Service
May 2013
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 …
April 2013
Robot Nurses? Healthcare Providers Welcome Robotic Assistance …
Medical Daily-Apr 29, 2013
A 2012 movie, Robot & Frank, explored the developing relationship between an elderly thief and a gift from his son: a robot programmed to attend to his health …
9 percent would have sex with a robot
Apr 10, 2013, 3:33 PM | By Chris Matyszczyk
Robots are coming. The question is what do people want to do with them? Well, almost 1 in 10 humans would go all the way with them. So says a survey.
Germ-fighting robot cleans hospital rooms – USA Today
USA TODAY-May 2, 2013
Hospitals are full of germs. A new robot can kill almost all of them. RD-D2 uses UV light to kill 99% of organisms lurking around rooms at Cone Health in …
‘Pop idol’ robot converses with customers at Osaka store
The Japan Times-May 1, 2013
OSAKA – A robot modeled after a female pop idol and equipped with the ability to recognize words and converse returned Wednesday to a department store in …
March 2013
Solar panel robot doesn’t need water to clean
Apr 02, 2013, 6:30 AM | By Tim Hornyak
Cleaning solar panels is tough work, but Miraikikai’s duster bot apparently can get to all the nooks and crannies with its swiveling brush.
Hitachi’s Ropits mobility robot drives itself
Mar 12, 2013, 6:59 PM | By Leslie Katz
The Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport System is a single-person autonomous vehicle meant to travel on sidewalks. Just punch in your destination and it takes you there.
Aurora library offers new automation system
Aurora Beacon News-Mar 22, 2013
AURORA — On April 11, Aurora Public Library will go live with Polaris, its new library automation system. To train staff on the new system, all library locations …
Mass. cautions hospitals about robotic surgery
Bostonglobe-Mar 26, 2013
Reports of complications from robot-assisted surgery are rising, according to Massachusetts health officials who sent hospitals an “advisory” letter last week …
Manufacturer faces lawsuits after surgery robot arm breaks off in …
Raw Story-Mar 27, 2013
Surgeons in Aalst, Belgium were startled when part of the robot arm of a da Vinci surgery robot broke off inside a patient who was undergoing prostate surgery in …
Robot Surgery Isn’t Most Cost-Efficient Hysterectomy
Bloomberg-Mar 14, 2013
Robotic surgery for hysterectomies doesn’t improve outcomes and shouldn’t be the first choice for most women, a doctors’ group said, sending Intuitive Surgical …
Robotics Revolutionizes Hair Restoration Procedures
Robotics technologies have revolutionized several industry segments including healthcare. Robots-assisted surgeries are being adopted in all fields of medicines. Thanks to the support of robots, surgeons are relieved from performing several complex and painstaking procedures during surgery. The precision with which robots handle the procedure makes robotics popular in several healthcare applications. Hair restoration is one of the emerging areas of surgeries where robotics is being adopted on a vast scale. Thanks to the complexity associated with the hair restoration procedures, surgeons are turning to robots. The advent of robotics in hair restoration has increased the popularity of advanced hair transplant procedures like Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) that yield more natural results to patients suffering from alopecia.
See Hope College’s robot snowplow and other novelties engineered …
Mlive Kalamazoo-Mar 18, 2013
HOLLAND, MI — A robot snowplow has been rolling around Hope College campus this past winter, clearing off the snow. The robot doesn’t belong to campus …
Human Pilots Are a Problem, and Robot Controlled Planes May Be …
The Atlantic Wire-Mar 22, 2013
In Philadelphia, a man impersonating a pilot made it into a US Airways cockpit. The era of robot pilots can’t get here fast enough. After a day of pilot-related news …
Barista Bot Paints Your Portrait On Your Latte
March 12, 2013 – Starbucks baristas will write your name on the side of your coffee cup, but that’s no where near the level of personalization the Barista Bot is capable of.
Posted 25 Mar 2013 at 20:35 UTC by steve
Boyan Slat has launched the Ocean Cleanup Foundation to develop safe methods of cleaning the billions of tons of plastic that humans have dumped into the world’s oceans, where they are poisoning the food chain. His solution involves arrays of booms that would direct small plastic particles into robotic collection platforms. The arrays would be anchored along the radius of the ocean gyres where the massive plastic garbage patches form. The arrays are powered by ocean currents and the booms allow sea life to safely avoiding being trapped. Even better, researchers estimate the system could collect as much 7.2 billion kg of plastic (around a third of what’s out there) in a form that could be profitably recycled.
February 2013
Bartendro robot mixologist crafts cocktails with Raspberry Pi
Mar 04, 2013, 1:28 PM | By Amanda Kooser
Cocktails may never be the same again. Robot can handle up to 15 bottles of booze and mixers and can dispense precision cocktails in less than 10 seconds.
Korea’s Robotic Nurse to Begin Hospital Trials
02/07/13 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may have recently approved iRobot’s telepresence robot RP-VITA for use in hospitals, but as far as medical robots are concerned Japan and Korea remain ahead of the curve. The latest in a line of nurse droids is the KIRO-M5, a compact transportation robot that can carry…
The rise of robotics in medicine | MedCityNews
March 2, 2013 by Sabine Hauert
Robots represent a vision of the future, a vision that inspires two parts amazement and one part fear of being replaced by superior machines. In manufacturing, robots have been deployed since the 1960’s to exceed human precision and productivity.
Augmented realty interface for telepresence robots
by Wolfgang Heller, February 22, 2013
Telepresence robots are remote controlled cameras on wheels that are connected via Wi-Fi to a user’s computer, mobile phone or tablet. The user can communicate via a “human-scale” robot with other people and move around a workplace or home.
Veebot’s Robot to automate blood draws
February 18, 2013 by Andra Keay
Taking blood is a fine art. Even the most experienced practioner may require more than one stab to find a vein—seems only natural to wonder, might a robot do the job better? Mountain View’s Veebot thinks so.
Robot-assisted hysterectomies booming, but better?
USA TODAY-by Kim Painter-Feb 19, 2013
While robotic vs laparoscopic hysterectomies are similar in outcome for the patient, one consideration for the surgeon is the physical discomfort that results from …
Honda demos lawn mower robot at PGA Tour in Florida
The Japan Daily Press-Mar 4, 2013
As early as last year, Honda has already announced the release in the market of its first home product. This year, the Japanese automaker’s robotic lawn mower, …
January 2013
Robotic sign spinners hit Fresno area streets
ABC30.com-Jan 28, 2013
FRESNO, California (KFSN) — We’ve all seen those sign spinners on major streets like Blackstone in Fresno and all across the state showing off sales or …
Orbiting robot gas station gets closer to reality
Jan 25, 2013, 4:22 PM | By Tim Hornyak
Canadian robot Dextre completes a test on the ISS to refuel a mock satellite, a step toward reducing space junk.
