small motor
iii) large wheel small motor
iv)large motor small wheel
12. different gears would work better for speed vs strength.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Field of View
1. i) Yes they follow a gourd like pattern
ii) it detects near and far
2. i) 60 cm
ii) directly in front
3. i) yes, about 35cm
ii) yes, it will avoid it
4. 2cm
5. 10cm
6. 1:5
7. i) It follows the same pattern, its just smaller
ii) Its smaller
iii) yes
8. i) every 1 cm on the paper represents 5 cm in real life
ii) 4.4 cm
iii) 11.5 cm
9. i) directly in front
ii) it was 12 cm from the front of the sensor on the graph paper
iii) 60 cm
iv) 62 cm directly in front of the sensor
10. i) it gets smaller and then wider in the middle
ii) 50cm
iii) it needs to use different sensor applications to detect something father away rather than closer and visa-versa because it takes different power reading are needed to detect things at different distances, just like our eyes shift.
11. It sent out a noise which spread out in a circular patter and then began to fade out when it sent out a second, louder, noise which also spread out in a circular pattern and then faded out.
12. First you need to draw a line on the floor. Then place the robot with the ultrasonic sensor on the front of the line. Get a can like object. Place it on the other end of the line. Slowly begin to inch it forward until you get a steady reading on the sensor. mark down that pint. Then use a yard stick to measure out every 10 cm on the line up to your point. Take your can and put it to the right of the 10 cm point. slowly inch it back toward the line until you get a reading. Do the same for the left side of the line. Then repeat the steps for every 10 cm point up to your original point. Finally find the scale between the actual distance and the distance on the graph paper. Use this scale to graph all of your points.
13. i) 52 cm directly in front
ii) at the 40 cm mark the point are about 31cm apart
14. i) 2:25
ii) at 170 cm directly in front
iii)at 100 cm the points are about 115 cm apart
iv) no
15. i) 62cm
ii) .0018 s
iii) .0018 s
iv) .0036 s
v) .0019 s one way, .0037 s total
vi) Its quite fast.
ii) it detects near and far
2. i) 60 cm
ii) directly in front
3. i) yes, about 35cm
ii) yes, it will avoid it
4. 2cm
5. 10cm
6. 1:5
7. i) It follows the same pattern, its just smaller
ii) Its smaller
iii) yes
8. i) every 1 cm on the paper represents 5 cm in real life
ii) 4.4 cm
iii) 11.5 cm
9. i) directly in front
ii) it was 12 cm from the front of the sensor on the graph paper
iii) 60 cm
iv) 62 cm directly in front of the sensor
10. i) it gets smaller and then wider in the middle
ii) 50cm
iii) it needs to use different sensor applications to detect something father away rather than closer and visa-versa because it takes different power reading are needed to detect things at different distances, just like our eyes shift.
11. It sent out a noise which spread out in a circular patter and then began to fade out when it sent out a second, louder, noise which also spread out in a circular pattern and then faded out.
12. First you need to draw a line on the floor. Then place the robot with the ultrasonic sensor on the front of the line. Get a can like object. Place it on the other end of the line. Slowly begin to inch it forward until you get a steady reading on the sensor. mark down that pint. Then use a yard stick to measure out every 10 cm on the line up to your point. Take your can and put it to the right of the 10 cm point. slowly inch it back toward the line until you get a reading. Do the same for the left side of the line. Then repeat the steps for every 10 cm point up to your original point. Finally find the scale between the actual distance and the distance on the graph paper. Use this scale to graph all of your points.
13. i) 52 cm directly in front
ii) at the 40 cm mark the point are about 31cm apart
14. i) 2:25
ii) at 170 cm directly in front
iii)at 100 cm the points are about 115 cm apart
iv) no
15. i) 62cm
ii) .0018 s
iii) .0018 s
iv) .0036 s
v) .0019 s one way, .0037 s total
vi) Its quite fast.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Obstacle Detection
1. The robot ran into the wall and stopped.
2. The wall activated the touch sensor so the robot stopped like the program told it to when the touch sensor detected something.
3. Yes, if it didn't stop when it detected objects it would just get stuck running into a solid object.
4. It will stop when it runs into something so it won't get stuck, but it won't so anything to actually avoid the obstacle. It has to hit it before it stops.
5. It stopped 10 cm from the wall.
6. The wall set the sonic sensor off and so the robot stopped like it was programmed to.
7. It stopped about 10 cm away.
8. The robot stopped before it actually hit the object but it cannot sense smaller objects such as the legs of a chair.
9. This sensor is better for objects that you want to detect but not hit but it only works for larger or wider objects. The touch sensor will detect any objects but it has to actually hit it to detect it.
10. i) The sonic sensor detect objects without hitting them. The touch sensor has to hit it to hit it to detect it.
ii) With the sonic sensor it will stop in front of the object while with the touch sensor it will stop in contact with the object.
11. It will not hit the object which is good for delicate objects, however it cannot detect smaller objects such as the leg of the chair.
12. i) because the touch sensor can only detect the object when it is in contact with it while the touch sensor can detect an object from a distance and you have to set how far away you want it to stop.
ii) It will stop farther or closer to the object.
13. i) So a robot could do things like detect walls in a room, detect trees in woods, and navigate a maze.
ii) robots that are trying to navigate on their own. Robots that are trying to go through a maze.
iii) if the robot had to detect where a glass object was.
14. i) It can detect the object from a distance, it can stop different distances from the object, and it can prevent damage to the object or the robot.
ii) No, it cannot detect smaller/thinner objects.
iii) if a car like robot had to detect a wall. This sensor would prevent the robot from running into the wall and crashing trying to sense it.
iv) If a car like robot had to detect a street post it would not be able to sense it and would run into it.
