Researchers at Harvard and MIT have reshaped the landscape of programmable matter by devising self-folding sheets that rely on the ancient art of origami. Called programmable matter by folding, the team demonstrated how a single thin sheet composed of interconnected triangular sections could transform itself into a boat- or plane-shape—all without the help of skilled […]
Rescue Robots in the News
American start-up Hydronalix introduces E.M.I.L.Y., a robot lifeguard, to Malibu beaches. It uses sonar to shoot out to struggling victims (at up to 28 mph) and then utilizes telepresence to coach the victim onto the raft which then zooms back to shore and a waiting lifeguard. 27 teams from 12 countries took part in the…
Mechatronics Challenge – Oil Drilling
There is a short list of the most challenging mechatronic applications. Wind turbine gear boxes and electric cars are among that list of challenging applications. With all the discussion about offshore drilling, it should certainly be mentioned that oil well drilling is one of the toughest mechatronic challenges ever. Constructing and powering drill bits that […]
Robots in healthcare proliferating
Each week there are stories about the application of robotics in healthcare or of a hospital bringing onboard robotic processes. Here are the most recent stories: Robots will be used to transport clinical waste and dirty linen, deliver food and dispense drugs at the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Ireland. Robots will improve safety…
The Top 5 Mechanical Considerations For Electrical Engineers
Problems can arise in a mechatronics project because mechanical and electrical engineers often do not have sufficient experience or understanding of their counterpart’s discipline. Here is one application engineer’s advice on how to avoid five of these common problems when specifying parts for an electromechanical system. Getting the right motor is critical, which means matching […]
Igus Develops A Simpler Robotic Bionic Joint
When it comes to robotic joints, engineers have had to put together complex custom configurations out of multiple components, which involved considerable development time with the mechanisms. This time requirement often reduced the amount of time artificial-intelligence programmers had with the system. So, two goals of robotics developers were to enable the programmers to be […]
1 million years of independent living this decade is goal of iRobot’s new eldercare unit
In a just-released TEDMED video, iRobot CEO Colin Angle describes “informal caregiving” and their new eldercare business unit. Goal is to add 1 million years of independent living in next decade by providing robots that assist with medical compliance, provide monitoring and enable physical interactions.
Mechatronics as Process
There are three basic disciplines of control. Discrete control which generally relates to making a product or dealing with sequential and event driven logic, process control which deals with the conversion of raw materials into more complex bulk products, and real time control of things like electric motors. In general, discrete control is not really […]
IBM Ready for Jeopardy! TV Challenge
Watson-level AI deftly handles semantics and is ready for Jeopardy! NY Times story includes videos and provides in-depth explanations. Must read! A.I. Question Answering (QA) technologies are critical in human-robot interaction and are, at present, a serious cog in robot development. Is this a generic A.I. breakthrough or …?
Adept Technology Acquires MobileRobots
Adept Technology, with $50 million in sales of SCARA, parallel and other fixed-position robots, adds a complete line of AGV and autonomous mobile bases with the acquisition of MobileRobots. “Our companies are very compatible,” Jeanne Dietsch, CEO of $5 million in sales MobileRobots, said. “This is definitely a 'more than a sum of its parts' sort of…
Gears Boxes and Life Expectancy
Gear boxes are a complex subject in their own right. The equations of motion required to generate gear teeth are pretty complicated. And the issues associated with gear box reliability are even more complicated. The parameters of merit are precision and load capability. But cost is always a factor, and ultimately every system’s performance must […]
AUTOMATICA 2010, Munich
Read a review of the events and activities at AUTOMATICA 2010. Slide and video show of AUTOMATICA 2010. Alexander Verl, an inventor, entrepreneur, and researcher at Fraunhofer IPA, won this year’s IEEE/IFR Invention and Entrepreneurship Award (IERA) for outstanding achievement. His invention transformed the QC, measurement and inspection process from a room full of cameras…
Mechatronics Under Water, Oil & Gas Under Attack
Sad to say, the greatest environmental disaster in US history is upon us with the explosion of the BP oil well being drilled by the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform. This mammoth of the ocean is a mechatronic system of incredible complexity. A bit like a 777 airplane, an offshore drilling platform combines, fuel, engines, hydraulics, […]
U.S. Army Is Testing Rugged, Autonomous Robot Vehicle
The U.S. Army’s Autonomous Platform Demonstrator, or APD, is a 9.6-ton, six-wheeled, hybrid-electric robotic vehicle currently undergoing developmental and mobility testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; the demonstrator vehicle represents the state of the art in unmanned ground vehicle mobility technology. With its advanced hybrid-electric drive train, the 15-foot-long vehicle, being developed by the U.S. […]