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Robots will take our jobs sooner or later. This thought must have crossed your mind once. The rise of robots can lead to the growth of unemployment rates.Every big company today from Infosys to Wipro is replacing its workers with robots. As robots have started going mainstream, startups are coming up with concepts or products that can be used in healthcare, homecare, lifestyle and education. India is also trying to catch up to the international competition with some noteworthy companies working in the field of robotics.

With robotics technology growing at an explosive rate, it will be interesting to see how this new wave change our life in the future?

Lets takes a look at five interesting robots in India:

Meet Miko, India's First Companion Robot For Kids:

Miko, created by Mumbai-based Emotix is a little robot that can entertaina child by talking, educating, responding and playing with them. Priced at Rs.19000, the companion robot is developed bya team of roboticists, academicians, and neuropsychologists led by 3 IIT post-graduates with an in-depth background in robotics. The robot doesn't need Internet for many of these features - it can play a game, or even hold a basic conversation offline

Nao Robot powered by IBM Watson :

NAO,powered by IBM Watsonhas continually been evolving since the beginning of his adventure in 2006.Nao (pronounced now) is an autonomous, programmable humanoid robot developed by Aldebaran Robotics, a French robotics company headquartered in Paris. Japanese Internet and telecommunication giantSoftbank had acquired Aldebaran for $100 million in 2013.NAO belongs to the family of programmable, autonomous humanoid robots .It is currently in its 5th version is fully equipped with modern sensor.

Humanoid Robotfor Customer Interaction:

Mitradeveloped byBengaluru startup Invento Tech is a 4.5 feet tall humanoid that interacts with humans through natural ways - voice and vision. It recognizes speech and then converts that to actionable information.In the first phase, the startup is targeting specific industries to pilot with like office receptions, malls and Hotels.

A Chai - robot that Makes Tea for You :

Making a delicious cup of tea is a delicate process that only the few people around the world appreciate. A connected smart Chai-robotfrom Chaipointreplicates how tea is made in India by using machine learning .Its a robot that makes tea not from tea-bags but straight from tea leaves, brewed the way one would by hand. The cafe chain also launchedboxC.in, a cloud-based beverage services platform, which includes fully automatic and IOT enabled dispensers.

A Humanoid Robot Assistant Offering Help to Customers:

The private lenderHDFC Bank has deployed IRA, its interactive humanoid, at the Kamala Mills branch in Mumbai. IRA, which stands for Intelligent Robotic Assistant isdevelopedin partnership with Asimov Robotics, a start-up based in Kochi. The robot willgreet customers and guide them to the various counters at the branch.

A self confessed Bollywood Lover, Travel junkie and Food Evangelist.I like travelling and I believe it is very important to take ones mind off the daily monotony .

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Robots Are Here To Take The Jobs Professionals Love. Meet India's #5 Geniuses - Entrepreneur

Immokalee High School robotics team qualified for the state championship in Tampa for the first time. Dorothy Edwards

The Immokalee High School Robotics Team fine tunes their robots before a match in the VEX Robotics state championship at the Tampa Fairgrounds on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Two teams from Immokalee competed in the championship, with one team ranking 28th and the other 13th.(Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)Buy Photo

As Kristians hands disappeared into the guts of the robot to work his magic, Jennifer held it steady while Isaiah updated the group on how much time was left.

Theyre on match 55 with one minute left. Were 58th. We have time, Isaiah said.

But the creases between Kristians brow deepened as the stress sunk in.

Jennifer went into maternal mode as Holiday by indie rock band Weezer played on the speakers.

Weezer is looking down on you and saying,Bro, relax. He likes robots too, I bet, she assured him.

Kristian was working to repair his robots motor before their next match. It was just one of many setbacks the team from Immokalee High had encountered while competing Friday at the Florida state championship VEX Robotics competition in Tampa.

Immokalee High School Robotics Team senior Kristian Trevino programs his robot before a match in the VEX Robotics state championship at the Tampa Fairgrounds on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Two teams from Immokalee competed in the championship, with one team ranking 28th and the other 13th.(Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)

Two robots from Immokalee qualified for the games.

The first, Dragonzord, was the brainchild of captain and pilot Kristian Trevino, 18, and mechanics Jennifer Villa, 18, and Isaiah Reyna, 16.

The second robot, Megazord, was built and controlled by captain and pilot Damian Gonzalez-Perez, 17, and mechanics Christopher Rios, 18, and George Herrera-Carrillo, 15.

The bots, named after the forces made famous by the TV show Power Rangers, were competing against 55 others for the title of state champion and a spot at the world competition in Louisville, Kentucky,in April.

On a 12-foot-square playing field, the bots competed in six qualifying matches to see how many toy stars and cubes each could throw over to the other side in the allotted two minutes. The robots, driven by a designated team member through a game controller, can gain bonus points for climbing onto a corner post and for driving autonomously.

Each round brought a new set of problems: a broken circuit, faulty programming, a slowed drive system.

In one round, Megazord forgot to unlock the bots pinchers. The team could do nothing but look on as the bot squirmed helplessly like a handcuffed felon pinned to the ground.

It was an oopsie, Christopher said, refusing to let the setback dampen his spirits.

Then, after the third round, both bots suffered from broken motors.

This is the sort of thing that happens when you dont test the robots. They should have spent a week testing, but they ran out of time, said Fred Rimmler, their coach, who also teaches engineering at Immokalee.

The team had been making finishing touches to their robot until 8 p.m. the night before.

But the motor repair gave Dragonzord its mojo back almost.

