New Robot Set to Save Lives, Cut CO2, Support Construction
June 8, 2021 | Heriot-Watt UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
A robot made famous by dancing on YouTube is set to help save lives and cut carbon dioxide emissions by supporting hazardous environment research at the National Robotarium, based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
The robot is part of the 'Spot' range created by Boston Dynamics.
Experts at the National Robotarium, a world-leading research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence, will use the new hardware to carry out research into how robots can support humans in hazardous environments like offshore energy inspection and disaster recovery.
The £60,000 robot will be fitted with “telexistence” technology, which lets humans experience an environment without being there, using devices like microphones and cameras to relay sounds and videos.
Children in the area covered by the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal are also being given the chance to name the robot, which will then visit the winning school.
Professor Yvan Petillot, professor of robotics and autonomous systems at Heriot-Watt University and co-academic lead of the National Robotarium, said: “Fitting this robot with our telexistence technology means we can carry out a range of experiments.
“We can test how the robot can help and support people working in hazardous environments, including oil and gas platforms and oil refineries.
“In search and rescue operations or following accidents, Spot robots fitted with our sensors could monitor a casualty’s vital signs and transmit images and sounds back to a hospital, allowing doctors to offer advice on treatment or decide when it’s safe to move a patient.
“Robots of this design can climb over rubble, walk up and down stairs, and cope with hazards like dust and rain. These features will prove very useful as we develop more ways to ensure robots can help keep people safe and save companies money.”
Dr Sen Wang, an associate professor at Heriot-Watt University and robotics and autonomous systems lead at the National Robotarium, added: “Through a project with the ORCA Hub, the first application for our research with this new robot will be supporting the construction industry. We are going to fit lidar to our robot, which is similar to radar but uses light instead of radio waves.
“That will allow the robot to build up a picture of its surroundings while spotting obstacles like rubble on construction sites.
“Our Spot, however, is unique. We have set it up to be a moving data collector and data centre, equipped with advanced telepresence solutions. When we deploy it on construction sites, it will collect and measure in real time, relaying the data to multiple experts at once, all around the world. This means construction companies, regardless of their location, can benefit from worldwide expertise. Using Spot in this way has the potential to speed up the construction process, reduce costs of re-work, detect hazards, increase efficiency and improve quality control.”
Read the original article, here.
Suggested Items
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Industrial Quality Solutions from Zeiss
04/23/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Nolan Johnson and Herminso Gomez of Zeiss Group discuss the company's industrial quality solutions, with a focus on X-ray technology. Zeiss provides a range of microscopy options and Herminso highlights the advantages of X-ray technology for aerospace, medical, and consumer electronics sectors.
Growth Potential: Electronics Manufacturing Driving Massive Surge in Manufacturing Investment
04/22/2024 | Shawn DuBravac, IPCIn the early months of the pandemic, investment in manufacturing infrastructure, such as plants and production facilities, declined sharply. Real investment dropped over 11%, before finally recovering to pre-pandemic levels in the first half of 2022. Over the past two years, however, several factors have combined to drive manufacturing investment to record levels.
Construction of the AT&S Parking House Starts on March 11
01/26/2024 | AT&SThe plans for the new AT&S multi-storey parking house in Leoben Hinterberg were presented at the end of 2022 and are now being implemented.
Koh Young Shares Revolutionary Advanced Package Inspection Solutions at the SMTA Wafer-Level Packaging Symposium
01/23/2024 | Koh YoungKoh Young Technology, the leader in True3D™ measurement-based inspection solutions, will be speaking at the SMTA Wafer-Level Packaging Symposium in Burlingame, California on our Multimodal Phase Shift Optics Approach to revolutionize high-speed 3D reconstruction of semiconductor and advanced packages.
Trimble, Skydio Integrate Technologies to Deliver Insights to Construction, Utilities and State Transportation Agencies
11/07/2023 | BUSINESS WIRESkydio, the leading U.S. drone manufacturer and world leader in autonomous flight technology, today announced a strategic collaboration with Trimble creating an integrated workflow of accurate data capture, data visualization, and data analytics addressing the needs of critical infrastructure industries in their surveying, mapping, and inspections.