Рубрика: Robotics

Robotic tech’s role in emergency medical care is crucial in enhancing efficiency and patient outcomes

In recent years, robotic technology has rapidly advanced and has found numerous applications in various industries, including emergency medical care. Robotic tech in emergency medical care has shown great potential to enhance patient outcomes, improve response times, and reduce risks for patients and medical personnel.

In the fast-paced realm of emergency medical care, robotic technology has emerged as a revolutionary asset, significantly transforming how medical professionals respond to critical situations. Advanced robotics in the healthcare system can now streamline and enhance emergency services, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses, efficient triage, and swift transportation of patients. These cutting-edge machines are equipped with AI-powered algorithms, allowing them to autonomously assist in life-saving procedures, such as administering medication, performing surgeries with unparalleled precision, and even conducting remote consultations with specialists. This article explores the applications and benefits of robotic technology in emergency medical care.

1. Robotic Assistance in Triage and Diagnosis

One of the significant challenges in emergency medical care is accurately assessing patients’ conditions and prioritizing care based on the severity of their injuries or illnesses. Robotic systems equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can aid triage by gathering sensor data, analyzing vital signs, and providing preliminary diagnoses. This real-time information can help medical professionals make quicker and more informed decisions about patient care.

2. Remote Telemedicine and Consultations

Robotic telemedicine platforms enable remote consultations between emergency medical professionals and specialists. These systems allow experts to provide immediate guidance during critical situations, even if they are not physically present. By connecting remote healthcare providers with on-site personnel, robotic telemedicine systems improve the quality of care and increase the chances of positive patient outcomes.

3. Automated Medical Assistance

Robotic systems can perform routine medical tasks in emergencies, reducing the burden on medical staff and increasing efficiency. For example, automated medication dispensers can accurately administer drugs to patients, robotic arms can assist in wound dressing, and autonomous vehicles can deliver medical supplies to the scene of an emergency.

4. Safe and Precise Medical Procedures

Robotic technology offers a high level of precision and control during medical procedures. In emergencies where time is of the essence, robotic surgical systems can facilitate complex procedures with minimal invasiveness and faster recovery times. These robots can perform intricate tasks, such as suturing, with remarkable accuracy, reducing the risk of complications.

5. Disaster Response and Search-and-Rescue Operations

Robotic systems with advanced sensors and cameras can be deployed during natural disasters or other emergencies to assess dangerous areas and locate survivors. Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground-based robots can explore hazardous environments, transmitting real-time data to emergency response teams, aiding in decision-making, and ensuring the safety of rescue personnel.

6. Training and Simulation

Robotic technology plays a crucial role in training emergency medical professionals. Advanced simulation systems allow medical students and practitioners to practice various scenarios in a controlled environment, honing their skills and improving response times. This training enhances preparedness for real-life emergencies and fosters higher confidence among healthcare providers.

7. Enhanced Data Collection and Analysis

Robotic devices are equipped with sophisticated sensors capable of collecting vast amounts of data during emergency medical situations. This data can be analyzed to identify patterns, improve response protocols, and develop predictive models anticipating potential medical emergencies.

However, it is also essential to consider the potential challenges and ethical concerns surrounding integrating robotic technology into emergency medical care. Privacy and security concerns related to patient data and remote consultations must be addressed. Additionally, there may be resistance from some healthcare professionals who fear that robots might replace human jobs or hinder the development of essential clinical skills.

The integration of robotic technology in emergency medical care has the potential to transform how healthcare professionals respond to critical situations. Robots offer many benefits, from triage and diagnosis to remote consultations and disaster response, including improved patient outcomes, reduced risks, and increased efficiency. However, challenges remain, including cost, ethical considerations, and the need for robust AI algorithms. As technology advances, addressing these challenges will be crucial in fully unlocking the potential of robotic technology in emergency medical care and revolutionizing the healthcare industry.

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Here is how robots and AI are revolutionizing battery development

Because of the growth in electronic gadgets and electric cars, the need for more efficient batteries has surged in recent years. However, developing new batteries to fulfill these needs could be faster.