Immokalee High School Robotics Team members, from left, Isaiah Reyna, Kristian Trevino, and Jenni Villa compete in the VEX Robotics state championship at the Tampa Fairgrounds on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Two teams from Immokalee competed in the championship, with one team ranking 28th and the other 13th.(Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)

After hurling the bits of foam over the divide at a steady pace throughout the first half, Dragonzords pincher latched onto the opposing teams rubber band and couldnt free itself.

Thats never happened before. Its just a really bad day, Kristian said.

Dragonzord ultimately won four matches and lost two, disqualifying them from continuing.

But a team that had ranked higher than they did U.S.S.R. (University School Sharks Robotics) saw promise in the young 'zord and picked the team to compete alongside them in the quarterfinals.

When the teams found theyd be up against Trinity Dragons last years state champions they felt certain they wouldnt stand a chance.

The Dragons, whose captain sported matching neon green shoes, T-shirt and fanny pack (with an attached bottle of electrolyte sport jelly beans), had created a machine so flawless it made flinging oversized toys across a ring look like a ballet dancer pirouetting across a stage.

The match went as expected, with Dragonzord and U.S.S.R. losing 2-0.

I mean, theyve been doing this since middle school, and we made it to the quarterfinals in our first year, Jennifer said.

Although Immokalees robotics club is in its second year, this is the first year the team has competed outside the district.

Im proud of myself and everyone, but its still a bummer, she said.

Immokalee High School Robotics Team seniors Chris Rios, left, and Damian Gonzalez react as they lose a match during the VEX Robotics state championship at the Tampa Fairgrounds on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Two teams from Immokalee competed in the championship, with one team ranking 29th and the other 13th.(Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)

The loss weighed heavy on Kristian. Trinity Dragons had told him they were planning to pick Dragonzord to be on their team, but U.S.S.R. had priority over Trinityand chose Dragonzord before Trinity had the chance.

Im angry and upset, but its OK. It just really sucks, Kristian said.

Kristian plans to attendFlorida Polytechnic University in the fall and said the captains of Trinity and Vexecutives, another promising team, also might be attending.

Hopefully, if we all go there well have a great robotics team, he said.

Trinity Dragons, Vexecutives and Skull & Bones went on to win the state championship, and Dragonzord placed 13th.

Megazord won three out of their six qualifying matches and werent selected to compete in the quarterfinals. They ranked 28th overall.

Im not too down about this, Christopher said. Its good to show veterans that the little people like us can come so far and make a name for ourselves.

George, the only Megazord who wont be graduating this year, said hes looking forward to growing the team next year.

I want to learn and experience more," he said. "Seeing how far we got this year, I hope other people will see that and want to join next year.

Although neither Dragonzord nor Megazord made it to the top 10, which is needed to qualify for the world competition, the teams still might have the opportunity to compete.

States are awarded bonus spots based on participation level and growth, and this year Florida has a total of 26 open spots.

The teams will be notified Saturday whetherthey have qualified to compete in what is sure to be a fierce battle of the bots on an epic, international stage.

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Immokalee High competes at robotics state championship in Tampa - Naples Daily News

ASHLAND, Neb. (WOWT) -- Hundreds of kids teamed up with robots, rockets and jets Saturday for the Eighth Annual Nebraska Robotics Expo at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace Museum.

More than 800 K-12 students, team leaders and math and science teachers were expected for the event that melds a pair of robotic competitions, the CEENBoT Robotics Showcase and FIRST LEGO League (FLL), and the Creative Visual Arts Expo for a day of robotics inspiration.

Museum Marketing Director Deb Hermann said, This is a celebration of in-school and after-school student work with robotics. The Nebraska Robotics Expo encourages student involvement with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as well as educates and engages our next generation of innovators, their families and the general public about STEM opportunities in Nebraska.

Hermann said its a big day for the museum as well. They anticipate more than 2,000 visitors for the event.

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Kid power fuels a robotic road to the future - WOWT.com - WOWT

Corvallis, Ore. Oregon State Universitys robotics program has spun off one of its first businesses focusing on robotic locomotion, and theyve created Cassie to show what theyre capable of.

The business, called Agility Robotics, will license technologies developed at OSU, particularly advanced robotic mobility.

This technology will simply explode at some point, when we create vehicles so automated and robots so efficient that deliveries and shipments are almost free, said Jonathan Hurst, an associate professor of robotics in the OSU College of Engineering, chief technology officer at Agility Robotics and an international leader in the development of legged locomotion.

According to OSU, Agility Robotics is now offering a bipedal robot named Cassie.

The university said previous robots designs were inefficient because motors ended up working against one another. Students created a mathematical framework to solve the problem. The resulting design looks very much like a bird.

We werent trying to duplicate the appearance of an animal, just the techniques it uses to be agile, efficient and robust in its movement, Hurst said.

OSU said the company plans to do all initial production in Oregon. Hiring is anticipated for research, production and development.

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OSU robotics firm selling bipedal robot - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

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Feb 18, 2017, 10:04am EST

Mayor Martin J. Walsh delivers remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new more

MassRobotics, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering young robotics companies in Massachusetts, on Friday showed off what makes its new facility unique: when it came time to cut the ribbon, Boston's mayor got some robotic help from Baxter, a robot sporting a Patriots knit hat.

The newly launched office and lab space for robotics is in a city-owned building at 12 Channel St. in the South Boston Innovation District, based on other popular co-working ideas in the region: Think Cambridge Innovation Center or Somerville's Greentown Labs, but for robotics. The 15,000-square-foot office includes 7,000 square feet of open workshop space and another 2,000 square feet dedicated to a high-tech machine shop for prototyping and related work.

