Robotics Articles

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Sensor provides better depth perception for Robots
iRobot Corporation says it has found a new solid-state sensor that will help make military robots  autonomous. Known as 3-D Flash Laser Radar (3-D Flash Ladar), the sensor uses no moving parts and produces a "movie-like" image that could improve the depth perception of so-called PackBots. As a result, military robots would take another step toward autonomy and possibly even eliminate the need for soldiers to remotely control them during battle. Read more...(PDF)

Gibson's Robot Guitar Tunes Itself
Gibson proudly presents the Gibson Robot Guitar—the world's first guitar with robotic technology. Since the dawn of the instrument, musicians have come to accept the guitar's imperfections and lack of tonal precision as necessary evils. Onstage and off, guitarists have fought to stay in tune. Every music lover and performer has had to suffer through the show—halting, mood-killing atonal droning of a loudly amped guitar being brought into tune. And in the studio, or at home, imprecise intonation throws the guitar in and out of tune, up and down the neck, as the instrument requires tweaking with each season and at times with each string change. For as long as the guitar has existed, guitar lovers have had two choices—live with a temperamental and out-of-tune instrument or make frequent trips to the shop for setups. Not anymore. Introducing the Gibson Robot Guitar. All you have to do is play it. Read more...

The Future of Battle
The US military's future combat systems links soldiers and robots in a vast wireless network
The scenario is straight out of a science fiction movie: A flying saucer-like vehicle outside a building's second story window, using sensors and thermal imaging to search for life or weapons inside. The vehicle's optional sensors find an explosive device, transmit data about it to a military commander, who decides to take out the building. Too far-fetched? Hardly. Together with 25 prime contractors and 600 more sub-primes, the US military is already working on a system that will do that and much more. Known as Future Combat System (FCS), it's considered the most ambitious technical program in US military history. Read more...

Robots and Humans Interact Safely
Current trends in robotics will enable better human-robot interaction, making robots easier and safer to use. Joe Kraus, product manager with Kuka Robotics Corp. (www.kuka.com), Clinton Township, Mich., mentions three trends. First, there is the growth of industry-specific and application-based robotic arms and software. He believes these will allow quicker automation implementation and greater ease of use. He forecasts automotive as the biggest initial end-user of those developments. Another trend is high-payload, six-axis robots that will let those automotive manufacturers use a single robot in certain material handling and other applications, such as glass handling, body-in-white and construction. These trends reflect the movement away from one-size-fits-all use of robotics approaches, Kraus thinks. That’s because each industry sector now has a different level of robotic acceptance and sophistication, as well as differing needs, he says. “This [trend] is possible because specialized robots are variations on standard and proven robotic systems.” Read more...

Robotic Motion Control: How Special Is It?
Do you build robots?  Don’t be too quick to answer, ‘‘No.’‘  The world of robots is considerably larger than the well-known commercial offerings from major manufacturers.  OEM’s, integrators and machine builders in markets from packaging to PCB (printed circuit board) assembly are building thousands of flexible, programmable multi-purpose machines that are robots by the industry standard definitions (see box: ‘‘Industrial Robot Definition’‘), regardless of what they are called.  And if you’re the automation professional building these robots, how do you control them?  These machines require the full range of features and functionality you expect in a robot controller, and there’s no simple catalog item you can order. Read More...

Control of Robo Motion
Without motion control, robotic work cells would not be able to perform their assigned tasks when and where they are needed. As robots have gotten more flexible, it has been necessary for controllers to keep up with them. However, not only have controllers kept up with the capability of robots, they have become powerful enough to mange other equipment in the work cell. This equipment includes encoders and motors, among others. Read More...