15. A light sensor could look for dark objects to avoid.
16. It shows 6 question marks.
17. yes, if its too small it can't detect it
18. hard objects are easier because they are more solid and easier to read.
19. it could detect the ruler
20. NO, it could not detect the pen at all
21. yes it does, it could detect the pen.
2. The wall activated the touch sensor so the robot stopped like the program told it to when the touch sensor detected something.
3. Yes, if it didn't stop when it detected objects it would just get stuck running into a solid object.
4. It will stop when it runs into something so it won't get stuck, but it won't so anything to actually avoid the obstacle. It has to hit it before it stops.
5. It stopped 10 cm from the wall.
6. The wall set the sonic sensor off and so the robot stopped like it was programmed to.
7. It stopped about 10 cm away.
8. The robot stopped before it actually hit the object but it cannot sense smaller objects such as the legs of a chair.
9. This sensor is better for objects that you want to detect but not hit but it only works for larger or wider objects. The touch sensor will detect any objects but it has to actually hit it to detect it.
10. i) The sonic sensor detect objects without hitting them. The touch sensor has to hit it to hit it to detect it.
ii) With the sonic sensor it will stop in front of the object while with the touch sensor it will stop in contact with the object.
11. It will not hit the object which is good for delicate objects, however it cannot detect smaller objects such as the leg of the chair.
12. i) because the touch sensor can only detect the object when it is in contact with it while the touch sensor can detect an object from a distance and you have to set how far away you want it to stop.
ii) It will stop farther or closer to the object.
13. i) So a robot could do things like detect walls in a room, detect trees in woods, and navigate a maze.
ii) robots that are trying to navigate on their own. Robots that are trying to go through a maze.
iii) if the robot had to detect where a glass object was.
14. i) It can detect the object from a distance, it can stop different distances from the object, and it can prevent damage to the object or the robot.
ii) No, it cannot detect smaller/thinner objects.
iii) if a car like robot had to detect a wall. This sensor would prevent the robot from running into the wall and crashing trying to sense it.
iv) If a car like robot had to detect a street post it would not be able to sense it and would run into it.
15. A light sensor could look for dark objects to avoid.
16. It shows 6 question marks.
17. yes, if its too small it can't detect it
18. hard objects are easier because they are more solid and easier to read.
19. it could detect the ruler
20. NO, it could not detect the pen at all
21. yes it does, it could detect the pen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Faster Line Tracking
1. It just spun in circles with a slight hesitation over the black line.
2. It is moving too fast and by the time it starts to turn left because its dark, the sensor has already moved past the dark and onto the light of the other side so it has to turn right again.
3. Put it on the back of the robot.
4. Under the wheels.
5. because it is on the back which moves in the opposite direction as the front.
6. When the sensor is on the back of the robot it is on the center of the turn theretofore will remain on the black line longer and can register it for the turn.
7. i) done
ii) 30%, 24 seconds
iii) 91%, 14 seconds
iv) 14/24-58.3%
8. If it registers light, it turns right and if it registers dark it turns left. These are swing turns in reverse.
9. When the robot is backwards, right and left reverse. Label the wheels.
2. It is moving too fast and by the time it starts to turn left because its dark, the sensor has already moved past the dark and onto the light of the other side so it has to turn right again.
3. Put it on the back of the robot.
4. Under the wheels.
5. because it is on the back which moves in the opposite direction as the front.
6. When the sensor is on the back of the robot it is on the center of the turn theretofore will remain on the black line longer and can register it for the turn.
7. i) done
ii) 30%, 24 seconds
iii) 91%, 14 seconds
iv) 14/24-58.3%
8. If it registers light, it turns right and if it registers dark it turns left. These are swing turns in reverse.
9. When the robot is backwards, right and left reverse. Label the wheels.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Article Journal Post 14: Swarm Robotics
This article is about a branch of robotics called swarm robotics. SWARM stands for "intelligent small-world autonomous robots for micro-manipulation." It is all about inventing a large group of tiny robots that can work together. The idea is to create a swarm of robots that can act together, self assemble, and accomplish tasks together. The swarm in this article are programmed to follow a certain type of pheromone like ants would follow a trail of pheromones in a line. However the robots use optical pheromones, show by the video on the website. The robots are also solar powered.
Article
While these robots currently need a lot of work, they are a very good idea. These robots could be sent into places that humans could not go. For example, if miners were trapped underground, the swarm robots could be sent in to find the miners and establish communication. They would be very effective. They are also solar powered making them energy efficient. Finally they plan on designing the robots so that they are cost efficient and could be mass produced. Currently, these robots are not able to self assemble and need a lot of development before they reach usable levels. However in time, these robots promise to be very useful. I deeply admire the idea and design of these robots.
The largest swarm in the world
An example of swarm robots
Article
While these robots currently need a lot of work, they are a very good idea. These robots could be sent into places that humans could not go. For example, if miners were trapped underground, the swarm robots could be sent in to find the miners and establish communication. They would be very effective. They are also solar powered making them energy efficient. Finally they plan on designing the robots so that they are cost efficient and could be mass produced. Currently, these robots are not able to self assemble and need a lot of development before they reach usable levels. However in time, these robots promise to be very useful. I deeply admire the idea and design of these robots.
The largest swarm in the world
An example of swarm robots
Friday, November 12, 2010
Follow the Guidelines
1. It is looking for light or dark.
2. It should turn right to go back to the left edge of the line.
3. It should turn left to go off the left edge of the line.
4. 56+35/2=45.5=46
5. i) dark
ii) light
iii) light
iv) dark
6. i) light
ii) dark
iii) dark
iv) dark
7. i) left
ii) left
iii) right
iv) left
8. The robot is programmed to turn right when its is light and left when it is dark. Then the entire behavior is set inside of the loop block.
