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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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CALENDAR
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| 2002.10.01-03 |
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Cleaning Robot Contest, Lausanne, Switzerland
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| 2002.10.10-13 |
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Central Jersey Robot Conflict, Cherry Hill, NJ
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| 2002.10.12 |
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DPRG Table-Top Robot Contest, Dallas, TX
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| 2002.10.12-13 |
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RoboMaxx, OR
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| 2002.10.12-13 |
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Twin Cities Mechwars, Maplewood, MN
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| 2002.10.18-20 |
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Critter Crunch, Denver, CO
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| 2002.10.21-24 |
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National Robot Safety Conference, Ypsilanti, MI
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| 2002.10 |
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METU Robot Games, Ankara, Turkey
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| 2002.11.02 |
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PAReX Autonomous Robotics Competition, Phoenix, AZ
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| 2002.11.02-03 |
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Olimpiada Robotica, Colombia
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| 2002.11.06-08 |
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Robotics Industry Forum, Orlando, FL
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| 2002.11.06 |
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Robotics User Discovery Day, Orlando, FL
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| 2002.11.09 |
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Third Annual CIRC Autonomous Sumo Robot Competition, Peoria, IL
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| 2002.11.22-23 |
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Texas BEST competition, College Station, TX
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| 2002.11 |
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23rd All Japan MicroMouse Contest, Yokohama, Japan
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| 2002.12.7 |
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Boonshoft Museum LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Competition, Dayton, OH
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| 2002.12.7 |
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NC Robot Street Fight, Salisbury, NC
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| 2002.12 |
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Penn State Abington Robo-Trailblazers, Abington, PA
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ABOUT NETSURFER
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COOL TOYS
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WHAT'S NEXT?
One year and 12 issues after our launch, it's
time to take stock. Of our beta subscribers,
the supporters for ad-based content and
subscription-based content are split roughly
3:1. Unfortunately, we all know that advertising
revenues are just not there these days.
Although it doesn't take much to run our e-zine,
we need to review our options. Should we
fold our content into part of the
subscription-based Netsurfer Science? Or limp along
on our own? Or cease publication altogether?
Drop us a note at nsr-editor@netsurf.com
and let us know what you think.
In the meantime, we'll be working hard on the November
issue featuring "Cool Stuff for Christmas".
IN THE NEWS
Another Robot Vacuum Hits the Dust
Looking - and feeling - like a plump bathroom scale at 7 pounds or so,
the Roomba is the latest robot vacuum to be introduced. Pushbutton simple
- Small, Medium, or Large (room) - the little device costs $199 and
can last 90 minutes or 3 Mediums on a single charge. Moving outwards
in a spiral (thanks to a minesweeping ancestor), Roomba is smart enough
not to fall down stairs (cliff-detection algorithms), can be fenced
in with an infra-red "virtual wall", and turns itself off when it's
done. It works on hardwood floor, tile, and
carpeting, but is not up to deep carpet cleaning. Will this be the
breakthrough domestic robot? Time and the Christmas shopping season
coming up will tell.
2002 World Robotics Survey
UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) has just released its
"World Robotics 2002" report. While the dismal economy in Japan caused plummeting
industrial robot sales in 2001,
European investment continued strongly. The US lagged at 52 units
per 10,000 manufacturing workers (272 in Japan); however,
investments were typically in the most advanced robots. Overall growth at 7.5%
means just under a million industrial robots worldwide by 2005.
More vigorous increases in service robots, particularly in the medical
and security and surveillance area will add another 25,000 units.
However, this is all eclipsed by household and entertainment
robots which are "on the verge of taking off" and expected to easily exceed
1 million units by 2005.
Murphy's Door
After a tantalizing 10-year wait, the Pyramid Rover crawled for two hours
up the narrow South Shaft from the Queen's Chamber
of the Great Pyramid, carefully drilled
through the stone door that stymied the last robot explorer, threaded
a fibre optic camera through the hole, and found...
another sealed door. Undaunted, the Rover traversed the North Shaft
a week later, and found another stone door with handles, very similar
to the one in the South Shaft. Rather than feeling, um, shafted, the expedition
is elated with "the first major piece of information for more than a century".
Egyptologists speculate that the shafts were designed
for "the ascending soul of the deceased king".