Portable power supplies, such as batteries, are critical in today’s society, where electrically powered products are necessary. Batteries are essential in everything from electric automobiles to Internet of Things gadgets. Current batteries, on the other hand, have restricted energy densities, charging times, and lifespans. This has prompted experts to work relentlessly to find a solution – an inexpensive, long-lasting, sustainable, and power-dense battery.

Developing such a battery is a massive undertaking, but experts are optimistic that combining robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize the entire process. AI and robotic automation may speed up the creation of new batteries.

The use of AI and robotics in battery development has several advantages. These technologies can rapidly analyze massive amounts of data and identify patterns and connections that people may overlook. This data analysis can assist researchers in better understanding the complicated chemistry and physics involved in battery functioning, which can lead to novel innovations.

Furthermore, robots can automate the experimental procedure, doing countless tests and iterations at a rate faster than humans. Automation enables faster and more effective experimentation, decreasing the time and money needed to create new battery technology.

Finally, the partnership of robotics, artificial intelligence, and battery research can potentially transform the future of battery technology. Researchers may overcome hurdles and speed the development of novel, efficient, and sustainable battery solutions that can satisfy the modern world’s expanding demands by leveraging the power of AI and robotic automation.

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“Robotics and other combinations will make the world pretty fantastic compared with today- Bill Gates”.

The growing debate over robotics and automation is becoming the toast of the technological boardrooms today. The world is witnessing the rise of robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI) that threatens to snatch regular or routine jobs from manufacturing, maintenance, data entry profiles.

According to predictions by the American market research company Forrester, automation will destroy 24,186,240 jobs and create 13,604,760 jobs by the year 2025 in the U.S. alone. The projections point that the rise of the machines will take away more jobs than they will actually create. Robotics will be the buzzword and as the saying goes, if you cannot beat them join them. To find your place in the rise of the machine’s era, here are the top Robotics Universities offering the best of robotics courses.

1. Carnegie Mellon University

Established in 1979 the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University conducts basic and applied research in robotics technologies with an aim to develop new age thinking robots. Carnegie Mellon University offers Doctoral in Robotics (Ph.D.), Master of Science in Robotics (MSR), Master of Science in Computer Vision (MSCV), and Masters of Science in Robotics Systems Development (MRSD) and undergraduate programmes in Robotics. The course duration ranges from 16 months in Master of Science in Computer Vision to 6 years in Ph.D. programmes.

2. Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology’s Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Machines is undoubtedly one of the top robotic schools in the United States. The institute offers Ph.D. programmes in Robotics, M.S. in Computer Science; Computational Perception & Robotics and teaches Robot Intelligence which includes Planning, Machine Learning, and Computational Photography. The institute conducts National Robotics Week, Robot Trading Cards, and Seminars for a comprehensive study outreach.

3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a graduate program in Electrical Engineering Computer Science into Artificial Intelligence Research Area. MIT has been a pioneer in RPA research and inventions, MIT developed Cheetah 3 robot can leap and gallop across rough terrain, climb staircases littered with debris, and recovers its balance when suddenly yanked or shoved while it is essentially blind. To encourage research, MIT hosts several laboratories, institutes, and research groups; of them, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) is the largest research center at MIT having more than 1,000 members, 100 principle investigators, and adds approximately 50 research groups which are a part of the CSAIL.

4. Johns Hopkins University

John Hopkins is accredited to be America’s first research university. The universities’ arm the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics (LCSR) founded by the Whiting School of Engineering for robotics research stands today as the world’s premier research universities. The university offers full-time Master of Science in Engineering in Robotics, and minors in robotics, computer integrated surgery, and computational sensing and medical robotics.

5. University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania offers Undergraduate and Master’s Degree in Robotics (ROBO) within the general robotics, sensing, automation and perception (GRASP) laboratory. Penn’s ROBO master’s program imparts science and technology education of robotics, control, automation, vision, perception, and machine learning. United with a desire to advance robotic technologies to benefit humanity, the university’s students come from a variety of engineering, scientific, and mathematical backgrounds. Penn’s ROBO program facilitates an ideal foundation for career opportunities in industries bringing robotics into aerospace, automotive, industrial automation and defence sectors.

