The robots operate primarily as a sort of mobile video communications, allowing patients and doctors communicate with each other. However, eventually, will help health services to address millions of people taking their medicines and dinner to the sick, and even temperature, pulse and blood to them.
"This technology allows professionals to assist health services to persons residing in remote locations in far less time and reduce delays in medical care in health centers," said Loren Shook, CEO of Silverado Senior Living Company , which is set up to assist people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. At the clinic operating in the town of Silverado Calabasas, in the U.S. state of California is conducting the test of a robot made by InTouch Health Company, which is designed to allow real time communications, person to person, between doctors and patients, and even between patients and their families.
The mobile robot, called "Companion" (guest) has placed a video camera that films the patient's face while the doctor treating you or the nurse assigned to the patient appears on a television screen placed in the "head" of the robot. The device, controlled by a console located in another area of the hospital, using a program and a wireless Internet, banda ancha, to allow the patient and the physician or nurse to see and talk directly with one another.
When approaching his death, people affected by Alzheimer's disease in an advanced stage have lost almost a third of their brain, which significantly hamper their ability to understand many things, especially if they are new to them. However, patients in the clinic Silverado seem to have welcomed the robot. "When one gets older, it is much harder to adapt to change," Shook said, admitting that their initial concerns were that the robot might frighten some people.
"To our delight, some patients reported to the robot and started to laugh. Others called him and wanted to know his name," he explained. The device is being used by other experts at the headquarters of Silverado in San Juan Capistrano, California, to train workers in the clinics to provide help to patients with motor problems such as difficulty walking.
Scarce resources in the health sector.
"The goal is to extend the reach of health services. A shortage of nurses and cuts in government reimbursements are eroding and the system will still worse," said Yulun Wang, executive director of the company and founder of InTouch Computer Motion Inc., which makes robotic systems used in surgery procedures. The American Association of Retired Persons predicted that by 2010, the number of people in that category in the U.S. will be around 40 million and 70 million by 2030.
"Compared with 50 years ago, people can expect to live 15 years longer, but at the same time the costs of health care for the elderly continue to rise," said Wang, who believes that robots offer a solution that leverages the latest technology, linking it to the Internet to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the system. However, some key aspects such as how a doctor can attend to a patient through the robot, rather than in person-have yet to be determined accurately.
"We anticipate that the robot will pay what it costs far," said Shook, arguing that the use of the device will reduce the costs of travel and the need for doctors visits made to emergency services, as well as improved training of medical staff . Robot pushing a wheelchair technology is still in a stage of development, said Wang "First there will be only communication, but the second will be the ability of handling. Eventually, the robot must be able to manipulate objects such as a wheelchair, and even be used in private residences," he said.
The "Companion" have not yet received approval from the Food and Drug Administration of United States (FDA), but the company believes it eventually will and considers the risks that the Robots mistakes or malfunctions are rare. Executives stressed that the company that manufactured the "Companion" uses the same technology as that used robots to perform surgery, and recalled that they have worked impeccably.
An important aspect to be resolved is how to affect patients being treated from a distance and how much lower the quality of health services that the physician is not present to respond to a patient. Remote treatment also presents the question whether physicians are more likely to fail to perceive symptoms that could be important to detect a specific disorder and, being near the patient, could be seen more clearly.
Robots to assist physicians in the U.S. experiment
The United States will send robot soldiers to Iraq
The Pentagon has a new weapon to confront the bloody war in Iraq, which left over 1,300 dead American soldiers, the first squadron of armed robots.
After several tests, the U.S. military ordered the displacement of 18 robotic vehicles operated remote control, equipped with machine guns, wheels off, and zoom cameras with night vision binoculars, allowing them to be used both day and night and under any weather conditions.
When you begin to be used in two or three months, will become the first robot of its kind to enter battle in a long list of technology projects that the U.S. armed forces are developing to wage the battles of tomorrow with mixed armies of soldiers and war machines.
