House Robots

Urban search and rescue task forces are essential for locating, stabilizing, and extricating people who become trapped in confined spaces following a catastrophic event. Sometimes the search area is too unstable for a live rescue team, so rescuers have turned to robots wielding video cameras. The rescuers control, or teleoperate, from a safe location. Teleoperation can be problematic, as robots frequently become stuck, which can destabilize the search area and hinder rescue operations.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505142734.htm

Learning how to program a computer to display the words “Hello World” once may have excited students, but that hoary chestnut of a lesson doesn’t cut it in a world of videogames, smartphones and Twitter. One option to take its place and engage a new generation of students in computer programming is a robot called Finch. The robot was designed specifically to make introductory computer science classes an engaging experience once again.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505142736.htm

Researchers have built a robot that can penetrate and “swim” through granular material. In this study, they show that by varying the shape of the robot’s head or by tilting it up or down, they can control the robot’s vertical movement in complex environments. Machines able to navigate through complex dirt and rubble environments could help rescuers after natural disasters like earthquakes and landslides.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509151252.htm

Researchers have been examining the diverse behaviors of caterpillars to find solutions for the new generation of search and rescue soft robots. Despite their extreme flexibility and adaptability, current soft-bodied robots are often limited by their slow speed, leading the researchers to turn to terrestrial soft-bodied animals for inspiration. Some caterpillars have the extraordinary ability to rapidly curl themselves into a wheel and propel themselves away from predators. Researchers saw this as an opportunity to design a robot that mimics this behavior of caterpillars and to develop a better understanding of the mechanics behind ballistic rolling.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110426213039.htm

The University of Greenwich has joined forces with a Kent-based company in the design and manufacture of a bomb disposal robot for use by security forces, including the British Army.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110317131415.htm

Researchers find people can better understand robot movements when robots move in a more human way.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110307124810.htm

Cognitive skills for a new robot which will help people with damaged limbs to walk again are being developed by researchers in the UK.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110308075524.htm

Researchers have found that they can program a robot to understand when it gains a human’s attention and when it falls short.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110308101455.htm

Researchers have found people generally had a positive response toward being touched by a robotic nurse, but that their perception of the robot’s intent made a significant difference.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110309113028.htm

Scientists have developed a programmable “molecular robot” — a sub-microscopic molecular machine made of synthetic DNA that moves between track locations separated by 6nm. The robot, a short strand of DNA, follows instructions programmed into a set of fuel molecules determining its destination, for example, to turn left or right at a junction in the track. The report represents a step toward futuristic nanomachines and nanofactories.

More Info: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110309113036.htm