6. Boston University

The Robotics Lab at Boston University’s college of engineering offers three distinct research topics to impart the knowledge of how to program and create robotic automation among its students. Boston University Robotics Lab is a self-contained research facility situated in the Engineering Product Innovation Center (EPIC) on Boston University’s Charles River campus. The BU robotics lab provides a large arena equipped with a motion capture system, for experimentation of ground and air robots of various sizes and capabilities. The University has a dedicated workshop and conference room, which can accommodate about 30 students and postdocs.

7. Columbia University

Columbia University offers an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering with concentration in Robotics and Control focusing on robotic manipulation, human interaction, medical robotics, navigation, perception, assistance and rehabilitation, Columbia University in NYC hosts a number of research groups, undergraduate programs, and graduate programs focusing on imparting robotics education. Robotics at Columbia University covers research into perception, control, learning, planning, manufacturing, and human-robot interaction. The University offers its students the use of a wide variety of different robots including aerial, home, and office assistants, autonomous, legged, snake, humanoid, evolutionary and more.

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SpaceX –the space exploration company has a lot in its platter, with its Big Falcon Rocket project under progress, a cut-throat deadline with NASA and a space tourist program which will be happening soon. Despite all of these happenings in the backdrop, a striking new deal was inked. ispace, a Japanese lunar robotics company is teaming up with SpaceX for its first mission to the moon.

The company says that SpaceX will drop its lunar lander and rovers to the moon on Falcon 9 rockets in a pair of missions which is going to happen in 2020 and 2021. ispace is a new entrant in the space industry but made a history in the past since it began out of Google LUNAR XPRIZE competition. ispace represents as an organisation which develops robotics for lunar delivery and resource explanation in the project of moon exploration. HAKUTO-R is the name of the project as a reference to the contest. Haku means “white rabbit” in Japanese and is derived from a local folklore about a rabbit on the Moon while the R stands for the rebooting of the Google event.

The newly founded company ispace and SpaceX not only share a similarity in their names but very much aligned with each other and share a single goal. SpaceX has always been audacious about their space colonisation ambitions. Now ispace is bolstering the steps towards the moon mission.

Mission 1 will aim to achieve a simple orbit around the moon, while Mission 2 will go even further, attempting a soft lunar landing and the deployment of data-collecting rovers. So far, the space plan seems to be well accepted by industry specialists. Expertise says that when looking on schedule, price and effort, the approach that ispace is following is much leaner and efficient than ESA or NASA.

ispace’s spacecraft designs undergone through a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) that saw a panel of 26 external experts from Japan, Europe, and the US. The expertise panel evaluated the project’s technical and programmatic qualifications. A PDR Board Report concluded that the mission was the successful pending closure of key actions.

ispace is working on space development with a solid environment, gathering a considerable level of talent. On the other hand, SpaceX is aiming to dominate and become a monopolist in the commercial rocket launch industry, offering its state-of-the-art products and services to other private companies by empowering them to get their businesses off the ground.

The company is currently pursuing on a project to improve its rocket technology, creating boosters that can be re-used up to hundred times. The reusable technology would drastically plummet the cost of each launch and eventually make space travel more affordable and convenient.

SpaceX is laying its stepping stone in a new era of space exploration by collaborating with ispace. The company is optimistic to deliver innovative spacecraft to the moon and has already revealed the first set of passengers to the moon. It seems robots are next on the space firm’s cargo list.

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Robotics engineering has taken a long path ahead in 2018 and although the year has not ended, there have been exciting instances of what the future possibilities of robotics may look like. The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) expo in Las Vegas held in January has showcased robotic trends that will dominate and cause a change in the times to come. In the coming years be braced for automated domestic cleaning robots, companion robots, automated self-driving cars, and AI-powered health and wellbeing technology.

The most influential robotic inventions that have been unveiled this year prove to have a potential to change the way mankind transacts, shops or goes about the daily chores. Here are the most enthralling Robotic Inventions of 2018 that can help put together a picture of where the future of the industry lies.

1. Ubtech Robotics Walker

Ubtech has been a pioneer in the industry with its humanoid robots, including an Alexa-enabled robot that can perform yoga too. However, the robot Ubtech previewed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) expo is its most ambitious project.

