Robotic Wii

Game consoles popularity rose back in the 1980s when Nintendo introduce their game console system. I can still remember the day when I got mine. I was but a child then, but the joy and endless hour of pleasure are still with me today.

I evolved quickly as new game systems came out, all the way until Sony PS1, that's where I lost all my gaming abilities, the graphics were complex and required too many maneuvering. It wasn't until last year where I rekindled my passion with the gaming system, this time back in love with Nintendo and its Wii game console system.

The popular game console has taken the nation by storm and have brought interactivity with robotics to a whole new level. So much so, that the military is now incorporating the Wiimote into their tactics as a way to controlled the warfare robots.

David Bruemmer and Douglas Few, from the US Department of Energy centre in Idaho, have adopted a mine-clearing robot to be directed by the Wii controller. The scientists found traditional controllers took up too much of the operator's attention, while the Wii controllers' movement simulate three dimensions and natural human movement using wireless technology.

Touch and Feel delivered via 3D Modeling

I was discussing a topic with a colleague which I cannot longer remember even thought the discussion took place less than 24 hours ago. But today I read this story, it describe the use of robotics and technology where researchers are in the mist of creating a system that could allow people to feel textures and shapes of 3-D designs created on computers -- without any kind of mechanical equipment.

"Carnegie Mellon University researchers announced that it could soon be possible to feel objects created on computers through a touch-based, or haptic, interface, without using gloves, similar equipment, or force feedback. One lightweight moving part floats on magnetic fields and simulates various sensations people experience when they touch real objects."

"We believe this device provides the most realistic sense of touch of any haptic interface in the world today," Ralph Hollis, a research professor in Carnegie Mellon's robotics institute, said in a news announcement.

The philosophical question comes into place when it comes to the design aspects of the device. Does this mean that the pimply nerd can design the girl of his dreams and then feel her up? Does it mean we no longer need to keep pets captive as the unit will allow us to pet one thereby securing the comfort of the animal?

The bottom line is that sometimes we stretch and push technologies past their limits. Why are we able to create sensations, design 3d elements, have a robotic companion at home, but we still cannot cure cancer, prevent viruses such as AIDS, or design a world where children don't go hungry?

The Guitar Tuning Robot

Ever since I was a boy I wanted to learn to play the guitar. I think it extents from when my older sister was taking guitar lessons and I was forced to take Karate lessons instead. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed those Karate lessons, I learn discipline, defensive tactics, and overall received a great boost to my self-esteem after rising through the ranks and earning numerous trophies and medals.

However, after all the rewards I still never learned to play guitar. Over the years, I have tried many "teach yourself..." books, cds, dvd, but I think nothing is better for learning than human interaction. Having a mentor teach you is the best way to learn.

On Nov. 12 Gibson Guitar announced the limited availability of the world's first guitar with robotic technology, the Gibson Robot Guitar. Gibson, in its press release announcement claims that it will make music industry history with its guitar robot. This is based on several claims:

1. The Gibson Robot Guitar eliminates tuning problems for guitarists. It automatically tunes to standard A440 tuning.

2. It also allows players to access six commonly used altered tuning presets at the push of a button. These tunings were used on many well know hit songs, giving players easy access for the very first time.

3. The Gibson Robot Guitar allows the guitar to be intonated in seconds after string changes, truss rod adjustments or change in weather conditions.

4. Finally, with the locking tuner, single string changes or changing the entire set of strings are an automated breeze.

The world's 1st run limited edition version of Gibson Les Paul Robot Guitars will go on sale at 5 PM on December 7, 2007 at 400 dealers throughout the world. Each store will only have 10 instruments. This highly collectible piece of history will be available in an exclusive Blue Silverburst Les Paul model.
To find the list of exclusive Robot Guitar dealers visit http://www.gibson.com/robotguitar. The limited edition run of Robot Guitars are set to sell at an MSRP of $2499.

The bottom line is that since the dawn of the instrument, musicians have come to accept the guitar's imperfections and lack of tonal precision as necessary evils. Guitar players without guitar techs have shied away from the use of alternate tuning due to the time and difficulty require to tune and re-tune the guitar. Maybe I should go get one of these, at least it will give me a head start on my quest to learn to play the instrument, but at $2500 is not likely that I will be buying one anytime soon.