9. The light in the morning is different from the light in the afternoon. She needs to recalculate her threshold value in order to recognize the dark line.
10. i) yes
ii) In stead of turning off the left side of the line, it would turn off of the right side of the line.
11. i) If it was not right next to the ground, it would not be able to register the "dark" of the tape.
ii) If you raise it, your value for dark will have to increase. If you lower it, your dark value will not have to be so high.
iii) It will work if you put it on the right hand side of the line. It will mess up on turns because the body will be past the curve before it starts to turn.
12. It tracks the right side because if it sees light it turns left onto the right side of the line and if it sees dark it turns right off of the right side of the line. Therefore it is tracking the right side of the line.
13. If it were to try to track something like the edge of a table and it has to track the right side only or it will fall off.
2. It should turn right to go back to the left edge of the line.
3. It should turn left to go off the left edge of the line.
4. 56+35/2=45.5=46
5. i) dark
ii) light
iii) light
iv) dark
6. i) light
ii) dark
iii) dark
iv) dark
7. i) left
ii) left
iii) right
iv) left
8. The robot is programmed to turn right when its is light and left when it is dark. Then the entire behavior is set inside of the loop block.
9. The light in the morning is different from the light in the afternoon. She needs to recalculate her threshold value in order to recognize the dark line.
10. i) yes
ii) In stead of turning off the left side of the line, it would turn off of the right side of the line.
11. i) If it was not right next to the ground, it would not be able to register the "dark" of the tape.
ii) If you raise it, your value for dark will have to increase. If you lower it, your dark value will not have to be so high.
iii) It will work if you put it on the right hand side of the line. It will mess up on turns because the body will be past the curve before it starts to turn.
12. It tracks the right side because if it sees light it turns left onto the right side of the line and if it sees dark it turns right off of the right side of the line. Therefore it is tracking the right side of the line.
13. If it were to try to track something like the edge of a table and it has to track the right side only or it will fall off.
Article Journal Post 13
This article is about a competition hosted by Georgia Tech. It is known as the inVenture prize. it was designed for undergraduate students who show a sense of innovation, creativity, and adventure. The first place prize is $15,000 and the second place prize is $10,000. The competition has 8 finalists. However the most impressive aspect of this competition is that it, as the article's title says, "spurs inventions." Many of the students who entered into this competition invented devices in response to actual problems. These inventions include a headset that senses when drivers are getting sleepy and beeps to keep them awake, a French Press that prevents bitter coffee, a drum-tuning device that allows a musician to tune a drum in under 20 minutes when it previously took and hour, a mechanical Koozie that keeps drinks cold, and an exercise shirt that will not damage joints and can be used in physical therapy. While all of these inventions are impressive, my favorite was a water pump powered by a car. Six students heard workers complain that they had trouble getting water out of wells in developing countries. In response to this, the Georgia tech students invented a pump composed of objects that can be found in a junk yard such as rollers, compressors, and air tanks. This pump can fit into the back of a car and is powered by a car.
Article
This water pump is a very good idea. Firstly it is made of common and in-expensive objects that can even be found in a junkyard. This makes the pump cheap to build. It is small enough to be transported easily in a car and can be powered by a car. This allows the pump to run anywhere it is needed. Finally it also has more than one use. Not only can the pump be used in developing countries to pump water up from a well, it can also be used in floods and hurricanes to pump water out. This makes the product affordable, effective, and useful. It is soon to be tested in Nicaragua and other developing countries in need of it.
This article mentions a request put into Georgia Tech for a water pump for developing nations.
Article
This water pump is a very good idea. Firstly it is made of common and in-expensive objects that can even be found in a junkyard. This makes the pump cheap to build. It is small enough to be transported easily in a car and can be powered by a car. This allows the pump to run anywhere it is needed. Finally it also has more than one use. Not only can the pump be used in developing countries to pump water up from a well, it can also be used in floods and hurricanes to pump water out. This makes the product affordable, effective, and useful. It is soon to be tested in Nicaragua and other developing countries in need of it.
This article mentions a request put into Georgia Tech for a water pump for developing nations.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Frequency vs Amplitude
1.sound 1: 25
sound 2: 26
sound 3: 27
sound 4: 28
2. It got louder.
3. done
4.i) yes
ii) Amplitude increase, sound sensor value increase
5. If the amplitude is low, the sound sensor value is low. As amplitude increases, so does the value of the sound sensor. Therefore the amplitude affects the value of the sound sensor.
6. sound 1: 24
sound 2: 69
sound 3: 88
sound 4: 96
7. It got higher (but not louder) each time.
8. done
9. i) yes
ii) As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases (though not with a steady value like with amplitude).
10. As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases, but the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
11. As wavelength or frequency increase, the sound sensor value will increase, though the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
12. i) Yes, it would register when the amplitude got too high.
ii) No, because it is not very sensitive to frequency.
iii) No, It is not sensitive enough for something so prescience in frequencies.
iv) No it would not be able to distinguish between the amplitude of the cars and the frequency of the siren.
v) Yes it would simply wait for an increase in amplitude.
vi) Yes it would simply have to wait for an increase in amplitude.
13. You could do an experiment where you have a sound with a low frequency and you have to increase the amplitude on your own to see about how high the amplitude has to be to reach 50%. Then you could do the same for a sound with low amplitude and varying frequency. AKA Manipulate both amplitude and frequency.
14. volume, pitch
sound 2: 26
sound 3: 27
sound 4: 28
2. It got louder.
3. done
4.i) yes
ii) Amplitude increase, sound sensor value increase
5. If the amplitude is low, the sound sensor value is low. As amplitude increases, so does the value of the sound sensor. Therefore the amplitude affects the value of the sound sensor.