Mayor Martin J. Walsh delivers remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new more

On Friday, the open workspace was lined with representatives of the wider Massachusetts robotics cluster showing off their products, from drones to unmanned maritime vehicles to an autonomous "mole" for sweeping under the couch. (Click through the gallery above to see some of the technology on display.)

Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh was also on hand to tour the workspace. In a speech to attendees, Walsh emphasized the importance of the Massachusetts robotics industry in keeping top talent in the state and helping to build a skilled workforce for a next-generation economy. "The projects and the ideas housed in this workspace represent the future jobs and innovation for the city of Boston," Walsh said. "But not just the city of Boston or the commonwealth of Massachusetts, all over the world."

Thomas Ryden, the executive director of MassRobotics, said the organization is looking to raise $5 million in order to develop another 25,000 square feet of space available in the building.

According to the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the state's economic development agency focused on the innovation economy, the Massachusetts robotics industry consisted of 122 companies with 4,700 employees in 2015. Those companies generated more than $1.6 billion in revenue in 2015.

The first wave of companies hosted by MassRobotics include American Robotics, Digital Alloys, Hurdler Motors, Air Force Research Lab HMSS and Square Robots.

MassRobotics sponsors include such local companies as Amazon Robotics, iRobot (Nasdaq: IRBT), Draper and Vecna, as well as the Mass Technology Leadership Council, a consortium of tech companies.

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Robots upstaged the humans at MassRobotics' workspace opening - Boston Business Journal

By Lauran Neergaard By Lauran Neergaard February 18 at 9:00 AM

Scientists are developing a robotic sleeve that can encase a flabby diseased heart and gently squeeze to keep it pumping.

So far its been tested only in animals, improving blood flow in pigs. But this soft robotic device mimics the natural movements of a beating heart, a strategy for next-generation treatments of deadly heart failure.

The key: A team from Harvard University and Boston Childrens Hospital wound artificial muscles into the thin silicone sleeve, so that it alternately compresses, twists and relaxes in synchrony with the heart tissue underneath.

Its an approach dramatically different from todays therapies and, if it is proven in people, it might offer an alternative to heart transplants or maybe even aid in recovery.

[Donated organs kept alive may ease the transplant shortage]

You can customize the function of the assist device to meet the individual needs of that heart, said Frank Pigula, a cardiac surgeon who took the idea to Harvard colleagues developing soft robotics while he was at Boston Childrens.

More than 5 million Americans, and 41 million people worldwide, suffer heart failure, a number that is growing as the population ages. A heart left damaged by a heart attack, high blood pressure or other conditions becomes progressively weaker and unable to pump properly.

For severe cases, the only options are a transplant or battery-powered mechanical pumps that are implanted into the chest to take over the job of pumping blood. These ventricular assist devices, or VADs, prolong life, but running blood through the machinery can leave patients at risk of blood clots, strokes and bleeding.

That shouldnt be a risk with the robotic sleeve.

The nice thing about this is it can go on the outside of the heart, so it doesnt have to contact blood at all, said Harvard associate engineering professor Conor Walsh, senior author of a recently published paper on the idea.

[In a medical first, brain implant allows paralyzed man to feel again]

Unlike with traditional rigid medical devices, the soft-robotics approach allowed design of a sleeve that could fit snugly over a hearts irregular surfaces. The sleeve moves via artificial muscles, a concept that was developed in the polio era and is now being used in robotics.

The researchers programmed the robotic sleeve to move in the same pattern as the weakened heart muscle it surrounds while strengthening and optimizing each heartbeat. The device can be tailored to compress different sections of the heart.

As the sleeve relaxes, it helps the damaged heart expand and refill with blood to be pumped out with the next heartbeat, said Pigula, who is now with the University of Louisville.

The big test: The sleeve restored normal blood flow in six pigs that had been put into heart failure, Walshs team reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

[Robots are doing animal surgery all on their own. Will they soon be operating on you?]

The experiments lasted only a few hours, and more research to test how long animals could live safely with the implanted sleeve is crucial before it could be studied in people, Walsh cautioned. He would also like to study whether physically moving damaged heart muscle exercising it, essentially might spur it to heal and require less assistance from the sleeve over time.

Im quite impressed with where this research is going, said Christopher OConnor, chief executive of the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute in Falls Church, Va., who wasnt involved with the sleeves development.

Researchers have previously tried socks and other ways to encase or compress the heart, but these efforts have met with little success.

Unlike those prior attempts, the new sleeve is smart, its robotic, said OConnor. They really worked on developing a device that can mimic the contraction of the weakened heart muscle and augment it so there is improved heart function without the theoretical clot risk.

Associated Press

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Flabby heart keeps pumping with squeeze from robotic sleeve - Washington Post

Members of the European Parliament on Thursday urged the European Commission to propose rules on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) with a view to fully exploiting their economic potential and guaranteeing a standard level of safety and security.

Parliamentarians noted that regulatory standards for the use of robots were currently being planned in several nations. They argued that the EU needed to take the lead on setting such standards so as not to be forced to follow those set by third countries.

They also emphasized that draft legislation was urgently required to clarify liability issues, especially for the use of self-driving cars. MEPs suggested a mandatory insurance scheme and a supplementary fund "to ensure that victims of accidents involving driverless cars are fully compensated."

Pooling of expertise

A resolution on the topic, which was passed by 396 votes to 123 on Thursday, urged the Commission to consider creating a specific legal status for robots in the long run in order to establish who was responsible, if they caused damage.

MEPs pointed out the growing use of robotics also raised ethical issues to do with privacy and safety.