"This is the beginning of a profound transformation in our armed forces," said proud La Nacion, Anthony Sebast, associate director of the Engineering Center Army Armament and Technology in New Jersey. "This is not to create robots to replace automata our soldiers, but of supplements to enhance the effectiveness and level of survival of our troops on the ground. "
Already known as Swords (acronym for Special Weapons Systems for Observation, Recognition and Detection), armed robots are in fact an adaptation of the Talon, the machines known to deactivate bombs that the Pentagon used since 2000 in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But in this case, instead of a mechanical arm, the Swords ( "swords" in English) are mounted M240 and M249 machine guns, four cameras and a pair of binoculars night, allowing them to be used in the dark.
"The idea came from the soldiers in Afghanistan and should inspect caves without knowing what they might find inside," said La Nacion Bob Quinn, manager of the company Foster-Miller, creator of the Talon, which worked with the army for designing this new robot armed.
In comparison with the human soldiers, these robots have much better aim, and firing from a stable platform and use an electronic watch. "This eliminates most of the errors that have shot the soldiers," said Sebast, adding that the robots are capable also of traversing obstacles such as rocks, sand, deep water and not to fire. For now, the Swords, operating with a lithium battery that provides a range of four hours, can operate at a maximum distance of 800 meters of the person who commands by remote control, but is expected soon to increase the radius of action .
Is also working to alleviate the control console, which weighs 15 kilos, and replace the screen and handles currently works with a sort of virtual reality equipment, with a joystick-style electronic games, provided blinkers on with viewers. As much of the technology was already developed, the price of Swords is very reasonable for this type of weapon: about $ 200,000. The company Foster-Miller, however, think further reduce its cost.
"We are taking a very big service to our men and women in uniform to provide greater protection," noted patriotic tone Quinn, adding that since the robots were presented last weekend, has received numerous e-mails of thanks relatives of soldiers in Iraq. "I told the Marines that this invention represents an invisible suit that will allow them to move to safer ground enemy," he said.
More lethal
Most likely in the near future Swords become even more deadly for the enemy. Another deadly arsenal of weapons has already been tested and is awaiting final approval from the Pentagon. "We know we can count on the Swords to mount them on launchers, rockets and firebombs, as well as the precision weapons used by snipers," said Sebast. Beyond advances mean that this new robot, its use presents new risks.
What ensures that one of these machines do not become "crazy" and start shooting indiscriminately? What if you fall into enemy hands? Sebast acknowledged that further work is in several security features to prevent the weapon that takes the robot can be fired by mistake.
For starters, if at any time the device loses communication with its operator, it turns off and remains in "safe" without firing.
"It is important to emphasize that the Swords will never running alone, always has to be a soldier at a distance to operate. It will become murderers," said the official automata Center Armaments Engineering and Technology army. But , falling into enemy hands, the risk that the rifle being used against us are still the same as any other weapon. "
The Swords are just one of many technological projects in which the Pentagon is working to robotic battlefield. Together with Applied Perception, is developing a robot ambulance, call now Robotic Extraction Vehicle, to rid the area of combat wounded soldiers.
Moreover, with Lockheed Martin Corp. is working on combat vehicles, high speed, while the Agency Advanced Research Projects of the Department of Defense (Darpa) has prototypes of bombers, tanks and mines unmanned intelligent move the battlefield.
The robots learn from insects
The investigation of animal behavior, most notably one of the most popular insects to humans, bees, provides data that serve to advance the design of robots and computers. In a feedback, a new computer vision system that automatically analyzes the movement of bees in a hive, accelerate research and expand knowledge about the world of insects.
The system of analysis of animal movement is part of a project called BioTracking, an effort led by robotics researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, led by Tucker Balch, an assistant professor of computing. "We believe that the language of behavior is common to animals and robots," said Balch. "This means that, potentially, could record videos of ants for a long period of time, learn what their 'agenda' and make it work on a robot."
Social insects like ants and bees are an example of the existence of a strong and successful large-scale behavior, which arises from the interaction of many simple individuals, Balch explained. This behavior can offer ideas on how to organize a cooperative colony of robots capable of performing complex operations.
To get faster to the understanding of such behavior, Balch's team developed a computer vision system that automates the analysis of the movement, an arduous and time-consuming computing. Researchers are using the system to analyze data on the sequential movements that encode information. In bees, for example, are used to locate distant sources of food. Balch research presented at the Second International Workshop on Mathematics and Algorithms of Social Insects 16 to December 17 at Georgia Tech
The system, which has an accuracy of 81.5 percent, it can automatically analyze the movement of bees and label them based on examples provided by human experts. This level of accuracy in labeling is high enough to allow researchers to build a system to accurately determine the behavior of a bee from its sequence, Balch explained.
