CATCH SOME JOE
The DLR’s (German Aerospace Agency) flagship robot,
Rollin’ Justin, can now catch balls thrown in its direction
with more than 80% accuracy. The robot is able to track
and calculate the flight path of two balls thrown towards it
simultaneously. It can reliably position its hands to within 2
cm of the ball’s estimated catch point in space in just five
milliseconds. This task is so intense that Justin must make
use of external computers to handle some of the
processing, but it’s only a matter of time before robots will
have onboard computers that can do this kind of job with
no strings attached. It seems the notion of a household
robot that can play catch with the kids or dog isn’t too
farfetched.
Justin can also prepare a cup of coffee using a standard
coffee machine. He relies on the tactile sensors in his
fingertips to detect what his eyes may not be able to see
clearly.
DEPLOYING FOR DONATIONS
Tim Pryde — a 21 year old Product Design student graduating from
the University of Dundee, Scotland — has created a coin-powered robot
called DON-8r (pronounced “donator”). The little robot can be deployed
anywhere, playfully scooting around whenever someone gives it a
donation. “DON-8r navigates obstacles as it moves about on a random
path for a set length of time. It then waves its flag, calls for assistance,
and pulses with colored light until it receives another donation from a
passer-by.Always polite, DON-8r thanks the generosity and repeats its
journey.”
The idea is to curb the negative attitudes people may harbor
towards human solicitors with something a bit more fun and unusual. Currently, the robot has been raising money and
awareness for the Dundee Science Center, but it can easily be re-branded to suit any charity.
FRIENDLY FRIDA
ABB — a powerful Swiss automation company — has
designed a new concept robot called FRIDA (Friendly Robot
for Industrial Dual-arm Assembly) that can work safely
alongside people. It’s remarkably small and lightweight
compared to the other robots in its category. In fact, it can be
mounted on a standard workbench or hung from a wall. It can
even be carried by its handle. For improved safety, it is covered
in soft padding, has internal wiring, and lacks pinch points that
can potentially trap fingers. It also has limited power and speed,
meaning it won’t break your arm if it accidentally elbows you.
Each arm has seven degrees of freedom and an end effector
with fingers and suction that can manipulate small parts.
Programming is made easier thanks to automatic collision
detection software that prevents the robot from moving in
such a way that it could damage itself.
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