Hi-Tech Library Employs Book Retrieving Robot
01/24/13 — We all have memories of our favorite librarian. Perhaps it was an older woman or gentleman who helped us with a big research project in high school or college. Or maybe we remember the young, fun librarians who nurtured our reading habits as little kids, recommending picture books and leading us in craft projects. But children of tomorrow may remember their first librarian as a collection of metal and electronics. North Carolina State University has deployed a robot in its James B. Hunt Library. The building houses a collection of over 1.5 million books stored in more than 18,000 bins.…
RP-VITA Approved for Hospital Use, SUGV Approved for Disruptor Use
Evan Ackerman / Mon, January 21, 2013
A week or so ago, the FDA (who I guess is somehow in charge of robots in hospitals) has decided that they’re cool with robots like the RP-VITA telepresence platform wandering around on their own without having a nervous human in tow with one finger poised over an e-stop button. In other words, RP-VITA has been officially pronounced to be no more likely than anything else you’d find in a hospital hallway to somehow injure people. We’ll share a few of iRobot’s thoughts on the announcement, but first, we have a video of an iRobot 310 SUGV blowing up a bunch of stuff with a disruptor, because that’s marginally more exciting.
Robots a Huge Asset to Laboratory Automation, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Drug Discovery
01/10/13 — Tasks in the life sciences, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries have always been complex and time-consuming. With the advent of new diseases and medical disorders, these undertakings will only grow in complexity. Due to their speed and precision, robotics are called upon to meet the ever-increasing scope and range of chores in…
Pint-Sized Service Robot on Wheels Massages as it Roams
01/24/13 — WheeMe is a massage robot that moves gently on your body to provide the most realistic massaging experience. It was developed by the Israeli company, DreamBots, and recently shown off at CES 2013. This palm-sized massage robot has two arm sticks on its top to sense the edges of the body. It also includes a tilt sensor technology to automatically avoid falling off while rolling over your body. The roughness of the wheels and a rotor finger will provide a really enjoyable sense of physical pressure. WheeMe robot weighs only 330 grams (with batteries) and measures 128 x 9.6 x 8.0 mm. It moves at a speed of 4 cm/sec, and available in two different colors such as red and blue.…
Engineering Teams Develop Robotic Snowplows for Winter Carnival
01/29/13 — With the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) now featuring pool and gutter cleaners, robotic vacuums and lawnmowers, what’s next? How about a robotic snowplow? Ohio University’s “monocular autonomously controlled snowplow” might soon see a variant of itself parked in the Las Vegas Convention Center at a future CES. Are you listening John Deere? TwinCities.com (Pioneer Press): The snowplow is small, but built like a tank. Weighing in at 600 pounds, Ohio University’s “monocular autonomously controlled snowplow” (also known as M.A.C.S.) features four-wheel drive, a laser guidance system and the ability to clear snow without a human operator. The team from Ohio…
Automating the ‘Last Mile of Finance’
December 6, 2012, 12:01am
How software may help companies improve their financial close and reporting cycles.
There is a brief period at the end of each financial quarter when the pressure is on accounting and finance teams to close company books quickly, while producing accurate results. During this window, employees engage in a frenetic, deadline-driven process known as the “Last Mile of Finance.” It involves consolidating data from various systems and ledgers, reconciling high-risk accounts, recording adjustments, and creating numerous financial statements for investors, internal stakeholders, and regulators—all while trying to avoid errors and bottlenecks that might lead to inaccurate data and missed deadlines. “Traditionally, most of the activities that take place during the Last Mile are manual and spreadsheet driven,” says Kyle Cheney, a partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP who specializes in Last Mile of Finance automation and improvement. “The tasks are labor-intensive and time-consuming, which increases the likelihood that mistakes will be made.” Cheney says that leading companies are starting to implement financial close software that automates many Last Mile activities.
Korean nurse bot sniffs the air to detect soiled diapers
Gizmag-by Jason Falconer-Jan 29, 2013
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may have recently approved iRobot’s telepresence robot RP-VITA for use in hospitals, but as far as medical robots are concerned Japan and Korea remain ahead of the curve. The latest in a line of nurse droids is the KIRO-M5, a compact transportation robot that can carry supplies, sterilize and deodorize the air, and alert nurses when the elderly patients need their diapers changed.
December 2012
Would You Be Comfortable Trusting Your Health To a Robot Doctor?
December 8, 2012 – Technology is marching ever forward and the medicine is no exception. CNN’s Fortune Tech predicts tech will eventually take over 80 percent of what doctors do today, and that might be great, but would you feel comfortable putting your life in the hands of Dr.
Mitsubishi’s Remote Control Tankbot Is Yet Another Member of the Robot Clean-Up Crew Army
December 8, 2012 – We may not have had the wide variety of radiation-resistant robots we needed before Fukushima, but we’re certainly getting it now. Following Toshiba’s four-legged dogbot, Mitsubishi is rolling out their own four-tredded tankbot that aims to fix up a disaster site without sending anyone in.
SkyTender puts automation in airplane aisles
News – Dec 16, 2012, 4:37 PM | By Tim Hornyak
Fresh from its maiden flight, this drink dispenser promises to speed up relief for thirsty passengers.
Wastewater treatment robot is fueled by human sewage
ZDNet-by Heather Clancy-Dec 26, 2012
Summary: This isn’t just potty talk. The experimental EcBot III uses the microbes in human waste to generate electricity, creating power from the water it cleans.
The Robotics Company that could Revolutionize Fast Food
12/19/12 — Science fiction has always positioned the idea that one day our human jobs would be replaced by machines. For those working in burger assembly lines, that day might be sooner than you think. Introducing a machine that makes burgers. Literally, it’s a burger making machine, in prototype, that takes unprepared ingredients like whole tomatoes, onions, uncooked patties, untoasted buns, and spits out a completely assembled burger: Momentum Machines, the San Francisco-based robotics company responsible for the concept, notes that they are aiming to have a functional demo model by June 1st, 2012. About a month ago, the company got a quick…
November 2012
November 2, 2012
Summer may be winding down to a close, but it never gets too cold for frozen yogurt! RIA member Yaskawa Motoman took their friendly bot Cid to PackExpo this past week, where he served up custom frozen yogurt orders to attendees.