DARPA: Results Are In

The grand challenges is now over and the DARPA Urban Challenge winners have been announced! The results rolled in on November 4, 2007 as DARPA director Tony Tether revealed the names of the winning teams of his agency's robot car race, the Urban Challenge.

First Place goes to the Tartan Racing team of Pittsburgh, PA. Second Place goes to Stanford Racing Team of Stanford, CA. Rounding out the 3rd Place was the Victor Tango team from Blacksburg, VA.




As Tether announced the third and then second place, he finished off by telling the audience and candidates an anecdote about his college and graduate school days at Stanford University. This done to delay the announcement of the first place winner, but there was only one obvious team left; Carnegie Mellon was the only other team among the finalist who where in the top three finishers that hadn't been announced.

Tether couldn't have been more pleased with the race, calling it a "fantastic accomplishment," and saying that the technology for robotic vehicles was now just about ready for other companies and organizations to pick up the work in honing it further. "DARPA is an interesting organization," he said. "We really never finish anything. All we really do is show that it can be done.

I believe that we have come a long way in the last two decades in the technology front and DARPA has put up these challenges to show that not only it can be done, but that it will get done.

DARPA Grand Challenge - Unmanned Vehicles Update

A while back I wrote on the topic of Unmanned Vehicles (UAV)where the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)was planning the organization of its third Urban Challenge designed to encourage the best minds in the world to meet Congress' requirement that one-third of all military vehicles be unmanned by 2015.

The challenge date is upon us and now 35 teams of elite robot experts are on their way to Victorville in hopes of finding a pattern when it comes to driving cars which will save hundreds, if not millions of live claimed to automobile accidents each year.

The prize is $2 million, a fractional sum when it comes to saving lives.The military of course is putting out the award money in hopes to keep its people out of the path of an improvised explosive device.

In the long run, the hopes is that these robots could drive humans around or at least take over on an "auto pilot" way when we are too tired or just partied a little too much, for example.

In two days, this Thursday, DARPA will announce the names of the 20 teams that have made it past the first phase and will go on to compete in the finals Saturday. The final event is open to the public from 6:30 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit the DARPA challenge Web site.

Lightweight UAV Plane on Hydrogen

It seems that everyday I hear "we've gone green" over here and the "we are greener" over there. I just haven't gotten the full concept of going green. Maybe is because I know that recycling paper causes more damage than normal paper due to the chemicals involved, or maybe I'm just not that caring when it comes to the environment unless there is added value for me.

.This is the prime example of a story I read today, where the benefits is the green factor, not necessarily what the product was intended for. Here is the excerpt:

"Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have just developed a small unmanned plane that uses 500 grams of liquefied hydrogen to power whopping 10-hour flights."

The bottom line here is that these researchers are looking for ways to increase flight time through other fuel sources. The "green benefit" is less carbon dioxide, but they don't lead off with all the green marketing hype. Yes, we should care about our planet and consume less resources, however, less not forget the prime directive. Create unmanned aerial vehicles which can save lives, aid is in the fight against terrorism, and place our troops out of harms way

Robotic Massage

Facials, Spas, Massages, and health products are all the rage. The human pampering industry is a 2 billion dollar industry. It is no wonder that many are looking for an entrance into this market.

The robotics industry has been in this area for a while now, but not very widely recognize. Simply walk into Brookstone at your local mall and you will be faced by a massaging robot in the form of a lounge chair. These robotic massage therapist can run in the upwards of $5,000.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting some folks whose whole focus is massage chairs. Their chairs far exceeded the quality and massage style of Brookstone's and ran in the $1 to $2 thousand range.

However, if you have more money to burn and are looking for the ultimate robot to massage you then wait no more. A new $70K robot has been premiere in Japan and it is ready for facial massages. Researchers at Tokyo's Waseda University hope the contraption will soon be deployed to hospitals and spas across Japan to give therapeutic facial massages. The WAO-1 (Waseda Asahi Oral Rehabilitation Robot 1) robot, is being developed initially for patients with jaw-related medical problems, but will make a penetration into Massage Therapist Offices in the near future. The robotics driving the unit have been refined to account for the softness and bone structure of the face. Learn more on this from the AP.