Although NASA spends most of its budget for space flight in human beings, there were many robotic missions. In 1962, the Mariner 2 mission was launched and became the first spacecraft to pass near another planet (Venus in this case).
The missions Ranger, Surveyor and Lunar Orbiter were essential to discover the nature of the lunar surface before trying to send astronauts. After the two Viking probes landed on the surface of Mars and have returned color photos of Earth. Perhaps more impressive were the Pioneer and Voyager missions that have visited Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Having lost the moon race, the USSR has changed its approach. On 17 July 1975, Apollo 18 spacecraft docked to the Soviet Soyuz 19, in the Apollo-Soyuz project. Although the Cold War has continued until the 1990’s it was an important moment in the history of NASA, and international collaboration that is commonplace today began with this mission.
The first space station of the USA, Skylab, was built in the late 1970.On robot called a mechanical device automatically performing tasks generally considered dangerous or difficult for humans. The development of electronics and information technology allows treatment increasingly complex.
The definition of what is recorded or not robot varies among countries. In Japan, for example, this category includes unlike the France number of machine tools programmable. Despite their high cost at the time (for lack of powerful microprocessors mass-produced), robots have become very quickly, the early 70’s, for certain tasks like painting body automobiles, air toxic fumes.
Robotessa represents the next generation “aistovskoy” line of HRP (Humanoid Robotics Project), in front of us HRP-4C.
The growth of the robot is 158 cm and weight with batteries – 43 kilos. With respect to the degrees of freedom, their 42, for example, Continue reading
One wonders if this guy has a life … Steven Spielberg, the famous American film producer and is currently filming with Peter Jackson, a film whose hero, our friend the Belgian Tintin first episode entitled “The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, “Starring Jamie Bell and Gad Elmaleh, a release planned for the end of 2011. Continue reading
Robot Wars Magazine is a 68 page monthly publication available from W.H. Smith in the UK price £3.50. It is also available in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. The magazine features practical articles on robot building and a monthly column of speculations on the future of robotics. Copies of some of the articles from earlier issues are included here. Continue reading
Aldebaran Robotics is showcasing the skills of its pint-size humanoid robot Nao ahead of its planned mass market release in about a year.Nao is definitely one of the coolest humanoids around that stands a chance of making it into households as a real product. Aldebaran envisions it as “an autonomous family companion.” Continue reading
Researchers in robotics from the University of California at Davis have developed a control system which allows the robots to collect evidence suggesting that their leader is about to turn, predict where it will go and then follow him. “This is a fundamental problem in robotics,” says Sanjay Joshi, associate professor mechanical and aeronautical engineering at UC davis. Indeed, whether walking down the street, while driving on the highway or in many other situations, the man often collected deliberate signals and unconscious clues in order to predict what the others and act accordingly. The robots, however, more difficult to coordinate so, for example when the leader of a group turns a corner and disappears from the field of vision of its congeners. Studies in behavioral psychology have shown that a person is about to turn unconsciously a brief nod in the direction it is preparing to borrow so that others can follow.
A system inspired by studies of behavioral psychology
Humans use different signals and to build a predictive model of where their peers are going. It is on this model that Sanjay Joshi and his team have developed an integrated control system for robots to take into account such behavioral cues in their decision making. The research team tested the system on a small robot called marketed Evolution Robotics Scorpion. The camera of the robot was able to identify his sidekick who was ahead. Its computer system could then combine this information with behavioral indices. Rather than having programmed the robot leader to send signals directly saying we should follow, the research team sent “behavioral cues” to the second robot via a wireless device.
Teaching robots to follow men
The index said that the leader was running but did not specify in what direction. To decide the direction it should take, the robot has developed its own prediction by combining the index with other parameters such as speed and direction of the leader. The researchers concluded that robots capable of incorporating behavioral information into their decision parameters acted more efficiently by following the leader that others. “Robots increasingly capable of integrating behavioral and follow them would be easier to integrate a human work. In a hospital robot could follow such a doctor in the hallways.” A paper describing this work is published in the August 2008 issue of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.
Robotics and Mechatronics will honor the first festival of robots for the general public, academics and professionals. A rally around the robot through the robot competitions, conferences and workshops, exhibitions and entertainment. This national gathering, an initiative of Mantes-la-Jolie, aims to raise public awareness of robotics and its integration Continue reading
Pre-Registration is now being available.
- Theme: New Perspectives in digital human technology -human, information, and robotics-
- Date: March 4, 2009 (Wednesday)
- Symposium: National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation(7th floor MIRAI CAN Hall)
2-41, Aomi, Koto-ku Tokyo 135-0064
- Open house: AIST Waterfront (Access Map)
2-41-6 Aomi, Koto-ku Tokyo 135-0064 Continue reading
For the Companion project, only a robot that can grasp and adapt to its environment can truly look after an elderly person. The prototype will include the emotional state and the habits of the user.
To give more independence to the elderly while providing follow-up home care, robotics is a solution. But it implies the development of machines capable of understanding the context in which they operate and related medical staff. On this basis, the companionable European project develops a prototype robot that will be able to understand the emotional state of its owner, its habits, social support and health monitoring for it. Continue reading
The robot Femisapiens of Wowwee is one of the last jewels of Wowwee! His fluid movements sophisticated allow him to make gestures and elegant movements, enhancing its attractiveness! With infra-red detectors and audio that enable it to synchronize its movements with dance music, she can also speak their own language and respond to gestures, the touch and sounds of users. It will delight users of Robosapien