Google Project Tango
From Johnny Lee and the ATAP-Project Tango Team:
What is it?
Our current prototype is a 5” phone containing customized hardware and software designed to track the full 3D motion of the device, while simultaneously creating a map of the environment. These sensors allow the phone to make over a quarter million 3D measurements every second, updating its position and orientation in real-time, combining that data into a single 3D model of the space around you.
It runs Android and includes development APIs to provide position, orientation, and depth data to standard Android applications written in Java, C/C++, as well as the Unity Game Engine. These early prototypes, algorithms, and APIs are still in active development. So, these experimental devices are intended only for the adventurous and are not a final shipping product.
How do I get one?
We’re looking for professional developers with dreams of creating more than a touch-screen app. These devices were built with the unique ability to sense 3D motion and geometry. We want partners who will push the technology forward and build great user experiences on top of this platform.
Currently, we have 200 prototype dev kits. We have allocated some of these devices for projects in the areas of indoor navigation/mapping, single/multiplayer games that use physical space, and new algorithms for processing sensor data. We have also set aside units for applications we haven’t thought of yet. Tell us what you would build. Be creative. Be specific. Be bold.
We expect to distribute all of our available units by March 14th, 2014... cont'd
Timo Boll vs. KUKA Agilus Robot
From KUKA's Youtube page:
On March 11th 2014 ping pong champion Timo Boll will challenge KUKA's Agilus robot to a ping-pong showdown.
Watch the final on March 11th 2014 at www.kuka-timoboll.com to find out the winner.
Timo Boll, German table tennis star, is the new brand ambassador for KUKA Robotics in China. The collaboration celebrates the inherent speed, precision, and flexibility of KUKA's industrial robots in tandem with Boll's electrifying and tactical prowess in competition.
To celebrate the new KUKA Robotics factory in Shanghai, the two giants will battle to the end on March 11th 2014. The 20,000 sq. meter space will produce the KR QUANTEC series robot as well as the KRC4 universal controller for the Asian market. As a market leader in China, KUKA aims to further develop automation in the country while providing a modern and employee-friendly working environment.
Tunzelbots
Eugénie von Tunzelmann:
Ever since reading Richard Dawkins' book 'The Blind Watchmaker' I'd wanted to try my hand at some evolutionary programming. The idea is to model natural selection inside the computer by generating procedural creatures and allowing them to vary and improve over time without user intervention.
The code to build and rig the robots was written in Python, as was the code to run the rigid body simulation, using the Open Dynamics Engine to drive the sim. I wrote an importer for Side Effects' Houdini to read in my robot simulations so I could render them out as pictures.
The Less is More Approach to Robotic Cable Management
There are different options available for guiding and protecting cables on six-axis robots. Three well- known solutions include flexible tubing, enclosed dress packs and robotic cable carrier systems.
3D Printing in the Dental Industry
3Shape implants planning and guided surgery software brings together implant planning, prosthetics, and drill guide design to provide a cost-efficient solution that saves chair-time and improves patient experience.
Brain Control Becomes A Reality
The fore-runner of brain communication to a robot is Neuroprosthetics, which is an area of neuroscience concerned with neural prostheses. That is, using artificial devices to replace the function of impaired nervous systems and brain related problems.
Trimble Adds Unmanned Aircraft System to its Agriculture Portfolio
The system can locate cattle and their available forage over large areas, measure crop height, and generate topographic maps and models for land leveling and drainage applications.
An Uncertain Future for Quantum Computing?
Quantum computing is here to shake the existing mechanical, electrical and electronic systems. Modern electronics in particular will not be the same if quantum computing gains acceptance. Therere voices of support as well as dissent. In this post, well analyze future trends in quantum computing. Keep reading!
Robotic Welding Series: Pre-engineered Cells Cut Through Economics of Automation
This is the third of a 4-part series by KC Robotics about the automated arc welding industry.
Fish On Wheels
From Studio diip:
“Fish on Wheels” has been developed so fish can steer their tank into a certain direction. Our pet fish have always been limited to their water holding area known as “the fish tank”. In an attempt to liberate fish all over the world, the first self driving car for fish has been developed. This car moves by detecting the fish’s position with computer vision. Up until now driving vehicles has been limited to mankind only (excluding a handful of autonomous vehicles driven by computers), but now your pet fish can also put the pedal to the metal.
A prototype version of ”Fish on Wheels” has been constructed using a standard webcam, a battery powered Beagleboard and an Arduino controlled robot vehicle. Using the contrast of the fish with the bottom of the fish tank his position is determined and used to send commands to the Arduino for moving the car into that direction.
uArm
From the projects' kickstarter ($104,217 pledged of $5,000 goal):
uArm is a 4-axis parallel-mechanism robot arm, inspired by the ABB PalletPack industrial robot arm IRB460. ($185 for complete black kit and a gripper)
The basic design is Arduino-controlled with 4 degrees of freedom. Three servos on the base control the main movement of the arm and the mini servo on the top moves and rotates the object. The end-effector of the arm is always kept parallel to the ground.
Right now we have already developed a Windows application that allows the uArm to be controlled with keyboard or mouse.
With some basic controlling skills, you can use basically any input device to control it, for example, we have also used other remote controller to control the arm. With our imbedded inverse-kinematics algorithm, the uArm can be precisely controlled using coordinates.
We have also written an Arduino library specifically for controlling the uArm. So if you are familiar with Arduino, you can program it directly with Arduino IDE. By calling different functions, you can easily move uArm to your desired position without doing tons of hard math... cont'd
ROS 101: Intro To The Robot Operating System
Clearpath Robotics has posted part one and two of their ongoing introductory to the ROS operating system:
Part One: Intro
Since we practically live in the Robot Operating System (ROS), we thought it was time to share some tips on how to get started with ROS. We’ll answer questions like where do I begin? How do I get started? What terminology should I brush up on? Keep an eye out for this ongoing ROS 101 blog series that will provide you with a top to bottom view of ROS that will focus on introducing basic concepts simply, cleanly and at a reasonable pace... cont'd
Part Two: Setup And Example
In the previous ROS 101 post, we provided a quick introduction to ROS to answer questions like What is ROS? and How do I get started? Now that you understand the basics, here’s how they can apply to a practical example. Follow along to see how we actually ‘do’ all of these things…. cont'd
Why I Automate
Our goal is to share stories about companies that are using automation to succeed and compete effectively in their marketplace.
A BeagleBone Black Resource
The BeagleBone Black is the latest low cost single-board computer in the BeagleBoard family.
Electrospinning NanoFibers
Electrospinning can be used to produce advanced materials that otherwise would not be possible to make.
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