As I am sure your mother told you, dogs are a huge responsibility to take care of, and if you don’t have the time, chances are you do not have the energy. But, this does not deter many people from getting dogs anyways. For this reason, the company Go-Go Dog Pals has created an interactive dog toys that run on energy that is not your own.
The latest Go-Go Dog Pals creation is a remote control car designed to withstand the predatory chase of the dog. This is not your ordinary dog toy, it comes with a dual 280mm high torque motors, its 4 wheel drive, double suspension so it can be driven on many terrains. The chassis resembles a groundhog, and is made of a smooth durable plastic. The most impressive feature, it can go as fast as 21 mph.
The idea is that you sit back have fun controlling the Go-Go Dog Pal while watching your dog go crazy in the chase. It is difficult to actually catch the toy because of its smooth chassis except for its tail. But if your dog does catch the antenna tail, it only weighs 3.9 pounds so there is no worries of pulling it out. Even if Rufus does fulfill its killer instinct, all parts are replaceable.
The remote uses a long distance 2.4 GHz digital radio control system and the Go-Go Pal comes with a rechargeable Ni-Cd battery and a cool $300 price tag. We love our dogs, so what is $300?
As a generous charity for a fundraiser, one brave soul has volunteered to have his head shaved by a robot with three arms (looks similar to Dr. Octopus' extra arms from Spider-Man). The robot is a Multi-Armed Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV ), and was being controlled from an operator through a computer. The charity was for St. Baldrick's Foundation to help cure child hood cancer and the robotics firm helping with the fundraiser and providing their own robot for use was Intelligent Automation, Inc.
The program did a little more than raise money for charity. It demonstrated the flexibility to carry out tasks for their UGV robot. The robot yields three arms, all equipped with cameras, and 29 degrees of freedom. The camera and arm arrangement allows the user to move the arms relative to various frames of reference. As a result, the robot is capable of carrying out tasks that require complex movements and manipulations to objects.
The UGV used has many purposes it can serve. It has shown the ability to handle tools, inspect backpacks, tie knots, breach doors, and IDE disarming. Although the robot gave a far from perfect haircut, it gave a perfect example of how far along robots have come. Not to mention they did have a robot set up for emotional support and one to clean up the hair on the ground. Maybe next time a robot can wash our hair for us too.
The days of the old RC car are certainly fading, especially when you see the RC helicopters and quad-copters showing no constraint to the ground. Like many other RC toys, three new controllable vehicles from Swann allow control via iDevices (iPad, iPod and iPhone). Swann has three new helicopters, the iFly Micro Lightning, the SkyEye and the Black Swann that will grant you this level of fun and more for less than $100.
All three helicopters include dual joystick IR remotes that require 6 AA batteries but can also be controlled using and iDevice with the included attachment and Swann application. They come with lithium batteries that can be recharged from the remotes or with an included USB cable from a PC. They all have Swann’s Easy-fly Gyro Technology, trim adjustment for stabilization to maximize performance during the 8-minute flight allowed by a charge.
For those of you with an agenda, two of the helicopters have onboard wireless cameras that take pictures and video on remote command. The SkyEye includes 512 MB of memory while the Black Swann has space for a 32 GB micro SD card. These two helicopters have 27 MHz frequency controllers that range for 110 ft.
The iFly Micro Lightning goes for $69.99 and the SkyEye and Black Swann sell for $99.99. Added rotors and a helipad game are included for inevitable accidents and to practice before you embark on your first adventure.
Below is an example of the video output of these helicopters. Seems usable.
Kmel Robotics may have one of the best promotions for their future flagship product, the mini quad-copter, via a collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania's GRASP Lab. The demonstration shows a series of synchronized flying patterns. The video gives the illusion of autonomous swam behavior. At the moment, both Kmel and GRASP are not letting out any information on the project.
The University of Pennsylvania researchers Alex Kushleyev, Daniel Mellinger, and Vijay Kumar put these quad-copters to the test. As the video shows, it was a very successful project. Like small remote control helicopters, we all received one Christmas in the past, these quad-copters will have a very limited battery power source. This is the only information released at the moment. As more develops, I will report back immediately.
The Nao Robot, part of the MyRobot connected site (Via Nao)
A social network for robots has gone live. MyRobots.com hopes to connect bots and smart web-enabled objects together in a type of "cloud robotics." The goal is to augment devices capabilities by off-loading computation or other task to the "cloud." This pushes robots beyond their physical and software limitations.
Users of the service can create apps to aid in adding to a bot's function. For example, a robot has a camera but does nothing with it but stream video. A cloud based app would give this bot image recognition, navigation, object tracking and the like to that image.
