Tech News Update

Though it may seem like something from out of a sci-fi movie, robots and robotics mimicking Mother Nature’s creatures and human talents in the vein of playing football and in rock bands are very real, and occurring today.

Rocky the ‘robo-squirrel’ at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass.

Robots in the Wild

While a small gray squirrel in a park twitching its bushy tail and barking his warning at another foraging food nearby may seem altogether ordinary, such isn’t the case for Rocky the robo-squirrel — named as such after the cartoon character — whilst being controlled by researchers several yards away with a laptop computer and binoculars.

Rocky is one of numerous robotic creatures designed to aid researchers in monitoring animal behaviors in a natural environment verses a lab to better know how they work in groups, court, intimidate rivals and warn allies of danger, and possibly help clarify similar instinctive behaviors in humans.

“Animals and humans are all affected by behaviors, body postures and signals from each other that we may not be aware of.” said Rocky’s creator Sarah Partan, researcher and assistant professor in animal behavior at Hampshire, who continually refines its actions and updates its technology.

The use of robotic creatures to infiltrate groups of animals is so new that few companies build or sell such tools to researchers, so Parton and her students teamed together in Rocky’s design using fake fur, small motors, circuits and other materials.

He has internal speakers that play recordings bought from an animal sounds library at Cornell University, and his movement is controlled by basic computer programs.

Rocky, a mechanical ‘robo-squirrel,’ at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., while Sarah Partan, left, and student Maya Gounard spy on real squirrel activity nearby. 

Rocky was recently place to the test in a park connected to the researchers’ laptop by a long cord, shielded by a camouflage hood. Placed near his real counterparts, Rocky started a series of tail-flagging, barking and other motions squirrels recognize as warnings of danger.

“The most successful experiments are when the real squirrels respond by ‘flagging’ their own tail, halting their foraging to check for danger, scamper up a tree or take other actions that show they picked up on the signals.” said Partan.

“We watch for a trade-off in their behavior.” she said, pointing out a squirrel that jerked to its hind legs and froze, its eyes scanning the area as it heard Rocky’s barks. “He gave up foraging to focus on being vigilant, so that’s something we’d note as a discernible response.”

Focusing on real squirrels’ reactions to Rocky’s noises and movements or combinations called multi-modal signals, a specific sound could be the courting equivalent of “Come over here, you sexy beast.” A small change can alter the message entirely to something like “You’re about to be torn to shreds if you don’t get out of my territory.”

A squirrel on the Hampshire College campus flees the actions of Rocky the ‘robo-squirrel.’ 

Despite a fantastic deal of study in animal behavior, much remains unknown about instinctive responses, and robot creatures can facilitate researchers to uncover how far a species can be pushed beyond its survival instincts. 

“Whether it’s a bunch of squirrels in a field or humans in a mall, there are general principles of behavior that seem to hold up across species lines.” said Greg Demas, director of Indiana University’s Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior and an associate professor of biology. 

A robotic lizard developed by the Indiana University showed its masculinity using energetic push-ups to trigger similar displays of courtship, power and machismo among real lizards as researchers assessed which actions intimidated and attracted real lizards. 

Depending upon the robot’s prompting, the real lizards reacted as if they were being taunted, threatened or titillated, which provided researchers the opportunity to study the smallest movements of their legs, eye flaps and other quirks. 

Researchers at the Free University of Brussels used pheromone soaked cockroach counterfeits to wield peer pressure on real roaches to go out of protective darkness. 

Robotic Jellyfish in the Waters
Operating in the same environment as their natural counterparts — in water — the robotic jellyfishes’ autonomy and adaptive behavior consist of a sphere-shaped body with 8 electrically-driven tentacles for propulsion. Festo’s ‘AquaJellys’ are equipped with an electric drive, radio, and blue LED’s which can show not only their position, but can also communicate between each and possibly provide useful and operative information while underwater.

Two ‘AquaJellys’ swim in a water tank at the stand of FESTO at the “Hannover Messe” industrial trade honest in Hanover April, 2008. Photo Reuters / Christian Charisius 

‘Aquajellys,’ artificial jellyfish with an electric drive unit swim inside an aquarium at
the industrial honest in Hanover, Germany, April 2008. Photo AP / Kai-Uwe Knoth

AquaJelly

Airjelly 

The AirJelly can glide with help of a helium-filled envelope as part of its body. With an electric drive to navigate and Zigbee small-range radio to broadcast its position and other information, it has an intelligent, adaptive mechanical system that can autonomously work together using radio on the surface and LED’s underwater for communication. 