6. sound 1: 24
sound 2: 69
sound 3: 88
sound 4: 96
7. It got higher (but not louder) each time.
8. done
9. i) yes
ii) As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases (though not with a steady value like with amplitude).
10. As frequency increases, the sound sensor value increases, but the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
11. As wavelength or frequency increase, the sound sensor value will increase, though the sound sensor is not as sensitive to frequency as it is amplitude.
12. i) Yes, it would register when the amplitude got too high.
ii) No, because it is not very sensitive to frequency.
iii) No, It is not sensitive enough for something so prescience in frequencies.
iv) No it would not be able to distinguish between the amplitude of the cars and the frequency of the siren.
v) Yes it would simply wait for an increase in amplitude.
vi) Yes it would simply have to wait for an increase in amplitude.
13. You could do an experiment where you have a sound with a low frequency and you have to increase the amplitude on your own to see about how high the amplitude has to be to reach 50%. Then you could do the same for a sound with low amplitude and varying frequency. AKA Manipulate both amplitude and frequency.
14. volume, pitch
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Article Journal Post 12
This article is about a humanoid robot designed for space by GE and NASA. It is called the Robonaut 2, or R2 for short. It is scheduled to launch on a ship called the Discovery. It will be the first humanoid robot to fly to the International Space Station, or the ISS. The Discovery will bring it there where it will be stored until late next year. This is because currently R2 only exists from the waist up, but he weighs 330 pounds and is 3 feet 4 inches tall. Its arms are each 2 feet 8 inches long. Next year another ship will bring R2's legs and in another year they plan to bring the computer enhancements that will allow R2 to walk in space. R2's job at the space station will include not only the housekeeping chores but also the more dangerous jobs such as if a fore or leak were to break out. This will be a tremendous help to the astronauts. Eventually engineers plan to use robots like R2 to explore deeper into space.
Article
This robot will be useful in the future, but is currently ineffective. Firstly it only exists from the waist up. This leaves the robot unable to do anything. It is also large, bulky, and heavy. This would make it hard to move while it doesn't have its legs. In addition, the robot cost $2.5 million to build, which is highly impractical. Finally the length of time it takes to assemble the robot makes it ineffective. It will take 2 more years before the robot will even be able to help out at the space station and that is only if nothing goes wrong. However, despite all of these immediate drawbacks that make R2 ineffective in the short term, in the long term this robot will do jobs that would otherwise threaten the lives of the astronauts. It will also take over care of the ISS which a human would otherwise have to do, which will open up more time for the astronauts.
Support
This website shows that the launch of the DIscovery was delayed due to a hydrogen leak. It also states how a scientists had to replace a failed cable in the ISS for an experiment, which is an example of a job R2 could do (in the distant future).
Article
This robot will be useful in the future, but is currently ineffective. Firstly it only exists from the waist up. This leaves the robot unable to do anything. It is also large, bulky, and heavy. This would make it hard to move while it doesn't have its legs. In addition, the robot cost $2.5 million to build, which is highly impractical. Finally the length of time it takes to assemble the robot makes it ineffective. It will take 2 more years before the robot will even be able to help out at the space station and that is only if nothing goes wrong. However, despite all of these immediate drawbacks that make R2 ineffective in the short term, in the long term this robot will do jobs that would otherwise threaten the lives of the astronauts. It will also take over care of the ISS which a human would otherwise have to do, which will open up more time for the astronauts.
Support
This website shows that the launch of the DIscovery was delayed due to a hydrogen leak. It also states how a scientists had to replace a failed cable in the ISS for an experiment, which is an example of a job R2 could do (in the distant future).
Clap On Clap Off
1. 4%
2. 100%
3. 52%
4. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. start motor. start motor. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. stop motor, stop motor.
5.i) they are two wait blocks, one to wait for the sound to go above the threshold, the other to wait for it to go below the threshold.
ii) You need two because the program begins when it hears the clap, runs the motors, and moves immediately onto the next wait for block, but all of that happened so fast that by the time it gets to the second wait for block the sound for the first clap is still above the threshold so the program stops.
6. The threshold tells it how loud the sound has to be to meet the wait for block's requirements for the program to activate. If it was higher, you would have to create a louder sound to start the program. It it was lower, you would not have to make such a loud sound to start the program.
7. Because it is always above a quiet value, but it below the loudest possible value you could have, making the program easy to activate.
8. Yes, any sound that met the threshold value would activate the program, regardless if it was a clap or not.
9.i) Find the quiet value for the theater and find the loud sound for the door slamming. average the two together to find the threshold value to be used in the program we created.
ii)The sounds of the people in the theater (ex if they clap, cheer, or laugh) or the sounds of the actors might accidentally create a sound above the threshold value and set off the robot.
10. Write a program that says wait for the sound to reach a value that you determine it too loud. When it goes above this threshold value, turn the motor on to turn the light off. Wait for the sound to drop to the quiet value for the cafeteria and then activate the motor again to turn the lights back on.
11. After it runs, it will go back to the beginning to the program and start again with another loud sound. So after it stops, it will start again with another clap.
12. It will run infinitely until you turn the program itself off.
2. 100%
3. 52%
4. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. start motor. start motor. wait for sound to go above threshold. wait for sound to drop below threshold. stop motor, stop motor.
5.i) they are two wait blocks, one to wait for the sound to go above the threshold, the other to wait for it to go below the threshold.
ii) You need two because the program begins when it hears the clap, runs the motors, and moves immediately onto the next wait for block, but all of that happened so fast that by the time it gets to the second wait for block the sound for the first clap is still above the threshold so the program stops.
6. The threshold tells it how loud the sound has to be to meet the wait for block's requirements for the program to activate. If it was higher, you would have to create a louder sound to start the program. It it was lower, you would not have to make such a loud sound to start the program.