Once the owner's bot is connected to MyRobots.com, it can be monitored via the web, sent commands, return updates, and run custom applications. At the moment only a handful of robots are compatible with the social network. However, Arduino based devices and PCs can connect to the system.
A serial to Ethernet gateway allows most non-connected bots to hop on the network. At $77 USD a piece, connecting various old "dumb-bots" may have to wait.
My question, can a virtual robot connect to MyRobots? If so, can improvements be made to the virtual-bot?
The applications of robots as solutions to different psychological problems are just now being explored. A recent project in Japan is currently working to find robotic solutions to mental ailments suffered by its elderly, which makeup 20% of Japans total population. Masayoshi Kanoh, professor at Chukyo University in Japan, has developed a doll with the intent of providing therapeutic interaction older people suffering from depression or dementia. He calls his creating Babyloid. Like the name suggests, this robot simulates the actions and behavior of a baby in hope of providing elderly users with a sense of purpose.
Aesthetically, Babyloid has a fluffy cover and a robotic cartoonish face that can express emotions. The mouth is able to change shape to express smiles or frowns, the eyes have moving eyelids and even its arms move to resemble a human baby. It is 17 inches long and weighs about 4.8 pounds. (It looks cumbersome.)
Some Babyloid expressions (via Robonable)
Just like an infant, Babyloid cries, laughs and falls asleep when rocked back and fourth. It produces more than 100 sounds all of which are recordings of Kanoh’s daughter when she was a baby.
The robot can sense its surroundings because it features accelerometers, temperature, touch, pyro-electric and light sensors that allow it to react to its environment. Red and blue led lights embedded in the face, along with facial expressions and sounds, allow the user to know when Babyloid is happy or sad.
Babyloid at the moment is being used to conduct research in nursing homes throughout Japan.
The prototype so far has cost about $25,000 USD, and Kanoh expects to make around 10 more prototypes in the next two years. He estimates the final product to cost around $1,300 USD if it hits the market, however, there are currently no plans to for distribution outside of Japan.
"Woah, I'm ready to recognize myself." - Qbo, a robot
In a mission to make a robot that could "self-recognize himself autonomously when found in front of [a] mirror," Francisco Paz created "Qbo." The bot is set up with stereoscopic vision via two cameras, ultrasonic sensors, IR, speakers, LCD, head and base movement, and packed with object recognition software and Robot Operating System components. The algorithms "SURF" and "Bag of Words" are used through the OpenPV library to analyze images. "Festival" Speech Synthesis System from The Centre for Speech Technology Research (University of Edinburgh) is used to handle speaking. Julius handles the speech recognition. Among these is a plethora of other open-source software packages, too many to name.
In the experiment, Qbo images itself, and then was asked to analyze itself again in the mirror. It learned what it looked like, and then identified. I imagine, if Qbo saw another Qbo, it would say "hey, it's me." A conversation between two Qbos is sure to be like something out of the movie Total Recall.
Qbo is cloud connected, always expanding, in different colors, a mobile app. Paz has created quite the product microcosm. See more at the Qbo blog.
Paz created several companies, and thanks to the sale of one of them he is able to spend most of his time on developing Qbo. Doing what you want, is the dream of every engineer. Take inspiration from Qbo and Paz, get out there and create your own microcosm.
As we prepare for wars fought with robots, it is comforting to know that at least half of the people fighting will be safe at home. The US army's Long Distance Tele-Operation (LDTO) system allows for military robots to be controlled at any distance using cellular radio and secure web portals. That is right, a person from their home living room can operate a bot on the other side of the globe.
The LDTO was developed at the US military's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Centre (TARDEC). The interface for the remote operators is designed to mimic the standard control systems used in today's standard line-of-sight ground robot interface. An Electrical Engineer in the project, Ty Valashcho, explained, "While UAS are flying in theater, they're being controlled from here [The Ground Vehicle Robotics (GVR) Systems Integration Laboratory]. Our task within GVR was to see if we could get that capability working and be able to drive it using all in-house assets."
The biggest challenge for the LDTO system comes from Internet latency. The unpredictable nature of the connection could give single digit millisecond response time, or several seconds. Valascho continued, "If the robot's moving at full speed and you're trying to negotiate around something, even a half-second delay can make a huge difference. Latency is a problem, and the fact that we're going over the Internet adds another challenge, because it's not constant latency. This is a variable latency, so sometimes the delays are very great and sometimes there's very little delay. We're trying different techniques to minimize the effect on the user."
Like in competitive video games, the latency (ping time) can make all the difference in a real-time situation. If anyone has watched the film "The Hurt Locker," they will understand how valuable keeping people out of harm's way can truly be.