Some bees were marked with bright colors and recorded videos of 15 minutes. The monitoring program of the vision system translates the movements of bees marked in sets of coordinates X, Y. Then a researcher selects some data segments that are used as examples of movements for the automatic analysis.
The robots learn from insects
The investigation of animal behavior, most notably one of the most popular insects to humans, bees, provides data that serve to advance the design of robots and computers. In a feedback, a new computer vision system that automatically analyzes the movement of bees in a hive, accelerate research and expand knowledge about the world of insects.
The system of analysis of animal movement is part of a project called BioTracking, an effort led by robotics researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology, led by Tucker Balch, an assistant professor of computing. "We believe that the language of behavior is common to animals and robots," said Balch. "This means that, potentially, could record videos of ants for a long period of time, learn what their 'agenda' and make it work on a robot."
Social insects like ants and bees are an example of the existence of a strong and successful large-scale behavior, which arises from the interaction of many simple individuals, Balch explained. This behavior can offer ideas on how to organize a cooperative colony of robots capable of performing complex operations.
To get faster to the understanding of such behavior, Balch's team developed a computer vision system that automates the analysis of the movement, an arduous and time-consuming computing. Researchers are using the system to analyze data on the sequential movements that encode information. In bees, for example, are used to locate distant sources of food. Balch research presented at the Second International Workshop on Mathematics and Algorithms of Social Insects 16 to December 17 at Georgia Tech
The system, which has an accuracy of 81.5 percent, it can automatically analyze the movement of bees and label them based on examples provided by human experts. This level of accuracy in labeling is high enough to allow researchers to build a system to accurately determine the behavior of a bee from its sequence, Balch explained.
Some bees were marked with bright colors and recorded videos of 15 minutes. The monitoring program of the vision system translates the movements of bees marked in sets of coordinates X, Y. Then a researcher selects some data segments that are used as examples of movements for the automatic analysis.
Insect eyes will look at a man on Mars
An aircraft with the weight of a chocolate bar might someday move quickly on the surface of Mars with the agility of a dragonfly and the vision of a bee.
A group of Australian scientists says it has developed equipment for navigation and flight control based on research conducted in several types of insects. The resulting sensors are so small they can be placed in "microaeronaves" which only weigh about 75 grams.
The team of researchers from the National University of Australia beat NASA in a test flight of a prototype last week, and the U.S. space agency agreed to help finance future work.
The aim is to use technology in a mission in 2007 to explore the red planet for rocky structure of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon in the solar system, with more than 3,000 kilometers long and eight kilometers deep.
"Despite their small brains, insects such as dragonflies are capable of rapid and precise aerial maneuvers that require stability and avoid collisions, said Tuesday Javaan Singh Chahl, Lab Vision Biorrobótica of the university. The enormous structures as Valles Marineris, more than 10 times the Canyon of Colorado in all its dimensions, can only be observed from inside. An aircraft should do. "
Scientists have developed a model electronic ocelli, each eye is a simple compound eye of insects, dragonflies, bees, grasshoppers.The ocelli measured the distribution of ultraviolet and green light to maintain flight level, a response to the problem of stable flight in the atmosphere of Mars ultraleve.
Scientists also programmed computers to avoid collisions, like bees to use the apparent speed of objects to determine distance.
A swarm of miniaeronaves
"The ocelli must weigh no more than a few hundred milligrams, and the sensor to avoid collisions could weigh about five grams," said Chahl. These small sensors allow many small aircraft as light as about 75 grams, to be transported the surface of Mars. "
The bees could also provide a solution to the navigation on Mars, where there is no magnetic field. The bees use a combination of polarized patterns in the sky, sites used as signals and the distance traveled to navigate.
Chahl said they expected to include a navigation sensor operation in its next test model, scheduled for 2003, with a final test of its miniature aircraft to be held next year. NASA's contribution will be $ 310,000. But the project already has funding from the Australian Defense Organization for Science and Technology (DSTO in English), who gave the initial funds in 1996, and the U.S. Agency for Defense and Advanced Research (in English DARPA), which began to contribute to mid-1999.
