Weekly Robotics News Issue 10 – Community Edition
These are the droids you’re looking for…
Introduction
One story intrigued me last night and that was the story of how Microsoft partnered with KUKA to show an industrial arm being fed data from Microsoft Azure to tell it where to move next. What is interesting is not the scenario but the fact that ideally you would need a robot capable of working with its own intelligence as well as remote intelligence via the cloud. After all the robot may need data faster than the cloud can provide it to avoid a nasty accident.
This scenario does suggest a compelling Microsoft entry into the robot marketplace. Do not focus on the hardware side of robotics but instead focus on providing compelling cloud services to provide robotic intelligence in the cloud. After all you either deliver this intelligence using onboard hardware which can get costly or you use the power of the cloud to deliver far greater computing power and keep the robotic costs down.
Thanks for reading and see you next week
https://www.aldebaran.com/en/a-robots/who-is-pepper
In this video you will see someone interacting with Pepper the robot or rather trying to. Clearly there is much work to be done. Notice that at time index 1 minute a child tries to play with the robot only to be ignored. When the overall cost is considered Pepper is going to have to work a bit harder to impress in my humble opinion. Also concerned how the robot will stand up to having a child or adult pull on its arms as it tries to move them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZekX3JOZDDY
Disaster robots slow to gain acceptance from first responders - https://www.zdnet.com/article/disaster-robots-slow-to-gain-acceptance-from-responders/
Very interesting to read there is a roboticists without borders programs to get robots to those that need them such as disaster zones. Here is the book referenced - https://www.amazon.com/Disaster-Robotics-Intelligent-Autonomous-Agents/dp/0262027356?tag=viglink121320-20
Robot reads expressions and makes eye contact - https://www.cnet.com/news/this-humanoid-robot-can-read-facial-expressions-and-make-his-own/ using 40 motors.
Robotics club at a Greek university uses 3d printing to create high speed line following robots - https://3dprint.com/58099/3d-printed-robots/
https://www.swisslog.com/en/Products/WDS/Automated-Guided-Vehicles
Hospital deploys fleet of 26 robots to help move supplies around - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3046353/Robot-porters-let-loose-NHS-New-hospital-introduces-fleet-26-supplies-including-linen-food-using-underground-tunnels.html
Toshiba shows humanoid robot in department store in Japan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=30&v=izH08FB2mxU More on this - https://www.essentialretail.com/news/article/5531157a99152-toshiba-humanoid-robot-to-make-japan-retail-debut
Let your kids create their own virtual robots - https://www.cnbc.com/id/102596989
Right now only for iPhone and iPad - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/the-robot-factory-by-tinybop/id936966605?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Moley robotics showcases robotic kitchen - https://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21648474-ultimate-kitchen-gadget-home-has-everything-robotic
Link to video - https://econ.st/1JDAkyN
More on this story - https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32282131
Rethink Robotics closes 40 million Series D funding - https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/startups/2015/04/rethink-robotics-closes-series-d-funding-with-40m.html
15 year old 3d prints robot capable of picking up objects - https://3dprint.com/55769/3d-printed-robot-ps3/
Microsoft demonstrates KUKA industrial robot connected to the cloud - https://www.computerworld.com/article/2908909/microsoft-demos-industrial-robot-linked-to-cloud-mobile-devices.html
Video link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi3_J_YHC0g
More on this story - https://www.marketwatch.com/story/microsoft-and-kuka-present-intelligent-future-generation-of-robotics-2015-04-12
Nissan puts around view monitor on ocean exploring robots - https://www.autoblog.com/2015/04/13/nissan-around-view-monitor-ocean-exploring-robots-video-official/
Brave robots are roaming the oceans for science - https://www.wired.com/2015/04/robots-roam-earths-imperiled-oceans/
The robotic journey will continue next week
John O'Donnell