Bosch Debuts Autonomous Mower for 2013
11/19/12 — Technology never stops advancing, no matter whether it’s the latest plasma flat screen TV or the garden lawnmower market – it’s constantly changing. Trying to keep up to date with the big players in each field becomes harder and harder every year; that’s why very few brands manage to follow the trend. Honda and Bosch are just two of the huge names to venture into the robotic lawnmower field; with both of their models anticipated to be available from early 2013. Both brands are often recognized for different things; Bosch power tools and Honda for cars; however, both manufacturers are…
LG Hom-Bot Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Debuts Internationally
10/31/12 — LG Electronics’ HOM-BOT SQUARE robotic vacuum cleaner made its global debut in Place Beaubourg, Paris, where it demonstrated to an international audience what the next generation of robotic cleaning technology would bring. “Helping consumers lead more convenient lives with smart technology is what LG is all about,” said Moonbum Shin,…
Window Cleaning Robot Can Handle Any Building Configuration
11/21/12 — The R2D2 of window cleaners rolled its way up the side of Dubai’s Dusit Thani Hotel yesterday to show off its polishing prowess for an audience of investors and municipality officials. And the audience – apart from window cleaning companies that rely more on flesh and blood to get the job done – seemed quite impressed. The German engineering company Samad International says it designed the Robo Clean specifically for the UAE. The robot, measuring one metre by 1.5 metres and weighing 60 kilograms, climbs using 22 suction cups to clean 210 square metres of glass an hour.There is no…
YouTube rolls out auto-captions for six European languages
Nov 28, 2012, By Donna Tam
Now people who speak German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Dutch can watch videos with automated captions.
This Robo-Griller Can Flip 360 Burgers an Hour
November 26, 2012 – The most expensive part of that flimsy burger from your local fast food joint isn’t what you put in your mouth; it’s the human hands that put it together.
Where Are the Elder Care Robots?
Frank Tobe / Mon, November 12, 2012
In this guest post, Frank Tobe, a robotics analyst and publisher of The Robot Report, describes the technologies that are beginning to come to market to help the elderly live in their homes as long as possible. In 2003, BusinessWeek interviewed Joseph Engelberger, the robotics pioneer who helped invent the first industrial robot. The article was entitled “How Robots Lost Their Way.” Included in the story was a plea for money to build an eldercare robot that Engelberger thought could be built with then-current technologies, rented for $600 per month, operated at a cost of $1.25 per hour (compared to healthcare homeworkers who cost around $15 per hour) and developed at a cost of less than $700,000.
11/21/12 Meet Toshiba’s new robot: it is designed to enter highly radioactive parts of a stricken nuclear plant and finding out what…
1.5 Million Home Automation Systems Installed in the US This Year …
The Herald | HeraldOnline.com-Nov 19, 2012
NEW YORK — The global market for home automation services saw strong growth during 2012, driven by a wave of new entrants and offerings in the North …
Humans, automation keep new recycling center humming along
The Spokesman Review-Nov 11, 2012
After trucks dump the collected waste at the back of the plant, an automated… Stern said that’s the key principle behind the automation: “The whole process is …
Robot Trash Collector Scours The Waters Of The Santa Cruz Small …
Huffington Post-by Carly Schwartz-Nov 19, 2012
SANTA CRUZ — In a tech-based twist to beach cleanup, a robot owned by an East … The group says it is the first to use the VideoRay robotic system to collect …
Robot scanner reads 250 book pages a minute
Nanowerk LLC-Nov 23, 2012
(Nanowerk News) Developed at the Ishikawa Oku Lab at the University of Tokyo, the BFS-Auto book scanning robot can achieve high-speed and high-definition …
October 2012
Elderly Say Bring On The Robots — Just Not As Friends
Huffington Post-by Bianca Bosker-Oct 26, 2012
Older adults are keen on having robot personal assistants help them with laundry and housekeeping, but they draw the line at having a robot help them host a …
Underwater robots track sharks off US
NBCNews.com-Oct 19, 2012
An underwater robot is helping to track sand tiger sharks off the East Coast of the United States. It’s the first time a device like this has been used to find and …
Robots Moving Closer to Humans
The Atlantic-Oct 31, 2012
Dr. David Hanson, CEO of Hanson Robotics, is trying to build the perfect robot. He says that “robots are increasingly autonomous in the way they interact with …
Japan readies new robot to probe crippled nuclear plant
CNET-Oct 23, 2012
Several robots and other tech are being thrown at the mess north of Tokyo, and Chiba Institute of Technology’s Future Robotics Technology Center (fuRo) is …
September 2012
Toyota’s New Human Support Robot Gives Disabled Humans a Hand (and an Arm)
POSTED BY: Evan Ackerman / Mon, September 24, 2012
We’re always caught slightly off-guard when major Asian electronics companies introduce a new robot with virtually zero warning, like Toyota just did with their Human Support Robot, or HSR. Designed to assist disabled people, the HSR looks like it might be good for all kinds of household tasks whether you’re disabled or not.
Hector: A Robot Who Helps the Elderly
10 Sep 2012 by steve
Hector is a robot designed to assist elderly people who suffer from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Developed as part of the CompanionAble project by researchers at the Smart Homes foundation in the Netherlands.
A Robotic Arm Collects Curbside Trash
09/12/12 — The City of Grand Rapids, Michigan is getting smarter at how it collects waste, with robotic trucks and waste bins with computer chips. Recently, the city unveiled a new municipal waste collection program that allows residents to pay based on the amount of trash residents place at the curb, rather…
QinetiQ’s Talon Robot Tested for Fire Departments
09/05/12 — Marine Corps firefighters from Camp Lejeune and CBRN defense specialists from the 2nd Marine Division recently tested QinetiQ North America’s Talon robot at its fire department training area. The wireless, remote-control Talon robot carried a payload of CBRN tools, including a radiation detector and a non-invasive temperature probe. Talon robots currently are deployed for improvised…
Robotics And The Mountain Of Things We Throw Away
Posted 09/29/12 at 12:37 PM
… “Cities are like badger holes, ringed with trash – surrounded by piles of wrecked and rusting automobiles, and almost smothered in rubbish. Everything we use comes in boxes, cartons, bins, the so-called packaging we love so much. The mountain of things we throw away are much greater than the things we use.” John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley. … Zen Robotics, a Finnish company which makes recycling systems that use robots, just raised $17 million from Invus/Evergreen and Lifeline Ventures. Additionally, Zen sold a recycling system to the Baetsen Group (The Netherlands) and it will be operational in Q1 of 2013. … In other trashy news: Grand Rapids, Michigan became the most recent user of a robotic waste bin pickup system. Their system enables the city to price their pickup service based on the quantity of garbage collected. They use trash containers with embedded RFID computer chips and trucks with robotic arms and remote control to pick and empty the bin while validating, computing and recording the charge.
Future Robot introduces new kiosk robot and sells 100 robots to Brazil
Gizmag-Sep 26, 2012
Future Robot has unveiled a new service robot called FURO-K that will function as a friendly kiosk. The company claims that people often prefer to wait in line to …
July-Aug. 2012
Jul 31, 2012
Molly Wood visits Willow Garage in Silicon Valley and gets a first-hand look at a bot that is programmed to act as a personal sushi waiter.