From the creators of BigDog and AlphaDog comes the most advanced humanoid robot to date, the Protection Ensemble Test Mannequin (PETMAN). This bot is designed to move with the same limitations of the human body. PETMAN was designed to be of average weight and size, at just under 6' tall it weighs 180 pounds. Even though this bot costs $26.3 million USD, funding from DARPA, its supposed will make all the development feel like a waste.
PETMAN was designed to test military uniforms. The bot simulates breathing, temperature, sweating, with a full range of human motion and can maintain its own balance just to make sure the BDUs of the troops fit? I am dubious of their claim. The bot's creating company, Boston Dynamics, stated that PETMAN may be used in hazardous areas and environments like floods, Fukushima, etc. A common claim for most advanced robotics.
The immediate question, will it be weaponized? Unfortunately, it is too expensive versus human soldiers to be a replacement. However it does mark the first step towards truly useful humanoid robots.
I remember seeing the original PETMAN prototype a few years ago. The project has come a long way.
Sometimes we cannot even spare 5 minutes to read an article, let alone 10 to watch a video.
Here is the article's highlight:
● Tim Hemmes, a paralyzed volunteer, was able to move a robotic arm via electrodes directly connected to his brain.
● Researchers in the project plan on piecing the brain to get a better reading, and using multiple sensors.
● The study was conducted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute.
For those who do have time, continue below:
“I put my heart and soul into everything they asked me to do. I got to reach out and touch somebody for the first time in seven years.” - Tim Hemmes, who was paralyzed after a motorcycle accident.
Tim Hemmes was part of a ground-breaking experiment at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute. The researchers applied an electrocortigraphy (ECoG) grid of electrodes directly on a section of Hemmes brain. Through the use of thought, Hemmes could move a robotic arm and high-five his girlfriend. (See the heartwarming video above.)
On August 25th, UPMC neurosurgeon Elizibeth Tyler-Kabara placed the grid on his brain in about 2 hours. She explained the operation, "Before the procedure, we conducted several functional imaging tests to determine where his brain processed signals for moving his right arm. We removed a small piece of his skull and opened the thick layer of protective dura mater beneath it to place the grid over that area of motor cortex. We then put the dura and skull back with the wires on the outside of the skull but under the scalp.” Dr. Tyler-Kabara routed all the ECoG wires down to exit through Hemmes chest for connection to the various computers.
For 6 days a week, over the course of 4 weeks, Hemmes was tested and monitored. The first tests were for Hemmes to navigate and move virtual objects. After some time of watching a virtual avatar move an arm, he learned what he needed to think of to move everything properly. After a short time, he move virtual objects around the screen fairly accurately. However, it was not a "think of your arm moving, and it will move its arm" type of control. Instead, he would think of his thumb moving, that would signify move left, and move an elbow is meant for move right.
Assistant professor and co-principal investigator Wei Wang explained, "He mentally associated specific motor imageries with desired movement direction. It required concentration and patience, but this process seemed to get easier for him with practice, just like when someone learns to drive a car with a manual transmission. In future studies, we also will test other approaches, including the participant simply thinking up for up, down for down, and so on.”
After eight sessions, Hemmes was able to move the ball in three dimensions on a 3D television. This movement technique was applied to a robotic arm built by John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The rest is explained in the following video.
The next step for the research team is a 10-by-10 array of electrode points that pierce the brain and seek to monitor 100 different neurons (points go in about 0.1" ~2.54mm). This device will attempt to monitor the area of the brain that is responsible for hand movement. Co-principal investigator, Professor Andrew Schwartz explained the goal, "We anticipate that these penetrating grids can pick up very clear signals from the brain to reveal what motion is intended by the participant. The second grid will allow us to see what might be possible in controlling the fine movement of the fingers and hand, which is far more complicated but also could offer more useful function for the participant.”
The penetrating grid is already showing good results in live monkey testing. One monkey was able to move a robotic arm to grab and feed itself a marshmallow treat.
Furthermore, the team plans to investigate the use of sensors, possible on the robotic arm, to send feedback to the operator's brain. They also plan on exploring a way to bypass failed injuries to stimulate the muscle fibers in hand and arms. They are not the only ones with this idea.
Unfortunately, Tim Hemmes had the device removed from the skull after the 30-day trial. Whether he will be part of phase two or not is unsure. I will be sure to follow this research.
Eavesdropper
There are many new developments in electroencephalography (EEG), the recording of electrical activity of the brain.
RED cameras are widely known to have changed the film industry due to their high level of quality for an extremely low price. The price, $7,000 for the cheapest model, has enabled many independent film makers to produce cinema quality films for many years. The up and coming major Hollywood films The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hobbit, and Avatar 2 will use RED cameras.
