Robotics Today and Tomorrow » robot

Tilted Twister- a Lego Mindstorms robot that solves Rubik’s cube

Admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:55:36 +0000

Created by Hans Andersson, the Tilted Twister solves Rubik’s cube fully automatically. Just place the scrambled cube on Tilted Twister’s turntable. An ultrasonic sensor detects its presence and starts to read the colors of the cube faces using a light sensor. The robot turns and tilts the cube in order to read all the faces. It then calculates a solution and executes the moves by turning, tilting and twisting the cube.

Performance

Scanning the cube: 1 minute
Calculating a solution: 20 – 40 seconds
Executing the moves: 1 – 5 minutes. Average 4.5 minutes (60 faceturns)

Average total time: 6 minutes

Build your own Tilted Twister

You can find building instructions and programs here.

I built one of these but I have not gotten it completely working yet. It keeps slipping when it is solving the cube and getting stuck. If you have any suggestions, leave a comment.

ROMP = fun, WROMP = danger

Admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:33:11 +0000

ROMP–or Remotely Operated Mobile Platform–is a poor man’s version of an iRobot battlefield bot. Instead of fancy tracks and miniaturised sensors, these ROMPs seem more like sophisticated all-terrain RC cars rigged with consumer cameras. Until you meet the older brother, of course, the weaponised WROMP with its big gun on top. In the words of its creator, Chris Rogers:

[The WROMP] is a weaponised version of the Remotely Operated Mobile Platform. The operator can “drive” the vehicle and fire the weapon although it is out of visual range. WROMP can also be used for reconnaissance and bomb investigation and remote detonation

As you can see, the weapon in this case is just a paintball machine gun. Enough for me, although Chris says the platform has been designed for any use, “including remote surveillance, security patrolling and bomb investigation.” The system uses an audio/video system linked to an VR headset for control, aiming, and firing.

Motoman robot cooks okonomiyaki

Admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:55:21 +0000

The multi-talented Motoman SDA10, a dexterous dual-arm industrial robot manufactured by Yaskawa Electric, is demonstrating its ability to cook okonomiyaki (a Japanese dish consisting of a pan-fried batter cake and various ingredients) at the International Next-Generation Robot Fair in Osaka, Japan.

Designed to operate independently alongside humans in the workplace, the 135-centimeter (4.5 ft) tall, 220-kilogram (480 lb) industrial robot has 15 joints — 7 in each arm and one in the torso — allowing a wide range of motion for the job, whether it be on the factory floor or behind the kitchen counter.

This high degree of manual precision comes in handy when grilling up okonomiyaki.

As a chef, the Motoman relies on speech recognition technology to take verbal orders from customers. Using standard kitchen utensils, the robot mixes the okonomiyaki batter, pours it onto the iron grill, forms it into a round pancake-like disk, flips it, puts it on a plate when done, and applies condiments.

via Pink Tentacle