The Ubtech Robotics Walker is a four-foot tall bot that has true bipedal motion, which enables it to not only walk around but go up and down stairs and even kick a soccer ball.

The version that was showcased in the CES 2018 was an early model and did not have arms but by the time Ubtech Robotics Walker becomes available in 2019, it will have all of its limbs, with a host of new abilities according to company representatives. The technology marvel Walker is studded with sensors like cameras in its head and torso, and auto detection sensors in its feet and sides, which help the robot, know when it is close to an object. When armed with the right programming, the robot can avoid things such as chairs and tables which come in its way. Ubtech Robotics Walker responds to vocal commands as well as visual cues and its head is a large touchscreen which has a camera on the top to control your smart home, help schedule your calendar, play music and dance, patrol the home, and provide visual surveillance and motion detection.

2. ForwardX CX-1 Robotics Suitcase

CES 2018 showcased a notable tech the first smart suitcase custom built to follow the owner. Recently unveiled ForwardX CX-1now called as Ovis is an autonomous piece of luggage designed to follow you around as you make your way from point A to B, and everywhere in between. Smart Technology isn’t it! This autonomous suitcase has been commercially launched in Indiegogo (international crowd-funding website to buy unique products), with early bird pricing beginning at $399. The robotic suitcase has been implanted with a pair of eyes and brain and represents a meeting between a wheeled gadget and computer vision, armed with the intelligence and cognition to tackle complex problems like predicting the user’s path while avoiding obstacles.

Indeed, the Ovis has been branded as the world’s first self-driving carry-on robot featuring an array of advanced tech, including a 170-degree wide-angle lens that hosts a built-in facial recognition software, allowing the device to follow the user at up to 7 miles per hour. Other exciting features that include obstacle avoidance work in tandem with the suitcase’s tracking algorithm. Ovis comes with a smart wristband that works to keep thieves at bay, if the suitcase wanders out of range, the smart wristband bracelet will let the users know for an easy tracking.

3. Somnox Sleep Robot

Do you have irregular sleeping cycles? Do you toss and turn, read for hours to finally catch a nap? What about an assisted sleeping robot that may help your way to sleep? Surprised? Well, Somnox’s sleep robot can actually do that. The Somnox sleep bot looks more like a massive peanut; you hug it, to feel the soft rise and fall of its body, mimicking the users breathing. This calming effect is programmed to lull the user to sleep, as the breathing begins to match the slower pace of the robot’s own, while the soothing sounds help to relax the mind.

An app configures the breathing patterns and the music, with the length of time the sleep robot stays active during the night. The device does not provide any sleep tracking data or a smart alarm clock which makes a room for improvement.

At the moment, the robot does a basic function and is firmly built around the unusual breathing action. Somnox sleep bot comes with an expensive price tag it is sold through Indiegogo for nearly $600. That may be a lot of money for a gadget that may or may not help you sleep better and even does not provide any quantifiable data to establish how much difference it is making in your sleep.

4. Boston Dynamics SpotMini

Boston Dynamics, known to come up with uncannily agile robots, has unveiled its first commercial product to market, a small, dog-like robot it calls the SpotMini.

The launch was announced in May with the founder Marc Raibert adding that by July next year; Boston Dynamics will manufacture SpotMini at the rate of around 1,000 units per year. According to Raibert, SpotMini is currently in the testing stage for use in construction, security, delivery and home assistance applications. The SpotMini moves with the same smooth confidence as its processors rolled out by Boston Dynamics robots with names like Cheetah, Spot and BigDog. SpotMini is 3 feet high and weighs around 55 pounds, and can go where larger robots cannot. The robot comes with an optional snake-like arm, which attaches where a real dog’s head would be, and can perform tasks like opening doors.

5. Care OS Smart Mirror

Magic mirrors that talk back to you, would not be restricted to be a feature of fairy tales anymore. Science has made technological endeavours reach new heights. The Care OS mirror is another enthralling robotic marvel. The care OS deploys gesture controls and facial recognition to give skincare advice, and plays music and even takes selfies. It is similar to other smartphone apps in development which use the camera to study and analyse its user’s dermatological health. Additionally, it provides advice about hydration and UV exposure, albeit on a much larger, domestic scale.