AirJelly

Researchers say the application of robotic animals in research can depend on the intelligence, size, eyesight and sense of smell in the real species. 

“The larger the animal is and the more complicated it is, the harder it is to have a proper robot that mimics the signals and has the right visual cues.” said Jack Bradbury, a Cornell ornithology professor. 

Bradbury hasn’t used robots but does use sound cues emanating from speakers hidden in bushes to manipulate animals in the wild by ‘talking’ with them or playing noises they recognize. 

“Wild parrots are pretty smart, but I’ve gone on for hours interacting with them that way.” he said. “They come up to the bush and look at it and don’t see the birds, but they keep communicating with the belief there’s another parrot in there somewhere.” 

Cornell said mechanical animals aren’t used “just to be clever. The real issue from a scientist’s point of view is, ‘Can I come up with a robot that will help me answer a question that I couldn’t answer otherwise?’”

Insect Robots in the Army
British defense giant BAE Systems is making a series of ‘robo-bugs’ of tiny electronic spiders, insects and snakes that could become the eyes and ears of soldiers on the battlefield, helping to save thousands of lives. 

Image depicts a representation of what a future micro autonomous robot may look like. 

BAE Systems will lead a team of experts in electronics, mechanics, autonomous processing, biology, and animal psychology to develop advanced robotic microsystems based on nature’s design, and have just signed a £19million (about $37,500,000 US) contract to develop the robots for the US Army.

Prototypes could be on the front line by yearend, scurrying into potential danger areas such as booby-trapped buildings or enemy hideouts to relay images back to solders nearby with hand held or wrist mounted computers. 

Soldiers will carry the robots into combat and use a small tracked vehicle to transport them closer to their targets. 

Researchers hope they will eventually make machines that can glide like a butterfly.

Plans are well underway for a critter that can crawl like a spider, and researchers eventually hope to be able to make robo-creatures that can slither like a snake or glide like a dragonfly. 

Some of the robo-bugs will be fitted with small cameras, while others will be equipped with sensors that will be able to detect the presence of chemical, biological or radioactive weapons. 

BAE Systems scientists plot an army of the electronic bugs with ambitions to equip every front-line soldier with them. 

BAE Insect Robots

A computer-generated video from BAE Systems shows the tiny invaders being released by a soldier, before scouting out a suspect building, which is finally
blown up by ground forces. 

Remote Control Dragonfly Ornithopter

World’s first winged robot in action.

Insect Robot Animation

Robotic Robot Bug Insect

Make Tiny Solar Insect Robots

Robots in Music
While they may not be the next up-and-coming contender for American Idol, Toyota wants its partner robots to have human characteristics, such as being agile, warm and kind and also intelligent enough to skillfully operate a variety of devices in the areas of personal help, care for the elderly, manufacturing, and mobility. 

Since each area requires a special set of skills, Toyota is promoting the development of 3 different types of partner robots (walking, rolling, and mountable), each with its own areas of expertise.

Toyota Motor Corp’s partner robots play instruments at the company’s showroom in Tokyo.

At 48 inches (120 centimeters) tall and weighing 77 pounds (35 kilos), the walking model walks on 2 legs similar to a person and able to use its hands to carry out a wide variety of tasks. 

The rolling model zooms along quickly, using its hands to carry out a wide variety of tasks at 40 inches (100 centimeters) tall and weighing 77 pounds (35 kilos).

Toyota developed artificial lips that go with the same finesse as human lips, which, together with robots` hands, enables the robots to play trumpets like humans do.

An entertainment robot named ‘ME-470′ by the German manufacturer of mobile robot systems ‘Neobotix’ at the Hanover industrial honest in Germany

‘ME-470′ at the Hanover industrial honest

“Toomas” the shopping robot and the mobile entertainment robot ME-470 will be on the lookout for anyone in need of their help. Toomas is set to place an end to fruitless searches in DIY stores by helping customers find exactly the right screws and paint for their household tasks.

Fully-equipped with all the skills of an experienced service professional, ME-470 can hold conversations, establish physical interaction, entertain the kids and give PowerPoint presentations for showrooms, salesrooms, museums, exhibitions, restaurants and reception areas.

