Japanese Robotics Researchers Create the Epitome of Balance
Researchers at the Robot Development Engineering Laboratory of Tohoku Gakuin University have developed a really interesting robot that is truly the epitome of balance. The robot itself is a cylinder-like structure composed of wheels, wires, accelerometers, and gyroscopes. But the kicker, and where the robot consequently gets its name, is how the robot moves around. Standing about thigh-height, the BallP (short for Ball Inverted Pendulum) uses the its complicated innards to move around and balance itself on top of a bowling ball.
But it doesn't stop there. It keeps balance and can move even when you place weights on top of it, push it, guide it with your finger, and even work as a wheelbarrow-like thing by itself or with the help of a few other BallPs. Truly a wondrous invention, but its practical uses remain to be seen. Still, having one rolling around a party with hors d'oeuvres or champagne flutes would be awesome.
Check out the video to see just what this thing can do.
Source: Engadget
The Search for RoboDoc
Appparently, the Pentagon has put out a request for a design for the next generation of field-medics; the robotic kind. What they envision is a team of fully autonomous robots that can deploy themselves from an unmanned ambulance, "plan and execute transportation routes, facilitate communication between patients and off-site human medics, coordinate 'robot teams,' lift, drag or otherwise remove a troop from harm’s way, and even figure out just how serious a fallen war-fighter’s injuries are."
Sounds pretty ambitious, but the benefits that would come from such an advancement would definitely be worth it. Casualties are a foregone conclusion in war, but having to expose additional soldiers to danger in order to possibly save downed comrades is something that could be avoided if this project should come to fruition.
In addition to being precise enough to pick up and carry wounded soldiers to safety and diagnose the extent of a soldier's injuries, the Pentagon also wants the robots to be rugged and resilient. If they get exactly what they're looking for, the robots will "be able to extract casualties from rugged terrain, marshes or ice, and even through 'enemy fire or IEDs, contamination from weapons of mass destruction, or any of numerous natural hazards.'"
A successful prototype won't be restricted to military use either. Such a team of robo-medics could be used in natural disasters, hostage situations, or even in response to chemical, biological, or nuclear attacks.
Source: Wired