60 SERVO 12.2016
When you’re thinking of robots in the future, the first type that
probably comes to mind is a bipedal
humanoid servant robot, similar to
what we’ve seen in the movies for
many decades. Step aside from a
whimsical wish of a home robot and
imagine this scenario. You’re on a hike
in the woods outside of your city and
are hiking on a one meter wide path
with a friend. Your friend suddenly
tells you that he doesn’t feel well, and
grabs his chest and struggles to sit
down and recline against a tree. For a
second, you don’t know what to do.
Then, you remember that you
downloaded an app on your phone
called ‘Drone-Delivered AED.’ You
finger through your apps and come to
that particular one and hit the
emergency button image.
An AED (Automated External
Defibrillator) is a portable electronic
device shown in use in Figure 1 that
automatically diagnoses the
life-threatening cardiac
arrhythmias of ventricular
fibrillation and tachycardia in a
patient, and then is able to
treat them through
defibrillation (the application of
electrical ‘shocks’ sent through
the skin to stop the
arrhythmia), allowing the heart
to reestablish an effective
rhythm.
A few moments later, you
hear a voice on your phone, “I
Is the sky above you open for the
drone that is coming your way?” You
look up and reply, “Yes, it is about 25
meters open at the tree tops but the
path is only a meter or two wide with
brush on both sides.” “That is no
problem, sir. The AED drone will soon
be there. Keep your phone on and
hold it above your head. The drone
will land near you.” You then inform
“the voice” that you downloaded and
viewed the instruction video when you
received the app, so you feel
comfortable using the drone’s AED.
You soon hear the buzzing of the
drone as it slowly lands on the clear
pathway. The graph in Figure 2
shows just how critical it is to rapidly
begin the defibrillation process,
though few of us will be lucky enough
to be near an AED if a heart attack
occurs. A voice emanates from the
drone and you realize that the voice is
a real person. “This is Jackie from Fire
Station number 12. Move the drone
over by the patient; the props will not
move. Is the patient breathing?”
“No,” you say, “but I’ve been
performing CPR on him.” “That is
good. Do you detect a heartbeat?” “I
don’t think so, but I’m not sure.” “No
problem, sir. Did you view the
instruction video that comes with the
app?” “Yes,” you tell her.
“Great. I will instruct you
on how to pull out the
electrodes and where to place
them. Quickly remove the
clothing from the patient’s
chest. Pull out the two
electrodes and remove the
red-tabbed plastic covering
from one electrode and stick it
firmly about three centimeters
or one inch above the
patient’s right nipple. Remove
the plastic from the second
electrode and place it the
by Tom Carroll g{xÇ Now a n d
TWCarroll@aol.com
Robots of the Future
I was recently on vacation and happened to see two TV commercials presented right after each
other touting robots and the future. One was by the job site, Indeed.com about booming jobs in
the future of robotics. The other was by OppenheimerFunds, implying that people feel that
robots can be inhuman, cold, and heartless as depicted in three scenes, and yet beautiful, as in
another scene where a humanoid robot was shown helping a senior with her meal. The ad
stated: "At OppenheimerFunds, we find beauty in disruption. We challenge perceptions about
robots, revealing not only the investment opportunity, but how robots will change how we live
for the better." All facets of life are now looking at robots for use in the future.
Figure 1. An AED defibrillator. Electrodes applied
and hands away from the patient.
Figure 2. Ambulance drone responds to an emergency cardiac
arrest call.