MH-2 robot acts as your digital Jiminy Cricket

This unique MH-2 robot will be firmly seated on your shoulder (MH stands for miniature humanoid if you need to know), and it is powered by a rather large backpack that is filled with servos. These servos will no doubt animate the robot with a rather impressive range of motions that encapsulate its head, body and arms, enabling it to strike a range of poses to mimic the person whom you are having a conversation with. Of course, the person will need to wear some sort of motion capture setup in order for their actions to be “sent” over to the robot itself. 

Sounds too cumbersome for everyday use? Perhaps, but with miniaturization thrown into the mix as well as the advancement of technology, you can be sure that this particular idea might even be able to take off in a big way in due time. At least you can have a virtual conversation with expressions thrown in to a certain degree with a family member or friend thousands of miles away.

Control unit

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile 

 

Here's a look at a prototype controller being tested for mobile operations.

Warrior bot

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile
 

iRobot's biggest and most powerful military robot is the Warrior. Able to pick up 220 pounds, it can take on tasks that require more lifting and pulling strength. Early versions of these Warrior robots, equipped with radioactivity meters and industrial vacuums, were sent to Japan to help clean up the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Earlier this year, a nuclear power plant operator purchased two. The optic fiber spool seen on the right is an alternative to connecting over a wireless network.

RC software

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile
 

Here's a look at the software used by the operator to control a PackBot or other military robots from iRobot. The company has designed a number of preset poses into the software to make it easier for the operator, who can also create custom poses.

Heads up display

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile
 

Rather than carry a handheld device to view what's shown by the PackBot's cameras, iRobot uses heads-up displays for its backpack kit.

Camera payload

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile
 

iRobot's larger PackBot robots have an arm that can be used for multiple purposes, including surveillance via a built-in camera. The company has been developing smaller and lighter robots to make them more portable. This machine and its control machines fits into a single backpack.

Controller

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile 
 

One of the biggest challenges for the first military robots made by iRobot was making controls that didn't require a lot of training. The company has settled on using off-the-shelf gaming controllers connected to a ruggedized laptop PC.

Advanced suspension

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile
 

This robot, also out of iRobot's research labs, uses a suspension system and specialized caterpillar tracks to better handle bumpy terrain. The smoother operation makes it easier for remote control and allows it to move more quickly.

Inflatable arm

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile

One of the challenges of robotic arms is that they aren't very precise and can damage the objects they are handling. This is an inflatable arm developed by iRobot's research organization that's designed for handling objects, such as door knobs. Being inflatable means it can conform to the shape of an object to get a better grip.

Tiny tanks

iRobot's military bots get smarter and more agile

The latest addition to iRobot's military robot line is the 110 FirstLook, a throwable robot designed to take pictures of locations for a remote operator. It's equipped with four cameras (seen on the side behind the flipper) and uses Wi-Fi to communicate back to a controller. It can also climb stairs using its flippers, although that's not its primary use. iRobot recently shipped the first 100 units to the U.S. military.

Tech Innovation Showcase on This Week @NASA

 

Administrator Charles Bolden and Deputy Administrator Lori Garver joined other NASA officials on Capitol Hill for an agency showcase called, "NASA Technology: Imagine. Innovate. Explore." Hosted by members of Congress, the event highlighted how NASA space and aeronautics technologies not only help meet the agency's goals, but also create and improve products and services that benefit life here on Earth. Also, Tech Chief visits Huntsville; Garver's STEM visit; Bolden briefs Aero boosters; ATV to ISS; Rockets pack Wallops; Buzz Lighteyar "retires; and more!

New Study Asks Who’s to Blame When Robots Harm Us

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