|
Robots with sense of
touch
Gagandeep Kalsi
This 15-inch-tall robot can pick itself back up when it falls over and recognise more than 1000 voice commands - such as dance, bow, stop and advance - and also be controlled by remote from a cellphone. |
THE
new friends being developed by the humans are robots. So in a way, the
21st century besides being the century of new technologies will also
remove the differences between automation and living beings.
To give robots the
'tactile and force' sensation and to help them emulate the human
abilities of manipulating, touching and exploring, many researchers are
working overtime. Robot Friday works like a personal assistant. Most of
the developers are trying to create robots in human sensible forms. The
basic working will be divided into two parts - part one to develop a
system that will emulate the psychological state and the other will
process the information into real time and convert it into robot
processing form. Sometimes human beings are unable to perform the tasks
that are dangerous, tedious or difficult. To
achieve this aim, researchers are evolving 'eyes' for robots and
developing a sense of touch for them. This technology may help the
surgeons. For this, research is on at John Hawkins University. Mike
Topping of Rehab Robotics in Staffordshire is developing the robots that
may change a light bulb or wash clothes for the physically challenged.
Sooner or later, robots
will be ubiquitous and having them around will be a common phenomenon in
times to come.
|