7. Because it is always above a quiet value, but it below the loudest possible value you could have, making the program easy to activate.
8. Yes, any sound that met the threshold value would activate the program, regardless if it was a clap or not.
9.i) Find the quiet value for the theater and find the loud sound for the door slamming. average the two together to find the threshold value to be used in the program we created.
ii)The sounds of the people in the theater (ex if they clap, cheer, or laugh) or the sounds of the actors might accidentally create a sound above the threshold value and set off the robot.
10. Write a program that says wait for the sound to reach a value that you determine it too loud. When it goes above this threshold value, turn the motor on to turn the light off. Wait for the sound to drop to the quiet value for the cafeteria and then activate the motor again to turn the lights back on.
11. After it runs, it will go back to the beginning to the program and start again with another loud sound. So after it stops, it will start again with another clap.
12. It will run infinitely until you turn the program itself off.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Article Journal Post 11
This article was written about a robot built as a final project for some computer engineering students. it is known as MaXimus. it is an autonomous robot built for indoor environments. It runs on batteries and moves on two wheels. This robot was designed to find its way through mazes. It goes through a maze the first time, calculating the fastest way to get to the end. Then it runs through the maze a second time using the data it gained on its first test. This time it can make it through the maze without any mistakes. In order for the robot work, they had to program it to tell if it had hit a dead end, if there was a wall there, or if it had already reached the end of the maze.
Article
It would have been difficult to program a robot to fins its own way through a maze. However, these students managed to do it and their resulting robot, the MaXimus, is quite effective. It has to run one test run of a maze, and then it can go through the maze perfectly on the second run. In addition, the robot is small and only costs about $500 to build. if it was made to look more ornamental,this robot could easily be marketed a toy. It also looks as if it could easily tip over, so it might be more effective with a better system or other functions added onto it.
a picture of the robot, showing why it might get knocked over, or loose its balance easily
Article
It would have been difficult to program a robot to fins its own way through a maze. However, these students managed to do it and their resulting robot, the MaXimus, is quite effective. It has to run one test run of a maze, and then it can go through the maze perfectly on the second run. In addition, the robot is small and only costs about $500 to build. if it was made to look more ornamental,this robot could easily be marketed a toy. It also looks as if it could easily tip over, so it might be more effective with a better system or other functions added onto it.
a picture of the robot, showing why it might get knocked over, or loose its balance easily
Friday, October 22, 2010
Measured Turn
1. The left wheel spun.
2. i) a circle
ii) The stopped right wheel.
iii) The left moving wheel.
iv) yes
3.i) 28.5 cm
ii) 89.5 cm
iii) degrees/360=x/89.5
4.i) They are two completely different circles.
ii)wheel
iii) circle on ground
5. (degrees of circle/360)*(circumference of circle)=(circumference of wheel)*(motor degrees/360)
442.1 degrees
6. i) yes
ii) yes, the calculations worked
iii) You cannot prove a hypothesis with one test.
7. i) 885.2 degrees
ii) 1327.7 degrees
iii) 1770.3 degrees
iv) 3540.7 degrees
8. i-iv) done
v) they all work so it supports the hypothesis
9. i)6 cm
ii)it was very close to 90 degrees
iii)yes
iv) 14cm radius
10. i) due ti different sizes have different turning radii.
ii) car, 25-50 ft
iii) swing turn
11. (210/360)pi*2*12.4=pi*4.5(x/360)
x=1157.3
12. (180/360)pi*2*9=pi*2.5(x/360)
x=1296
13. i) 4.6 diameter wheel will be closer to the correct diameter needed
ii) he can shrink the distance between the two wheels of his robot
2. i) a circle
ii) The stopped right wheel.
iii) The left moving wheel.
iv) yes
3.i) 28.5 cm
ii) 89.5 cm
iii) degrees/360=x/89.5
4.i) They are two completely different circles.
ii)wheel
iii) circle on ground
5. (degrees of circle/360)*(circumference of circle)=(circumference of wheel)*(motor degrees/360)
442.1 degrees
6. i) yes
ii) yes, the calculations worked
iii) You cannot prove a hypothesis with one test.
7. i) 885.2 degrees
ii) 1327.7 degrees
iii) 1770.3 degrees
iv) 3540.7 degrees
8. i-iv) done
v) they all work so it supports the hypothesis
9. i)6 cm
ii)it was very close to 90 degrees
iii)yes
iv) 14cm radius
10. i) due ti different sizes have different turning radii.
ii) car, 25-50 ft
iii) swing turn
11. (210/360)pi*2*12.4=pi*4.5(x/360)
x=1157.3
12. (180/360)pi*2*9=pi*2.5(x/360)
x=1296
13. i) 4.6 diameter wheel will be closer to the correct diameter needed
ii) he can shrink the distance between the two wheels of his robot
Monday, October 18, 2010
Right Face
1. It turned to the right but it went too far.
2. The left motor ran.
3. The left motor spun forward. The right motor stayed still.
4. It turned to the right.
5. About 1/3 of a 360 degree turn.
6. It swings around the right wheel, which isn't moving.
7. Run c motor, tell b motor not to move, wait 720 degrees, then stop c then b motors.
8. i) It turned right 90 degrees or left 270 degrees. You can tell because its relation to the position of the arrow.
ii) 3/4
iii)1/4
9. i) To reach the same position the degrees will have to be greater.
ii) Yes it needs traction and uneven ground could have significant effects.
10. i) yes
ii) done saved as reverse swing turn
11. The first block was set to stop instead of forward, the second block was set to forward instead of stop, and the wait block was set to motor B.