The suggested the EU executive create a European agency for robotics and artificial intelligence to supply public authorities with technical, ethical and regulatory expertise.

hg/sgb (AFP, EP)

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EU wants ethical standards for robotics | Business | DW.COM | 16.02 ... - Deutsche Welle

PRANAV PAPALI, COLUMNISTS 6:19 p.m. ET Feb. 16, 2017

The Tec Tigers meet weekly at Parkside High School to work on designing and building robots for competition.(Photo: submitted image)

Young people are a crucial element to building the community of Salisbury. To drive their success, programs involving STEM(science, technology, engineering, math) expose them to real-world applications.

The Wicomico County Robotics Team, the Tec Tigers, enables high school students to engineer a robot (tasked with completing certain actions) in addition to acquiring new skills in leadership, teamwork and programming.

It is a nonprofit after-school club dedicated to developing students into engineers. Three separate robotics programs are available to students, who may choose to compete in one of three platforms.

These programs award participating high school students with scholarships. This year, two of the programs are offering a total of $50 million in scholarships.

Colleges around the world have recognized the skills high school students acquire through FIRST robotics (the nonprofit organization that coordinates the robotics competitions).

READ MORE: Students time travel to learn about STEM

Each program presents the team with a different challenge.

For example, robots must complete tasks such as launching projectiles, hanging on bars, grasping objects and much more to score points in a match.

All three robotics programs require the team of students to create a computer model of the robot, program the robot and construct the robot. All teams are also required to record their progress in an engineering notebook.

By using the notebook, students are able to effectively use the design process, record the goals and accomplishments for each meeting, and include the progressive development of their robot through drawings and computer aided design, or CAD, models.

Mentors are present to advise and guide students during their engineering process; however, the teams are student-led.

The team was initially begun by two teachers who work at Parkside High School, David and Jenny Miles, in 2010, in response to a lack of STEMactivities available for high-schoolers in the area.

The Tec Tigers meet at Mr. Miles engineering classroom at Parkside. Each year, approximately 30 students join the Tec Tigers (most of whom are returning members).

READ MORE: UMES dedicates STEM education building

Since the establishment of the team, 94 percent of the teams alumni have attended college, 75 percent of whom are majoring or have majored in STEM-related programs.

We joined the Tec Tigers in 2016, so this is our first year as members. The team provides an outlet for us to embrace our passion for robotics, enriching us with new knowledge on a daily basis.

Not only does the Wicomico County Robotics Team help us to build our resumes, it primarily gives us exposure to the engineering field.

This is why the team is significant in developing the next generation of engineers and leaders.

Funds needed to maintain and supply the team are provided through grants, fundraising, and sponsors. Sponsors for the team include NASA, The Bank of Willards, Chesapeake Pediatric, Peninsula Allergy and Asthma, First Shore Federal Savings and Loan, and others.

In addition, our team members and mentors organize fundraisers throughout the year.

We would like to give a special thanks to all the mentors who guide the Tec Tigers: Tom Mader, Missy Mader, Franklin Reyes, Thomas Ayres, Kraig Ames, James Culp III, Holly Hatton, David Miles and Jenny Miles.

With more support from our community, we can keep the Tec Tigers thriving for many years to come.

Pranav Papali is a junior and Pritika Papali is a sophomore at Salisbury Christian School.

READ MORE: Cape robotics advances to world championships

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Robotics competition launches careers in tech - Delmarva Daily Times

Researchers R.Thandiackal and P.Ramdya Photo Credit: NCCR Robotics

New research reveals that the way an insect walks may not be the best option for insect-inspired robots

Roboticists often look to nature to help inspire their designs and provide solutions to efficiency issues. However recently published findings by a Swiss research collective show that insect-inspired robots can actually move more quickly along the ground using a non-biological gait.

Insects naturally use a type of locomotion referred to as a tripod gait, meaning they always have three of their six legs on the ground two on one side of the body and one on the other. In the past, robotics engineers have automatically mimicked this type of movement when designing six-legged robots, but now thanks to The National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Robotics, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL), theyll have an even better option a bipod gait.

Through a multitude of computer simulations, practical robotic testing, and experimentation on the common fruit fly, researchers discovered that while the tripod gait was the most effective movement method for six-legged creatures with adhesive pads at the ends of their legs to use while scaling vertical surfaces, the bipod gait proved a faster and more efficient locomotion option for hexapadal ground walkers.

Photo Credit: NCCR Robotics

In an NCCR Robotics statement, Pavan Ramdya co-lead and corresponding author of the study explains, Our findings support the idea that insects use a tripod gait to most effectively walk on surfaces in three dimensions, and because their legs have adhesive properties. This confirms a long-standing biological hypothesis. Ground robots should therefore break free from only using the tripod gait.

So thanks to science, we now know that insect-inspired robots moving along the ground are at their fastest and most efficient while using a paradigm-busting bipod gait. But what kind of real-world ramifications will such a discovery lead to?

NCCRs Dr. Linda Seward gave Geektime an example concerning the companys rescue robots robots sent into post-natural disaster areas too dangerous for human workers to enter saying that by creating improved walking robots that are robust and able to navigate quickly over uneven surfaces . . . [those] robots can reach those in need faster and concentrate rescue missions towards where theyre needed.

Essentially, something as seemingly minor as a gait pattern matters quite a bit when time is a factor and lives are at stake.

Concerning the bigger picture, who knows how many assumptions that natures way is the best way to design robots could also be proven incorrect? We need to make sure we test and confirm (or disprove) hypotheses instead of falling into the nice, comfortable assumption trap. These findings serve as a good reminder to never stop questioning and never stop testing.

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Mother Nature may not always know best when it comes to robotics - Geektime

I have no idea what my Roomba is doing most of the time when it runs. Its vacuuming, I know that, but sometimes it just sits there for a little bit, or slowly swivels back and forth, or does something else that doesnt seem (strictly speaking) vacuuming related.This isnt as much of a problem for Roombas specifically, but for robotics in general, it can be: If robots are badat communicating whats going on with them, itll be harder for people to accept them in our daily lives.

