Can there ever be too many robot tests?
The latest GEICO asks, "Ever wonder if an actual robot could pass a robot authentication test?" Testing robots and artificial intelligence is exactly how we make them better. I can guarantee, that one day, a robot will be able to pass these sorts of tests! That is not something to fear though!
From Walt Disney Animation Studios - A big hero will rise ●—● Baymax!, a Disney+ original series, is streaming on Disney+ Summer 2022. #DisneyPlusDay
Happy Thanksgiving, Pilgrim! R.U.S.wishes you a wonderful day as you count your blessings.
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| Love this Robot Pilgrim "T" Shirt |
A great Wrap-Up video of the DARPA Subterranean Challenge Final Event.
Tom Hanks is Finch, a man who embarks on a moving and powerful journey to find a new home for his unlikely family—his beloved dog and a newly created robot—in a dangerous and ravaged world.
A Parigi la pizza la fa il Robot, or The Robot makes pizza in Paris.
William Shatner - Captain Kirk - has now been to, and returned from space - the oldest person ever to do so! Why?
Nice wire bending tool from Duluth Trading Company. Click here.
This would work great for shaping BEAM robotics components!
This details the BEAM technology walking robot I built as described in Hrynkiw & Tilden's , Junkbots, Bugbots & Bots on Wheels book.
From HACKADAY - What have you been working on during the Great Chip Shortage? has been living up to their handle and building BEAM robots that are smaller than any we've seen before. What are BEAM robots, you say? Technically it stands for Biology Electronics Aesthetics and Mechanics, but basically the idea is to mimic the movement of bugs, usually with found components, and often with solar power.... See the whole story here - https://hackaday.com/2021/09/25/tiny-beam-robot-smiles-big-at-the-sun/?fbclid=IwAR1qOeJ_Vr40JoZJFp7ep58q_UvTYG3df45SmEaLD4ywH610Bs9PLWFm6BU
See also - http://solarbotics.net/bftgu/tutorials.html
Chip and Ken Gracey are being recognized in Evening with the STARS
The Gracey brothers of Parallax are receiving special recognition from our local school district in Sacramento! For over 25 years Parallax has developed curriculum and microcontroller kits for classrooms with the goal of furthering student interest in electronics, coding, and problem-solving. Their efforts have proven very successful: they've met our students when they were only 12 years old and followed their progress into very productive careers in technology fields including product development, cybersecurity, self-driving vehicles, robotics, and advanced manufacturing. This was made possible with a committed, skilled, and consistent team at Parallax and educators around the world who have been with us during this entire journey. Therefore, the Graceys say, "we receive this recognition on their behalf."Spotted in an old toy store display cabinet today! Cool. Don't know if it is really old, maybe a modern recreation. Still fun...
Inside the lab: How does Atlas work? - Watch this video from Boston Dynamics' from their YouTube Channel. They say, " Go behind the scenes at Boston Dynamics with the Atlas Team as we work to train multiple Atlas robots to maneuver their way through our most complex parkour course yet. The team pushes Atlas to its limits to discover the next generation of mobility, perception, and athletic intelligence."
Be sure to watch starting at about the 2:00 time stamp to see how incredibly complex the engineering and programing is! WOW!
What a wonderful place to work!
A M A Z I N G ! Boston Dynamic's Atlas is unbelievable. They now belong to South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group. See here.
Neat idea! Water Walker - Amphibious Robot with Pool Noodle Wheels (Whegs)
Full story is here at HACKADAY - click here.
Roboticists get some of their best ideas by studying nature...
Take note that the Lady Bug is still faster. 😉
The latest from Boston Dynamics! Amazingly sophisticated hardware and programming.
And... For my nieces, Mary Taylor and Parker! MORE Boston Dynamics robotic fun.
The Robot Book, by Robert Malone and edited by William
Edward Maloney. It says it is a complete, illustrated history of robots, from
Renaissance toys to space-age bionics, and was originally published in 1978. It is fun to read, and look at, and is a nice record of "the dream" of robotics in the late 70s.
