First International Symposium on Soft Robotics

23 – 24^th June 2014  / Stuttgart / Germany

First International Symposium on Soft Robotics

Objective

A new era of robotics is about to start: »Soft Robotics«. Therefore, it´s time to dedicate a symposium to »Soft Robotics for novel human-technique interactions«, to bring the »Soft Robot« community together, to exchange ideas, and to create new connections between active researchers around the world. Within this symposium, the national and international community is invited to present the state of the art, including both summarizing contributions and latest research results. Some of the most recognized experts are invited to give keynotes in order to consolidate the state of the art in key areas such as design, control, safety, simulation, and biomimetic robotics.

Topics

Theory and some application of »Soft Robotics« including

• Soft Actuators and Control
• Soft Interactions
• Soft Robots Assistants: Potentials and Challenges
• Human-centered »Soft Robotics«

Program

08:30	Registration and Coffee
Plenary Lectures – Hörsaal A+B
09:00	Welcome address and opening Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. mult. Alexander Verl Senior Vice President Technology Marketing and Business Models, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Munich, Germany
09:15	Experience and Outlook Assistant Prof. Jamie Paik, PhD Reconfigurable Robotics Lab, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
09:55	Soft Robotics: Sensitive and compliant robots for human robot collaboration Prof. Dr. Alin Olimpiu Albu-Schäffer Head of the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen-Weßling, Germany
10:35	Coffee Break
11:05	Soft Manipulation with Environmental Constraints Prof. Dr. Oliver Brock Head of the Dept. of Computer Engineering and Microelectronics – Robotics and Biology Laboratory, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
11:45	Soft Robotics research, challenges, and innovation potential, through showcases Associate Prof. Cecilia Laschi, PhD The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore, Sant`Anna, Pisa, Italy
12:25	Lunch
13:30	Professional Forum I – Hörsaal A“Soft Actuators and Control” Chair: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Franke	Professional Forum II – Hörsaal B “Soft Interactions” Chair: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Wörn
13:30	Artificial Muscles made of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEA) for Compliant Robots Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Franke Head of the Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems (FAPS), Friedrich-Alexander Universität, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany	Artificial Skin for Soft Robotics Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Wörn Head of the Institute for Process control and Robotics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
14:00	The Potential of Nanostructered Materials for Applications in Soft Robotics: Sensors and Actuators Thomas Ackermann Doctoral Researcher, Graduate School of Excellence advanced Manufacturing Engineering (GSaME), University of Stuttgart, Germany	Variable Impedance Actuators:Tough Robots for Soft Interaction  Sebastian Wolf Project Manager DLR Hand Arm System, Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Oberpfaffenhofen-Weßling, Germany
14:30	Soft Control with a behavior based architecture Prof. Dr. Karsten Berns,  Head of the Robotics Research Laboratory, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany	Perception of Deformable Objects and Compliant Manipulation for Service Robots Prof. Dr. Sven Behnke  Head of Autonomous Intelligent Systems Group, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany
15:00	Coffee Break
15:30	New concepts for distributed actuators and their control Prof. Dr.-Ing. Welf-Guntram Drossel Head of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU, Chemnitz, Germany	Application areas for capacitive tactile proximity sensors (CTPS) Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Björn Hein SCHUNK-Shared-Professorship: “Interaction technologies for robotic systems”, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
16:00	Soft Control for noval (smart) human hybrid kinematics Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Wulfsberg Chair of Production Engineering (LaFT) Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Helmut-Schmidt-University, Hamburg	Simulation technology for soft robotics applications Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jürgen Roßmann Head of the Institute for Man-Machine Interaction, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
16:30	Using anisotropic, adaptable properties of fibrous materials for soft robotics Dr.-Ing. Markus Milwich Head of Fiber and braiding technologies, Institute of Textile and Process Engineering, Denkendorf, Germany	Turbine Assembly – A challenge For Human Fine Motor skills Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Staudacher Head of the Propulsion Systems, Director of the Institute of Propulsion Systems, University Stuttgart, Germany
17:00	Questions and Summary of the Professional Forum I	Questions and Summary of the Professional Forum II
19:00	Evening: Dinner

