Have you ever had a problem that you just wished would just solve itself? What about that coffee maker that you wish would make the cup of coffee and bring it right to your table while you read the morning paper? Or your dog you spend tedious hours with just throwing a rope toy and having it returned to you? Have you ever wished that your washing machine would just put the clothes right in the dryer when they were clean? I have a solution for you - all of these simple tasks could be accomplished with a robot!
Some people thought that we would be living in a robot controlled world by now. “In the 50s, in the 60s, in the 70s, many eloquent representations of our future life were showing an (sic) happy family of the XXIe century in an apartment literally full of robots: robot maids, robot companions, robot nanny, robot guards. Where are they? Why are we not living yet with robots? (Kaplan, 59)” It’s true; robot technology has been improving, but not as much as people had expected. Kaplan goes on to say, “If robots are not yet part of our common everyday objects, it is maybe also because there has never been a sufficient effort to think what could really be the place of robots in our life.” Maybe it’s time to involve robots in our lives in a bigger way.
That’s the idea behind Robot Town, a project that is hoped to be accomplished by 2014. There will be a center in Detroit, MI, where you can go and see different types of robots. There will also be a robot testing area and robots to direct you around. The people who are organizing Robot Town are currently working on funding and a location. You can visit their website at www.robottown.org.
If you are tempted to say, “Why do I need a robot? My life is fine the way it is” then I will tell you that though your life may seem fine, there will always be something that can be improved by a robot or other technology. If you take a look at the Robotics competition called Robofest, based out of Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI, you can see many practical applications of robots in everyday life. Every year they hold a different game competition in which students use a LEGO robot (or a few use different types) to solve a challenge. Past challenges have included saving water bottles or other objects that represent trapped humans, simulating blocking an oil spill, cleaning up toxic waste, and extinguishing fires created by earthquakes. Think of all the practical applications for robots like this in everyday life!
Robofest also holds a competition in which students can exhibit original ideas they have come up with for robot application. Past Exhibitions have included musical instruments, gardening robots, security robots, sorting robots, and games including robots. The Exhibition competition is a great way to encourage students to come up with robotic ideas that will support the future. You can visit Robofest’s website at www.robofest.net.
Even though some may deny it, robots will be a part of our future. Robot technology has been improving rapidly, and people have discovered more and more uses for robots. It is believed that Charles H. Duell said “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” I could not disagree more. Robots are advancing daily, and what we see now is only the beginning of what is to come.
Frédéric Kaplan, ‘Everyday robotics: robots as everyday objects’, in Proceedings of Soc-Eusai 2005, pp. 59 – 64, Grenoble, France, (2005).
Bioloid Premium Robot (The type used in Hexapod Sumo)
NXT Robot (The type used in Robofest)
Robot from a competition called FRC (First Robotics Competition)
Hexapod Sumo Competition
This is our team at Robofest
This is a FRC Competition (This is actually a soccer competition from last year)
Why don't you make me a robot that comes and finds me when the washer is finished because in the summer I like to hang my clothes on the line. Or you could make it so I can set it to either hang it out or put It in the dryer.
ReplyDelete