One of my Parallax Forum friends noticed that R2 was missing from the group that sits on the base of my desk lamp next to the Parallax (Leatherman) multi-tool. Thanks to ebay and erco (Eric Ostendorff) the problem is now solved! 😏
This from Insider - London-based product designer, Dani Clode designed a third thumb to change the way people think about prosthetics. Clode believes that prosthetics extent a wearer's ability. They shouldn't be regarded as a replacement to part of the human body. The third thumb is made from a series of interconnected parts: a hand piece, an attachment, cables, motors, and two Bluetooth controllers.
See more from Dani Clode: http://daniclodedesign.com/ https://www.instagram.com/dani_clode/I received this from Ken Gracey at Parallax today. This is what can be done by supporting Parallax and their work. You can help the Future Innovators Fund by clicking here.
"The first six minutes: (see below)
In the P2 community most participants are over 40 (or 60!) and male. There are two women who have been participating and a few blind folks, but none of the participants are young, except for Kevin. Kevin seems to be at every P2 Live Forum and is building whatever circuits are being shown, with Parallax hardware. The community has been sending him support via Parallax.
Nobody knows where and how he got started. His parents are typical parents with typical jobs. When he was seven years old he designed a circuit board and ordered it from China with his dad’s credit card. That started this march forward with electronics, 3D printing, etc.
When we have our P2 Expo, you can count on him having a table to show his projects and making a few presentations, too.
Ken Gracey, CEO"
Ascend is a smart knee orthosis designed to improve mobility and relieve knee pain. The customized, lightweight, and comfortable design reduces burden on the knee and intuitively adjusts support as needed. Ascend provides a safe and non-surgical solution for patients with osteoarthritis, knee instability, and/or weak quadriceps. Thanks to Evan Ackerman and Fan Shi at IEEE SPECTRUM for sharing this!
My friend, and fellow roboticist Eric Ostendorff (aka erco) was with Mattel for years with the Hot Wheels' group. I saw this on HACKADAY, Modding a Hot Wheels Car into a Radio Controlled Drift Weapon. He would LOVE it!
This is sort-of fun, and a creative idea. Check it out!
Solarbotics' Active-Tech Store - https://solarbotics.com/active-store-products/ Feels a bit like really walking around the store...
Insanely jealous! As soon as I read it, I said, "This is heading straight to my blog!" Going to write her too! Another Episcopal Priest and Roboticist! AND look where she is the rector! I am rector at a St. Alban's Church, too!
Read all about it here at the Episcopal News Service (ENS) Click here.
Watch this from MIT Mechanical Engineering (seen on IEE Spectrum).
Using machine-learning and sensory hardware, Alberto Rodriguez, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and members of MIT's MCube lab have developed a robot that is learning how to play the game Jenga®. The technology could be used in ALL sorts of robots - especially those required for subtle "human-like" manipulations.
I just re-watched this. It is hard to imagine all that has to got right to make this work. What an achievement! I am in awe of the brains, ingenuity, science, programming, engineering, and "perseverance."
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance mission captured thrilling footage of its rover landing in Mars' Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021. The real footage in this video was captured by several cameras that are part of the rover's entry, descent, and landing suite. The views include a camera looking down from the spacecraft's descent stage (a kind of rocket-powered jet pack that helps fly the rover to its landing site), a camera on the rover looking up at the descent stage, a camera on the top of the aeroshell (a capsule protecting the rover) looking up at that parachute, and a camera on the bottom of the rover looking down at the Martian surface.The audio embedded in the video comes from the mission control call-outs during entry, descent, and landing.For more information about Perseverance, visit https://mars.nasa.gov/perseveranceCreditNASA/JPL-Caltech
In this video, Ask This Old House's home technology expert, Ross Trethewey explores a variety of technologies that could make the future of home landscaping automated. Products featured include a Husqvarna automower, Rain Bird smart irrigation, and the Tertill weeding robot.
Today is the Day!
The digital edition of Servo has a great article, Meet Bot Ross. Here is a bit of info.
Happy Valentine's Day from Robotics Under the Stole! Take a look at this wonderful assortment of robot themed Valentine's Day goodies that I found at Dollar Tree.
