May 2013
2 Jun2013
LEADS
It’s time to talk about the burgeoning robot middle class | MIT Technology Review
May 14, 2013 by Hallie Siegel
The elephant in the room is how robotics will play out for human employment in the long term. New robots will take on advanced manufacturing, tutoring, scheduling, and customer relations. They operate equipment, manage construction, operate backhoes, and yes, even drive tomorrow’s cars. It is time for not just economists but roboticists, like me, to ask, “How will robotic advances transform society in potentially dystopian ways?” My concern is that without serious discourse and explicit policy changes, the current path will lead to an ever more polarized economic world, with robotic technologies replacing the middle class and further distancing our society from authentic opportunity and economic justice. – Illah Nourbakhsh
Inequality In The Robot Future
Forbes-May 13, 2013
Kevin Drum has a new column that echoes most of my thoughts on the robot future. It is likely to come within the next few decades and be more transformative …
‘Symbolic’ reshoring will not lead to jobs boom, survey suggests
By Andrew Bounds in Manchester, Financial Times, May 10, 2013
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. See our Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Manufacturers are increasingly bringing production back to developed economies but this reshoring is merely “symbolic” and will not lead to a jobs boom, according to a survey of businesses. “Our data and interviews with more than two dozen executives show that reshoring is symbolic. It does not represent the rebirth of American or European manufacturing,” said Kevin O’Marah, of SCM, who co-authored with Hau Lee, of Stanford University, a study of 330 business leaders’ future plans. Mr O’Marah said a combination of increasing automation and growing demand in emerging markets relative to developed…move to cheaper locations, many industries were investing in automation, with 62 per cent expecting to increase capital spending in…
German rail network to fight graffiti with drones
News – May 27, 2013, 1:53 PM | By Tim Hornyak
Deutsche Bahn wants to deploy silent drones to thwart vandalism to its trains and property, which cost the operator nearly $10 million last year.
iRobot military bots to patrol 2014 World Cup in Brazil
News – May 15, 2013, 10:36 AM | By Tim Hornyak
The battle-tested PackBot 510 will join soldiers, police, and drones to keep the World Cup safe from threats. Will these 30 bots kick a ball around too?
UN expert demands freeze on robot weapons | Bangkok Post: news
Bangkok Post-May 30, 2013
The international community must impose a moratorium on robot weapons which can make their own decision to kill, a UN expert told the world body’s top …
by Adam Klaptocz
May 29, 2013
Hello drones lovers! Here is the video of our first humanitarian mission with Drone Adventures. We went to Haiti to explore the potential uses of drones to map encampments, riverbeds and entire villages.
New Robotics and new opportunities
by Alan Winfield
May 28, 2013
Here are the slides of my talk at the BARA Academic Forum for Robotics meeting Robotics: from innovation to service, on Monday 20 May 2013…
What is the single biggest obstacle preventing robotics from going mainstream?
by RBI Editors, May 15, 2013
It has been said that we are on the edge of a ‘robotic tipping point’ … but where, exactly, is this edge? And what’s holding us back? This month we asked our panelists to weigh in on what’s keeping robots from going mainstream. Here’s what they have to say …
Swords to plowshares: Experts see farming as next big use for drones | Cronkite News
May 27, 2013 by John Payne
WASHINGTON – Drones numbering in the tens of thousands will be in the skies by 2030, the Federal Aviation Administration predicts. But where some may fear precision weapons or flying spy cameras, Steve Markofski sees flying tractors.
The man behind the Google Brain: Andrew Ng and the new AI | WIRED UK
May 8, 2013 by Hallie Siegel
In tandem with other researchers at Google, Ng is building one of the most ambitious artificial-intelligence systems to date, the so-called Google Brain. Ng leads a new field of computer science research known as Deep Learning, which is based on a theory that human intelligence stems from a single algorithm, and which seeks to build machines that can process data in much the same way the brain does.
Bernanke weighs in on robot wars; brings Keynes for backup
Kate Mackenzie, Financial Times, May 20, 2013
“Many factors affect the development of the economy, notably among them a nation’s economic and political institutions, but over long periods probably the most important factor is the pace of scientific and technological progress.”