A new accessory for RED cameras may now make boom-crane and other equipment in the film industry obsolete. Berlin based OMSTUDIOS has just announced their RED Epic camera remote controlled drone, the OM-Copter. The heart of the bot is a octo-copter, a custom-designed 8-propeller based helicopter with controllable camera gimbals. This is not the first time a camera has been put on a flying robot, but it is the first time that the camera is this level professional grade. The Om-Copter can reach a height of 150 meters in 15 minutes but is limited to the actual range the wireless signals can reach (typically 100 meters).
OMSTUDIO stated that the days of cranes and real helicopter usage for filming are numbered. I like the fact that independent film makers have the opportunity to achieve a shot they never could without renting some contraption. However, no price has been mentioned for the OM-Copter. I will have to hold my accolades for later.
The BigDog quadruped robotics platform from Boston Dynamics, has been upsized. The new bot, named AlphaDog, can now carry 400 lbs (181kg) for a distance of 20 miles (32km), in contrast to the formers 340 lbs (154kg) and 12 miles (19km).
At a key note speech, the Boston Dynamic President Marc Raibert showed off the AlphaDog and its features. Designed to be a squad support carrier, the AlphaDog (AKA the LS3 Legged Squad Support System) can last up to 24 hours on a single charge. Eventually, on board computer vision and GPS will allow the LS3 to travel to destinations without any further control. The platform will take 30 months to complete. The first scheduled test will take place in 2012.
Cost to payload ratio on the AlphaDog/LS3 cannot beat a vehicle, I am sure. The question sits, under what circumstances will the LS3 be used?
Watch the ending of the video where the AlphaDog gets up from being knocked down. I fear that this bot shows the future of ground combat. Regular troops would have a hard time dealing with such a machine. Especially with what looks like a giant gun embedded in its body.
For those who do not know about the original BigDog platform, take a look at the follow video.
There are some products that are on the verge of great, but miss the mark somehow. I feel the new ROBOCUT mower/worker bot from McConnel may just fit into that category. This bot is at its core a 40hp Isuzu engine with peripherals built around it. Like a little mini-tank, it can handle a lot of terrains, and delivers most of its power on the tracks. The main feature is its remote control.
The wireless controller operates in the 863-870 Mhz range with a maximum distance of 150 meters. (That is old channels 80, 81, and 82 on the old analog television frequencies). The bot itself can travel up to 7km/h (4 mph), which is an arduously slow pace to anyone who has mowed a lawn before. Of course, the controller is laden with various potentiometer adjustment knobs.
Being a big remote control car is the extent of the ROBOCUT. At its price, $60,000 USD, I would have liked to see some autonomous activity in the system. For example, cutting a large perimeter and the bot then spirals to the center on its own.
As autonomous robots mature to be usable in rescue situations, the need for human control is still omni-present. Microsoft (MS) is bringing their "Surface" technology for use in control application through the Microsoft Robotics Studio.
At the University of Massachusetts, Lowell (UML) robotics lab, Holly Yanco and Mark Micire are taking their Dynamically Resizing Ergonomic and Multi-Touch (DREAM) controller developed since 2008 to a new level with the MS Surface. The MS Surface is a large table like interactive scream capable handling dozens of simultaneous inputs from multiple users. By using this tech, greater dexterity and control is possible over the robots.
Though the team boasts the admirable "emergency response" usage of the controller and the bots, practical use is far away. Only recently have the team switched from virtual to real world robot control. The world can use everything they can get. I hope to see more from UML.
Only image of Ernie Fessenden's RC truck (via Sergeant Chris Fessenden)
In a gesture of brotherly love and DIY finesse, Ernie Fessenden built an RC truck with a built in camera to keep his bother safe in Afghanistan. His brother, Sergeant Chris Fessenden, routinely used this “Traxxis Stampede RC truck” in the battle field. The RC truck’s hood mounted camera sent a video relay to an LCD that Sergeant Chris Fessenden had attached to his rifle. When an object in the road looked suspicious, the RC truck would be deployed.
During one such incident, the truck was sent out to investigate an area. During the investigation, the RC truck triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) intended to be used on Sergeant Fessenden’s convoy. All soldiers were saved from the 500 pounds of explosives, but the $500 dollar RC truck was lost. Ernie Fessenden has already sent another replacement. He is a good brother.
What troubles me in this story is the fact that a home-made device is all the group of soldiers had to investigate a possible trap. I think something like this RC truck should be in every military vehicle. Are a handful of lives not worth $500? If I had Ernie Fessenden’s plans for his truck, I would gladly build a few.