Chahl said propulsion mechanisms and platforms for microaeronaves were developed by NASA.
Flower Robotics: robots that evoke emotions Tatsuya Matsui
People let us be guided by our senses, that there is no doubt. Touched the cold metal and I found it far from our nature. Straight lines are alien to us, accustomed to the harmony of the curves. Empty eyes are a sign not of life, death or dementia. And if you ever intend robots win our hearts, be a more in our lives, must be according to our standards of humanity. Tatsuya Matsui knows this, and it works.
Surely you have a blender in your home, or a microwave oven. You use a blender to make juices and rich the microwave to heat the pizza you on the night before. Functions that, while not vital to your life, we will simplify it. But when the microwave stops heating the pizza you will not be welcomed. It is their role to do, what to buy that. It is a lifeless thing. In any case, thanks to your partner, if you prepare the pizza or the hot juice in the morning. Your partner is alive, do not buy into any business of home furnishings and it is not their role to make breakfast. We thank you because it makes you a favor.
If you ever try to make robots part of our life, be a more family will have to demonstrate not only that are more useful than a blender, but that they are one thing, something purchased, manufactured in series. Should issue life not just intelligence. But here the heterogeneous problem. The robots will never be living, at least not as we know it.
Fortunately (or not), it can create the illusion of life. Why ... How do you know that your partner is alive after all? Surely not opened to check for organs, blood and a beating heart. You just know he has it. Because walking is alive, because it breathes, emits heat, laugh, eat ... In short, it makes everything a person should live.
And here we fall into another problem in the design of robots. You can not imitate life. Attempts have been made have failed as a result so shocking. Something that looks like a human, but it is not ... is simply disturbing. Our intuition tells us that something is wrong and reject the idea. So, is it possible that a life without having something to look human? Well, of course, your cat does! And your cat does not speak, neither is going to work every morning. It is, quite simply, a cat. And, therefore, unless it is stiff and hard as wood, is alive. You know, period.
So, how we perceive life? According Tatsuya Matsui, something alive is something that generates and evoke emotions. Your microwave oven did not love you crazy, do not be sad, nor full of joy. Your cat and your partner together. Matsui believes that anything that generates excitement, you can (there is a possibility) be interpreted as something alive. Or at least that'll give you one chance that would otherwise not have. Typical Eastern philosophy, after all.
And here comes the most interesting, Matsui believes that the strongest feelings come from the weakness of others, his gentleness, beauty and need for protection. So, of course, he called his company Flower Robotics. Nothing more beautiful and delicate flower. Following this logic, it is not uncommon for one of its most beloved robots Posy is a robotita, white, pretty, bright and tender. And yes, I say, not robotita robot because its image evokes many things, so as not to treat it as an inanimate object. Posy is an attempt to "express the world view of a pure child of 3 years and completely change the atmosphere around it." Posy, can only prepare flowers and to extend the visit. But that is for him to fall over a nice and beautiful. And one knows it is a robot, can not have life. But that evokes. Tatsuya Matsui succeeded by providing its idea of our proposed model of innocence and weakness, the Platonic ideal of a real girl. It reflects our own feelings. And yes, life has ... in the sense illusory.
And why is it so important to the work of Tatsuya? Because you like it or not, maybe in a future not too distant future, robots will be part of our life, as today is the computer with which you read this article. Probably neither you nor I are alive to see it, who knows? But that will happen, will happen. Technological advances are not in doubt, we know that today is incredible potential robots. Not to mention 20 years from now. But in order to live among us, to join our family, they must earn our sympathy. But shall not be more sophisticated than a washing machine, and that's not all as we imagine the future of robotics, is it?
