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The smartest people in the world have spent millions of dollars trying to develop high-tech robots. Even though technology has come a long way, these humanoid robots are nowhere close to having the "brain" and motor control of a human. Why is that? A MIT scientist explains the motor control processes in the human brain, and how cutting-edge research is trying to implement it in robots. Part of the "Science Out Loud" series.
(Source: DCMP)
NASA robotics engineer Sandeep Yayathi explains how he designs and builds humanoid robots that can work alongside astronauts. Part of the "Design Squad Nation" series.
Almost fifty years ago the first industrial robot was "employed" in an automobile assembly plant. Robots are regularly used for hazardous, super-heavy and difficult tasks in manufacturing, agriculture, entertainment, medicine, and space exploration. Welding robots with touch sensing and seam tracking abilities increase assembly plant efficiency, while robotic surgery results in less pain, quicker recovery and shorter hospital stays. NASAs robotic rovers Spirit and Opportunity are mapping the terrain and searching for evidence of water on Mars. Honda Motor Company's humanoid robot, ASIMO, can walk, run, recognize people and identify sounds and voices.
With support from the National Science Foundation, the RoMeLa Lab at Virginia Tech is developing robots to perform a wide variety of tasks and to eventually be able to move and think on their own. The robots in Dennis Hong’s lab climb walls, negotiate bumpy terrain, and type letters.
Step into the future of medicine with a look at the surgical robotics being developed at the Johns Hopkins Engineering Research Center for Computer-Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology. Here, engineers are designing less invasive surgical techniques and robots that a decade ago may have seemed like science fiction. Many of these techniques are leading to significantly quicker and less painful recoveries while giving surgeons more flexibility than ever before.
Assembly line workers won’t be swapping stories with their robotic counterparts any time soon, but future robots will be more aware of the humans they’re working alongside. With support from the National Science Foundation, roboticist and aerospace engineer Julie Shah and her team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing next generation assembly line robots that are smarter and more adaptable than robots available on today’s assembly lines. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
With support from the National Science Foundation, researchers at Stanford University and the University of California, Santa Barbara are building soft robots inspired by vines. The team is also engineering vine robots with the ability to configure themselves into 3-D structures, such as manipulators and antennae for communication. Part of the "Science Nation" series.
The image of a rat sniffing around for food with its little whiskers moving back and forth to help satisfy its appetite is enough to make most people lose theirs. But those whiskers play a valuable role in helping rats determine what is in the environment around them. With support from the National Science Foundation, Mitra Hartmann and colleagues at Northwestern University in Chicago are constructing whiskered robots that can detect and then project three-dimensional virtual images of objects on to a computer screen. Scientists here don't think it's so far-fetched that one day robotic rovers, much like the ones on Mars now, might contain a set of whiskers to help them navigate the terrain around them.
Will robots replace humans? Revolutionary new machines are being designed and built for the workplace of tomorrow. Along with visiting robotic labs around the world, this production explores robot-human psychology and tests out an exoskeleton, a robot that you can strap on and wear.
Bilge Mutlu, a computer scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison knows a thing or two about the psychology of body language. With support from the National Science Foundation, Mutlu and his fellow computer scientist, Michael Gleicher, take a gaze into the behavior of humans and create algorithms to reproduce it in robots and animated characters. Both Mutlu and Gleicher are betting that there will be significant benefits to making robots and animated characters look more like humans.
With support from the National Science Foundation, mechanical and computer engineer Nilanjan Sarkar and psychologist Zachary Warren at Vanderbilt University have developed a learning environment for kids with autism, built around state-of-the-art technologies. One of those state-of-the-art technologies is a humanoid robot, nicknamed Russell, who works with the children on their ability to imitate others. The robot has some of the characteristics of a human, but it’s not as complex, so it doesn’t overstimulate or overwhelm a child with autism.
Northwestern University Mechanical Engineering professor Todd Murphey and his team are engineering robots to mimic humans. With support from the National Science Foundation, the team is using algorithms to enhance a robot’s ability to adapt to human behaviors. Part of the "Science Nation" series.
Cubelets are magnetic, electronic building blocks, each with a small computer inside, that can be connected in many different ways to move around a table, follow a hand signal, turn on a light, play sounds, or do many other creative tasks. They were developed by Eric Schweikardt and his team at Modular Robotics, with support from the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. These 21st century building blocks are meant to help kids learn about the basics of robotics while boosting their confidence to solve problems.
This project envisions a future where 3-D robotic systems can be produced and designed using 2-D desktop technology fabrication methods. If this feat is achieved, it would be possible for the average person to design, customize, and print a specialized robot in a matter of hours. This new project would completely automate the process, from sketches on-demand, anywhere, and with the skill of a team of professional engineers, leading to potential transformations in advanced manufacturing. The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, known as CSAIL is focused on conducting groundbreaking research in artificial intelligence, computer systems, and the theory of computation, while also tackling pressing societal challenges such as education, health care, manufacturing and transportation. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
Research engineers and students in the University of California, Los Angeles, Biomechatronics Lab are designing artificial limbs to be more sensational, with the emphasis on sensation. With support from the National Science Foundation, the team, led by mechanical engineer Veronica J. Santos, is constructing a language of touch that both a computer and a human can understand. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”
Can we trust the robots of the future? Explores the world of artificial intelligence, taking us into labs and workshops where innovators teach robots to perceive, think, and move just like human beings.
Robotics is gaining more and more ground in all areas of everyday life. It is increasingly common to see robots in the industrial field, in the workplace, or just being used for fun. Recently, robots have found their place in the educational field. This episode traces the evolution of robots and discusses the technological advances made in the world of robotics.
The inventions of the 1960s were all about transforming science fiction into fact. Robots, satellites and a trip to the moon help make what was once only fantasy, become a reality. Featured inventions include: the Lunar Lander, weather satellites, video game consoles, Tasers, and industrial robots.
Provides an overview of how robots are currently being used and what advances can be expected in the future. Imagine tiny micro bots cleaning a classroom, mini robots retrieving library videos, or a "smart house" that will be automated to take care of an entire family.
It's likely one day there will be robots crawling around that look a lot like caterpillars. With funding from the National Science Foundation, Tufts Biology Professor Barry Trimmer is researching the neuromechanics of caterpillars. The applications for this research include the development of soft-bodied robots for use in medicine, environmental safety, industry, and defense.