That’s Ben Bernanke addressing a graduating class at Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Massachusetts, on Saturday. He goes on to say that not everyone believes this advancement is going to continue at such a great pace. Yes, he is talking about Robert Gordon and Tyler Cowen, and their arguments that much of the low-hanging fruit has been plucked and we face a lower-growth future, as evidenced by the incremental advancements of recent years.
TERROR, MILITARY, POLICING, SURVEILLANCE
Hacking the Drone War’s Secret History
- By David Axe, 05.30.13
A 28-year-old grad student has created the key to hacking drone-strike data.
New Drone Strike Undercuts Obama’s Promises on Robot War
- By Spencer Ackerman, 05.29.13
Obama seemed to say last week that U.S. drones are out of the business of killing militants who aren’t senior al-Qaida leaders. Then he killed a Pakistani Taliban leader this morning.
Holder: We’ve Droned 4 Americans, 3 by Accident. Oops.
- By Spencer Ackerman and Noah Shachtman, 05.22.13
For the first time, the Obama administration has acknowledged killing four Americans in drone strikes — three of whom were killed accidentally.
Navy’s High-Flying Spy Drone Completes Its First Flight
- By Spencer Ackerman, 05.22.13
This is the Navy’s MQ-4C Triton, its next-generation surveillance drone. It just flew its first flight test out in California. And it wants to scan 2,000 miles of ocean at once.
International Arms Manufacturers Tap into Growing Drone Market
05/30/13 — On a sprawling complex just outside Pretoria, South Africa, a government-owned arms manufacturer is preparing to test an armed drone that it hopes to begin selling soon to governments around the world. The company, Denel Dynamics, says the armed version of the Seeker 400, which will carry two laser-guided missiles, will enable so-called opportunistic targeting at a range of up to about 155 miles. These are not combat systems, they are foremost reconnaissance systems,” Sello Ntsihlele, executive manager of UAV systems for Denel, told NBC News. He added: “(But if) you speak to any general, show him the capability, he…
Brazilian Government Places $7.2M Order for Security Robots
05/23/13 — The Brazilian government says some of the security robots bought to improve public safety during the 2014 World Cup will be ready for the Confederations Cup in June. The company iRobot says the 30 robots would be delivered by the end of the year, along with spares and other support gear. The government confirmed Thursday that some will already be in action in the six cities hosting Confederations Cup matches. The company said Brazil signed a $7.2 million contract, which included the small unmanned ground vehicles which can provide surveillance, bomb removal and other law-enforcement missions. The Confederations Cup is…
The Real Impact of Robotics on the Defense Budget
05/09/13 — Given the tremendous advancements taking place in the field of robotics right now, the increased use of robot soldiers by the Pentagon seems all but inevitable — drastically altering the way the United States wages war. But the rise of robots will have an even broader impact on the way the…
This Week’s Military News:
The Robot Report, Posted 05/15/13 at 06:00 AM
… The Northrop Grumman X-47B unmanned aircraft made its first aircraft carrier launch this week. Two days later they spent the whole day doing touch-and-go take-offs and landings.
… The US Navy’s Naval Research Lab (NRL) flew a UAV for 48 hours, breaking a fuel-cell-for-flight record. The UAV was powered by a liquid hydrogen fuel in a cryogenic fuel storage tank and delivery system.
… In the UK, two pilots didn’t have anything to do as their BAE Systems passenger aircraft flew a unmanned flight from Lancashire to Inverness, Scotland which was controlled by a pilot in Warton using advanced sensors and on-board robotic systems.
… iRobot’s SUGV’s will be getting a new “batwing” fix which adds a collapsable hook that affixes to a telescoping pole to better examine IEDs.
… In Saskatoon, Canada, RC Mounties launched a Draganflyer UAS equipped with FLIR forward-looking infrared, to find and save the life of a disoriented man in a field on a cold night.
The increasingly autonomous robots of war (pictures)
May 31, 2013, 1:48 PM | By James Martin
Robots used for military missions are becoming increasingly autonomous — and many of these autonomous machines will soon be armed.
INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURING
Machine Vision Sales Continue to Climb
05/30/13 — Total machine vision sales in North America grew ten percent year-over-year for the first quarter of 2013, according to new statistics from AIA, the industry’s trade group.Sales of machine vision systems, the largest category, rose 11 percent year-over-year while sales of machine vision components saw an increase of four percent.The increase in machine vision system sales resulted primarily from the resurgence of Application Specific Machine Vision (ASMV) systems, which grew 12 percent over last year. Smart Cameras sales, which are included in machine vision systems, grew four percent.The increase in sales of machine vision components resulted primarily from sales of…
Why Foxconn’s automation hasn’t been smooth
MarketWatch-May 15, 2013
However, Liu Kun, a spokesperson for Foxonn, said it would continue with automation. “Nowadays, young workers are picky about their workplaces, and it’s …
The future of manufacturing highlighted at The Automation…
Vision Systems Design-May 27, 2013
The Automation Conference, designed for automation professionals in the manufacturing, processing and packaging industries, attracted 230 attendees from …
Rust belt states of Midwest lead US manufacturing revival
By Neil Munshi in Chicago, Financial Times, May 9, 2013
The bulk of US manufacturing jobs gained since the labour market troughed three years ago have been concentrated in a handful of rust belt states, a positive sign for a region that has long seen employers flee for far-flung markets with lower labour costs. Fuelled by a resurgent car industry, states such as Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin, along with Tennessee and Kentucky, account for more than half of the more than 500,000 manufacturing jobs the US gained between March 2010 and March 2013, labour department statistics show.
Hyundai develops small welding robot to tackle big jobs
Gizmag-by Jason Falconer-May 13, 2013
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), which lays claim to being the largest shipbuilding company in the world, says it has developed a miniature welding robot that …
MIT designs autonomous robot that assembles IKEA furniture
Digital Trends-by Drew Prindle-May 10, 2013
We’ve already got robots for some of life’s most tedious tasks – there’s the Roomba for vacuuming, the Looj for cleaning the gutters, and Siri for writing our texts …
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PRODUCTION
Banana patch robots within ten years | FreshPlaza
May 27, 2013 by John Payne
“Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Sydney, Salah Sukkarieh, is a keynote speaker at the Banana Industry Congress and will tell growers there is significant untapped potential for the use of robots that work outdoors to provide information and support to banana farmers.”
Australia eyes high-tech farm help to grow food | Reuters
May 27, 2013 by John Payne
SYDNEY (Reuters) – “Moving carefully along a row of appletrees, two of Australia’s newest agricultural workers check if the fruit is ripe or the soil needs water or fertilizer. Meet “Mantis” and “Shrimp”, agricultural robots being tested to do these tasks and more in a bid to cut costs and …”
Robot tractors in Australia within five years
ABC Online-May 28, 2013
Driverless tractors could be making their way onto Australian farms within five years, according one of the country’s key grain research bodies. The Grains …
SERVICE SECTOR
Drinks-On With the World’s Biggest, Baddest Bartending Robot
At the Google I/O after party the other night, there was one bartender in particular that stood out. It wasn’t the drink he made, or the friendly chatter. It was more than he weighed several tons and could break you with the flick of the wrist. Meet the Makr Shakr. Read…
Researchers Build Robots to Traverse Patients’ Internal Abdominal Walls
05/23/13 — Researchers at the University of Leeds are using the feet of tree frogs as a model for a tiny robot designed to crawl inside patients’ bodies during keyhole surgery. The tiny device is one of a growing stable of bio-inspired robots being built in the University’s School of Mechanical Engineering. It is designed to move across the internal abdominal wall of a patient, allowing surgeons to see what they are doing on a real-time video feed. The tree frog’s feet provide a solution to the critical problem of getting the device to hold onto wet, slippery tissue when it is…
Robots Fight Hospital Superbugs
05/13/13 — They kill at least 100,000 people every single year, and the collective medical costs associated with treating people who contract them tops $30 billion a year, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics. But hospital “superbugs” have a new contender in the fight for people’s lives that involves…
New Study Finds Little Resistance to Robots Among Personal Caregivers
05/02/13 — As technology continues its steady march onward to the future, the question isn’t always “can” it be done, but rather “should” it be done. And this isn’t always asked from the ethical perspective. We humans often have to come to an understanding of just what we will and will not…
A Hospital Stay Will Soon Come with More Robots, Say Investors
05/16/2013 – Right now, the idea of a hospital stay is shockingly short on robots, according to John Simon, a partner with Boston investment firm Sigma Prime Ventures. Simon likens the idea to “the first inning of a nine-inning exercise,” saying that most patient… –
High Volume of Prostatectomies Proves to be More of a Risk Factor than Robot Involvement
05/08/2013 – Robotic surgeries have the potential to change modern medicine, but it is important to make sure that the procedures are safe before they begin being implemented. Although studies had previously been conducted on the safety and effectiveness of robot… –
Automation for the elderly: Difference Engine: The caring robot
May 14th 2013, 9:13 from Babbage
WITH many of his friends and family getting on in years, Babbage has had perforce the chance to compare how the elderly are cared for professionally in America, Britain and Japan. In all three, the private facilities he has visited have been broadly similar and their costs much the same. But one thing stands out about the places the old and infirm are cared for in Japan. Whether they be nursing homes, geriatric hospitals or hospices, all seem to suffer a dire shortage of nursing staff. Being an inventive people, though, the Japanese have come up with some nifty solutions. The rest of the ageing world would do well to take note. … This comes as no surprise. … robots could certainly reduce the work load … robotic help with hygiene, eating meals …
Why Teaching a Robot to Fetch a Cup of Coffee Matters
IEEE Spectrum-May 9, 2013
Lots of robots rely on 2D maps to get around, and generally, researchers avoid having their mobile robots navigate multiple floors (because they’re bad at it).