Kate the humanoid robot: Kids, let’s talk
Jul 26, 2012, 12:51 PM | By Leslie Katz
Florida roboticist builds Kate (Kids Avatar Teacher and Entertainer) to keep children of military personnel company while their parents are away. She can play, chat, and even smell smoke.
Elderly storytelling android debuts in Japan
Jul 23, 2012, 10:07 AM | By Tim Hornyak
A robot copy of Beicho Katsura III, a master comic storyteller in Japan, takes the stage in Osaka and gets a few laughs.
Siemens Launches Next Generation Automation Solution ‘Aptio’ at …
Equities.com-Jul 18, 2012
LOS ANGELES, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics (NYSE: SI) launched Aptio™ Automation(1), the company’s next generation laboratory automation platform, at the 2012 AACC and ASCLS Annual Meetings and Clinical Lab Expo in Los Angeles, July 15 – 19 (Booth #1701). Aptio Automation promises to transform laboratory operations by combining Siemens’ industry-leading workflow expertise with peak performance, adaptability and intelligent technology. Increasingly, clinical laboratories are turning to automation to help them meet the growing demand for in vitro diagnostic testing in the face of a shrinking labor force. And, these trends are only expected to continue, as approximately 17 percent of laboratory professionals are anticipated to retire in the next five years.(2) By 2014, it’s estimated that the United States alone will need 81,000 additional medical technologists and technicians to replace retiring staff, plus 68,000 more to fill newly created positions.(3) Aptio Automation is an adaptable solution that allows for a phased implementation to accommodate both current and future needs of medium- to very high-volume laboratories.
New robot will connect doctors, patients
Boston.com-Jul 24, 2012
Military and consumer robot manufacturer iRobot Corp. in Bedford will unveil a new product Tuesday intended for the health care industry as it diversifies its …
The Next Big Steps In Robotic Surgery
Business Insider-Aug 1, 2012
Robotic surgery, the amazing technology that allows surgeons to operate on patients with greater efficiency and precision via a surgeon-controlled robotic…
Multilingual robot to guide visitors at Tokyo Tower
Postnoon-Aug 1, 2012
Tokyo: A robot capable of giving information in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean was welcomed today as the latest feature to Japan’s Tokyo Tower, …
Robot Arm Builds Complex Sandcastles You Could Never Create With a Bucket and Shovel
August 4, 2012 – If your only pursuit when visiting the beach is to construct the most epic sandcastle imaginable, you might want to leave your pail and tiny shovel at home and instead get your hands on this fantastic castle-crafting robot arm. Created by architects Petr Novikov, Inder Shergill and Anna Kulik, the… More »
CMU’s AndyVision Robot Is In Your Store, Doing Your Inventory
Evan Ackerman / Tue, July 03, 2012
Underneath that color-coordinated hoodie is AndyVision, Carnegie Mellon’s inventory assistance robot. It’s programmed to take over the utter drudgery* of daily retail inventory, helping stores figure out what customers want and customers figure out how to get it.
June 2012
06/19/12 — Late-night cravings for pizza may soon be satisfied not by all-night delivery, but by this robot vending machine. Invented by Italians and just now arriving on our fair shores, the Let’s Pizza machine actually creates the pizza more or less from scratch, and then bakes it as you watch. The…
Robot Lifeguard Swims into Summer…Autonomously
05/30/12 — Ever wondered what Baywatch would have been like with robot lifeguards instead of human ones? It probably would not have the same appeal, but in any case the folks at Hydronalix have come up with a robot lifeguard dubbed E.M.I.L.Y., which we’re sure that most of you guys have figured…
The Robot Mannequin that Mimics You
06/27/12 — Professor Maarja Kruusmaa working alongside Fits.me COO Diana Saarva has created a virtual fitting room which enables users to virtually try on clothes before buying them. All told, the robot is capable of replicating 2,000 body shapes. When a retailer signs up with Fits.me, they first send in their clothes. Each size is placed on the robot, which then cycles through all the body shapes it knows. While that’s going on, a camera is taking pictures of each permutation. This photographic log is then stored in an online database. Once you go online and type your measurements into the retailer’s site,…
Bosch Introduces New Autonomous Robotic Lawnmower
POSTED BY: Evan Ackerman / Mon, June 11, 2012
We got a tip over the weekend that Bosch is introducing (or, has just introduced) what a press release (machine translated from Swedish) calls the “world’s first intelligent robot lawn mower,” the Bosch Indego. Well, we’re not entirely sure about the world’s first bit, but from what we can tell, there are definitely some features here that will make the Indego more intelligent than some of its competitors.
Automated garbage pickup making headway
Tampabay.com – Jun 22, 2012
The county is prepared to change a contract to make it available to communities that want it. . BROOKSVILLE — The County Commission is poised Tuesday to …
Researchers develop prototype automated pavement crack …
Phys.Org – Jun 18, 2012
Sealing cracks in roadways ensures a road’s structural integrity and extends the time between major repaving projects, but conventional manual crack sealing …
Italy in first robotic liver procedure
The Australian – Jun 25, 2012
A MEDICAL transplant centre on the Italian island of Sicily says it has carried out the world’s first partial liver transplant using only a robot to remove the organ of …
When will robot restaurants come to India?
IBNLive.com – 6 days ago
How far is the future where we can go and dine in a restaurant in India run by robots?
May 2012
Coming soon to a salon near you
3 May 2012, by John_RobotsPodcast
While Panasonic’s legal department may be cringing at the prospect, this shampoo-bot appears to be headed straight for market, where it can relieve busy stylists from the need to also perform shampoos, while providing customers with more thorough shampoos and less water in the eyes. Add a sanitization cycle to keep from passing germs and parasites from one customer to the next (if it doesn’t already have one), and it just might be marketable as is.