12. yes. done saved as reverse left swing turn
13. It is faster and it moved farther. Swing turn: one motor moves, 1 stays still. Point turn: both wheels move.
14. i)A swing turn is more useful for sharper turns.
ii) The point turn is more useful for when there are obstacles in the way. Then the axis of rotation is in the middle of the robot so it won't hit the object.
2. The left motor ran.
3. The left motor spun forward. The right motor stayed still.
4. It turned to the right.
5. About 1/3 of a 360 degree turn.
6. It swings around the right wheel, which isn't moving.
7. Run c motor, tell b motor not to move, wait 720 degrees, then stop c then b motors.
8. i) It turned right 90 degrees or left 270 degrees. You can tell because its relation to the position of the arrow.
ii) 3/4
iii)1/4
9. i) To reach the same position the degrees will have to be greater.
ii) Yes it needs traction and uneven ground could have significant effects.
10. i) yes
ii) done saved as reverse swing turn
11. The first block was set to stop instead of forward, the second block was set to forward instead of stop, and the wait block was set to motor B.
12. yes. done saved as reverse left swing turn
13. It is faster and it moved farther. Swing turn: one motor moves, 1 stays still. Point turn: both wheels move.
14. i)A swing turn is more useful for sharper turns.
ii) The point turn is more useful for when there are obstacles in the way. Then the axis of rotation is in the middle of the robot so it won't hit the object.
Article Journal Post 10
4 college students decided to use a surfboard as a class project. They wanted to measure the velocity of water running under a board as someone surfed on it. They could then use this to tell what flexibility would optimize a surf board. However, they had to gather data from an actual surf board in order to do this. The students decided to build a surf board that could measure the velocity of the water as one of the students actually rode on it. They took a surf board and carved small grooves into it. They then embedded a computer into the front of the board. They then ran wires down the grooves in the board to small sensors placed in the underside of the board. The computer would then control the sensors. Any data that was collected would be saved to a DS card in the computer and then transmitted to a computer on land. The sensors themselves collected data by measuring how far small bands were pushed back by the force of the water. The project was actually very time consuming, but it helped to develop a deeper understanding of a field of study known as fluid-structure interactions
Article
I believe that this project was very effective. It will not only help companies to develop an effective surf board, but will also help develop concepts in fluid-structure interactions. They are the first people to actually measure the bend of the surfboard in the water. They also hope to use this information to tell what other factors such as experience or the type of wave have an effect on the bend. However, it would have been better if they had tested the board in different places to get more general and applicable data.
Surfboard computer video
Article
I believe that this project was very effective. It will not only help companies to develop an effective surf board, but will also help develop concepts in fluid-structure interactions. They are the first people to actually measure the bend of the surfboard in the water. They also hope to use this information to tell what other factors such as experience or the type of wave have an effect on the bend. However, it would have been better if they had tested the board in different places to get more general and applicable data.
Surfboard computer video
Monday, October 11, 2010
Article Journal Post 9
This article is about a man who decided to build a robot. In the 90s, this man came up with a design for a robot. By 2008, the man had gained more experience in electronics and robotics. He decided to actually build the robot. He sketched a design and then sent some instructions off to a water-jet cutting company called The Big Blue Saw. The water-jet cutting is a little expensive, but it will save time in creating the detailed parts. The robot itself will have a square center and will run on 4 legs. It will be run by a Gumstix computer. It will also be powered by LiPo batteries. The next stage of building required him to file down the pieces and to then drill and tap holes in them for the screws. This was a very tedious process. He then assembled the center of the robot and 1 leg. He had to be careful to keep the wire under little tension but at the same time keep it out of the gears. Finally he filed and and assembled the last 3 legs, completing a rough structure of the robot, know as bert or Spyder, the Quadruped. The next stage was to install a GPS system for navigation. Finally he built and inserted the motor controls for the legs, however he still needed to code and install the Gumstix computer.
quadruped
This robot looks like it will run smoothly. It has for legs which will provide it with balance for walking. It also has a GPS system for navigation. The man put alot of effort into building the robot and fixing any errors with it as they arose. However, the assembly of this robot (2 years so far) is slow and impractical. The water jet cut parts take an enormous amount of effort to file down and are not always very precise. It is also very expensive to pay for the parts. The robot also needs to be able to move, which it cannot do yet, before it has any use. Finally while the robot is very cool, it should have some other purpose other than to just be able to walk.
A competition the man is thinking of entering the robot it. he states that bert i will be at a disadvantage over wheeled robots, but he will have a more accurate walking system.
quadruped
This robot looks like it will run smoothly. It has for legs which will provide it with balance for walking. It also has a GPS system for navigation. The man put alot of effort into building the robot and fixing any errors with it as they arose. However, the assembly of this robot (2 years so far) is slow and impractical. The water jet cut parts take an enormous amount of effort to file down and are not always very precise. It is also very expensive to pay for the parts. The robot also needs to be able to move, which it cannot do yet, before it has any use. Finally while the robot is very cool, it should have some other purpose other than to just be able to walk.
A competition the man is thinking of entering the robot it. he states that bert i will be at a disadvantage over wheeled robots, but he will have a more accurate walking system.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wheels and Distance Worksheet
1. d: 5.8cm
2. C: 5.8∏cm
3. 2 rotations
4. 36.4cm
5. Trial 1: 35cm
Trial 2: 35.3cm
Trial 3: 35.2cm
6. i) no because this robot is not completely accurate all the time.
ii) 35.2 cm
iii) We can use the value to calculate the robot's precision and accuracy.
7. 3.3%
8. i) yes, it was relatively close.
ii) yes, it proved that the robot traveled a distance very close to our predicted value.
iii) no, in order to prove something, it needs to tested by more than just one set of trials.
9. The back wheels started the length of the robot behind the line. If you measured from the line to the back wheels, you would be leaving 1 length of the robot out of the measurement. It would not be the total distance traveled.