GETTING HANDS-ON
Just Do It
After reading about the wild, wacky, and sometimes
downright useful robotic projects, do you get the "I want to give that
a try" feeling? There is a plethora of cool ready-to-run and
ready-to-assemble/program robots (think Aibo)
out there, but to really do it, you have to get down
to the bits and pieces. Fortunately for the uninitiated,
the LEGO Mindstorms Invention System puts everything you need in a convenient
package, and there is now a rich library of books from detailed how-to's
to project suggestions to get you going. If Mindstorms is a little
too "canned", try a general purpose robotics book, such
as the Robot Builder's Bonanza and buy the components - or better yet
scavenge and recycle and put together something truly unique.
With a Little Help from My Friends
Although robotics is just now
moving into the maintstream, there are many well-established
hobbyist clubs across the country. For example,
San Francisco's Robotics Society of America benefits from its association
with NASA and the all the engineers around the Bay Area.
The Seattle Robotics Society, another pioneer, publishes a regular
newsletter filled with technical details on technology and how-tos.
Another institution is the Dallas Personal Robotics Group,
founded in 1984.
Most clubs are not "For Gearheads Only", creating exhibitions and events
open to the public and special programs for kids. Robotics
cover many different disciplines and clubs are limited only by their
energy and dreams. Recently, the Radio Control Club of DC staged
their first attempt to fly a model airplane across the Atlantic.
Self Interest Enlightenment
Between the Mars Rovers and the space shuttle's all purpose robot arm (retrieve
Hubble, build International Space Station), space exploration will
be pushing robotic technology for the foreseeable future.
And NASA
certainly does its share to develop interest and knowledge in the
field. Its Cool Robot site and Summer Robot Camp are just part
of a larger effort taking shape. The Robotics Education Project aims
to use NASA's robotics missions as a pedagogical tool for all
levels of education. An 8-lecture online robotics course is currently
being webcast and will be part of a rich archive of presentations.
To see the full scope of thinking, check out the Educational Robotics
Matrix, detailing curriculum, competitionm and internships from
K-5 through to Ph.D. levels.
A Little Friendly Competition
Nothing moves a project along better than having concrete goals and
deadlines, and getting your robot to a competition certainly provides both.
Thanks to television, the grease and gears of Battlebot type competitions
may be foremost in our minds, but one of the most accessible and constructive
competitions in robotics is the annual FIRST event. Held nationwide for a
broad range of school and professional teams, participants work their way from
local and regional events to the grand championship. Many clubs also have
annual games where newbies can hone their skills. The Robot Competition
FAQ is one of the most comprehensive listing of events. Mouse-maze races,
robotic soccer, sumo, and search-and-rescue are just examples of
the diversity and creativity of roboticists around the world.
Getting Serious
The curiosity turns to hobby to avocation. Now what? Maybe it's time
to go back to school.
The venerable Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute offers an undergraduate
minor in robotics, but most universities with a strong engineering
program will give you the knowledge and tools.
Graduate study, though, depends on the particular
subdiscipline that you want to pursue.
Florida International's
search and rescue bots made headlines in the aftermath of 9/11.
Stanford has a laboratory dedicated to dextrous manipulation, haptics, and
telerobotic hands, and
Dartmouth's reconfigurable robots have been mentioned elsewhere.
How about the
University of West of England's energy autonomy program?
Powerhouses CMU and MIT have a broad range of research areas including
MIT's famed AI Lab, but for the right brain types, there is
also the MIT Media Lab, spicing things up with emotive robotics and
performance art.
TECHNOTOYS
Animatronic Tricks and Treats
It's only days before the Great Pumpkin makes its entrance, but not
too late to jazz up fright night for your neighbourhood. The fine
American tradition meets animatronic ingenuity in hundreds of projects.
Dancing skeletons and ghosts floating in windows, witches stirring cauldrons
and rampaging creatures popping out from trashcans. And of
course the spiders, rickety floor sections and crashing chandeliers.
You can find illustrated instructions for these and lots more at
the MonsterList of Hallowe'en creations. Projects from
a simple PVC pipe pop-up to autonomous robots and useful tips
(X-10 controller how-to, fog machine tips and blood recipes) abound.
For more ideas, there are walkthroughs of haunts from previous years.
If you fear overload, Larry's Hallowe'en page offers a small
but fine selection.