DOT Deploys Bridge Inspection Robot
Occupational Health and Safety-May 27, 2013
On the same day last week when the nation’s news media were riveted by the collapse of an I-5 highway bridge in Washington state and what that might tell us …
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
This Robo-Nose Can Smell Better Than You
The human olfactory organ is the result of millions of years of evolution and biological refinement. But, in spite of your face, it can’t tell the difference between an apple and a pear nearly as well as this mechanical sniffer. Read…
IT trends shape future corporate strategies
By Paul Taylor, May 23, 2013
…of anything as a service,” they say. “The creeping automation of knowledge work, which affects the fastest…and interfaces that “understand” humans are moving the automation frontier rapidly toward the world’s more than 200m knowledge…
Exploring automation for cloud service providers
CloudTech (blog)-May 31, 2013
Automation across the board encompassing servers, networks, databases and applications can help cloud service providers take out costs across their data …
PACKING, SHIPPING AND TRANSPORTATION
This 4,000-ton Goliath Crane Has Laser Vision and a Robot Brain
Ships today—even the massive likes of the Emma Maersk and Marco Polo—just aren’t big enough to handle the demands of globalized trade. So to quickly and safely build the next generation of super-sized LNG tankers and container vessels, China’s Dalian shipyard relies on GE’s staggeringly-huge, laser-guided Goliath… Read…
Amazon ethos challenged by unions in Europe
By James Wilson and Barney Jopson, The Economist
The small, central German town of Bad Hersfeld was Amazon’s choice for a pioneering distribution centre more than a decade ago, powering the US retailer’s march into European commerce. But Bad Hersfeld, where Amazon built a further warehouse the size of 17 football pitches, last week became the site of another, unwelcome first for the company – a union-led strike in its biggest European market. … High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article. Mr Kaphan says difficult labour relations will probably prompt Amazon to step up the pace of warehouse automation. “But I don’t see them changing their stripes in a fundamental way,” he says. “They are irrevocably positioned as a low-price commodity retailer and that forces them to squeeze all the costs they can out of their operations.”
New reports offer the lowdown on lift truck automation
DC Velocity-May 25, 2013
Our May 2012 article on forklift automation [“Leave the (forklift) driving to us”] noted that a number of equipment vendors have developed lift trucks that can …
Warehouse automation specialists transform operations for top UK …
Materials Handling World Magazine-Jun 1, 2013
Warehouse automation specialists Keymas Ltd have confirmed completion of one of their biggest projects yet, helping a leading UK distributor to make massive …
ENERGY AND RESOURCE EXTRACTION
Magnum Hunter Takes Delivery of Robotic Drilling Rig
05/09/13 — Magnum Hunter Resources’ subsidiary Alpha Resources has just taken possession of a “robotic drilling rig” that it plans to use to drill Utica Shale wells for the next three years. The robotic rig can, by itself, lift the entire drilling rig six inches off the ground and rotate it and…
UAVs Help Locate Oil Deposits in Norway
05/23/13 — Like an army, science needs the high ground. This is true when it comes to oil exploration and especially so in the rugged landscape of Norway. The Virtual Outcrop Geology (VOG) group at the Norwegian Centre for integrated petroleum research (CIPR) is working to capture this vantage point in a distinctly 21st century way, by using UAVs to seek out oil by helping geologists build 3D models of the terrain. We tend to think of oil exploration as taking place on desert plains or out in the ocean, but finding oil deposits depends on having a comprehensive understanding of local…
Power utilities claim ‘daily’ and ‘constant’ cyberattacks, says report
News – May 21, 2013, 8:14 PM | By Dara Kerr
A report out of Congress outlines the increased hacks on power grid computer systems, noting that one utility faces 10,000 attempted cyberattacks per month.