One thing that lets humansinstantly grasp the abstract internal state of other humans is we look at each others faces. Now, as you can imagine,giving robots human faces can lead to other problems. The good news is were also hardwired to perform this intuitive abstract internal state reading trick on some other expressive living things, like dogs: When we look at a dogs tail, we get an indication of whether its happy or not. It turns out that we can do the same for robots, as long as you can give them a tail.

A few years ago, University of Manitoba undergraduate student Ashish Singh and professor James E. Young decided to investigate whether people could accurately interpret the feelings of a Roomba with an actuated, fluffy tail that it could wag like a dog. The Roomba doesnt have feelings, of course, but acting happy could mean that all systems are okay, while sad could communicate a problem andtired could mean a low battery state. In results published in 2013, they found out that it works:

Plus, your floor gets an extra dusting!

The useful component of emotional interfaces is in how easily, and quickly, people can interpret them,Young told us.As social beings, we are very experienced at quickly reading emotional states, which provide us coarse-grained insight into the state of others. And while he said theyinitially considered many alternatives, a dog-like tail seemed to be a nice, clear choiceeven people without dogs or cats may be able to read some tail motions, so we decided to formally investigate that.

Young added that one of the goals of the project was exploring the notion ofperipheral awareness.With a dog tail that projects a robots state, you could be preparing dinner and just see the robot going by from the corner of your eye, he said. That would let you quickly know how the robot is doing, whereas a screen would probably requiretraining to understandand sound would be intrusive.

When they started, the researchers werent sure how readily people would be able to read emotions from a robot with a tail, and it wasnt clear how consistent this would be across a diverse group of people (if at all).Results of the study showed that people have no trouble reliably reading emotional states from a robotic tail. The researchers checked to see whether study participants had pets of their own, and it turned out not to make a difference at all: Whether or not you are (or ever have been) a dog owner, you can still understand what different kinds of tail wagging mean.

The results were so consistent, in fact, that the researchers were able to create a set of design guidelines that formally map out exactly what tail motions youd use to communicate. Want your robot to express disdain? Thats a continuous vertical wag at medium speed. Want it to seemed overwhelmed? Trysome high speed circular wagging.From awed to modest to joyful to astonished, there are specific tail motions that a robot can use to communicate.Any current robot that works with people, including factory transport robots, emerging domestic robots, even collocated utility robots such as the PackBot, could benefit from this,Young said.

After the tailed Roombaproject,Youngs group haslooked at how a tail might work on a humanoid robot, and it has also done more in-depth experiments with different varieties of robot communication, like how drones can alter their motion paths to show that theyre tired or excited. All of this research is available at the labs website linked below, along with guidelines for expression using a tail, just in case youre ready to add one to your robot.

[ A Dog Tail for Robots ] via [ University of Manitoba HCI Lab ]

Special thanks to@grok_ and @Straithe!

IEEE Spectrum's award-winning robotics blog, featuring news, articles, and videos on robots, humanoids, drones, automation, artificial intelligence, and more. Contact us:e.guizzo@ieee.org

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Wagging Tails Help Robots Communicate With Humans - IEEE Spectrum

Much of the debate around the rise of robotics technology is how it could displace workers in the manufacturing sector around the world. In the chart below, we show the robot density (number of industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers) for major manufacturing countries. We also include the average compensation cost per hour for manufacturing workers in each country.

Intuitively, one would believe that countries with higher labor costs would have greater robot density, as robots would present a more cost-efficient alternative to high-cost labor. We found, however, that many higher labor cost countries in Europe have comparatively low robot density, which could be representative of protectionist labor or manufacturing policies, or a slower than expected adoption of the robotics technology.

Developed Asian countries like Korea, Singapore, and Japan, however, have demonstrated a much higher than expected adoption of robotics technology given their lower labor costs, presumably as those countries have placed a greater emphasis on maximizing global competitiveness.

Sources: International Federation of Robotics, World Robotics Report. Data as of 2015. The Conference Board, International Labor Comparisons. Data as of 2015.

This material represents an assessment of the market environment at a specific point in time and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, or a guarantee of future results. This information should not be relied upon by the reader as research or investment advice and is intended for educational purposes only.

The information contained herein has been provided to Global X by an unaffiliated third party. Global X cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and assumes no responsibility or liability for its incompleteness or inaccuracy.

Global X Management Company, LLC serves as an advisor to the Global X Funds. The Funds are distributed by SEI Investments Distribution Co. (SIDCO, 1 Freedom Valley Drive, Oaks, PA, 19456), which is not affiliated with Global X Management Company, LLC.

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Chart: Are Robots Replacing High-Cost Workers? - Seeking Alpha

KILLEEN The clock is ticking. The robots methodically move back and forth across the floor pushing items over the metal bar.

It is the VEX Starstruck competition and every second counts.

Copperas Cove High School is new to robotics competitions but held its own against teams from throughout the region at a contest hosted at Shoemaker High School, said teacher and robotics coach Tim Smith.

Our robotics team has been working on the robot since last November, Smith said. This is our first time to compete in VEX Robotics, and many of the other teams have been working on their robots since the end of last school year. We made it to the quarterfinals before being eliminated.

Rounds were two minutes long with the first 15 seconds being autonomous mode during which the robot must run by program only. The final one minute, 45 seconds were student-driven.

The programming necessary to run autonomously was a real challenge, but, we made it work, sophomore C.J. Penman said.

