We Have Nothing to Fear But…

A UK-based paper published an article discussing the possibility of robots eventually overthrowing mankind.  Because of a debate raised by scientists at The Science Museum, the issue has been given some light.

So then that brings me to my question:  Should we be worried?

As of today, robots are used mainly in scenarios that are too dangerous or tedious for humans.  Many aspects of production now rely on robots, and that seems safe.  Mechanical arms are unlikely to be programmed to think for themselves or harm anyone.

Yet, the Korean military is developing robots programmed to shoot individuals on sight, the Japanese are attempting to create child-raising robots and the U.S. military is developing robotic helicopters that are programmed to kill as well.

How far is too far?  Should we play God by creating a race (likely in our own image) that could eventually deny us as their masters and creators?  Really, who could we trust to program machines like this?  Clearly, man has never known limits before, but then again, man rarely considers the consequences.

 

Higher and Higher

Students at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, Virginia constructed a robot as part of a competition they entered for their robotics club at school.  Atomic Dog, as the students have named it, was built to perform tasks–mainly lifting other robots.  However, Atomic dog was able to life one of the team members more than a foot in the air!

The club required $6,000 to get off the ground and funding was provided by the Beazley Foundation in Portsmouth.

The students hope that Atomic Dog’s feats will help get other students interested and help the club to grow.

 

A Helping ‘Hand’

The aging Baby Boomer generation may find some help from an unusual place.

Developers at the University of Massachussetts Amherst have created a robotic aid that can help perform tasks for the elderly, as well as serve as a reminder for medication doses, call 911 for help when needed, alert clients of incoming phone calls and act as a medium for doctors to make ‘house calls’.  The u-BOT5 is also capable of detecting dangerous situations (such as an object in the way) and act as a communication hub.

Fitted with sensors that allow it to ’see’ ad ‘hear’, the u-BOT5 will help ease the stress that is expected in the healthcare industry when more than 77 million Americans retire in the next few decades.

 

X Marks the Spot

Never send a man to do a robot’s job.

A silver mine in Mexico was recently scanned and mapped with the aid of robotic technology. 3D-R1 used sophisticated scanning equipment to map over 100 million data points by performing 80 scans of the area per day.

To complete the task, the robot, controlled remotely, relies on a long range 3-D scanner to gather data.  It’s also fitted with the software to inperet the data and a high-resolution digital camera.

The entire scan took just over 3 days and covered 1.4 miles of underground landscape.  Because of 3D-R1, old mine drawings have been replaced with accurate 3-D maps.

 

Paging Doctor Roboto

Carnegie Mellon has developed a new robot–the CardioArm.

The purpose of the CardioArm is to aid doctors in surgeries; not just as a visusal aid but to actually perform the surgeries under the command of the surgeon.  The Cardio arm is tiny enough to snake in through only a small incision and is built with 102 joints, so it’s movements are fluid and precise.  In fact, it is able to fit thorugh the some arteries and wrap itself around organs to avoid damaging delicate tissue.

In its experiemental stage, the CardioArm has already performed successful surgeries on pigs and human cadavers.  Blood loss is very minimal, and with just a few more upgrades, the final product is expected to fit inside the tiny blood vessels of the human body.

 

Robots Aid in the Fight Against Global Warming

 

The British Antarctic Survey and the University of Braunschweig have joined forces to organize a series of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles flights over the Antarctic continent to survey damage caused by global warming.  The UAV’s take off and land with the help of humans, but the rest of the flight is automatic.  Thusfar, over 20 flights have been completed and lasts about 40 minutes.  Readings are sent back to headquarters and computed.  Unfortunately, as the snow and ice melt, less sunlight is reflected and the continental warming becomes exponential.

 

Playing Fetch

 

Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have made strides in overcoming the language barrier between humans and robots.  As robots are not nearly advanced enough to understand the many dialects, imperfections and complications involved in juman speech, and binary code isn’t offered as a foreign language at most schools, the solution doesnt involve speaking at all.

Instead, programmers have created El-E (Ellie).  El-E is designed to help users with limited mobility retrieve and move objects.  The user simply uses a green laser pointer to direct El-E to an object to bring to them, to another person or simply to another location.  She will follow the laser to the objects new location and scan for a face.  If none is present, she will search for a table or somewhere to place the object.

 

Good things, small packages

 

Researchers at Harvard University are continuing developments on robots that might seem more of a nuissance than helpful.

Scientists have been working for over 10 years on tiny robots based on the common housefly.  But the purpose of these guys isnt to annoy mom or get Rover jumping on the furnature–its to save the lives of those who human rescue workers can’t safely get to.

The insect robots can be used to fly over battle fields and scan for body heat or the carbon dioxide in exhaled breaths.  It’s likely the military may be the only one utilizing this technology for a while as each robot comes with the pricetag of $100,000.

For the full article, click here.

 

ArtBots 2008!

In case your robot is gifted, then ArtBots might be for you.

ArtBots is a sort of talents show–an exhibition for artwork created by robots.  Now the people in charge of the event don’t have very specific idea on what constitutes a robot (or artowkr for that matter) so entry is somewhat liberal.  It might as well be, I’m not sure how many people have Michaelangelo 2.0’s.

As far as the prizes go there’s an Audience Choice Award and an Artist Choice Award.

 

Robots go vigilante

The latest member of the Atlanta police department isnt a police officer at all–it isnt even human.

 Rufus Terrill, a bar owner in Atlanta, wasn’t going to allow the drug dealers and vagrants to roam the streets near his establishment, or the daycare center a few buildings down, anymore.  Terrill rigged the robot from an old meat-smoker, scooter, water-cannon, infra-red camera and loudspeaker.  So why the water-cannon?  Well when Terrill controls the robot down the street and uses the loudspeaker, sometimes the trespassers just don’t get the hint.

Terrill’s “Robo-cop” (as he affectionately calls it) doesnt go unappreciated by other members of his community.  In fact, the owner of the day care center jokes about how she wishes she could afford one of her own.

Atlanta police officials have not recieved any complaints about the robot, though they have warned that it is technically an assault when Terrill intentionally uses the water-cannon.