Bisol’s upgraded automated manufacturing facility at full capacity
Solar Power Portal-May 29, 2013
The company said it invested around €2 million to further automation of its module manufacturing operations that would ensure 100% traceability from the input …
JOB DISPLACEMENT DEBATE
It’s time to talk about the burgeoning robot middle class | MIT Technology Review
May 14, 2013 by Hallie Siegel
The elephant in the room is how robotics will play out for human employment in the long term. New robots will take on advanced manufacturing, tutoring, scheduling, and customer relations. They operate equipment, manage construction, operate backhoes, and yes, even drive tomorrow’s cars. It is time for not just economists but roboticists, like me, to ask, “How will robotic advances transform society in potentially dystopian ways?” My concern is that without serious discourse and explicit policy changes, the current path will lead to an ever more polarized economic world, with robotic technologies replacing the middle class and further distancing our society from authentic opportunity and economic justice. – Illah Nourbakhsh
Welcome, Robot Overlords. Please don’t fire us? | Mother Jones
May 13, 2013 by Hallie Siegel
Smart machines probably won’t kill us all—but they’ll definitely take our jobs, and sooner than you think.
A brief history of awesome robots | Mother Jones
May 13, 2013 by Hallie Siegel
From futuristic cities to a 1980s Chinese restaurant, a peek back at the real and fictional robot icons of the last century.
Lakewood slowly moving toward recycling automation
Plain Dealer-May 10, 2013
LAKEWOOD–Residents in some parts of the city could see automated recycling carts rolled out by September as a $1.5 million program gets under way.
Solutions needed to automation and race to the bottom
Independent Online-May 23, 2013
In recent columns I have mentioned the frightening statistic from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that, on a global level, more than 120 million men and women are now without work – and will probably never work again.
Boeing unions say they’re not worried about robot painters (Video)
Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle)-May 31, 2013
Boeing is using robots to paint 777 wings as the company moves to increase the automation of airplane production. The twin painting machines shown here …
Supply chain automation supports cost reduction, quality improvement
TechTarget-by Ed Burns-May 23, 2013
Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle focused on automation in an effort to become more efficient. Milrose Mercado, Virginia Mason’s administrative director …
GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND LAW
Intuitive Surgical Beats Claims of Negligent Training Practices
05/30/13 — Intuitive Surgical’s stock shot up 5 percent last Friday after a Washington State jury found that the company did not fail to properly train a doctor who used its robotic surgery system, handing the company a victory in the first of more than two dozen similar lawsuits to go to trial. Jurors deliberated for a day and a half before voting 10-2 that Intuitive Surgical was not liable in a $8 million lawsuit brought by the estate of Fred Taylor, lawyers for the parties said. Taylor was 67 years old when he underwent prostate surgery involving a da Vinci surgical system,…
Roadmap for Self-Driving Cars: Five Highlights
WSJ, 05/30/13
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday came out with a road map for navigating the future of self…
BUSINESS OF AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS
EUnited Robotics was pleased to have Rodney Brooks, CTO, chairman and founder of the U.S. company “Rethink Robotics” as the guest speaker of its members assembly which took place on 7 May 2013 in Karlsruhe, Germany. Rodney Brooks who is the creator of “Baxter”, sparked a lively debate among the participants concerning the future of industrial robots. “Baxter” is a new dual-arm robot assistant that is redefining the way robots can be used in manufacturing environments. It was introduced in 2012 and is available on the market as of January 2013. It is designed to be cost-efficient, flexible, adaptable and easy-to-use to be attractive for SMEs in the United States hence keeping jobs and manufacturing from migrating abroad. The robot is not yet sold in Europe, but has received an impressive reception in the US market. Rodney Brooks, a Professor at MIT, was also the co-founder of iRobot in 1990 and the creator of Roomba, the widely popular vacuum bot.
