Robot Living

The TV show Stargate has inspired European researchers from 10 universities in the Symbrion program  to create swarm robots.

Allen  Whitfield from the University of the West of England, Bristol states:

Some robots might form a chain allowing rescue workers to communicate with survivors while others assemble themselves into a ‘medicine bot’ to give first aid.

The robots can form chains and would be used to help search for victims in collapsed buildings or other emergency situations.  The robots will not be ready for action for another 10 to 15 years. Watch all the action in a  video  here.

See our previous post on swarm robotics here.

Link via (ITN)

This unmanned aerial vehicle is called Zephyr.  The Pentagon hopes to have a squadron of them that can fly autonomously for years at a time.

The 66 pound Zephyr sports thin solar panels on its wings that charge lithium-sulfur batteries.

QinetiQ Group PLC based in the UK has partnered with DARPA on the research.  Zephyr was tested and set a new unmanned  record by flying for 3 days straight starting on 7/28/08.  The flight was first guided by remote control, which took the aircraft to a height of 60,000 feet, then the aircraft flew autonomously and via satellite.

See the BBC video here.

Link via (Scientific American)

ABB, the world’s leading paint robot manufacturer has received an order from Chinese company BYD, including 13 IRB 5400 robots.

ABB was founded in the late 1960’s and has recently manufactured the 11,111 industrial robot. The robots will take care of all coats of paint from primer through topcoat.

BYD will be using these robots in a new facility it is opening in Shenzen China.

ABB in the United States has about 2000 employees.  See, we already work for the robots.  Has the takeover already begun?

Link via (Norway Post)

Great story headline on CNN.

A burglary suspect who is holed up in a hotel room with a pregnant girlfriend has threatened to shoot the robot that brings them food and cigarettes.

Check out the full story here.

Link via (Boing Boing)

Tags: burglary, maryland, robot, suspect

AeorVironment has just received $4.6 million from DARPA to develop Stealthy, Persistent, Perch and Stare UAS Based on Wasp. Yes, we scratched our heads at this too.

The Wasp is is an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) that has a 29 inch wingspan and weighs about 1 pound.  The Wasp can be operated manually or programmed to use GPS.

The press release states:

The goal of the Stealthy, Persistent, Perch and Stare program is to develop the technology to enable an entirely new generation of perch-and-stare micro air vehicles capable of flying to difficult targets, landing on and securing to a “perch” position, conducting sustained, perch-and-stare surveillance missions, and then re-launching from its perch and returning to its home base.

See the entire press release here.

Link via (The Register)