First International Symposium on »Soft Robotics« in Germany – 24th June

08:30	Arrival and Coffee
	Professional Forum III – Hörsaal A “Soft robot assistance – potentials and challenges” Chair: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Annika Raatz	Professional Forum IV – Hörsaal B “Human-centered soft robotics” Chair: Prof. Dr. Oskar von Stryk
09:00	Musco-skeletal robots and wearable devices on the basis of cable-driven actuators Martin Hägele Head of the Department Robot and Assistive Systems,Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, Stuttgart, Germany	Mechanics and thermodynamics of biological muscle – a simple model approach Juniorprof. Dr. Syn Schmitt   Head of the Group Human Movement Simulation Lab, INSPO University of Stuttgart, Germany
09:30	Using Additive Manufacturing and Reinforcement Learning to Develop a Soft Robotic Hand Dr.-Ing. Arne Rost Research Engineer Future Technology, Festo AG & Co. KG, Esslingen-Berkheim, Germany	Wearable Humanoid Robotics Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tamim Asfour Head of the Humanoid Robotics Systems Chair, High Performance Humanoid Technologies Lab at the Institute for Anthropomatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, Germany
10:00	Flexible and safe automation with compliant cable-driven robot arms Dr.-Ing. Thomas Lens Chief Technology Officer, Bionic Robotics GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany	Compliant legged robots Prof. Dr. Oskar von Stryk Head of the Group Simulation, Systems Optimization and Robotics, Department of Computer Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany
10:30	Coffee Break
11:00	Human-Friendly Robotics: A Paradigm for Robot Design, Control, and Planning Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sami Haddadin Head of the Institute of Automatic Control (IRT), Leibniz University Hannover, Germany	Continuum Robots for Medical Applications Dr.-Ing. Jessica Burgner Head of the  DFG Emmy Noether-Junior researcher group, Hannover Center of Mechatronics (MZH),  Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
11:30	Structure inherent safety mechanism in soft robotics Prof. Dr.-Ing. Annika Raatz Head of the Institute of Assembly Technology (match), Leibniz University Hannover, Germany	Flexible robot for laser phonomicrosurgery Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tobias Ortmaier Head of the Institute of Mechatronic Systems, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
12:00	Questions and Summary of the Professional Forum III	Questions and Summary of the Professional Forum IV
12:30	Lunch
Plenary Lectures – Hörsaal A+B
13:30	Biomechanics of locomotion – how soft should robots be? Prof. Dr. phil. Andre Seyfarth Head of Lauflabor Locomotion Lab, Institute of Sport Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt
14:10	Power Exoskeleton: A Robotic Suit for Overcoming Mobility Impairment Dr. Amit Goffer Founder & President, Yokneam Illit, Israel
14:50	Coffee Break
15:20	Control of compliant robots for physical collaboration with humans Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alessandro De Luca, Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering (DIAG) at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
16:00	Applications and future potentials of bionic handling assistants Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. mult. Alexander Verl,   Senior Vice President Technology Marketing and Business Models, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, München, Germany
16:40	Closing Remarks Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. h.c. mult. Alexander Verl

The Five Best Robotic Vacuums

 

While robots are not quite as ubiquitous as we might have imagined them to be in the 21^stcentury, there are still a number of different automated, robotic devices that can make our lives a bit simpler. The most iconic of these domestic robots would be the robotic vacuum, first made popular by the original Roomba. Since then, a number of different brands of robotic vacuums have cropped up in the marketplace, and while they still don’t quite compare to standard vacuums for tackling tough dirt, automated vacuums can certainly make life easier by taking care of the occasional cleaning for you.

What Is a Robotic Vacuum?

A robotic vacuum is an automated vacuum cleaner that is able to suck up debris from carpets and floors without human operation. Robotic vacuums use intelligent programming in order to automatically maneuver their way around your home. As mentioned previously, you’ll still need a standard vacuum in order to handle deeper cleaning jobs; however, they do work well for general purpose cleaning.

Best 5 Robotic Vacuums

Neato XV-11 Robotic Vacuum System

Along with iRobot that makes the Roomba vacuums, Neato Robotics is one of the top competitors in the U.S. that sells robotic vacuums. Users like the special design of the Neato XV-11 robotic vacuum, which they say handles corners better than the completely round Roomba. The XV-11 is capable of cleaning up to three rooms on a single charge, and automatically returns to its charging station to finish the rest of the cleaning. It can also be scheduled to automatically clean the house up to seven times in a week.

Currently $310.99 on Amazon.

iRobot Roomba 760 Vacuum Cleaning Robot

The robotic vacuum that started it all, the Roomba 760comes equipped with all the latest features. Aside from doing a great job of navigating and picking up dirt, hair, and debris, this Roomba also comes with air filters that trap dust and other particulate matter, leaving the air in your home clean and fresh. Its advanced software means that it can clean more of your house more thoroughly, and it’s able to pick out the areas that have the highest concentration of debris.