Posted: 05/29/2013 Developed by Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the ANSI/RIA R15.06-2012 standard has been updated for the first time since 1999 and … Click to read more.
Joint CRIA-IFR CEO Round Table at CIROS Show in Shanghai on 1st July
Topic: “The Future of Robotics in China”
The CRIA-IFR CEO Round Table is organized in co-operation with the Chinese Machinery Industry Federation (CMIF) and the Chinese Robot Industry Alliance (CRIA) who are sponsoring the event. Topic of discussion will be: “The Future of Robotics in China”!
Why the Robot Pet Population May Explode with Romo
Peter B. Counter – 05/31/2013
We all have robot brains in our pockets. I know it sounds creepy, but it;s a fact that might actually bring robots in to your home in the cutest way possible. Romotive, a robotics company that in an April CNN interview called this decade the perfect time for robots, has put its money where its mouth…
Is the commercialization of UASs passing the U.S. by?
Posted 05/20/13 at 06:24 AM
… Forget the debate about the military use of drones (but if you must know, here’s a comprehensive FAQ and a United Nations Report on the issue).
… There’s money to be made using those very same unmanned aerial vehicles and systems for commercial purposes. And money is being made by UAS makers and the ancillary businesses that support them in Europe and Australia—but not in the U.S. which will have to play catch-up beginning in late 2015 when the FAA issues rules governing UAS flight in civilian airspace.
… Agriculture, forestry, mining, infrastructure and general surveying, topographical modeling and first responders are just some of the groups that will all benefit from the use of UAS.
RESEARCH AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Freaky Light-Controlled Gels Could Be the Real Future of Robotics
There’s a branch of robotics research that doesn’t necessarily believe that future automatons have to be filled with pistons, gears, and motors. Working to closely emulate Mother Nature’s more squishy creations, these robots would be made entirely from soft materials, like UC Berkeley’s new hydrogel that reacts and… Read…
Disney Teaches Its Animatronics Not to Be Classless Brutes
In an effort to make how robots move and interact with humans feel less awkward and uncomfortable, Disney Research, working with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, are developing a more natural approach to the problem by thoroughly studying how humans interact. Read…
Printable Self-Assembling Bots Will One Day Be Our Affordable Minions
There seem to be two major camps when it comes to robotic research these days: those working to create the most capable and human-like robots with no concern over cost, and those looking to build useful robots but on the cheap. And the researchers at Harvard and MIT behind this printable inchworm, obviously fall into… Read…
We’ve Figured Out How To Make Robot Birds Fly, Up Next: Humans?
Mankind is decades away from taking to the skies in an Iron Man-like suit, but now that researchers at the University of Maryland have cracked the secret to building robot birds that can dive and swoop like the real thing, maybe those crazy human wing designs of yesteryear are worth trying again? Read…
Robotic Insect Eyes Destined for Next-Gen Micro Drones
By Evan Ackerman | Posted 20 May 2013
Just a few weeks ago, IEEE Spectrum wrote about an artificial compound insect eye that was developed by a group of researchers based in the United States. Not to be outdone, a group from EPFL in Switzerland has announced their own artificial compound insect eye, and we got a hands-on a few weeks ago in Lausanne.
Robots Fight Hospital Superbugs
05/13/13 — They kill at least 100,000 people every single year, and the collective medical costs associated with treating people who contract them tops $30 billion a year, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics. But hospital “superbugs” have a new contender in the fight for people’s lives that involves…
Robots Enabling Paraplegics to Lead More Normal Lives
– 05/09/2013 – If you have a disability, no matter if it’s physical or mental, there are tasks that many of us may take for granted on a daily basis that can be extremely hard to complete for people who fall into this category. Looking at a specific example of some…
Tibion Bionic Leg Wins IERA Award
The Robot Report, Posted 05/25/13 at 01:19 AM
… The Tibion Bionic Leg won the 2013 IERA (Invention and Entrepreneurship Award in Robotics and Automation) Prize at the recent ICRA Conference in Karlsruhe, Germany.
… The device is not a prosthesis (artificial limb), or a device a patient wears indefinitely. It is a robotic aid worn during therapy sessions over weeks or months, until the patient recovers their gait so they can walk without it.
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