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Cool video on the uBot-5 from UMass Amherst.
The uBot-5 is dynamically stable, using two wheels in a differential drive configuration for mobility. Dynamically stable robots are well suited to environments designed for humans where both a high center of mass and a small footprint are often required.
via: Pop Culture and Engineering Intersect Toyota has long been interested in personal robot assistants. And the uBot-5, under development at UMass-Amherst, is also looking to meeting that need: Robot developed by computer scientists to assist with elder care: |
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Grupen studied developmental neurology in his quest to create a robot that could do a variety of tasks in different environments. The uBot-5’s arm motors are analogous to the muscles and joints in our own arms, and it can push itself up to a vertical position if it falls over. It has a “spinal cord” and the equivalent of an inner ear to keep it balanced on its Segway-like wheels.
Such robots have a huge market waiting for them if engineers can provide models that can be useful at the right price. The future of such efforts looks very promising.
Related: WALL-E Robots Coming into Massachusetts Homes - Robot Nurse - Toyota iUnit - Another Humanoid Robot
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July 23rd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
[...] thanks to Curious Cat for warning me of the latest tactic of the evil robot insurgency - penetration of the homes of our [...]
July 25th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Didn’t Rosie (the robot on Jetsons) have one wheel she balanced on? We have nearly advanced to the technology of the Jetsons!
June 16th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
UMass Lowell also has a great engineering program. They actually play host to the New England Botball tournament annually… some smart high school kids participate
http://www.lowell.com/news/2009/botball.php