Robotic Surgery: Tool-wielding Robots Crawl in Bodies
05/29/12 — Indystar—Imagine a tiny snake robot crawling through your body, helping a surgeon identify diseases and perform operations. It’s not science fiction. Scientists and doctors are using the creeping metallic tools to perform surgery on hearts, prostate cancer, and other diseased organs. The snakebots carry tiny cameras, scissors and forceps, and even more advanced sensors are in the works. For now, they’re powered by tethers that humans control. But experts say the day is coming when some robots will roam the body on their own. “It won’t be very long before we have robots that are nanobots, meaning they will actually…
Lawn Wars: Robot Mowers To Vie in Court
05/24/12 — Husqvarna Group is taking legal action against Positec Germany GmbH claiming Positec’s Worx robotic mower infringes two of Husqvarna’s patents for robotic mower technology. As pioneers within robotic mowers and as clear market leader, Husqvarna vows to vigorously defend against infringements of its intellectual property. We have had tremendous success with the Automower robotic mower, and welcome that other manufacturers help us to grow this market. However, all manufacturers must do their own engineering work and not just copy existing solutions. We have invested a lot of hard work and resources and will actively defend our technology against infringers, says…
Robotic ‘Fish’ Take to Seas to Catch Pollution Sooner
05/22/12 — MSNBC—In a bid to track sea pollution by mimicking how fish navigate and work together, scientists on Tuesday moved their robotic fish from the lab to the sea. The technology could reduce the time it takes to detect a pollutant from weeks to just seconds, the scientists said in a…
Robotic Guitar Can Replace Three Guitarists
05/25/12 — We already know that musically inclined robots will take up the Beatles mantle in the future, and that they are skilled at reproducing the classic James Bond theme. But just to further show how obsolete human musicians are, Vladimir Demin (MrDeminva on YouTube) built a robotic guitar that can replace a group of guitarists. Normally it takes a group of musicians to play this particular Russian tune. Demin’s actuated player guitar can reproduce the song by itself with such unrelenting tempo and perfect accuracy. The robotic guitar can do this because each fret on the instrument has its own dedicated…
Jan.-April 2012
The robodoctor will see you now
Apr 12, 2012, Martin LaMonica
Robots in the form of linen-carrying droids and prosthetics are starting to slowly open the path for robotics in health care. Can in-home robots help care for elderly people, too?
Golf slightly less frustrating with robot caddy
Mar 19, 2012, Tim Hornyak
Caddytrek carries your clubs and automatically follows you around the course. It won’t expect a tip after the 18th hole.
Portrait-drawing robot shows CeBIT’s artistic side
Mar 07, 2012, Stephen Shankland
The Van Goghs of the world needn’t worry for now, but a robot at CeBIT is drawing portraits of people at the tech show.
The Ava robot can take you to aisle 9
Feb 29, 2012, Martin LaMonica
iRobot reorganizes and creates a business unit for its tablet-sporting Ava pedestal robot in retail, security, and health care.
iRobot may send its Ava ‘bot to medical school
Jan 31, 2012, Martin LaMonica
iRobot invests $6 million in InTouch Health to test its robots, including Ava, for use in telemedicine and assisted care at healthcare facilities.
Anybots Now Offering AnyLobby Robotic Staffing Service
Evan Ackerman / Thu, February 02, 2012
Do you need a receptionist at your company? Are you having trouble affording another employee? Do you like spending time with robots more than humans? If you answered yes to any of these questions (or all of them), you might want to check out a brand new service being offered by Anybots called AnyLobby that will solve all your problems.
Adept Technology Introduces New Autonomous Transporter
02/06/12 — Adept Technology, Inc., a leading provider of intelligent robots and autonomous mobile solutions, announced the launch of the new Adept Courier, which the company says represents an innovative new approach to automating the movement of goods. The Adept Courier is a small autonomous vehicle that simplifies the everyday task…
Robots Making Their Way into the Service Industry
February 06, 2012, Julie Griffin
Fortunately, many of us live in a society where we no longer lash out on “the help” if we are having a bad day. Instead, we will still tip our servers properly after rude or aloof service because we sympathize with him or her for having a bad day. Our society is becoming more human. Because of this, we don’t want to enlist people to do our dirty work. So why not make robots do the job?
June – Dec. 2011
Windoro UK Launches New Robot Window Cleaner.
The compact device allows window glass cleaning with a single click.
By Robotics Trends’ News Sources – Filed Dec 19, 2011
The Windoro automatic window cleaning robot is now available to order in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Windoro received a very positive reception after its release at last year’s IFA in Berlin, one of the largest consumer electronics and appliance trade shows, where more than a thousand of the devices were sold. The cleaning robot consists of two units, one is responsible for the cleaning, and the other takes care of navigation. The units are kept together by neodymium magnets that you can adjust to suit the thickness of different windows. Windoro can work on glass panes that have 5mm – 25mm thickness, and it has options for manual or automatic glass cleaning. You can use its remote control to manually move the units or set Windoro to automatically move in a zigzag motion.
UK robot caregivers to help older people live independently at home
A robot called Hector can be used independently in any home or as care support within a smart home integrated with a remote control center.
By From Robotics Trends’ News Sources – Filed Dec 19, 2011
France and automation: Driverless, workless
The Economist – Nov 26, 2011
THE bold fuchsia-pink and tangerine-orange stripes of the upholstery are shocking enough, but the really unsettling feature of the new trains on the Paris metro is the lack of a driver. Sit in front and you get a picture-window forward view as the train tears through a dark tunnel. This month, the first automatic trains went into service on line one, the capital’s busiest, running from La Défense to the Château de Vincennes. With trains guided remotely from a control room and protective platform-edge barriers, the new trains seem to operate entirely on their own.
Automation considered for Savannah River projects – State &…
The State – Dec 26, 2011
The US Army Corps of Engineers is looking at automating its three federal hydropower projects along the Savannah River. Three projects are now operated and …
Wearable Robots Help Paralyzed
Fox News – Dec 29, 2011
By Allison Barrie This robotic exoskeleton — developed by the defense department to create supersoldiers — could allow the paralyzed to walk. …
Robots Serve as Wardens in South Korea
Correctional News – Dec 29, 2011
SOUTH KOREA — Robots will be roaming the halls and serving as wardens at a South Korean jail in March 2012. Asian Forum for Corrections, a South Korean …
Robots hoard the books at mechanized library
At new University of Chicago library, five underground robot cranes help fetch your books from storage bins in the vault.
News – May 25, 2011, 2:30 PM | By Tim Hornyak
Feb. – May 2011
Mystery Robot Revealed: RoboDynamics Luna Is Fully Programmable Adult-Size Personal Robot
Evan Ackerman & Erico Guizzo / Wed, May 11, 2011
That mystery robot that we’ve been teased about for months now, originally rumored to be something developed by either Apple or Google, is in fact a project by a company called RoboDynamics. It’s called Luna, it’s a personal robot designed for people to use at home, it’s fully programmable, and will start shipping later this year.
Evan Ackerman / Thu, March 24, 2011
We’re totally stoked about iRobot’s new Scooba 230 floor cleaning robot, largely because it’s something entirely new from iRobot, a company that we’ve gently chided in the past for making only incremental and cosmetic improvements to their consumer products over the last few years.
Watch This Robot Crawl on a High-Voltage Power Line
Erico Guizzo / Fri, February 04, 2011
Inspection of high-voltage power lines is costly, difficult, and a dangerous job even for skilled workers. Which means it’s the perfect job for a robot.
For better service, automate the waiters
Monday, February 14, 2011 Posted by Rafe Needleman
Storific lets you order food from your table, but the Paris-based start-up needs a more coherent sales strategy.