And the finishing touch of this article makes the same Matsui, saying: "We are designing an artificial object that can live as we do as a new partner. A robot that reminds us about human nature that we have forgotten"
Robots controlled by brain-based devices
The "brain-based devices" (Brain Based Devices, BBD) are not like conventional robots, which are designed according to engineering principles, but are, in fact, intelligent thinking machines. The BBD is designed based on biological principles and are programmed to adjust their behavior to the environment by self. The first BBD, called NOMAD (Neurally Organized Mobile Adaptive Device) was developed by Dr. Gerald Edelman, the founder and director of the Institute in the late'80s. To view a recent interview with Dr. Edelman about his latest book, Second Nature: Brain Science and Human Nature
The NOMAD learns from his experience using a simulated brain called Darwin, based on the principles of organization of the vertebrate brain, which were coded in a computer program.
As explained Dr. Edelman, the brain is a Darwin 'selection system', not a 'system of instruction. Robots are computers that carry out logical tasks unambiguous, while the human brain does not operate by logic but by the pattern recognition.
At the Institute, several generations of NOMAD and Darwin have evolved into a powerful new class of intelligent machines. NOMAD has audio sensors, a video sensor, ultrasonic distance sensors, a device that includes sensors for electrical conductivity, and two sets of 'whiskers' that can sense when the device makes contact with the objects in their environment.
It moves on wheels and can rotate in place. Although there are some low complexity controllers in the device, the main control is via a 'nervous system' in a simulated series of computers, with which the device communicates with a wireless connection. The nervous system integrates the various sensory inputs and responds with the control engine that performs the device.
NOMAD navigate around on wheels, she avoids the obstacles and hit them, approached them after the objects in the distance, grab objects with your bra, taste objects, and avoid objects that have learned to know evil.
The main focus of research at the Institute of BBD was to test theories about the functions of a nervous system embodied in a real world, although these results may also provide a basis for practical applications.
Spatial and episodic memory
The hippocampus is an area that the brain uses to store and retrieve memories. The BBD Darwin X incorporates aspects of the detailed anatomy of the hippocampus and the surrounding brain regions (cortical areas of vision, space and movement), areas known to be required for the acquisition and recall of spatial memory and episodic.
Darwin X finds its way successfully through a maze of work. After a period of exploration, find what is hidden, and remember the locations, so that goes to it from any place where boot.
These developments are applied in natural environments, a research area in which the Institute is particularly interested.
Motor control and movement sensitive
The Institute has constructed a BBD that incorporates a detailed model of the cerebellum, a brain area that is used for precise motor control. This BBD was given the task of navigating a path marked by traffic cones. At first the navigation was awkward, because it depends on the reflection of infrared proximity sensors that are actuated when BBD was within 30 centimeters away from a cone. Over time, when the circuit became cerebellum can predict the correct motor response based on visual cues of movement, the movement of the BBD became more sensitive. This tuning of motor control may have important applications for machine control, and to understand human movement.
BBD footballer
They have also created a platform that uses the BBD Segway transporter. This robot is designed especially for soccer. This BBD recognizes objects on the field (balls, teammates, bows, etc.) and uses a mechanical device specially designed to catch and kick a ball.
The team of scientists from the Institute participated in the Open Championships of the United States of RoboCop. In 2005, the BBD was unbeaten soccer player, competing against BBD designed Carnegie Mellon University
A new European project promotes the development of service robots
The EU has funded a U.S. $ 2.16 million project called Phriends ( "Physical Human-Robot Interaction: Dependability and Safety"). The technology being developed in this project will be used both for the development of industrial robots to help people (physical, sport, attendance, ...). Phriends is the goal of creating a new generation of robots that are safe and versatile for interacting with humans.The project coordinator Antonio Bicchi commented "we are still far from what we see in science fiction films, most robots today can only operate safely in various environments of humans. [...] The traditional approach of robotics is to design and build robots with a specific task in mind. Phriends developed robots will be safe because the security is guaranteed by its own physical structure and not by external sensors or algorithms that can fail. "
The founder of iRobot launches robotics startup
IRobot founder Rodney Brooks has decided to open a new company called Heartland Robotics, believes that robotics is beginning to take on importance in recent years. That this saying is particularly important in homes and the army. Rodney Brooks also commented: "Just as computers have revolutionized our lives in recent decades, I believe that robots can do it again in the next 25 years." The new company will seek to increase worker productivity through the use of robots.
09-September-2008: robotic bicycle parking in Tokyo
In Tokyo, a large number of users using the bike to move in the daily parking but this is sometimes a problem. To solve the problem of parking has been built underground robotic parking a bicycle that works with RFID (radio frequency identification).