10. 3.1cm
11. 3.1∏cm
12. 2 rotations
13. 19.48cm
14. Trial 1: 19.1cm
Trial 2: 19.2cm
Trial 3: 19.4cm
15. 19.23cm
16. 1.28%
17. i)no, but it was very close
ii) No ,we have not gotten a set of trials exactly equal to the calculated value to absolutely prove it. Also only 2 sets of trials is not enough to prove a hypothesis, only support it.
iii) It could be proven by testing different robots with different wheels multiple times. Other people would also have to test it to see of they got the same results.
18. i) It supports it because while the values were not exactly what we calculated, they were very close every time.
ii) Based on this evidence, I would say that it is correct.
iii) We measured the diameter of the wheel and used it to calculate the circumference. We then multiplied the circumference by the number of rotations to get a total distance traveled. Finally we ran the robot and used a measuring stick to see how far the robot actually traveled.
19. i) D: 5.8cm therefore C: 5.8∏cm therefore 18.2cm/1rotation
ii)5.8∏x=10 x=10/5.8∏ x=.54 rotations .54*360=197.57 degrees
iii) 5.8∏x=20 x=20/5.8∏ x= 1.1 rotations 1.1*360= 395.14 degrees
iv) 5.8∏x=30 x=30/5.8∏ x=1.6 rotations 1.6* 360=592.7 degrees
v) d∏(r*360)=x
vi)No, it will only work with robots on wheels.
20. We can gauge exactly how far a number cm is, but it is harder to gauge a distance by rotations.
21. Every time the motor turns, the wheel turns as well. Therefore when the motor turns once, the wheel turns once.
22.i) 2.3∏(720/360)=14.5 cm
ii) No, the robots are not completely accurate.
23. It will go 4 times the distance.
24.i) 4.2∏(720/360)=26.4 cm 3∏(d/360)=26.4 d=1008.4 degrees
ii) It has no traction so it will not move correctly.
iii)It will have difficulty moving.
25. The team will have to change the programming to match the diameter for the new wheel. If you don't the robot will miscalculate distances.
26.i) d∏(360/360)=7.85 d=2.5 cm
ii)2.5∏(720/360)=x x=15.7 cm
27. i) d∏(2040/360)=65 d=3.7 cm
ii) d∏(1020/360)=65 d=7.3 cm
28. 2.7∏(9600/360)=x x=226.2 3in*(2.54cm/1in0=7.6cm 7.6∏(d/360)=226.2 d=3410.6
You need to change the degrees from 9600 to 8640.
2. C: 5.8∏cm
3. 2 rotations
4. 36.4cm
5. Trial 1: 35cm
Trial 2: 35.3cm
Trial 3: 35.2cm
6. i) no because this robot is not completely accurate all the time.
ii) 35.2 cm
iii) We can use the value to calculate the robot's precision and accuracy.
7. 3.3%
8. i) yes, it was relatively close.
ii) yes, it proved that the robot traveled a distance very close to our predicted value.
iii) no, in order to prove something, it needs to tested by more than just one set of trials.
9. The back wheels started the length of the robot behind the line. If you measured from the line to the back wheels, you would be leaving 1 length of the robot out of the measurement. It would not be the total distance traveled.
10. 3.1cm
11. 3.1∏cm
12. 2 rotations
13. 19.48cm
14. Trial 1: 19.1cm
Trial 2: 19.2cm
Trial 3: 19.4cm
15. 19.23cm
16. 1.28%
17. i)no, but it was very close
ii) No ,we have not gotten a set of trials exactly equal to the calculated value to absolutely prove it. Also only 2 sets of trials is not enough to prove a hypothesis, only support it.
iii) It could be proven by testing different robots with different wheels multiple times. Other people would also have to test it to see of they got the same results.
18. i) It supports it because while the values were not exactly what we calculated, they were very close every time.
ii) Based on this evidence, I would say that it is correct.
iii) We measured the diameter of the wheel and used it to calculate the circumference. We then multiplied the circumference by the number of rotations to get a total distance traveled. Finally we ran the robot and used a measuring stick to see how far the robot actually traveled.
19. i) D: 5.8cm therefore C: 5.8∏cm therefore 18.2cm/1rotation
ii)5.8∏x=10 x=10/5.8∏ x=.54 rotations .54*360=197.57 degrees
iii) 5.8∏x=20 x=20/5.8∏ x= 1.1 rotations 1.1*360= 395.14 degrees
iv) 5.8∏x=30 x=30/5.8∏ x=1.6 rotations 1.6* 360=592.7 degrees
v) d∏(r*360)=x
vi)No, it will only work with robots on wheels.
20. We can gauge exactly how far a number cm is, but it is harder to gauge a distance by rotations.
21. Every time the motor turns, the wheel turns as well. Therefore when the motor turns once, the wheel turns once.
22.i) 2.3∏(720/360)=14.5 cm
ii) No, the robots are not completely accurate.
23. It will go 4 times the distance.
24.i) 4.2∏(720/360)=26.4 cm 3∏(d/360)=26.4 d=1008.4 degrees
ii) It has no traction so it will not move correctly.
iii)It will have difficulty moving.
25. The team will have to change the programming to match the diameter for the new wheel. If you don't the robot will miscalculate distances.