Currently $499.99 on Amazon.

Infinuvo CleanMate QQ-2 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

The Infinuvo CleanMate QQ-2 is a great robovac for those looking for luxury without breaking the bank. Users are satisfied with the cleaning job that the Infinuvo does, claiming that it can pick up a good amount of dirt and hair from the floor. It also comes with a number of unique features, such as a UV light to disinfect floors. The primary complaints this vacuum receives are its four-hour charging time and the fact that it is less effective on high-pile carpet.

Currently $149.99 on Amazon.

Neato XV-21 Automatic Vacuum Cleaner

The Neato XV-21 is the higher-end version of the XV-11 featured above. The XV-21 takes the functionality of robotic vacuums to a whole new level. Its Pet and Allergy Filter helps capture finer dust particles, and its laser-based mapping system allows it to better maneuver around the house. User reviews for the Neato XV-21 claim that it very rarely gets lost or stuck, and that it has helped clear up homes for folks with allergies.

Currently $329.03 on Amazon.

iRobot Roomba 630 Vacuum Cleaning Robot

On the flip side, our final entry to the top five robotic vacuum cleaners is a slightly lower-end version of our previous Roomba. While slightly less expensive, the Roomba 630 still has many of the features of its 760 counterpart — most notably, iRobot’s patented three-stage cleaning system. Similar to the 760, this Roomba also self-adjusts for different floor types and comes with “Virtual Wall” sensors to keep it from going to off-limit areas.

Currently $349.99 on Amazon.

Source: Wisebread

Robots nettoyeurs de piscine – système Gyroscopique

 

 

Publicado el 26/04/2014

Le tout nouveau système Gyroscopique
guide désormais le Supreme M5 et le Supreme M4 Pro

Source: maytronics

Future Humanoid Robots -From Fiction to Reality – 2014 Documentary

 

Publicado el 04/03/2014

(HD) Future Humanoid Robots -From Fiction to Reality – 2014 Documentary

Source: CoolTechNews·

Central NY 2014 Dairy Day. Are robotic milkers in your dairy’s future?

Are robotic milkers in your dairy’s future? What are your options for installing low-cost milking parlors on your farm? How can you economically transition from a tie stall to a free stall with a low-cost milking parlor? Can you make your dairy more profitable? These were questions that speakers, including Cornell’s ProDairy program financial analyst Jason Karszes, ProDairy’s Kathy Barrett and University of Wisconsin, Professor of Biological Systems Engineering David Kammel, addressed at Central New York’s 2014 Dairy Day.

“It’s an exciting time — especially for the young folks — to see where we are moving with the industry today,” said CNY Cornell Cooperative Extension Dairy Specialist David Balbian. “To see the kind of opportunities with technology and ideas that you can put into practice to be competitive in this business.”

Dr. David Kammel presented some of those ideas on designing and installing low-cost milking parlors in existing barns.

“We know we can save money by retrofitting or remodeling,” said Kammel. He quoted prices for a new 150 cow barn with a new milking parlor compared to what remodeling would cost and showed examples of old barns that had been efficiently remodeled with a saving of 25–50 percent.

Kammel pointed out that the infrastructure is already there and doesn’t need to be recreated.
“My motto is, if we don’t have to touch it, don’t touch it, because it’s just costing money if you touch it.”

When thinking creatively you can save money by utilizing as much of the original equipment as possible.
Kammel commented he’s not saying that it wouldn’t be necessary to upgrade some things when renovating. “Cheaper is not always the key,” he cautioned.

He also discussed budgeting for dairy modernization. Forming a ‘farmstead master plan’ and realizing limitations are important aspects to begin with. “If you don’t plan and you don’t know what’s going on, sometimes the budget goes to heck,” Kammel stated.

Building a new free-stall barn and retrofitting a parlor inside the present stall barn has proved to be a great advantage financially for many farmers.

“The center driveway in a stall barn works well for a holding area, and other parts of the barn can be used for housing extra cows, maternity pens or a special needs work area.”

Kammel reported that dairy producers have saved over $40,000 by using their old stall barn as a milking center. “These cost savings can make a down payment for a new free-stall barn. And the benefits of improved milk production and cow comfort are well documented when moving cows to a new free-stall barn.”
One strategy Kammel mentioned is building in phases instead of all at once. “The ability to phase in milking facility upgrades over time, reduces stress and interest costs.”

Finding contractors and equipment dealers who are willing to work with you is another strategy, while utilizing your own capabilities instead of hiring someone to do work you can do yourself, is another money saver.