Robots had to be able to take plastic stars and bean bags and place them on the other side of a 21-to-26-inch-tall fence through the center of the field similar to a volleyball game.

CCHS teacher Ken Barnetts welding class built a practice field for the robotics team to hone its skills.

My favorite part of competing is working in the pits, repairing the robot and making sure it is at its best for upcoming rounds, said junior Ryan Laumand.

The robots maneuvered on a 12-foot playing surface while teams guided them through various engineering challenges. Top teams advance to regional events and ultimately to the world championship.

I was extremely proud of my team. We worked hard and were acknowledged by other teams for our efforts. We competed with larger teams with far more experience and still made it into the quarterfinals, Smith said. We are looking forward to next years VEX challenge, which should be released sometime around May of this year.

Originally posted here:

High school's new robotics team makes quarterfinals - The Killeen Daily Herald

3Doodlers getting out ahead of Toy Fair with the release of a whole bunch of new products, including a handful of kits and a pair of pens that mark some big licensing deals for the New York-based startup.

The new devices dont represent new entirely products, so much as spinoffs of its existing lines, theflagship Create and the Start, a larger and safer version targeted at younger hands.

The Start Robotics Pen Set is the new focus of the latter, featuring an activity guide that takes young users through the process of connecting motors and blocks to create basic robotics. The pen will also be getting an architectural set that features illuminating wires for building iconic, light up buildings. A third Product Design, kit, meanwhile, is targeted at building smaller scale creations like clocks and wrist watches.

Having started out inventing robots at WobbleWorks, its quite a treat to be closing the circle with 3Doodler robot kits, CEOMax Bogue told Techcrunch. The increased importance of STEM in education means this is also an awesome time to be doing this helping kids learn and make.

The companys using its Create pen to launch a pair of high profile partnerships with CBS and Cartoon Network, bringing branded versions of the device with kits focused on designing different pieces of IP. The Star Trek branded device, which will be available, fittingly through Think Geek, comes with plans for drawing some Original Series designs, like the Enterprise, Spock ears and a phaser.

A PowerPuff Girls Create pen, meanwhile, features stencils with characters from the long running animated series. The company has also partnered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation to create designs based on classic architecture like Illinoiss Farnsworth House.

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3Doodler announces a robotics kit, Star Trek and Powerpuff Girls ... - TechCrunch

TechCrunch

Boston's new hub, MassRobotics, is like a WeWork for robotics startups TechCrunch If you're building drones, personal delivery vehicles or robots that can perform surgery, a desk in a coworking community like WeWork or RocketSpace probably won't be enough for you. Now, the city of Boston has opened a new facility just for robotics ... MassRobotics targets robotics startups with labs and collaborative working space in BostonVentureBeat MassRobotics Opens Shared Robotics Innovation SpaceYahoo Finance all 3 news articles »

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Boston's new hub, MassRobotics, is like a WeWork for robotics startups - TechCrunch

For the most part, the robotics kit is full of stuff we've seen before. There's the 3Doodler Start, for instance released about this time last year, it's a curvier, cheaper, safer version of the 3D printing pen meant for wee lads and lasses. Also in the package is the requisite plastic, some "DoodleBlocks" (a.k.a. molds kids that extrude their plastic into), gears, a motor and a battery pack.

While some kids will probably figure out how to craft their own pint-sized Big Dogs by themselves, an included activity guide should help everyone else get creative without too much wailing or gnashing of teeth. The robotics kit might be the most immediately fascinating, but it isn't the only new bundle the 3Doodler team has created there are also new architecture and product design starter kits for would-be Frank Lloyd Wrights and Jony Ives, too.

It's nice to see 3Doodler more fully explore the ways kids can create with these kits, but co-founders Max Bogue and Daniel Cowen have also spent plenty of time chasing down some potentially lucrative licensing deals. Just look at the rest of their Toy Fair line-up: there's a Powerpuff Girls edition Start pen in the works, and the company's full-size 3Doodler Create will be offered in a Star Trek tie-in package that offers the ability to craft "Spock ears, Klingon foreheads, Phasers, and more." Don't throw your wallet at your screen just yet, though all of these packages are expected to launch this Spring.

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3Doodler's new kits help kids craft their own robots - Engadget - Engadget

There are two options for controlling a robot inside of the human body: Either you try and build some sort of intricate and tiny robot submarine with self contained propulsion and navigation, which would be really really hard to do, or you just make the robot with a tiny bit of something that responds to magnetic fields, and control it externally with some big magnets. The latter approach is vastly less complicated, but it has one major drawback, which is that its very hard to manage multiple robots.

Heres the problem: Magnetic fields, being fields, arent easily constrained to specific areas. Realistically, if youre using something like a clinical MRI scanner to create a magnetic field, whatever gradient you give the field will affect everything inside of the MRI, whether youve got one single microbot or a vast swarm of them. If you want two different robots to do two different things, youre out of luck.

One potential way of getting around this is by making each of your robots slightly different, such that consistent control inputs have inconsistent effects on each robot. But for homogenous robots, its much more difficult. In a paper published today in Science Robotics, researchers from Philips, in Hamburg, Germany,describe a technique that can use magnetic fields to selectively actuate individual microbots, or individual components of a robot, even if theyre all made of the same stuff and located within the same field.

Please enjoy this utterly charming explanatory video from the researchers:

Coooool.

Heres how it works: The global magnetic field inside of the device has a hole in it, called a free field point (FFP), where multiple magnetic fields (each generated by a separate coil) meet up. Inside of the FFP, the magnetic field gradient is low. This doesnt help you move things, but it does help you not move things, because you can lock everything that isnt in the FFP in place by cranking up the field gradient. Then, you apply a gentle rotating magnetic field, which spins anything inside of the FFP and not locked down. By moving the FFP around, you can select which things are lockedand which things are free to rotate.

