Robots clear bombs the wireless way
A robot controlled by wireless technology could be used to control bomb disposal and security reconnaissance vehicles, its Australian creator says.
Dr Jun Jo, a senior lecturer at Griffith University, created the prototype of a 'bomb removal car' with postgraduate students.
The robotic car is controlled by Bluetooth wireless networking technology, which potentially allows an operator to stay at a safe distance while sending the vehicle into a hazardous situation.
A video camera mounted onto the front of the robot streams images back to the operator.
The operator can then direct the robot to a particular location, identify a suspicious package and scoop it up with an in-built shovel.
"Through a camera I can see what the robot sees and with Bluetooth I can control it within 100 metres," says Jo.
At 20 centimetres long, the robotic vehicle is about the size of a child's model car.
"It looks like a toy at this stage, but I want to build a larger one," he says.
Bluetooth networking is commonly used to link computers and mobiles to peripheral devices. But Jo says there are also many potential applications for Bluetooth and robotics, not just in dangerous situations.
"I am looking at applications in both the security industry and in
entertainment," says Jo, who also runs the university's robotics and games research laboratory.
"Robotics and games share many qualities in their control methods and
algorithms," he says. "I feel in the near future there will be more
applications for robots in the games industry."
Robotic football, for example, is a concept that enthusiasts already explore using teams of four-legged players: Sony Aibo robot dogs.
Meanwhile, mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson is exploring using Bluetooth applications for fun, such as a tiny toy car that can be controlled by mobile phone.
In March the company also unveiled a remote-controlled digital camera on wheels called ROB-1. The camera can be steered from a mobile and sends a video stream back to handset, so the owner can decide what pictures to shoot.
Problems with video
There are limitations to the quality of video people can expect from Bluetooth, says Jo.
"One of the drawbacks of Bluetooth is that it is a medium transmission speed. It's not bad for five frames per second, which would allow you to work out where an object is."
Jo's prototype is based on Bluetooth for now, but could be adapted to other current or future networking standards.
"At the moment Bluetooth is one of the most advanced mobile networking technologies, but others will come in time and they could be easily added to such a system," he says.
The robotic car could be expanded to work with Australia's 3G or GPRS mobile data networks, which he says could make control possible from distant locations.