Lean Science: Using Cheap Robots to Aid Research
Posted on March 21, 2012 Comments (4)
Fun video showing how scientists use Lego Mindstorm robots to aid research into creating artificial bones. Lego Mindstorm robots are useful at a very reasonable price.
The webcast also includes this practical quote from Michelle Oyen, lecturer in the Department of Engineering at Cambridge University: “without your bones you would be a pile of goo lying on the floor.”
The thinking discussed in the webcast echos the lean manufacturing principles discussed in the Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog: finding good solutions to aid people in doing their jobs. The type of custom solutions they discuss here are great.
This type of use of technology is great. One of the problems we often see with technology solutions though is when they are imposed on the workplace in a way that doesn’t aid people. There is a big difference between what Toyota does (using robots to make people’s jobs easier) and what others do in trying to copy Toyota (using robots to eliminate jobs). Lean manufacturing stressed the importance of using brainpower people bring to work every day. You want to use technology to enable people. These scientists understand that. Unfortunately many managers don’t.
Related: Lego Mindstorms Robots Solving: Sudoku and Rubik’s Cube – Open Source for LEGO Mindstorms – Rubick’s Cube Solving Lego Mindstorms Robot
Categories: Engineering, Funding, Life Science, Podcast, Research, Robots, Science
Tags: Engineering, lego, Robots, Science, science webcasts, UK, university research
4 Responses to “Lean Science: Using Cheap Robots to Aid Research”
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March 24th, 2012 @ 10:16 am
I’m actually a great fond of robots. Wonderful video that made me so excited to watch it and the research aid of it is so amazing. Thanks for such a wonderful video.
March 26th, 2012 @ 12:26 am
I agree on how great this kind of technology advancement is. They’re already testing the use of 3D printers to create muscle tissue, just by placing some cells together and giving them the right environment to create tissue. It’s astonishing what it will be possible in the future.
April 15th, 2012 @ 11:30 pm
The application of science and technology more and more life. Especially in the field of manufacturing robots to replace humans in some dangerous work to life.
April 6th, 2020 @ 11:47 am
Thanks for the sort of terrific video