In this case, the lock is the screws being tilted sideways by the field such that they cant rotate, while the FFP is a region of zero tilt, meaning that the screws can rotate freely. The hardware used in this study was able to individually actuate screws as close together as 3 millimeters.

The researchers suggest a whole bunch of different ways in which this technique could be of practical, immediate use:

One class of applications is based on mechanisms driven by several screws that are controlled individually. In orthopedics, this could be implants, whose shape can be adapted to the healing process. In applications such as limb lengthening or early-onset scoliosis, a mechanism based on several controllable screws may offer higher flexibility in extendible prostheses or growth rods. In addition, the approach can be useful in microfluidics, where simple and tiny magnetic pumps and valves may be envisioned that can be individually actuated without an electrical or mechanical link.

Another class of applications is related to simple micromachines for local therapy delivery, such as remote-controlled drug release from a distribution of injectable magnetic micropills. Remotely switchable radioactive seeds are a special case of this class. Switchable seeds would enable the use of sources with longer half-life or higher dose rates because the radiation can be switched off after the desired dose has been applied. Besides, migrating seeds ending up too close to healthy tissue or sensitive organs could be switched off.

Using a helically slotted shield, directional seeds with remotely adjustable radiation direction could be built. These would allow further improvements in dose painting and sparing of healthy tissue. In addition, magnetic manipulation has been shown to be scalable to the micrometer regime. Using a catheter, seeds of this size could be discharged into the bloodstream of a tumor-feeding artery so that they are carried into the tumor and embolize small vessels. After localization via imaging, only seeds that ended up in the tumor would be activated remotely.

[ Paper ]

IEEE Spectrum's award-winning robotics blog, featuring news, articles, and videos on robots, humanoids, drones, automation, artificial intelligence, and more. Contact us:e.guizzo@ieee.org

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Magnets steer medical microbots through blood vessels 25Sep2012

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So says exoskeleton pioneer Homayoon Kazerooni as he brings Phoenix, his latest invention, to market 25Apr2016

Read more:

Magnetic Control Could Help Robots Navigate Inside Your Body - IEEE Spectrum

Updated / Thursday, 16 Feb 2017 16:03

RoboThespian, a life-size humanoid robot designed by Engineered Arts LTD, spoke about the future of robots at day two of Dublins Tech Summit.

The multilingual, interactive robot is designed to communicate in real time conversations with humans and was interviewed live for the first time at the summit today.

Joined on stage by Emmy Winning Veteran, CNN Anchor, Gina London , QuantumX & Bull in a China Shop Co- founder, Ben Jones and EMEA Lead at Cloud Native Apps and DevOps, Ed Hoppitt, RoboThespian, who was also referred to as George, said that the biggest question about technology is how we are going to function as a society and what do we choose for our future?"

Robots do whatever they are told to do. They dont ask questions and dont have conscious and the scary thing is not what the robot can do but what the human makes them do, he said.

He added that Star Wars is a very accurate vision of the future it looks at the way the shape might be and how they (robots) might function.

Addressing the question from anchor Gina London about how robotics will affect humans in society, Ben Jones said that the assistance of robots is going to be huge.

It is going to take away some of the functional things maybe going to support me when I am older. but most importantly it is going to allow humans to be humans, he said.

From my point of view it is hard being the human in this world, it is tiring, and the assistance of robots will help to make being a human easier.

"The best way to approach the integration of robotics into our everyday lives is to embrace it and just use them where they make sense, said Ed Hoppitt.

if they could just fix the unexpected item in the bagging area for me that would be a massive step forward in robotics, he added.

While robotics is really 20-30 years away, according to Jones, RoboThespian said that we have to now make wise decisions going forward and we need to stop and think.

We also have to get people in government land to really take this serious so we are not caught short when some country thinks of these robots for military, said Gina London.

Robots are going to rule the world but we are the humans, we are the emotion and we have got to hold onto that. she said.

By Lauren Ennis

Fabian Bolin: 'Writing about cancer made the process a lot easier

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What has Robotics got in store for our future? - RTE.ie

UberEats drivers could eventually be replaced with food-delivering robots.

An UberEats driver is the person ferrying wood oven fired pizzas to customers' doors these daysbut in the future, expect a robot to hand over that pie. That's because artificially intelligent machines and chatbots will eventually become the human interface for many services we use today, according to Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.

The start-up founder told an audience at the World Government Summit in Dubai that its users currently call drivers via its app when they can't locate their Uber, according to CNBC. However, computers will eventuallytake that call.

"But when the car doesn't have a driver who do I talk to? I'm going to talk to some AI agent or what they call a chatbot. I'm going to talk to an AI to get connected to that car," the start-up founder reportedly said.

Kalanick says Uber is expanding beyond mobility solutions, and is at the beginnings of becoming a robotics company. Evidence of its evolution can be seen in its acquisition of Otto for autonomous technology, and its recent hire of 30-year NASA veteran Mark Moore to work on its self-flying taxi project, Uber Elevate. The company has already begun exploring an on-demand helicopter-based taxi service with Airbus, which plans to release a prototype of an autonomous vertical take off and landing (VTOL) aircraft later this year.

Uber isn't alone is the belief that AI-powered bots will take over many distribution services. London-based Starship Technologies has teamed with Postmates and DoorDash to test door-to-door food deliveries using robots in Washington, D.C. and Redwood City, Calif. FedEe also believes that droids, rather than humans, may hand over packages in pre-determined drop-off locations in the future.

