Robots are already being used to work in areas hazardous to humans. Take the SCV robot for instance: it is a spent fuel check robot for inspection of nuclear plants. It is used to move the Improved Cerenkov Viewing Device across the surface of the nuclear spent fuel pond autonomously.
There is no better way to learn robotics and coding than building and programming your own bots. sjccrac has shared a guide that shows you what it takes to control a robot hand with a Leap Motion, Arduino and some JavaScript coding. For this project, you are going to need an InMoov robot hand and forearm, HK15298 servos, Arduino Uno, 1 x Leap Motion, and a few other simple components.
You will have to install Arduino IDE and Node.js too. The instructions for this project are available here.
Meet the ATOUN Model Y exoskeleton: a power assist suit that can help wearers get things done without putting unnecessary stress on their body. It simply reduces the burden on the waist. As Panasonic explains, this new model has a resin frame that is 40% lighter than the previous generation.
This robotic exoskeleton also has more compact motors and batteries. Pre-orders for the ATOUN MODEL Y began on December 21, 2017. More info is available here.
Here is a robot with a metamorphic mechanism in its waist structure that can reconfigure to imitate different kinds of animals and adapt to rough terrain. The Metamorphic Walking Robot can mimic movements of reptiles, mammals and insects by changing the shape of its waist and changing the distribution of its legs.
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Here is another robot that you can rely on to capture underwater moments. The Fifish P3 has a 4K camera, powerful engines, and a leakproof structure. It is rated to a depth of 100m. It has a max speed of 1.5m/s. The battery life lasts up to 2 hours.
Meet the Makino iAssist: an autonomous collaborative robot for machine tool industry that uses a KUKA robot for machine tending. It handles workpieces, electrodes, and tools. The robot moves smoothly and changes direction to go from one station to another to get the job done. This video shows it in action:
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In the past few months, we have covered plenty of robots and drones that can be controlled using wearables like Myo Armband. HES-SO Valais-Wallis has shared a video that explores using low cost electromyography armbands to control gestures of 3D printed hands.
As you can see in the video, the wrist flexion and extension are detected to trigger movement in the hand. A double tap triggers tip pinch. Pretty neat, don’t you think?
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Meet the XG171 drone: a modular quadcopter that you can build, adapt, and fly in every situation. The XG171 quadcopter comes with LED lights, HD camera, modular mainboard, high-speed motor, and everything you need to get started. You get a simple remote control to interact with it.
Many of us can’t wait to get our hands on a flying car. The good news is a bunch of companies are already working on perfecting the technology. The EHang 184 is a flying vehicle with full redundancy, 8 motors, and cruising speed of 60km/h.
Meet the Walkera Voyager 5: a foldable industrial drone that combines with thermal and night vision camera modules for search & rescue and challenging inspection missions. It features foldable arms and landing gear. Its batteries are good for 41-min flights.
