Inventor: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Company: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Timeline: 2010 - current
Structure: Humanoid
Mobility: Walk
WOW... this robot is spectacular and is considered one of the best performer among all the robots in the world. This robot have many potentials.
Inventor: Toyota Company: Toyota
Timeline: ??? - current
Structure: Humanoid
Mobility: Wheel and Leg
Toyota went into a different arena in robotics by inventing musical playing robots. It's very impressive to have robots to play music like trumpets, tubas and drums in front of audiance. It's a matter of time for robots to artificial intelligently learn to invent new musics. And wonder if Toyota will create a set of Classical Music Robots Team.
Inventor: Asian Forum for Corrections
Company: Asian Forum for Corrections
Timeline: 2012 - current
Structure: Machine
Mobility: Wheel
Another invention that was put in real life usage. Robo-guards was deployed to South Korea prison as a patrol guard in autonomous mode or controlled manually with an iPad. This really helps to lighten the heavy workload for the human officers. Wonder if this robot can deliver food/water to the inmates.
GRASP stands for General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception. This is an evolution idea to have robots to collaborate with each other to complete a task. Such task could be building something, play entertainment, spying, security guard, and the list could be endless. Imagine if the swarm of Nano Quadrotors are big size, then we can use this robots for a real job.
Inventor: Boston Dynamics
Company: Boston Dynamics
Timeline: 2008 - current
Structure: 4 leg animal
Mobility: leg
BigDog was developed by Boston Dynamics funded by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to accompany soldiers in terrain too rough for conventional vehicles. THe robot has successfully manage to adapt to tough terrain. It would be great if the robot can have it's skin. I wonder whether BigDog can move under raining and snowing weather. Also, would BigDog walk with a silent movement one day.
Inventor: Dr. Cynthia Breazeal
Institute: Media Lab
Timeline: 2008 - current
Structure: Humanoid
Mobility: wheel
Nexi is a MDS robot (Mobile, Dexterous, Social) that combines rich social communication abilities with mobile desterity to investigate more complex forms of human-robot teaming. It started off with robot Kismet, and soon evolve to robot Leonardo and finally robot Nexi. It's interesting to see a robot that can interact with emotions. If only the interaction is faster, then this will revolutionaize human-robot interactions.
Inventor: Toyota
Company: Toyota
Timeline: 2007 - current
Structure: Humanoid
Mobility: wheel
A tour guide robot which Toyota developed to interact with visitor in Toyota Kaikan Exihibition Hall in Toyota City. One thing good is that this robot is been used to be used as a tour guide. If only we can have avatar for the robot and it's going to be interesting to have robina in different company as a tour guide.
Inventor: ALDEBARAN Robotics
Company: ALDEBARAN Robotics
Timeline: 2004 - current
Structure: Humanoid
Mobility: Walk
This is a great autonomous robot coming from France. At the moment, the practical is to have a team of Nao playing soccer. And Nao have many future potential to be a guide in the company, a personal assistant, a guard at home. It would be great to see Nao to be taller, and faster in terms of the hand and leg movement.
My first thought after watching EMIEW 2 is that this is a Segway Robot. Well, one thing good about this robot is the intelligent manoeuvre using the 2 wheels. Tentatively the robot is cute, can move, and communicate with human. Perhaps EMIEW 2 can be enhance to bring a human from point A to point B by stepping on a platform, and provide a brief introduction speech to a guest.
Inventor: H. Yamada, S. Chigisaki, M. Mori, K. Takita, K. Ogami, S. Hirose
Institute: Hirose Fukushima Robotics Lab
Timeline: 2005 - current
Structure: Snake
Mobility: Swim and Slithering
ACM-R5 was developed for the purpose of performing search and rescue missions. In water, the snake-bot move very fast. However on land, the movement looks like it requires a wheel rather than a real snake movement. Nevertheless it's a small step for a great invention. ACM-R5 would be much better if:-
- Snake-bot would be much useful if the size could be much smaller like a real snake size which can move through tiny holes.
- This robot would be like a real snake if it can move on land through a real slithering and a strong body
- Best if build with more sensors like heat sensor, strong hearing, night sensors, radio frequency sensor, etc
- ACM-R5 can be enhance further if can "swallow" a human with elastic strong body during disaster to protect and bring the human back to safe ground. And perhaps to protect a human in it's strong body from radiation disaster.