26.i) d∏(360/360)=7.85 d=2.5 cm
ii)2.5∏(720/360)=x x=15.7 cm
27. i) d∏(2040/360)=65 d=3.7 cm
ii) d∏(1020/360)=65 d=7.3 cm
28. 2.7∏(9600/360)=x x=226.2 3in*(2.54cm/1in0=7.6cm 7.6∏(d/360)=226.2 d=3410.6
You need to change the degrees from 9600 to 8640.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Article Journal Post 8
This article is about the designing and testing of a robot that can perform medical procedures at a long distance. The robot is called the da Vinci system. It has four robotic arms and a high definition camera. This design and test were made specifically for an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist was sent into an operating room and told to perform an operation using da Vinci. The surgery was not on an actual person but an ultrasound dummy, showing the anesthesiologist only what he would se if he were performing on an actual patient. THe doctor was able to perform a successful test nerve block procedure. The robot allowed the anesthesiologist to identify nerve structures and position and inject a needle. Most of the "surgery" was performed by the da Vinci robot, however some of it had to be done manually. Overall, the simulated surgery was very successful.
Surgical Robot
While the da Vinci robot was very successful, there are some severe limitations to it. Firstly, the robot could not perform the entire surgery on its own. Some of the tasks had to be performed manually. Secondly, while the robot is very useful, it is also very expensive, making its widespread use currently unfeasible. Finally, the robot need to be adapted to use more materials commonly used in other surgeries. However, despite all of these flaws the da Vinci system is a great advancement. It will allow doctors to perform surgeries in other places in the world. Anesthesiologists, such as the one who performed the mock surgery are also in great demand around the world as the last article in the link below shows. This could help to curb the growing demand for doctors in many other places in the world who desperately need them. It could also be applied to assist soldiers who are injured and need help in another country. In short, if the robot could be made more efficient and practical, it could be a great asset in the future.
Anesthesiologists
Surgical Robot
While the da Vinci robot was very successful, there are some severe limitations to it. Firstly, the robot could not perform the entire surgery on its own. Some of the tasks had to be performed manually. Secondly, while the robot is very useful, it is also very expensive, making its widespread use currently unfeasible. Finally, the robot need to be adapted to use more materials commonly used in other surgeries. However, despite all of these flaws the da Vinci system is a great advancement. It will allow doctors to perform surgeries in other places in the world. Anesthesiologists, such as the one who performed the mock surgery are also in great demand around the world as the last article in the link below shows. This could help to curb the growing demand for doctors in many other places in the world who desperately need them. It could also be applied to assist soldiers who are injured and need help in another country. In short, if the robot could be made more efficient and practical, it could be a great asset in the future.
Anesthesiologists
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Article Journal 7
This article is about developing an artificial, touch sensitive material that would function as an artificial skin. However there were practical obstacles to overcome in developing this material. Previously, developers in this field had experimented with organic materials. This was due to the fact that organic materials are flexible and therefore more practical. However there is a problem with using organic materials. While flexible, these materials are poor conductors of electricity, forcing any device made from these materials to run on high voltages. These made the skin materials impractical. On the other hand, non organic materials were found to be good conductors of electricity. Unfortunately, these materials are inflexible, breaking and cracking under pressure. This left engineers no materials to work efficiently with. This led UC Berkeley engineers to develop this new product. It is made from inorganic materials, and is therefore able to conduct electricity. However this new material is made form this wires of the inorganic material and has been found to be very flexible, creating a viable product to create a touch sensitive skin from.
Engineers Make Artificial Skin out of Nanowires Article
The effort put into developing this skin was time well spent. This is because the skin has multiple realistic applications. Firstly, this robotic skin could be applied to other robots themselves. One problem with robots is that unlike humans who can sense are react to pressure and weight, robots have only been developed to react to the fact that there is some form of contact being made. They cannot judge how much pressure they should exert. In his article, researcher Toshiharu Mukai also states, "the robot cannot hold an infant in its arms without tactile sensors. When we hold an infant, we will try to feel the position where the pressure is located and control our arms accordingly. In the same manner, when the robot tries to hold an infant, it should control its arms by feeding back the information obtained from the tactile sensors. Without tactile sensors, the robot may hold a person in its arms so strongly that it may cause harm to the person. However, existing tactile sensors for robots can detect only simple tactile senses such as "struck" or "touched," and the accuracy of signals from the sensors are insufficient to use for feedback signals." The robotic skin could change all of this and make robots much more applicable to real life. Secondly, the robotic skin could be applied to humans in the future. People are always looking for ways to improve prosthetic limbs. This skin could allow people who have lost limbs to regain some function in using a prosthetic limb that could sense objects and react to them by exerting a reasonable amount of pressure and holding them. The only drawback to the artificial skin is that there is currently no way to mass produce it, however it is stated that its production has the potential to be scaled up.
Developing sensors that give intelligence to robots
Engineers Make Artificial Skin out of Nanowires Article
The effort put into developing this skin was time well spent. This is because the skin has multiple realistic applications. Firstly, this robotic skin could be applied to other robots themselves. One problem with robots is that unlike humans who can sense are react to pressure and weight, robots have only been developed to react to the fact that there is some form of contact being made. They cannot judge how much pressure they should exert. In his article, researcher Toshiharu Mukai also states, "the robot cannot hold an infant in its arms without tactile sensors. When we hold an infant, we will try to feel the position where the pressure is located and control our arms accordingly. In the same manner, when the robot tries to hold an infant, it should control its arms by feeding back the information obtained from the tactile sensors. Without tactile sensors, the robot may hold a person in its arms so strongly that it may cause harm to the person. However, existing tactile sensors for robots can detect only simple tactile senses such as "struck" or "touched," and the accuracy of signals from the sensors are insufficient to use for feedback signals." The robotic skin could change all of this and make robots much more applicable to real life. Secondly, the robotic skin could be applied to humans in the future. People are always looking for ways to improve prosthetic limbs. This skin could allow people who have lost limbs to regain some function in using a prosthetic limb that could sense objects and react to them by exerting a reasonable amount of pressure and holding them. The only drawback to the artificial skin is that there is currently no way to mass produce it, however it is stated that its production has the potential to be scaled up.
Developing sensors that give intelligence to robots
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