New Tricks for Old Aibos
After a brain/processor enhancement this summer, Aibo ERS-210's will
be acquiring a set of new tricks via a 16MB memory stick.
The software will allow Aibo to recognize its owner's name, face
and voice, look for him in a crowd, and show affection and happiness
when it finds him. With nothing to top this endearing trait,
Sony did the next best thing and also taught Aibo
to search out its Energy Station to "feed/recharge" when
it runs low on power. To round out the model upgrades,
ERS-210A models will be available in two more colours,
white and fire-engine red, in addition to the standard black,
gold, and silver.
RoboCuisinart Patrol
The diversity of domestic robots increased another notch
with the introduction Fujitsu's
mobile phone-controlled home robot. Looking like an
extra-large Cusinart with eyeballs, the MARON-1 can patrol the home
via direct command from the phone or follow a preprogrammed course,
taking pictures, sounding alarms, and calling preset numbers as
necessary. In addition to surveillance, its IR port alows
MARON-1 to operate
other appliances such as TVs and VCRs, and it can also act as a hands-free
phone. Don't leave it for long vacations though - battery life is
only 12 hours. An MSNBC survey shows that more than 13% of respondents think
they will have a household robot within a year and 60% will
within 5 years.
BITS & PIECES
Methanol Micro Fuel Cell
While chip technologists improve the performance/power-consumption
ratio, new devices and apps drive an insatiable demand for juice.
Fuel cells, with 10 times the life of current
batteries and easy replacememt fuel cartridges, is a sure winner
in the power game as soon as they can meet the target miniaturization.
MTI of Albany, New York is one of a number of
companies large and small in the game. It demonstrated
a simple methanol
micro fuel cell prototype the size of a pack of cards and
scalable for a variety of applications in August,
and is setting up a sales, marketing and business development
office in the heart of Silicon Valley. Product shipment is
on target for 2004.
Microbial Micro Fuel Cell
From the Energy Autonomy group at the University of the West of England
that gave us the improbably whimsical SlugBot now comes the EcoBot,
an autonomous robot with a smart on-board digestive system - an
artificial stomach teeming with E. coli.
A little more than 2 pounds in weight and shaped like a deep dish pizza, EcoBot
lives on sugared water.
Based on a simple, two chamber design,
microbial metabolism breaks down the food substrate
in the anodic chamber, setting up an oxidation-reduction cycle with the
the cathodic chamber and producing electrical energy in the process.
Energy is stored in a bank of capacitors,
and Ecobot exhibits phototaxis when it is fully charged.
An added benefit? Sent into the wild, stomach upsets in EcoBot
may be used as a pollution indicator.
All-Purpose Goo Cushion
MR (magneto-rheological) fluid is an oily gray goo that turns
from liquid to solid in milliseconds when a magnetic
field is applied. First discovered in the 1950s, it consists of 20-40%
carbonyl iron particles in a oily carrier, plus a secret sauce of
additives that enhance its physical properties. Once just an
interesting phenomenon, it is finding practical use now
that advanced computer and digital signal processing chips can be used to
control the magnetic field. Most applications involve
dampening vibrations, from buildings and bridges to washing machines,
exercise machines, and even running shoes.
Researchers believe some of the best applications are in advanced prosthetics
and robotic hands and limbs, fine-tuning, for example the grip on an egg.
The Monster Truck Timber Platform
What do you do when you develop Timber, a TIMe-Based language
for Embedded Realtime systems? You build a fun but demanding
realtime system as a test platform, and an autonomous robot based
on an R/C Monster Truck is just the ticket. Throw in realtime video
over a wireless link and QoS (high reliability) requirements and
things get interesting. Timbot is the name and "Composed, and in
Control" is the game. Built at Oregon Health and Science University,
Timbot packs a hefty punch of hardware. Its collection of applications,
though, shows off Timber's support for a declarative, compositional approach
that shields programmers from many subtle real time programming
challenges such as concurrency, scheduling, and synchronization.
SEE ME, HEAR ME
Not in Kansas Anymore
Wouldn't it be cool if your Robo Toto knew
exactly where the two of you landed?
