What's New



Helen Greiner Creates Real Life R2-D2

By Chinmay Jaju | Published: April 23, 2012

Co-founder of iRobot is one of many of Helen Greiner’s claims to fame. She is truly an extraordinary pioneer of robotics and has advocated their use for “everything from sniffing out bombs along Baghdad roadsides to exploring pyramids in ancient Egypt to mopping a kitchen floor.” She was inspired by R2-D2 in Star Wars to create affordable and practical robots that save lives. The following article is just one of many documenting the achievements of this amazing roboticist

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/051219/19leaders.htm

+2
0
  
Posted in Links | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Avatar: Fiction, or Reality?

By Chinmay Jaju | Published: April 22, 2012

I’m not going to lie, when avatar came out, I thought it would be awesome to have your own remote control body. Innovators have come up with just that! Something that seems like it is straight out of the movie “Surrogates” the Teslar V robot can revolutionize the way humans interact. With applications that range from scoial interaction to medial assistance to military reconaisance, this is perhaps the most versatile robot that has come out in a while. Feedback is provided to the user in many forms: sights, sounds, and now even touch and pressure on the fingertips is relayed back to the user of the avatar. You really “feel” everything that is happening! This quick demo only scratches the surface of this exciting new technology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SDlVw_fkM4w#!

+8
0
  
Posted in Videos | Tagged | Leave a comment

Robotic Surgery: You’re in Good Hands!

By Chinmay Jaju | Published: April 21, 2012
3

Hopefully in the near future, Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci robot will make it possible for top notch surgeons to perform procedures around the world without ever having to travel farther than their own hospitals! Folding a paper airplane takes a lot of dexterity, and this robot makes it look simple. Remotely controlled surgery can save human lives, and perhaps even enhance the abilities of the best surgeons. The robot’s hand is steadier, and the grasp tighter, allowing tricky procedures to hopefully be a little bit easier :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIrktty69OU&feature=player_embedded#!

+3
0
  
Posted in Videos | Tagged | 3 Comments

Robotic Monsters

By Annie Yang | Published: April 19, 2012

Ever wonder how movie monsters are made?

Most people would think they’re just hunks of pixels or digitally altered people. Perhaps that’s becoming more and more the case as the field of computer graphics advances, but there are still companies out there that make monsters from scratch.

Check out this demo reel by Spectral Motion, a company that specializes in Creature and Makeup Effects. Their monsters are certainly works of art, but what goes on underneath that skin and fur?

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150324053749065

+1
0
  
Posted in Links, Videos | Tagged , | Leave a comment

LEGO Turing Machine

By Evelyn Ding | Published: April 19, 2012

A team from Aarhus University uses Lego Mindstorms to create a Turing Machine. The video is overdramatic, but they include an extensive blog about building and programming the machine.

+4
0
  
Posted in Videos | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Robots are Cool!” – will.i.am

By Chinmay Jaju | Published: April 18, 2012

I’ve shown this video to hundreds of people, and every single one of them has walked away, amazed at how many celebrities and figures in our community think ROBOTS are COOL! Every student in the nation needs to watch this inspiring video which showcases some amazingly popular individuals endorsing robotics.

+23
0
  
Posted in Videos | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

That Creepy Crawly! It’s Big, Scary, Wooden, and Functional

By Haochuan Ni | Published: April 18, 2012

Engineering extends beyond simply making life more convenient. Plenty of people do it for its entertainment and recreational value. Take, for example, this walking table, an arachnid-like workspace that will travel with you.

+4
0
  
Posted in Videos | Leave a comment