NPR – Patrick Winn – May 13, 2011
Are robot waiters in our future in the US? Here, a robot holds a tray of food at a restaurant in Bangkok. Are robot waiters in our future in …
Robot to Move Luggage for Guests in New Times Square Hotel
When the “Yotel” opens up in Times Square in New York City it will offer its guests automated robots to handle their luggage.
Service Robots and their Rapid Rise in Multiple Markets
by Adil Shafi, President
Posted: 02/28/2011 Industrial robots are characterized by their use in factories. Almost always they work in a fixed area or move …
January 2011
Digging through a high-tech recycling center
January 24, 2011, Martin LaMonica
A waste recycling center uses a series of machines to automatically sort material to enable single-stream recycling for consumers.
Teasdale Quality Foods Achieves Significant Savings by Automating Invoice …
Business Wire (press release) – Jan 25, 2011
Teasdale’s implementation of the EZCM accounts payable automation solution was so successful that, within months, order entries and accounts receivable were …
‘Go to’ clouds of the future, part 1
January 03, 2011, James Urquhart
Two companies will play major roles in the cloud computing transformation in the next decade, and who they are might surprise you–as well as how they will do it.
Robot puts ill teen back in classroom
Chicago Sun-Times – Jan 21, 2011
WICHITA FALLS, Texas — A Texas school district here has teamed up with a communications company to allow a homebound student to attend class via robot.
Restaurant robot delivers the future of food service
DVICE – Adario Strange – Jan 25, 2011
The MK Robot Project produced the robot to assist waiters with an eye towards total autonomy in the future. Although slow and still in need of human …
Robot glider to investigate Australia floodwaters
msnbc.com – Jan 24, 2011
A gliding robot is set to cruise over a stretch of Australian coast that has been devastated by the recent flooding. The glider will be on a reconnaissance …
12 Advances In Medical Robotics
InformationWeek – Jan 29, 2011
Japan, which has a large elderly population, has developed a number of robot-based technologies that appear to help slow down the advent of dementia, …
Robots to fix parking problems in Abu Dhabi
The National – Jan 23, 2011
The “valet” is a mechanical robot, it promises to park or retrieve your car inside 50 seconds – and best of all, parking will be free.
With Home Carpeting Conquered, Robots Eye the Office
Jack Loftus, 1/16/11
The Roomba has conquered the home. No more vacuuming! Now robots must tackle mail delivery and coffee-making tasks in the office. Enter the coldly-named humanoid bot HRP-4. It doesn’t surf the net. It doesn’t gossip. It simply serves.
Sushi Restaurant Uses Sushi Robots and Control Centers to Cut Costs
Kura, a sushi chain, focuses on efficiency and turning a profit. So much so that they’ve eschewed traditional sushi chefs for sushi robots, a large staff of waiters for conveyor belts and restaurant managers for a control center with video link.
December 2010
Robots wait on you in this Chinese restaurant
Thursday, December 09, 2010 Posted by Juniper Foo
At China’s Dalu Rebot (sic) restaurant, patrons are greeted by robot receptionists and attended by robo-waiters. Fortunately, real-life cooks are on hand in the kitchen.
Personal Robotics Market to Top $19 Billion in 2017
Sales of telepresence and security robots are helping to drive the latest forecast.
Robotics Trends Staff – Filed Dec 13, 2010
While many consumers’ current interaction with robots is limited to those that clean their floors, pools, or gutters, ABI Research, in its market study “Personal Robotics,” forecasts that the personal robotics market will grow to more than $19 billion in 2017, driven in large part by sales of telepresence and security robots featuring high-quality cameras, microphones, and processors that allow the robots to serve as interactive substitutes for human beings.
“Hi I’m a robot. I’ll be your doctor today.”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog) – Mark Johnson – Dec 8, 2010
The engineers say the technology now exists to design robot assistants competent to perform in the high-stress environment of a hospital emergency room.
November 2010
Meet Cody, the robot that gives sponge baths
Wednesday, November 10, 2010 Posted by Matt Hickey
It’s not as sexy as Nurse Nancy, but Cody, the robot who gives baths, might be more effective and cheaper in the future.
Adept Technology Robotics Selected to Participate in Advanced Cancer Treatment Program
November 18, 2010
Adept Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADEP), the leading provider of intelligent vision-guided robotics and global robotics services, today announced it is participating in the CLARA (Lyon Auvergne Rhone-Alpes Cancer cluster) program with Lyon Civil Hospitals as the robotics component in a method for treating small cancer tumors.
Second Robot to Be Sent Into New Zealand Mine
WSJ.com
The first robot broke down two hours after it was sent into the mine in an effort to locate 29 miners missing since Friday…
A Robot Actress Stars In A Play
Gemenoid-F, a robot, is co-starring in a Japanese play where she plays the role of a caretaker. It’s a director’s dream: the robot has no ego and does what is told. Here’s a video of her in action, or “acting”.
Rescue robots not effective – experts
Radio New Zealand – 11/22/10
Sean Dessureault, a mine automation expert from the University of Arizona, says underground conditions are cold, wet and rough on the ground, …
Why US IT jobs aren’t coming back
Galen Gruman, InfoWorld, November 18, 2010
The recession may be technically over and IT spending may rise slightly in 2011 and beyond (per Gartner and IDC projections), but U.S. and European IT workers won’t benefit. The technology jobs created and reinstated by the economic recovery will be in India, China, and other countries witth cheaper workers. In fact, an additional 600,000 American and European jobs in IT will disappear in the five years from 2010 through 2014, on top of the 500,000 lost in the 2008-09 period. That’s according to bleak research released today by the Hackett Group, a consultancy specializing in helping companies save costs through techniques that, ironically, include outsourcing. “There’s no end in sight for the jobless recovery in business functions, such as IT and corporate finance, in large part due to the accelerated movement of work to India and other offshore locations,” the report says. The recession may be technically over and IT spending may rise slightly in 2011 and beyond (per Gartner and IDC projections), but U.S. and European IT workers won’t benefit. The technology jobs created and reinstated by the economic recovery will be in India, China, and other countries witth cheaper workers. In fact, an additional 600,000 American and European jobs in IT will disappear in the five years from 2010 through 2014, on top of the 500,000 lost in the 2008-09 period. That’s according to bleak research released today by the Hackett Group, a consultancy specializing in helping companies save costs through techniques that, ironically, include outsourcing. “There’s no end in sight for the jobless recovery in business functions, such as IT and corporate finance, in large part due to the accelerated movement of work to India and other offshore locations,” the report says.