From navigation system for your hog to multifunction sport
watches for the dedicated marathoner,
Global Positioning Systems have hit consumer electronics
with entry level prices under 100 US$. IBM Developer Works has posted a three-part, free
registration-required tutorial on GPS and how to interface to them to your java
program. Part 1 starts with basics about GPS and how to put
together a java development environment. Part 2 gets into the nitty gritty of
data elements and navigation. Part 3 pulls it all together
with the port of a sample app to the Palm OS
and an XML-based GIS application
showing sports venues within a 100 mile radius.
GPS on a Chip
And wait, there's more. Motorola has just announced Instant GPS, a single chip GPS
receiver built in conjunction with IBM Microelectronics. 7mm x 7mm in size, the device
boasts a host of virtues including low power consumption, extreme sensitivity, simple
interface, and of course, a low enough price point for
consumer electronics products.
While the most immediate use may be enabling cell phones to to finally provide Enhanced-911 location services, applications in combination with cell phones, PDA's, digital cameras,
etc. are plentiful.
Based on IBM's Silicon-Germanium process for increased performance/power
consumption, the Instant GPS is expected to cost about 10 US$ in volume, or 25% of
the cost of the current chipset. Shipping to early customers in November, we can expect products
within 12 months.
PROOF OF THE PUDDING
RoboSpoon Serves Pudding
Getting food into our mouths, something most of us do far too easily
and maybe far too often, is just one of the challenges for those with
spinal cord injuries. Japan's SECOM has developed the My Spoon Meal-Assistance
Robot, a simple robotic arm controlled by either joystick or pushbutton,
that delivers bite size selections - including tricky items like noodles and tofu -
from a Bent box-like tray. The sense of autonomy and naturalness won
significant kudos from early testers, but no productization plans
have yet been announced.
ROBOT READING
Mind over Parts
Recent successes in neuroprostheses, or Brain-Machine Interfaces (BMI),
include monkeys controlling joysticks, controlling rat movement,
and even human vision.
Scientific American features a detailed article by two pioneers
in the field. These researchers monitored the electrical signals from
as few as a hundred brain neurons and were able to create a predictive model of
hand position and thus control a robotic arm.
3-D motion with >95% accuracy is expected to require only hundreds of neurons.
Furthermore, visual or sensory feedback are expected to improve
the performance of the prosthesis - animals can learn to incorporate an
artificial device into its body/control representation, a giant step towards
cyborghood. Research in neuroprosthesis is now accelerating, and is furthered
by rapid advances in chip, wireless, and materials technologies.
Walking Robots
When robots move from factory floor to home,
they have to learn to move as well. EE Times has published a quick review
on the different walking robots and walking technologies. Pioneers,
Honda's Asimo (first created way back in 1986)
and Sony's smaller, entertainment-oriented SDR-3X and SDR-4X,
use a technique called Zero Motion Point Control. With faster processors
and increasing research interest, new approaches, such as a parallel link
mechanism to allow heavy payloads, and adaptive dynamic walking technology
for irregular terrains have emerged. Running is still out of the question for
bipeds as the motors and actuators in use cannot bear the load.
However, Sony is developing an AIBO that can run at over 2 mph by adding
springs and sensors to each leg.
Reconfiguration Redux
Being on the move means adapting to a variety of terrains and situations.
Enter reconfigurable robots,
transformer-like robots that can rearrange themselves to squeeze
through a crevice in the rubble during search and rescue or walk down a
flight of stairs.
Wired talks with two researchers in the field, Daniela Rus of Darmouth,
who has just been selected for a MacArthur Genius award,
and Mark Yim of Xerox PARC. Also known as shape-shifters, reconfigurable
robots are built up of individual modules - just imagine thousands of smart
LEGO blocks reorganizing themselves into an infinite number of flexible
machines. Or to quote Rus's vision, "imagine embedding robotic modules
in all construction materials and then issuing
... commands to get them to aggregate into a bench or fix a leak in the roof".
BRAVE NEW WORLD
Right Stuff Super-Spaceship Dreams
"..consider how a rancher from 200 years ago might have reacted if a man had asked to buy a horse that could run 100 mph for hours on end, carry his entire family and all their luggage, and sing his favorite songs to him all the while! Today we call them minivans."
With that lead-in, NASA presents some concepts and research for tomorrow's spacecrafts.
