www.servomagazine.com/index.php?/magazine/article/october2010_Robytes
Now, research has shown that if the water is no warmer
than about 70°F ( 21°C) and the souse is dragged out within
90 minutes, he has a good chance of being revived.
Fortunately, the Derbyshire crew is usually able to reach a
potential victim in as little as 10 minutes. The problem is
that because of strong currents and near-zero visibility they
can’t locate the bodies soon enough. SARbot solves the
problem by incorporating a Gemini imaging sonar system,
bright LED illumination, and video enhancement. It also
features a set of jaws that clamp onto the individual’s arm
or leg to allow personnel to drag him back to shore. In field
trials, it was shown that the ROV system can be deployed in
less than three minutes, so we can expect that, over time,
many otherwise doomed, ale-soaked Brits will live to see
another opening time. I’ll certainly drink to that.
Bot Swings Its
Way to the Top
One of the few
gymnastic exercises
yours truly was ever
good at is rope
climbing which
actually requires
very little strength if
you simply swing
back and forth, and
grab a higher place
on the rope with
each oscillation.
Now, some
engineers at the
University of Utah
( www.utah.edu)
have employed the
same concept in
creating the ROCR
Oscillating Climbing
Robot. As described
in a recent issue of
Transactions on
Mechatronics, the device uses two claws, a motor, and a
pendulum-like tail to crawl up an eight-foot carpeted wall in
a little over 15 seconds. According to designer William
Provancher, most climbing robots are designed primarily to
avoid falling, and efficiency (i.e., ratio of work performed to
the electrical energy consumed) is not a major
consideration. ROCR, on the other hand, achieved 20
percent efficiency in climbing tests which is nearly as good
as an automobile engine. Because the world doesn’t
contain all that many carpeted walls, ROCR probably
Mechanical engineer William
Provancher watches ROCR climb
a carpeted wall. Photo by Mark
Fehlberg, University of Utah.
doesn’t have much practical use. However, future work will
be aimed at integrating more complex gripping mechanisms
so it can also climb on such substances as brick and
sandstone, as well as boosting efficiency. According to
Provancher, “Higher climbing efficiencies will extend the
battery life of a self-contained, autonomous robot and
expand the variety of tasks the robot can perform.”
Bot Exoskeleton Eliminates Wheelchairs
In the early 1990s, engineers Richard Little and Robert
Irving, for some unspecified reason, left their native
Scotland and emigrated to New Zealand. Because both of
their mothers use wheelchairs, they had a working
knowledge of the related issues and obstacles. Then, when
Irving was diagnosed with MS about seven years ago, they
decided to put their expertise to work to develop a better
alternative. With support from a couple venture capital
firms, they formed Rex Bionics ( www.rexbionics.com)
and developed the Rex Robotic Exoskeleton which is
basically a pair of legs that allow the wearer to stand,
walk, go up and down stairs, and so on via a joystick
control. This is not a simple thing to accomplish; in fact,
4,700+ parts go into the package. According to neurologist
Dr. Richard Roxburgh, "For many of my patients, Rex
represents the first time they've been able to stand up and
walk for years. There are obvious immediate benefits in
terms of mobility, improved social interaction, and self-image. There are also
likely to be major long-term health and quality
of life benefits through
reducing the
complications of being
in a wheelchair all the
time." After the
company concludes
required testing, it will
be marketed initially in
Europe and Australia.
FDA approval for US
sales will come later.
The hefty price tag,
reportedly about
$150,000 USD, includes
two weeks of training
at the Rex Bionics
facility in Auckland. SV
The Rex Robotic
Exoskeleton allows
wheelchair-disabled
individuals to walk again.
SERVO 10.2010 9