Robotics, AI and SmartTech News – Latest Headlines

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Kinect makes dangerous work processes safer

Siemens is using a Microsoft Kinect sensor familiar from computer games in a virtual planning system for work processes. Kinect technology recognizes a person's movements and posture and transfers them to an avatar in a virtual environment. In the same way that a player moves intuitively within the scenes of a computer game, technicians can use Kinect to simulate movements in the workplace.

Jul 17th, 2013

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Older adults don't speak 'robot', study finds

In order to effectively program robots that ultimately could be used to aid seniors, researchers at the University of Notre Dame and University of Missouri studied the type of language older adults used when describing the location of a desired object to either a robot or human-like avatar. It turns out that seniors become tongue-tied when talking to robots.

Jul 16th, 2013

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NIST workshop gets a 'grip' on robotics challenge

Even though modern industrial robots are becoming nimbler and more capable, they still need to get a good grip on things - the equivalent of hands that are as agile and dexterous as the human variety. The NIST Dexterous Manipulation Testbed features a seven degree-of-freedom highly dexterous robot and a seven degree-of-freedom, three fingered robotic hand. The testbed is used to investigate new measurement science to gauge the operational characteristics of manipulation for manufacturing tasks.

Jul 11th, 2013

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NASA seeks information on commercial robotic lunar lander capabilities

NASA Tuesday issued a Request for Information (RFI) that will help agency officials better understand current plans in the U.S. commercial space industry for a robotic lunar landing capability. The RFI will assist NASA in assessing U.S. industry's interest in partnerships to develop a robotic lander that could enable commercial and agency missions.

Jul 3rd, 2013

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Super intelligent machines aren't to be feared (w/video)

Fear of machines becoming smarter than humans is a standard part of popular culture. In films like iRobot and Terminator, humans are usurped. Throughout history we can trace stories about humankind overreaching through a desire to understand and copy ourselves, from Ancient Greek mythology to Milton's Paradise Lost and Shelley's Frankenstein. Today's Prometheans are supposedly scientists working on artificial intelligence, who run the risk of creating machines intelligent enough to supercede us.

Jul 2nd, 2013

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Humanoid robot that sees and maps

Computer vision algorithms that enable Samsung's latest humanoid robot, Roboray, to build real-time 3D visual maps to move around more efficiently have been developed by researchers from the University of Bristol.

Jul 2nd, 2013

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Training intelligent systems to think on their own

Thanks to advanced mathematical formulas known as algorithms, these systems, or agents, are now sufficiently intelligent to reason and to make responsible decisions - without adult supervision - in their own environments.

Jul 1st, 2013

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Robots inspect cables

The bearer cables and tethers of bridges, elevators, and cable cars are exposed to high levels of stress. For this reason, their functional reliability must be monitored on a regular basis. A new robot recognizes fissures before they pose a danger.

Jul 1st, 2013

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