Inventor: Takanori Shibata
Institute: Intelligent System Research Institute of Japan's AIST
Timeline: 1993 - current
Structure: Baby Harp Seal
Mobility: N/A
Paro is a therapeutic robot baby harp seal which is a very cute and have a claming effect on patients. The build-in AI, sensors and a real baby harp seal sound brings Paro to win the Worl's Most Therapeutic Robot certified by Guiness World Records. Now if only a therapeutic robot puppy dog would be nice.
Inventor: Dr. Huosheng Hu
Institute: University of Essex
Timeline: 2005 - current
Structure: Fish
Mobility: Swimming
There has been a lot of robotic fish, but this is the best creation which is an autonomous fish robot. The flish swim like a natural fish in it's own environment. Dr. Huosheng Hu radical idea is to have a data gathering robotic fish that can measure pollution levels in the worl's bodies of water. However, this fish can do more than that. Here are some other possibility which robofish can achieved:
- Understand fish behaviour put the algorithm into the robofish. It could be any type of fish that swim in the aquarium.
- Robofish can be used in the big aquarium as to detect any unusual activity or chemicals
- Robofish can be use to identify sharks lurking around Australia as to save the surfers life
- To be use as a scientific research on marine creatures as to understand the creatures behaviour. Wonder whether marine creatures mind a spy fish.
- To be use as a surveillance fish to capture people dirtying the river
Inventor: Péter Fankhauser & a group of engineering students
Company: N/A
Timeline: 2011 - current
Structure: Tower / Ballbot
Mobility: 1 ball
This is one of a unique robot which Peter Fankhauser has invented. It's awesome because he has invented a way to have a navigation by using 1 ball. At the moment, it's still in R&D mode, but have many potential to become a useful gadget in the real life. It could be for:
- A personal/mass guide in the museum/theater/etc
- Gadget that follows the master/owner/patient to any of his/her interest
- Spotlight holder or entertainer in a show
- Patrolling for police/guards/autonomous security system
Or perhaps, a revolutionary movement for robotics
Inventor: Markus Fischer & Festo Team
Company: Festo
Timeline: 2011 - current
Structure: Bird
Mobility: Flying
WOW... this is the most impressive flying robot bird that was developed throughout mankind history. The SmartBird fly like a real bird. I wonder when Festo Team is going to create a bird like an eagle or perhaps humming bird. It would be an awesome creation to mimic the entire bird species flying pattern. And soon we can have a plane that fly in a much efficient aeronautical methods.
Inventor: Lego
Company: Lego
Timeline: 2006 - current
Structure: Any of your imagination
Mobility: Any of your imagination
This is the most flexible technology that allows the creator to use his/her imagination to create the desired version of robots. Now if Lego would enhance the product to create a bigger and solid accessories, then this would be even much interesting. Perhaps, Lego can add vacuum and broom accessories, then this can be my floor cleaner.
Here are some other imaginations which you can achieved through Mindstorms
Inventor: Hajime Sorayama
Company: Sony Corporation
Timeline: 1999 - 2006
Structure: Dog
Mobility: Walk
When AIBO was launched in year 1999, I was awe with such marvellous technology to see a robotic pet dogs. Sony could had improve further on AIBO to become a real pet dogs which can really walk, run, guard and communicate with the owner like a real dogs. Too bad Sony discontinue in year 2008.
Inventor: Honda Engineers
Company: Honda
Timeline: 1980s - current
Structure: Humanoid
Mobility: Walk, Slow Run
ASIMO, the once considered most technological advanced robots announced to the world in year 2000 that awe mankind. Till now, ASIMO is still considered one of the best robots but HONDA is still not mass selling the robots. It cost a whopping million of dollars to own ASIMO. So, what does HONDA wants to do with ASIMO?
ASIMO is in humanoid form with 2 legs able to walk and run. With some build in intelligent, ASIMO has object recognition and able to interact with human.
I wonder when ASIMO can be in my living room doing the house cleaning and cooking for me... And I guess other robots may end up in my living room one day instead of ASIMO. With the right pricing and sound ability to clean and cook, I'll want to have ASIMO.
ASIMO invention has gone through a long journey and see the evolutions:
Robot, the fascinated words to mankind whom desire for such machine since ancient times. The desire that one day robot will assist human in any mission.
In 1942, Isaac Asimov created the 3 Laws of Robotics:
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Thoughts to ponder, is the 3 Laws of Robotics logical? Does the inventor create such logics in the robot's program? Would autonomy robot be used in military warfare? The future will tell us on this point...
In the 21st century, robotic industry has been advanced with thanks to software, hardware, and collaborative ideas. Here are some of the usage of the robots: 1. Work
Inventor: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