You can leave a card through your bike in the parking system where a robotic platform is responsible of stations. Similarly, at the end of the day, may be withdrawn. The service costs about $ 19 per month and the time it takes to recover once the bike is parked for 10 seconds.
Robotics improve ethics in the battlefield
The hypothesis of my research is that intelligent robots could behave in a more ethical in the battlefield that humans at present," says Ronald Arkin, Computer Technology Institute of Georgia, which designs software for robots the battlefield, hired by the U.S. Army. "That's the theory I advocate."
Spy planes, mine detectors and sensors and robotic devices are used on a regular basis on the battlefield, but controls the man. What Arkin is talking about is real robots that function alone.
He and others claim that the technology necessary to produce autonomous robots with lethal capability is not very expensive and is proliferating, and that is only a matter of time before these robots are deployed in the battlefield. This means, adding that it is time that people start to talk about if this technology is something we want to use.
Noel Sharkey, of the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, wrote last year in the journal Innovative Technology for Computer Professionals, "This is not science fiction of Terminator-style, but the stark reality." He added that South Korea and Israel are deploying armed robot border guards. "We will not reach the point where we say that we should have done 20 years ago this debate," said Colin Allen, a philosopher at the University of Indiana in Bloomington and co-author of the new book Moral Machines: Teaching Robots the difference between good and evil.
Randy Zachery, who heads the Department of the Army Research Office, an agency which funds the work of Arkin says the Army expects that this "basic science" can show how the soldiers can use human and autonomous systems interact with them and can develop a software that enables autonomous systems to operate within the limits imposed by the fighter. "In a report for the Army last year, Arkin described some of the potential advantages of autonomous robotic fighters. To begin with, can be designed without the survival instinct and therefore no tendency to flee in fear. Can be manufactured so that it does not feel anger or rashness, Arkin added, and make them invulnerable to what he calls "the psychological problem of" fulfillment of expectations, "that causes people to absorb new information more easily if it is consistent with their preconceived ideas.
His report was based on a 2006 survey conducted by the health authorities of the Army, which revealed that less than half of soldiers and Marines serving in Iraq stated that non-combatants should be treated with dignity and respect and that 17 % ensure that all civilians should be treated as insurgents. Arkin provides a few ways that could be used for autonomous robots in operations against snipers, to clear buildings of suspected terrorists or other dangerous assignments. But first would have to program the rules and instructions on who to shoot, when is it acceptable to fire and how to distinguish the enemy from attacking civilians, the wounded or someone who is trying to surrender.
The simulations of battlefield Arkin are in computer screens. Robot pilots with information which could have a human pilot, such as maps showing the location of churches, apartment buildings, schools and other centers of civic life. It teaches them exactly where the enemy troops, war material and priority targets. And they are given the rules of engagement, guidelines that limit the circumstances in which they can initiate and carry out combat. In one simulation, a robot pilot over a small cemetery. The pilot discovers a tank at the entrance to the cemetery, a possible target. But there is also a group of civilians present, so the pilot decided to go ahead and soon find another armored, which is alone in a field. The pilot fired, the target is destroyed.
Some people who have studied this issue are concerned that the battlefield robots designed without emotions they lack compassion. Arkin, a Christian who acknowledges the help of God and Jesus in the prologue of his book of 1998 Robotics based on behavior, reasoning that since the rules of the Geneva Convention are based on human principles, if you join the mental architecture of a machine, would give them something akin to compassion. But adds that it would be difficult to design "perceptual algorithms" able to recognize, for example, if people are injured or waving a white flag. Arkin believes that provoking debate about technology is the most important part of their work.
Robot of the University of Bremen wins contest in Tenerife
Several European universities participated in a competition on the slopes of the highest peak in Spain, Teide, on Tenerife, Canary Islands. Lunar Robotics Challenge for the European Space Agency (ESA) for days together experts in robotics. Students had to construct a robot that meet certain requirements: ability to acquire samples of a similar lunar crater, not weigh more than 100 kg, consume no more than 2 kW and not have a capacity of more than 0.5 cubic meters. In addition, the robot must be operable from outside the crater, where there is no sight or in total darkness.
