Because Robots!

Cyborg Cockroaches

By Owen Li | Published: November 19, 2014

You might want to reconsider killing that rogue cockroach under your house now, for that very cockroach might turn out to be your savior in a disaster.

These cyborg cockroaches, the work of Alper Bozkurt and his team at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, are basically real Madagascar hissing cockroaches with a “backpack” strapped on. The “backpack” can hold two different types of audio sensors, a high-resolution microphone that can identify sound sources, or a 3-microphone array that gets precise locations using the amplitude information from each microphone.

The information is sent to a computer, which sends signals to the sensors. The sensors then send electric pulses to the roaches’ antennae, which stimulate the nerves, essentially simulating contact with obstacles in from of the roach, driving the roach left and right.

Posted in Images, Videos | Tagged Bio-Robot, cockroach, Convenient, COOL, Fun, rescue | Leave a comment

Sword Fighting Robots

By Owen Li | Published: November 18, 2014

Ever seen a katana-fight seem like a carefully choreographed ballet?

Designed by ABB, these robotics arms are known for their precision. I really don’t need to say much. With the rotating joints and arms, these robotic arms have an impressive range of motion, allowing them to sword-fight, play snooker…etc.

And for those who don’t want a huge industrial grade arm in their homes, ABB also has a fully programmable LEGO arm.

Posted in Images, Videos | Tagged COOL, Fun, katana, Lego, Robot, snooker | Leave a comment

Exoskeleton Makes you Buff

By Owen Li | Published: November 16, 2014

Ever wanted to be able to pick up heavy cars like Iron Man, or throw giant mountains around like Superman? Well, with the FORTIS Exoskeleton, you still can’t. However, you can do a lot more than you could have before!

Developed by Lockheed Martin, the FORTIS Exoskeleton is an unpowered, lightweight suit that gives the user strength, endurance, and flexibility. It transfers loads the user feels into the ground in standing or kneeling positions. This allows the operator to use heavy tools as if they were weightless.

The exoskeleton is also adaptable to different body types and heights, moves naturally with the body, and allows operators to effortlessly hold objects of up to 36 pounds, not quite enough to lift a car, but enough to reduce muscle fatigue and prevent back/shoulder injuries.

Posted in Images, Videos | Tagged Convenient, COOL, Engineering, exoskeleton, Military | Leave a comment

Robotic Karate-Kid

By Owen Li | Published: November 15, 2014

You all remember that iconic crane-kick at the end of the Karate Kid, right?

Well, it took a while, but the guys over at Boston Dynamics have finally been able to recreate that iconic moment in all its glory. The robot could probably take Ralph Macchio and Mister Miyagi in a fight and win.

Ok, fine. While this robot doesn’t actually jump and do the kick, it’s quite impressive how the robot can maintain its balance on one leg as it extends its arms up and down into the crane pose. And now that they’ve mastered the Karate Kid, I expect Boston Dynamics to be looking into recreating Real Steel in real life.

Posted in Images, Videos | Tagged COOL, Fun, Karate Kid, Robot | Leave a comment

Robot Security

By Owen Li | Published: November 14, 2014

The days until real life RoboCop are numbered, my friends.

Patrolling around Building 1 on Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus, 4 5-foot, 300-pound K5 robots are designed to anomalous behavior and to report back to a remote security center. Using 4 high-definition cameras, sensors, navigation equipment, and a computer, these robots can communicate with the central station while tracking weird behavior.

However, if you are near a robot and need to summon someone remotely, you can press a button on the top of it’s head to summon someone. And for those of you fearing a SkyNet-esque robot takeover, fear not; these robots do not carry any weapons, but are capable of unleashing an ear-piercing alarm that will…well…alarm you.

Posted in Images, Videos | Tagged #stealourjobs, Convenient, COOL, RoboCop, Robot | Leave a comment

Flying Defibrillator

By Owen Li | Published: November 11, 2014

In this fast-paced technological world, a new drone has been developed! Shocker.

This drone, however, is not just a flying machine, but is also a lifesaver…literally. Designed by Dutch student Alec Momont, the ambulance drone carries a defibrillator inside. When 911 is called, the drone is dispatched, and can find the caller using GPS. An on-board webcam allows professionals to walk someone through the defibrillation process.

While this is still pretty cool and may be the future of emergency medical care, just imagine all the robots that might swoop down from the sky to shock you…well…because robots.

Posted in Images, Videos | Tagged Convenient, COOL, defibrillator, drone, Engineering, Flying, Fun, Medical | Leave a comment

Drones Fighting Disease

By Owen Li | Published: October 28, 2014

In Southeast Asia, a newly developed drone is helping out in yet another conflict. The soldiers? Researchers. The insurgents? A type of malaria parasite (Plasmodium knowlesi).

Researchers are using these drones to map out related cases of the virus throughout Malaysian Borneo. Equipped with infrared sensors and cameras, the drones allow researchers to see not only where the parasite hosts were congregating, but also how many of the hosts tended to gather up in a single area.

Researchers can also use the drones to learn how P. knowlesi is spreading by monitoring the likely breeding grounds of the mosquitoes, and gain more ground in trying to eradicate this virus.

Posted in Images | Tagged drone, Research, Robot | Leave a comment