Recognizing common goals such as improved quality of life for the farmer and his family, as well as the dairy herd, lead the list as reason for modernizing dairy facilities.

An added bonus is the increase in production that may result from modernization.

“Better comfort for the cows generally improves production,” Kammel reported.

Dr. Jason Karszes, farm management specialist with the Pro-Dairy, spoke to attendees about becoming profitable by focusing on continuous improvements and decision making.

“Focus on preparation,” said Karszes. “How you position the business to take advantage of the next opportunity. New technology, land purchases, management changes, whatever it may be!”

Karszes emphasized recognizing “down cycles” on the farm and how they affect decision making. Learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to make changes. Having a risk management plan is a key.

Knowing your numbers and having an organized business plan for what to do with your profits is essential for building profit. “Set goals! Ask questions!” Karszes advised. “Where do we want to improve? How can we get better?”

Seek input from other key people and develop positive relationships with people your farm is associated with. Value your employees, veterinarians, nutritionists, service providers and anyone who is interacting with the farm. “Can our attitude impact other people’s attitude?” Karszes asked.

Showing a profitability equation, he explained that every business works under the same rule; it needs to make a bigger profit or maintain the profit they are currently making. “Every decision we make on the farm affects this equation.”

When a decision doesn’t work, change it fast or modify it. “Look at performance, not just cost.”

ProDairy’s Kathy Barrett wrapped up the Dairy Day program with information on robotic milkers and how farms are utilizing them to take away the cost and responsibility of hiring more employees. “Flexibility and the quality of life are key factors,” said Barrett. “Not having to be tied to the milking schedule, not having to worry about labor issues — and it’s more attractive to bringing in a younger generation.”
However, due to the cost of retrofitting the barn to accommodate the robots and since there are still many unanswered questions, Barrett suggests asking yourself if you could make another system work just as well.

Concerns include if your existing barn design will allow your cows to be broken up into smaller groups accommodating the robots. Having free access to the robot for milking and being able to freely reenter the herd without human assistance is required. The barn should be situated so that bedding and cleaning can be completed without moving or disturbing the herd.

“Labor efficiency is really the key to making this system profitable,” Barrett said. “It depends on the farm situation.”

Barrett reported that one farm she knew of was able to decrease their staff by seven full time employees.
Training the cows to enter the robotic stall and to stand for the robot may take some time.

Barrett says the system takes some adjusting to for both cows and people. “But, the opportunity is there!”

CNY Dairy Day was hosted and coordinated by the CNY Dairy and Field Crops Team of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Source: CountryFolks

Robotic milking machines save farmers money, labor and from early morning shifts

While farmers are unlikely to ever be so high tech that they can be completely hands-off, new robotic milking machines are taking some of the labor pressure off farmers in upstate New York.

New robotic milkers both feed and milk cows without involving a single human hand, saving farmers time and labor costs.

Mike Borden, 29, whose family has farmed dairy cattle for seven generations, has upgraded to the around-the-clock operation and told The New York Times, “it’s a lot more fun than doing manual labor.”

The tireless robot milkers allow the cow to choose when to be milked — often they line up several times daily. Each cow gets “personalized” service thanks to a transponder “necklace” that charts cows milk amount and quality, how much grass they’ve consumed and even how many steps they have taken — the latter can indicate if she is in heat.

With a cost of around $250,000 for a unit upgrading isn’t cheap but farmers using the high tech gear can cut back on labor costs and find their cows give more and better quality milk. Mike’s Dad, Tom, added: “I don’t think I’m ever going to sleep in real late, but if we could roll it back another hour, that would be great.”

Source:NYdailynews

 

Bluefin-21 commences Mission 16 in MH370 search

Bluefin-21 has completed mission 15 with no results and has commenced mission 16 on Monday morning, according to the latest statement of the Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC).

“No contacts of interest have been found to date,” the Perth- based search coordination center said in the morning.

The JACC said the submarine drone Bluefin-21 will continue to examine the areas adjacent to the focused underwater search area during mission 16 on Monday.

According to weather forecast for the day, there will be a cold front moving out of the search area and being replaced by a southerly trade flow, sea swells of four to five meters.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has planned a visual search area totaling about 54,921square kilometers for Monday. The center of the search area lies approximately 1,667 kilometers north-west of Perth.

According to the statement, up to 9 military aircraft and 12 ships will assist in Monday’s search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which vanished on March 8 with 239 people aboard en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.

Source: ECNS