Eight universities were selected: Universität Bremen, Jacobs University, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Oulun Yliopisto, Univesitá Pisa Scuola Superiore Sant'a Anna, Surrey Space Center (University of Surrey) and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.
The robot winner, Cesar (Robot Exploration Craters and Return of Samples), University of Bremen was the only one capable of completing the mission successfully.
France was tested in the first robot anesthetist
France was tested in the first robotic anesthesiologist Reading the Science of Le Figaro, I met with an article of the journalist Jean-Michel Bader, in exclusive worldwide attended the daily work done by the first assistant anesthesiology, indefatigable, prototype automaton, commissioned by Doctors anesthesiologists to fly in his presence and under the permanent control, the fall back to sleep and to the conscience of the operators. As in the automatic pilot system of an airplane, the machine is a computer system, controls the depth of coma and fighting the pain during the operation. For the moment, in the surgical block of the hospital Foch (Suresnes) where Drs Liu Chazot and polish their prototypes, there are only two rooms of that there are twelve, equipped with the robot.
Other hospitals in different cities, including Berlin and Brussels, are involved in this multicentre research project. It all started in the 80s, when anesthesiologists realized that some operators, sometimes inadequate dose of anesthesia, were developing exact involvement and dialogue among surgeons performing it. That led to lawsuits in the USA. Conversely, a too deep anesthesia is associated statistically with a mortality of one year, when the doses of the products have been important. According to Professor Marc Fischler, who heads the department of anesthesiology at the hospital Foch, "there is to leave the black hole. " Ie that it was necessary to measure directly on the brain and not only with the classic clinical signs (blood pressure, heart rate) the real depth of anesthesia, a true "center of motion" of these specialists. A cerebral comfort at the end of the decade 80, signatures and Datex Ohmeda Diatak (Lifescan) to put monitors electroencephalogram (EEG) Front. Today, in the robot, a single electrode captures the complex waves produced by the brain (fast wake waves, slow waves of the invasion of sleep, suppression of the peaks of deep sleep). The device connected to the electrode estimated from frequencies present, a dimensionless number (named A, the spectral index) between 0 and 100, thanks to an algorithm. Zero is the absence of brain activity, the 100 is waking conscious. For surgery, general anesthesia or be carried between 40 and 60. The stronger the dose of anesthesia used, the patient "sleeps" more and more falling BIS. The BIS also serves as the alarm in case of a gas embolism obstructing the veins of the brain, descends over the BIS. It is the sign of cerebral well-being during the operation. Improve this tool, doctors at the hospital Foch made the point that automated computer sleeps and wakes up the patient without human intervention. The patient is placed on the front electrode, connected to the EEG monitor that sends data to a laptop which in turn commands two electric needles. One of these contains Proposol (a hypnotic short-term) and the other Remifentanil (a morphine fast). The journalist from Le Figaro, wrote this note, attended the induction of anesthesia given by the robot: as if in a submarine, the "Depth" of the dream descends from the sequence that was launched by the doctor with a computer mouse click. The course of the EEG on the screen reaches the desired interval, the velocity of blood and the dose of the drug were also announced. In parallel, muscle activity sensor spontaneous EMG) announced a "descent" as the electric syringe injected curare to paralyze the muscles. When the patient is completely relaxed, the anesthesiologist can make to the upper airway tube that is connected to the ventilator which would allow artificial respiration during the operation. "We are the owners of the machines, and they are our slaves," said Dr. Liu. There are currently no commercial robot, because it is a biomedical research project, but experts are persuaded that in five years robots will invade the blocks surgical anesthesia. Released from "those little tasks to push syringes," the anesthesiologist will be more available during the takeoff and landing, in the true monitoring of vital signs, the safety of the patient, installed it in the correct position, ie the realization of the real work of this medical specialty.
Ethical code for robots in South Korea
The ethical code of South Korea aims to be a code in the future, so be prepared but before the end of this year will take a few more still in operation in its entirety. Moreover, the government of South Korea is expected that all households have a robot by 2020, the cost will be about $ 1000.