Top on the list is carbon nanotubule-based materials, 600 times stronger than steel
by weight. More importantly, nanotubules can be multifunctional,
acting as sensors, hydrogen fuel storage, and radiation shield all in one and
further reducing the payload. Other smart materials
may enable self-bending wings that move like those of birds and minimize fuel
costs. MEMS, new fuel cells, digital nanoelectronics, solar sails, and self repairing
materials are just some of the areas being considered by researchers. The universe
is the limit.
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AFLAC QUACK
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Supplemental insurance, jargon normally reserved for the
HR crowd, entered popular consciousness with a quack
and an 'AFLAC' from the somewhat irritating but compelling
Beijing duck in insurance provider AFLAC's long running
television campaign.
Why should we care? It's a robot duck in those cartoon-like
jeopardy scenes, says AFLAC in response to an
outcry from animal rights groups.
Is an ASPCR for robots next?
Check out the ads on the AFLAC site and you be the judge.
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BOOKS 'N' STUFF
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Robot Teams: From Diversity to Polymorphism
by Tucker Balch, Lynne E. Parker (Editors)
A K Peters Ltd
ISBN: 1568811551
04/2002
Building an autonomous robot has its unique challenges, but what does
it mean to have a whole team? Robocup soccer may be the visible
application, but research in the area is blooming.
CMU's Tucker Balch and Lynne Parker
from Oak Ridge National Labs leads the reader through the key concepts of
multi-agent robot theory, illustrating major concepts with exemplary
systems. The books is filled with cutting edge information and
richly supplemented with detailed mathematics, illustrations and diagrams,
and source fragments.
As befits two researchers, a 44-page bibliography lists ample
resources for those who want to delve further into particular
areas.
Mobile Robots: Inspiration to Implementation, 2nd Ed.
by Joseph L. Jones, Anita M. Flynn, Bruce A. Seiger
A K Peters Ltd
ISBN: 1568810970
11/1999
This highly recommended introduction to autonomous mobile robots
is now in its second edition. It provides readers with a solid
foundation in design and implementation "from brains to brawn" and
is filled with copious technical details on sensors, circuit boards,
chassis, and other hardware.
While the main example, the Rug Warrior, is too complex
and expensive a robot for many, it illustrates many design issues
and makes a fascinating read. The chapter on Robot Design
Prinicples, svelte at not fully 6 pages, offers particular gems,
such as "complexity kills" and "avoiding usually",
to keep in mind.
Haunted House Halloween Handbook
by Jerry R. Chavez
McFarland & Company
ISBN: 0786403756
09/1997
For the Hallowe'en enthusiast whose site is the haunt of the neighbourhood
when 10/31 rolls around, or those who harbour such aspirations,
this is the soup-to-nuts
book that covers it all. From the key question of what is scarey and how
to build a truly scarey haunted house, the
author progresses to building plans and suppliers, effective promotions
and profitability, and safe operations, among other topics, all on a budget.
Even the experienced builder will find a helpful idea or two in here.
Animatronics: A Guide to Animated Holiday Displays
by Edwin Wise
Delmar Learning
ISBN: 0790612194
08/2000
Now that you are truly inspired - after all, there are Thanksgiving
and Christmas displays to stage after the bats and witches have departed -
"Animatronics" from Edwin Wise, author of
Applied Robotics,
might be just the ticket. Project oriented, this
book ranges from simple classics to intermediate and advanced constructions.
Techniques of electrical and pneumatic animations, servo control and
other mechanics are covered in depth, and sprinkled with useful tricks
in decorating your animatronic scenes and special effects such as fog and
glowing water.
Computer graphics may have taken over the movies, but animatronics still
reign supreme in the front yard.
Monsters, Inc.
Pixar
ISBN: B00005JKDR
2001
Sometimes the supposedly scarey creatures are downright lovable.
From the bit of whimsy that forms the premise of
Monstropolis - a hidden world running on the screams of scared kids - a hilarious
feast filled with delightful characters and superb production
values unfolds. Whacky as they come, the story is richly textured to
keep Dad's attention - a
sly poke at office politics where "Top Scarer" Sully is being derailed by
the underhanded Randall - and speak to every child's fantasies, after
all the door to Monstropolis is through the closet.
Although Shrek took the Oscar with its trendier, adult cool,
Monsters will become the classic with its timeless appeal.
For more selections, check out the Netsurfer Library at
http://www.netsurf.com/nsl.
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