U.S. News & World Report – Marlene Cimons – 19 hours ago
“Right now, these robots are dumb,” said M. Cenk Cavusoglu, associate professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer sciences at Case …
Love robots will end loneliness
AsiaOne – Nov 21, 2010
A robot which can fall in love with its owner could help those suffering from loneliness, the Sun reported. Funktionide, a pillow-like robot invented by …
Times of India – Nov 17, 2010
LONDON: Sex robots developed in the US could be heading to Britain following a demand from robot fetishists. With a fixed stare but having movable limbs, …
Better Learning? A Robot in Every Kindergarten
Gather.com – Christine Zibas – Nov 4, 2010
Asian nations have always been more engaged by robots and what they can accomplish than those of us in the West. While robots playing the violin or …
Pilot Reliance on Automation Erodes Skills
ANDY PASZTOR, WSJ, Nov 5, 2010
Increasing reliance on cockpit automation appears to be eroding manual flying skills of airline pilots, who are “sometimes…
Evolution Robotics’ Mint Floor Cleaning Robot Now at Bed Bath & Beyond
Jayashree Adkoli, TMCnet Contributor, October 27, 2010
Pasadena, Calif.-based Robotics technology company Evolution Robotics, Inc., announced that its Mint Automatic Floor Cleaning robot is now available at all Bed Bath & Beyond stores nationwide, as well as online.
Service Robots – Getting Successfully Established
by International Federation of Robotics, Statistical Department
Posted 09/16/2010
So far, about 77,000 service robots for professional use were sold worldwide, reports the IFR Statistical Department in the new study “World Robotics 2010 – Service Robots”, which was published on Tuesday in Frankfurt. The total value of professional service robots sold was about US $13 billion. Due to the economical downturn the annual supply decreased for the first time slightly in 2009 to almost 13.000 units. Service robots can be characterized as assistants of man. They take over jobs which are dangerous, impossible or unacceptable. They help to rationalize, to save time and to improve quality. Military and agricultural applications predominate About 30% of the sold units of service robots are used for defense applications, mainly unmanned aerial or ground based vehicles and demining robots. Another 25% are milking robots, which were one of the first service robots ever produced. Both categories made up more than half of all sold service robots and can be regarded as the most established ones. Cleaning robots and medical robots follow with shares of 8% each and underwater robots with 7%. Cleaning robots are mainly used to clean swimming pools. Medical robots are used in combination with minimal access surgery, but also increasingly for diagnostics. Diagnostic robots may come in the form of devices that guide diagnostic equipment to the human body. One of the most established robotic operations in this field is biopsy.
Robotic Sternum Separator Draws Curves
1 Nov 2010, robots.net
The sternum stands between the surgeon and the vital organs within the chest. Typically it is simply sawed through then fixated afterwards with hardware. This fixation is imperfect and movement between the pieces can cause pain and even life-threatening issues. A new system by novoSurge uses x-rays and ultrasound under robotic control to precisely cut a path. The interesting part is that the path is not straight but sinusoidal so that the pieces fit back together better than a straight cut – sort of like a puzzle. This can lead to quicker healing for the patient and fewer complications. Hat tip to the fine folks at medGadget
How to Make a Humanoid Robot Dance
Erico Guizzo / Tue, November 02, 2010
Japanese roboticists recently showed off a female android singing and dancing along with a troupe of human performers. Video of the entertaining and surprisingly realistic demonstration received millions of views on the Internet. How did they do it?
A Robot Lifeguard Patrols Malibu
10/26/2010
(CNNMoney.com) — Emily may not be the prettiest thing with plastic parts on bikini-riddled Zuma Beach in Malibu, Calif., but ‘she’ still turns heads. That’s because Emily — whose name is an acronym for Emergency Integrated Lifesaving Lanyard — is a four-foot-long robotic buoy capable of racing through rough surf at 24 miles per hour. Emily’s creators estimate that the robot can rescue distressed swimmers twelve times as fast as human lifeguards. Take that, David Hasselhoff!
October 2010
Call centre automation could save economy £23bn a year
Computing – Nicola Brittain – Oct 22, 2010
Alongside speculation around, and then the announcement of, the Comprehensive Spending Review, there has been a spate of releases concerning the automation of customer service as a way to cut costs.
In an interview with Computing, local government CIO Jos Creese said local authorities should be looking to move as many services as possible into self-service. However, a report from Gartner last month argued that the technology was not yet sophisticated enough, and that self-service struggles to solve more than one eighth of IT problems.
Robot teachers invade South Korean classrooms
CNN – Susannah Palk – Oct 22, 2010
A student practices her English pronunciation with a robot as part of South Korea’s robot-learning program.
Toyota and Fujita Health University Testing Robot to Aide Stroke Patients
SlashGear – Evan Selleck – Oct 18, 2010
The company is trying to make the future technology part of its core business, and with that, they’re developing new robots to help in all sorts of …
Robot mannequin helps shoppers find the right fit
CNET – Leslie Katz – Sep 30, 2010
Well, you could cross your fingers–or enlist the help of a new shape-shifting robot mannequin that shows you how clothes hang on your frame. …
Coming soon: Unmanned robot aircraft to fly domestic skies
Economic Times – Sep 27, 2010
Randall and his team will consider how and where robot craft should fly – which altitude, which routes and at what times. Other grey areas are whether these …
You Will Soon Own a Home Robot, Researchers Say
Hot Hardware – Julie Bort – Sep 30, 2010
The “personal robots” market will explode in the next few years, and we don’t mean all over your kitchen. ABI Research expects robots aimed at consumers to …
Forecasted $17 Billion Service Robot Sales Globally by the End of 2013
TMC Net – Sujata Garud – Sep 27, 2010
GeckoSystems Intl. Corp., is a dynamic leader in the emerging Mobile Service Robot (MSR) industry revolutionizing their development and …
Gujarat hospital becomes first to acquire latest robot for urological surgeries
Sify – Sep 27, 2010
Robot plays a major role in treating cancer of kidney, bladder and prostate and doing reconstructive procedures in a minimally invasive manner.
September 2010
Panasonic’s Robot is Gonna Wash That (Hu)Man Right Outta Your Hair
There’s nothing worse than an overly chatty hairdresser. Someone harping on about their snotty-nosed children, or about how lazy their husband is. Bring on the robots, I say. Especially if they can store memories on a customer’s preferred massage treatment.
Spider-Roomba Climbs Windows to Clean Them On Both Sides
Jesus Diaz, 9/23/10
This is what happens when a Roomba is bitten by a radioactive spider. It’s name isn’t Spider-Roomba, but Windoro, a climbing robot that can clean windows automatically—on both sides. Watch it in all its polishing glory action…
Nine Restaurants Sent Back From the Future to Destroy Us (With Good Eats)
Sam Biddle, 9/24/10
The basic premises of going to a restaurant haven’t changed tremendously throughout history. You sit down. You order. It shows up. Maybe it’s good. But new, high tech establishments around the world are putting a innovative spin on eating out.