England Announces robot toy with long hands and feet and who can read the expression of human face
The Science Museum of London announced days ago a toy robot who can read the expression of the human face. This toy, made of metal and with long hands and feet, has a cardiac pacemaker, an abdomen that can breathe and a sensor that can react to the action, sound and touch.
To be embraced, the toy seems confused with too much favor to be done with high spirits and soft hands and feet, bowed and loose with breathing and heartbeat weakened. If you move or force him to shout out loud, the toy becomes disturbed, fearful, closed-handed grip, breathing and heartbeat accelerated and with expressions of anger. It was reported that this robot toy has been designed by scientists at the University of East Bristol in England to study the interaction between the machine and sentimental humans. (Town Online)
31/07/2008
How are robots the American soldiers?
American soldiers have long experience in the field of robotic devices that can help save lives.
Artifacts ranging from air to land vehicles. Some pictures show the soldiers how to use a command identical to an Xbox 360. 20MINUTOS.ES. 08.06.2007 - 10.26 h
American soldiers experimenting with robotics as a way to protect against possible ambushes. Incorporate one of the robots is one of the tanks that are being undertaken to reduce the number of human casualties in the battle. This is reflected ZDNet in the gallery has, which exposed images of the robots being used. The program has a family of robots ranging from aircraft engines for land vehicles, all remotely controlled wirelessly.
The robots can help the soldiers in dangerous situations, such as checking the inside of buildings or detect explosives. Different variations of the popular iRobot have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to the evolution of these robots, an image gallery ZDNet draws particular attention. This is the command to control a robot SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles and small land vehicle with remote control), a command identical to the Xbox 360 console from Microsoft:
If any doubt remained in the picture above, it offers a close-up of glasses of operations and command:
China uses an intelligent robot for the first time on an expedition to the North Pole
The robot, called "North Pole ARV, is the first autonomous vehicle Remote (ARV, for its initials in English) developed exclusively by Chinese scientists.
China used for the first time a robot intelligence in a scientific expedition to the North Pole, as the leader of the expedition, Zhang Haisheng, quoted today by the official news agency Xinhua.
The robot, called "North Pole ARV, is the first autonomous vehicle Remote (ARV, for its initials in English) developed exclusively by Chinese scientists and used to scan the ocean in three dimensions and in real time over the issue of third country Asia to the area.
Android, whose work is under the Arctic ice sheets is the result of the "863 plan" and was created by the Shenyang Institute of Automation (SIA) with the China Academy of Sciences.
The associate professor of SIA Shuo Li explained that "North Pole ARV" can function autonomously, with predetermined programs or by remote control and can communicate with the surface through micro-optics.
The temperature in the Arctic depths, salinity, ice thickness and the formation of the fund are some of the data that scientists hope to get through the new machine.
"North Pole" ARV weighs 350 kg and can operate within a radius of three kilometers and up to one hundred meters deep.
Now a "beautiful" robot android china
Not yet baptized, measuring 168 centimeters, weighs 60 kilos and can work as a guide, receptionist and master of ceremonies.
Her face, built with glass fiber and plastic, simulating a beautiful female face and her eyes can move.
Li Chengrong, principal designer of the robot, said the robot is equipped with the most advanced system of voice and movement and that can interact with people. The researcher and his team have devoted years to develop and make 'a beautiful robot.
'Their predecessors' Pang Pang' and 'Fei Fei' eyes were cardboard. But is not only beautiful, but is equipped with technology to interact with people, "said Li, who is a researcher at the Institute of Automation of Chinese Academy of Sciences.
'The' robot can respond to people and say things like 'thanks, you too you are very handsome. " Although this is still a limited vocabulary in the future be able to speak with fluency.
As their destination is the Museum of Sichuan, where exercise guide and receptionist, is scheduled to speak with the accent and dialect of the area.
Li noted that the cost of the robot was 300,000 yuan (37,500 U.S. dollars). If there are 100 units per year price decline to 100,000 yuan.
The new robot will be marketed next year. The potential buyers include hotels and entertainment venues.
Li acknowledged that the artificial intelligence technology in China is still very limited.
Currently, the most advanced robot Asimo, produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Honda. Asimo, who can walk a mile on the hour and go up and down stairs, it costs $ 1 million.
Pity that there is no clear picture of this robot is female.