This means that the automation arms race isn't just about mobility and self-driving cars, but the entire supply-chain operation. Disrupting logistics is a multi-trillion dollar game, and one in which Uber is going to have plenty of competition.

This article was originally published on TheDrive.com

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Uber Is Becoming a Robotics Company, CEO Says - Yahoo News

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Immokalee High School Robotics Team seniors Kristian Trevino, left, and Jenni Villa prepare their robots for Friday's state robotics competition on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. The VEX Robotics Competition takes place Friday in Tampa. (Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)Buy Photo

It hasbeen almost two years since Immokalee High senior Kristian Trevino, 18, traded his baseball glove for a robot controller, but he hasnever looked back.

Were not doing suicides (physical conditioning drills) or running around the field here at robotics, but were using our minds twenty-four seven, he said.

The former second baseman and current captain of the Immokalee High robotics team has helped lead his team to the VEX Robotics state championships that will take place Friday in Tampa.

The team, only in itssecond year, has qualified two robots: Megazord and Dragonzord, named after the forces made famous by the "Power Rangers" TVshow. Each robot is built and controlled by a team of three students.

The young engineers have been meeting for hours each day after class since the start of the school year. One night they stayed so late the janitor almost locked them in.

They average 20 to 25 hours per week working on these robots, and they spend their free time watching videos of other robots, said Fred Rimmler, an engineering teacher and robotics coach at Immokalee. Theyve blown me away.

Immokalee High School Robotics Team senior Kristian Trevino prepares his robot for Friday's state robotics competition on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. The VEX Robotics Competition takes place Friday in Tampa. (Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)

The bots will compete as separate teams against 55 others at the Florida Fairgroundsfor the title of state champion and a chance to qualify for the world competition in Louisville, Kentucky,in April.

The bots will enter a 12-foot-by-12-footplaying field, split down the middle, and compete to see how many toy stars and cubes each can throw over to the other side within the allotted two minutes.

The robots, driven by a team member through a game controller, can win bonus points for climbing onto a corner post and for driving autonomously.

Students gain more than just knowledge about mechanics the games are social. After the first round, teams pair up with each other to compete in groups of three.

You have to be very strategic, Rimmler said. "You have to havea good understanding of the engineering and design side of things, but you also have to know how to make friends."

Rimmler and his students said it was a difficult task to find partners at first, but after winning the regional competition in Miami, other teams have begun seeking them out to askwhether theyd be willing to join forces.

At the beginning of the year, I didnt think this was going to happen, but now our robots at a whole new level, said Damian Gonzalez-Perez, 17, the captain and driver of Megazord.

Immokalee High School Robotics Team senior Kristian Trevino prepares his robot for Friday's state robotics competition on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017. The VEX Robotics Competition takes place Friday in Tampa. (Photo: Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News)

The engineering masterpiece hasgone through five full redesigns since the start of the year.

Weve built a really aggressive offensive robot. Nobody knew us before, but now when we go to other cities to compete, were known as Immokalee, and its a prideful thing.

For Jennifer Villa, 18, the only girl on the team, the male-dominated competitions have taught her to take initiative. She said she used to feel stigmatized by boys who assumed she wasnt as smart as they were.

The girls are always seen as the pretty ones and the dainty ones. she said. Ive learned to put myself out there more. My team sees the work I put in, and I dont ever feel less than them.

Reporter Annika Hammerschlag will join Megazord and Dragonzord on their quest for glory, beginning at 11 a.m. Friday. Follow her updates on Twitter @a_hammerschlag.

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Immokalee High team set for robotics state championships Friday - Naples Daily News

Four West Ridge Middle School seventh-graders are going to the U.S. Robotics Championship for VEX robotics in Council Bluff, Iowa, in April after their team Over the Hedge mentored by parent Larry Knipp and robotics coach Jason Spodick won a regional competition at Hill Country Middle School on Jan. 28.

Both Hill Country and West Ridge fielded other teams in the competition, but only the one composed of Mitchell Knipp, Kusal Pedarla, Major Ritchie and Raghav Sharma advanced.

The winning team learn robotics every day from Coach Spodick, and they also practice about six hours a week in Sharmas garage, which includes a rudimentary practice field. Together they designed, developed and programmed their VEX EDR robot.

We have about 120 kids in six robotics classes, Spodick said. All of these boys have been in them at West Ridge.

Students can take this elective once, but teams like Over the Hedge continue building and practicing on their own with the help of parent mentors.

Twenty-six teams competed, and Over the Hedge scored winning points when their robot lifted many yellow stars that look like jacks and threw them over a fence, clearing the field of play. Extra points were earned for the high hang, each time their robot lifted itself a foot off the ground by attaching to a single post during the competition.

Larry Knipp proudly said many teams were unable to do this trick.

Team members said they made many adjustments to their robot before it was ready to compete, because they realized it could be easily tipped over. After their changes, the robot was stabilized and up to the challenge.

Sharma said it took the team between three to four months to build the robot. He pointed out that the design evolves over time. Since their robot is made of metal, the team can strategically cut parts down to a size they need.

I like the adventure in building the robot, testing new ideas to see where we might want to go, Sharma said. The fun is in using it.

Though Sharma loves building robots, his goal for now is to be a great soccer player.

Knipp noted that a key was planning ahead.

The team started designing in September for the competition in January, Knipp said.

Knipp and teammate Kusal Pedarla, are thinking of engineering careers.

Ritchie says, for now, he wants to be a mechanic.

Knipp said of the win, his greatest pleasure was actually seeing something we made, accomplish something.

Im looking forward to seeing snow when we go to Iowa for the championship, Sharma said.

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West Ridge robotics team maneuvers into national championship - Austin American-Statesman