It can welcome visitors, do guided tours and show the latest products or lead people to them. The user can even use it to visit your company from their desk at home. 

The basic version is mobile and equipped with a 12? touchscreen. Options and upgrades include an audio system, light effects and unique designs such as a moving head with webcam and touchscreen, and 1 or 2 robot arms with functional hands or other additional actuators that can be attached.

Tokyo  

Honda’s ASIMO humanoid robot will focus attention on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s (DSO) nationally acclaimed music programs for young people in Detroit by conducting the orchestra as it performs ‘Impossible Dream’ to open a special concert performance with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma on May 13th. Honda hopes ASIMO’s appearance will draw attention to the DSO’s nationally acclaimed youth music programs, and particularly DSO’s effort to encourage and support involvement of children in Detroit.

ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) will also demonstrate its unique capabilities for hundreds of area school children at 10:45 a.m, May 14th prior to a master class in Orchestra Hall, where a select group of music students will receive personal music instruction from Yo-Yo Ma. In attendance will be students from the Detroit School of Arts (DSA), Detroit Renaissance and Cass Technical high schools, as well as from schools across metro Detroit and Windsor, Canada. 

ASIMO is designed to help people, being used today to encourage and inspire young students to consider studies in math and science and will someday help the elderly and disabled in their homes. 

Honda is providing the DSO with a gift of more than $1 million to make The Power of Dreams Music Education Fund. With the Detroit Public Schools drastically reducing or eliminating music programs due to financial constraints, many students are denied the opportunity to learn to play instruments, read music, and participate in bands or orchestras. 

In addition to sponsorship of the YoYo Ma performance and Master’s Class for students in May, over the next 5 years the Honda partnership with DSO will include: 

Launch of a new initiative called The Power of Dreams String Project to provide introductory music education/string training to children in metro-Detroit communities where opportunities are non-existent or unaffordable.

Establishment of The Power of Dreams Music Scholar program to provide private lessons to aspiring students with financial need in the String Project, DSO Civic Ensembles and/or DSA, enabling them to fully develop their musical capabilities.

Support of DSO Civic Youth Ensemble performances; the DSO’s educational partnership activities with the DSA; and the DSO’s spring Educational Concert Series for metro area school children in Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.

Support of the 2008 Classical Roots Gala which raises funds for programs such as the DSO’s African-American Fellowship Program.

Robots Jamming Black Sabbath Riffs

Robots in Sports
Entertaining crowds on the field in Germany, these small sporting robots went about on 3 wheels while others plodded slowly and deliberately on 2 or 4 legs, ranging from thumb-sized midgets to nearly meter-tall giants. 

A humanoid robot named ‘Lothar’ kicks a ball as it plays soccer at the Hanover industrial honest in Hanover, Germany

The ‘Robo Cup German Open’ soccer for robots competition took place  in attempt to win the annual RoboCup German Open at the Hanover Trade Honest by getting the ball into their opponents’ goal. 

“It’s not as complicated as it looks.” said Stefan Kohlbrecher, a member of the Technical University of Darmstadt’s Darmstadt Dribblers team. 

“It works with this camera, he can see with this regular webcam. He can look around, and when he sees the ball these data are processed. We tell him that what is orange and round is the ball.” 

Konrad Meier adjusts his NimbRo Kidsize humanoid robot ‘Juergen’ (L) at the “Hannover Messe” industrial trade honest  

Student Stefan Kohlbrecher watches the humanoid soccer robot named Bruno at the Hanover industrial honest. 

‘ Robo Cup German Open’ soccer players are seen on the pitch with their soccer robots at the Hanover industrial honest. 

The RoboCup — now in its 7th year — is part of a the “Mobile Robots & Autonomous Systems” showcase. 

“Our robots are supporting people in museums and public places, giving them information on certain fascinating things. So, this is what we believe will be the applications in the very near future.” said Roko Tschakarow of System Solutions Unit Mechatronics. 

The soccer players were the main draw, but, some 850 in 49 teams were signed up alongside 350 university students and computer engineers from 14 countries. In the RoboCup Junior Competition for high school students, 116 teams from 4 countries faced off. 

“Ultimately, the aim is to field a team of robots against people.” Kohlbrecher said. 

“The goal of the RoboCup is to compete against human world champions with robots by the year 2050.” he said. “We’re still a small far from it, but there is a lot of time to reach it.” 

RoboCup Competitions 2008

RoboCup Robots Playing Football 2008