They just don't make 'em like the Sakyamuni Pagoda anymore. Built from wood in 1056 in the Shanxi province of China, the building has remained standing to this day despite seven earthquakes rattling the region within its first 50 years of existence....
In 1937, robot hobbyist "Bill" Griffith P. Taylor of Toronto invented the world's first industrial robot. It was a crude machine, dubbed the Robot Gargantua by its creator. The crane-like device was powered by a single electric motor and controlled v...
In 1937, robot hobbyist "Bill" Griffith P. Taylor of Toronto invented the world's first industrial robot. It was a crude machine, dubbed the Robot Gargantua by its creator. The crane-like device was powered by a single electric motor and controlled v...
Recently it seems that most roboticists focus on making bipedal robots, probably in an attempt to create reflections of themselves. Oregon State University’s ATRIAS, on the other hand, while a bipedal robot, it doesn’t exactly have humanoid features.
ATRIAS has nothing on Ultron (nor Pinocchio), as it still has some strings on it, sign that its creators are not yet ready to set it free into the wild. Not long ago, the bipedal robot developed by the Dynamic Robotics Laboratory at Oregon State University, directed by Dr. Jonathan Hurst, got to make its first steps in a controlled environment. Taking it for a walk in the park (I wouldn’t want to think of robots as pets, but that is how this sounds) is a completely different thing, but ATRIAS still doesn’t pose a threat to humanity, as it’s watched at all times by its makers.
While this is far from being the best looking bipedal robot, its walking skills and the way it handles variations in terrain might cause other roboticists to get green with envy. People who have read the news about ATRIAS claim it has a horrible design, but they fail to see beyond the looks, as it’s functionality that really matters in this case.
As demonstrated in the following video, ATRIAS can easily walk downhill or uphill, but can also maintain balance while projectiles are thrown at its legs. All of these actions (and hopefully more) will be exhibited at DARPA Robotics Challenge next month. Needless to say, it will have to face some tough competition, and while it’s a bit unlikely that it will emerge victorious, it’s still a great attempt.
Hopefully, the team that created this bipedal robot won’t stop here, and will continue to add features and functionality to it. The design is not that important, but tweaking it a bit wouldn’t hurt, either. After all, if the roboticists behind ATRIAS are looking to please everyone, they’ll need to take this into consideration, as well.
Instead of conclusion, I would like to show you the message posted by Oregon State DRL on YouTube, as a comment to the above video: “I walked outside for the very first time. #Robots don’t get emotional about these things, though… sniff #Robotics”
Monsanto's back in the news over rogue biotech wheat ending up in Montana--and the timing couldn't be worse.The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)...
Recycling wastewater to generate energy has turned up nosesbefore, but researchers at Oregon State University have developed a microbial fuel cell that can create 10 to 50, or even 100 times more electricity per volume than similar technologies. After refining the tech for several years using new materials, techniques and selecting better microbes, the team can now extract two kilowatts per cubic meter of refuse. As bacteria oxidizes organic matter, electrons -- rather than the hydrogen or methane that other methods rely upon -- are produced and run from an anode to a cathode within the device to create an electric current. Once implementation costs are cut down, the technology could power waste treatment plants and enable them to sell excess electricity. The contraption isn't just for processing what comes out of the porcelain throne -- it can also utilize materials ranging from grass straw to beer brewing byproducts. For now, however, the cell will tackle a pilot study before it inches closer to your local brewery or water treatment facility.
They just don't make 'em like the Sakyamuni Pagoda anymore. Built from wood in 1056 in the Shanxi province of China, the building has remained standing to this day despite seven earthquakes rattling the region within its first 50 years of existence....
In 1937, robot hobbyist "Bill" Griffith P. Taylor of Toronto invented the world's first industrial robot. It was a crude machine, dubbed the Robot Gargantua by its creator. The crane-like device was powered by a single electric motor and controlled v...
