By using information about specific ethical dilemmas supplied to them by ethicists, computers can effectively “learn” ethical principles in a process called machine learning. A team of researchers programmed Nao robot (toddler-sized robot we wrote about in our article about RoboCup 2009) with an ethical principle that was discovered by a computer. This learned principle ... »
Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) robot called Tethys spent most of October crisscrossing Monterey Bay as part of Monterey Bay Aquatic Research Institute (MBARI) CANON experiment where oceanographers used it to track patches of microscopic algae that were carried around the bay by currents. During this experiment, the robot showed that it could travel fast enough ... »
We mostly take it for granted, but human hand is amazing because it enables us to interact with many objects with ease. Opting for simple elegance, researchers from Cornell University, the University of Chicago and iRobot Corp. have created a versatile gripper using everyday ground coffee and a latex party balloon, bypassing traditional designs based ... »
After months of calibrations and testing, the newest member of the Equipment Specifications and Certifications team at the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) is a state-of-the-art ball-throwing robot named E.A.R.L. (Enhanced Automated Robotic Launcher), which is designed to be able to simulate any type of bowling style with an accuracy and consistency on the lanes ... »
Lightning-fast connections between robotic limbs and the human brain may be within reach for amputees. Funded by a Department of Defense initiative dedicated to audacious challenges and intense time schedules, the SMU engineers from Neurophotonics Research Center will develop two-way fiber optic communication between prosthetic limbs and peripheral nerves. Successful completion of the fiber optic ... »
Berkeley Bionics developed the first practical exoskeleton and the first untethered exoskeleton in the world. Later on, through a licensed agreement with Lockheed Martin Corporation, they came up with HULC exoskeleton which is meant for military use. A few days ago they unveiled similarly looking eLEGS, a wearable, artificially intelligent, bionic device that powers paraplegics ... »
Panasonic has been committed to the research and development of robots that assist people, both of those who give and receive health care and welfare services, in order to make everyday living safe, secure and comfortable. They have announced the development of an electric care assistance bed with an integrated wheelchair and a hair-washing robot ... »