‘Core’ carrying robot is (almost) all legs
Monday, September 20, 2010 by Leslie Katz
Headless bipedal bot can carry 220 pounds, 88 pounds more than Toyota’s i-Foot mobility assist robot can lift.
Low Installation Rates in Retail Pharmacies Across Europe Increase the Growth …
PR Newswire (press release) – Sep 1, 2010
The pharmacy automation systems market in Europe is experiencing a tremendous growth spurt. Until recently, most pharmacies have been either without automation or have employed very basic automation systems. In response, the adoption rate of automation systems across Europe has been progressing from basic prescription management systems to advanced medication pick-up and drug dispensing automation systems. Likewise, although the adoption of automation systems has been most prevalent among hospital pharmacies, there is significant potential for growth in the retail pharmacy market across Europe.
Watch Humans and Robots Getting It On, Musically, before Bumbershoot
The SunBreak (blog) – Sep 3, 2010
By josh As previously mentioned, this year’s Bumbershoot arts program includes an appearance by Shimon, the Jazz-Improvising Marimba Robot
For $500, This Solar-Powered Robot Will Keep Your Pool Clean
Owning a pool is great—until you realize just how much time and money goes into maintaining it. Thankfully, there are robots like the Solar-Breeze which will remove surface debris and reduce pump usage costs without needing much more than sunlight.
South Korean University of Incheon Library Implements RFID in Operations
MoreRFID (press release) – Sep 7, 2010
The University of Incheon in South Korea has automated its library operations with RFID. The university’s newly built library, Haksan, utilises RaceTrack HF RFID tags from UPM Raflatac coupled with a complete library automation solution from ECO. The move away from the previously used barcode technology became opportune as the university began building its new campus and Haksan library in Songdo in 2009. Located close to Seoul, Songdo is a completely planned and sustainable international city in the Incheon Free Economic Zone. It is the new hub for innovation in the region and is world-famous for its use of new technologies. In the first phase, the Haksan library tagged 500,000 educational and research items. Thanks to the RFID-enabled library automation solution, the university’s 10,000 students are now able to enjoy the benefits of faster book circulation and easy to use self-service check-in/out stations. In addition, the RFID solution allows students to use their credit cards for library transactions, eliminating the need to carry a library patron card.
August 2010
Kokoro shows off its latest android Actroid F
Saturday, August 28, 2010 Posted by Tim Hornyak
Tokyo entertainment firm Kokoro shows off its latest fembot, Actroid F, in a PR video. The lifelike android is slated to go on sale to work as a receptionist or hospital worker.
A Robot Lawn Mower That Can Detect Darting Gophers
Timothy Hay, 08/18/10
Robotic vehicles have been used for space exploration, deep-water drilling, high-tech warfare and a range of other exotic applications. But one start-up is gaining traction by creating robots to mow lawns, shovel snow and repave parking lots. Precise Path Robotics Inc. is preparing to unveil its first device, a $30,000 robotic mower for golf courses that will begin shipping in mid-October. To help with the launch of the RG3 Robotic Greens Mower, the Indianapolis-based start-up just raised $4.5 million in funding from angel backers Scott A. Jones and Charlie Staples to give it $10 million in total backing.
Who Wouldn’t Buy Ice Cream From A Cute Japanese Robot?
Rosa Golijan, Aug 16, 2010
As if ice cream doesn’t practically sell itself in the summers anyway, a Japanese theme park decided to hire a cute robot named Yaskawa-kun to hawk the delicious treat. I think you’ll understand their choice after you see a video of him at work.
Library ‘robots’ now operational
SF State Campus Headlines – Aug 20, 2010
August 20, 2010 — This summer, J. Paul Leonard Library faculty and staff gave members of the campus community a preview of the computerized crane system that will retrieve most books stored in the expanded and renovated Library when it is expected to reopen in early 2012. The library retrieval system, or LRS, fills three floors of the Library’s new west addition. It consists of huge cranes that glide horizontally and vertically to access a vast system of storage bins. Five double rows of bins reaching 36 feet high house 10 times more books onsite than open shelving could accommodate. It is estimated that most books will be retrieved and ready for the user in less time than it takes for a Library patron to walk to open stacks and retrieve a book. “Library users should remember ,” says University Librarian Deborah Masters, ” that you don’t need to be in the Library to request a book. From any computer, anywhere, at anytime you can access the online catalog, determine that the book is available, and make your request. ” That online request cues the crane to retrieve the bin holding that book, and immediately delivers the bin to a crew of trained student assistants and Library staff. The book is removed by hand, and delivered to the Library’s distribution desk for the patron — all in about five to 10 minutes.
Bleep it and weep: the frustration of using self-service checkouts
Telegraph.co.uk – Alastair Jamieson – Aug 22, 2010
But Britons are embracing automation faster than any other country in Europe. Two-fifths of Britons refuse to queue for longer than two-and-a-half minutes, … Some 15,000 automated tills will be in operation by the end of 2011 according to analysts Retail Banking Research (RBR) – more than double the number in use last year. NCR, the American company responsible for four out of five of Britain’s self-service checkouts believes they are the biggest revolution in shopping since the arrival of self-pick supermarkets in the 1950s.
Robots Redefining Cancer Surgery
UC Irvine Healthcare to perform robotic thyroidectomies.
By Marcida Dodson – Filed Aug 23, 2010
UC Irvine’s innovative Robotic Oncology Center offers minimally invasive treatment in multiple disciplines.In the ever-evolving battle against cancer, the surgical robot is gaining ground. UC Irvine Healthcare announced that it’s the first medical center on the West Coast and the only one in California to perform robotic thyroidectomies, which remove the diseased gland without leaving a visible scar on the neck. The da Vinci Surgical System is facilitating an increasing number of such procedures, and to further advance use of this new technology, UC Irvine Healthcare in July established a Robotic Oncology Center. Dr. Jason H. Kim, associate clinical professor of otolaryngology and a head & neck cancer specialist, has employed the da Vinci system on three patients with thyroid tumors.
Frog eggs could help robot noses sniff pollutants
CNET (blog) – Leslie Katz – Aug 24, 2010
It’s not often here at Crave that we get to write about frog eggs and robot noses in the same story, so when we saw this report in the latest issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we smelled an opportunity. Frogs could help robots sniff out hard-to-detect chemicals and pollutants. The paper detailing the research is called “Highly sensitive and selective odorant sensor using living cells expressing insect olfactory receptors.” Loose translation: take specially treated frog eggs, inject some insect RNA, put the concoction into a fluidic sensor, and stick the device up a robot’s nose to give the bot a sense of smell far more sensitive than today’s electronic sniffers.
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