6. Robomart

Robomart is the world’s first driving store, and makes trips to the grocery store a thing of the past. Robomart is an AI-assisted autonomous vehicle programmed to bring you foodstuffs to order. The robot is a blessing to food retailers who can lease the technology, and autonomously fulfill online grocery orders at a speed of up to 25 miles per hour. Robomart’s pilot launch is scheduled this summer for the Bay Area in California.

7. Sophia

Although Sophia the humanoid has been the talk amongst robotic circles, and there have been iterations in previous years, it was at the 2018 CES that Sophia made it to the news. Sophia is the brainchild of Hong Kong’s Hanson Robotics and is one of the most impressive displays of empathetic artificial intelligence and smart technology. Sophia is a milestone in humanoid robotics, and is powered by Google which assists the humanoid hold developed conversations with humans including philosophizing, smart retorts, and even cracking an occasional well-timed joke. While the developer has not announced the commercial applications as yet, Sophia remains a truly stunning example of the possibilities offered by smart AI.

8. Aeolus Bot

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Aeolus Bot is the in-home android programmed to pick up the toys, deliver a cold beverage, and vacuum the floors while the user sits back and watches. According to the manufacturer, Aeolus Robot (pronounced “ay-oh-lus”) comes with multifunctional arms that are powered by machine learning and AI; to recognize and adapt to changing environments.

The robot also learns, completes tasks, and navigates to redefine the way housework is done and frees valuable time in the busy lives of today’s families. Aeolus Bot is integrated with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, which makes it easy to communicate with an electronic servant maid. Aeolus Bot is made to understand thousands of terms, using built-in cameras, to identify faces and remembers where it last saw items, and adapts to home layouts and routines.

9. Giles Walkers Robotic Strippers

Made by artist Giles Walker, Robotic Strippers would not be assisting in household chores in time to come; however, the robotic strippers definitely did turn some heads at the CES expo in Vegas. The robotic dancers gyrated and swayed on poles, turned their CCTV camera heads as attendees tossed them dollar bills, just as they would have done with their human counterparts. The founder, Giles Walker intended the robots as a commentary on voyeurism and the surveillance state after studying CCTV cameras throughout England. The popularity of the robotic strippers has led Walker start a side business by renting them out to corporate parties.

10. Kuri

Kuri looks bright for a massive adoption with its pre-orders already starting to ship. The robot is full of features, including its ability to answer questions and monitor the user’s home which works on an array of sensors. Simple in design and useful around the house, it seems likely that Kuri is the first robot that may soon become a reality in everyday life.

These are just a handful of exciting innovations that 2018 has seen so far. With some months more to go, further eye-catching development in the robotics inventions will be soon witnessed. With new developments and inventions in place, it looks like 2018 will be a milestone in the field of robotics development.

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Launched in 2015, Made in China 2025(MIC 2025) is the Chinese government’s ten-year plan to update China’s manufacturing base by focussing on the country’s ten high tech industries. The strategy focuses to outline Beijing’s aspirations to dominate the global economy of the future, in pivot areas like new energy vehicles, advanced robotics, next-generation information technology (IT) and telecommunications, robotics and artificial intelligence. In the domain of industrial robots, China has earmarked new development plans and is making impressive progress. Conditions are ideal in China for building a thriving robotics industry, serving both the domestic and overseas market.

First, the Chinese government’s efforts to bring the country into the global map by offering generous tax breaks and subsidies to robotics startups. Second, robotic companies have the potential to scale up soon as the Chinese domestic market offers a plethora of opportunities in a heavily industrialized market which is only patchily automated. Third, Chinese manufacturers are under pressure to automate if they aspire to compete with other low-cost manufacturing markets, which has the potential to create a huge demand for industrial robots to boost efficiencies and lower costs.

Robotics Industry in China

The Chinese government has set up ambitious annual goals for the manufacture of industrial robots scaling from 150,000 units per year in 2020; to 260,000 in 2025; and a mammoth 400,000 in 2030. If the figures are achieved, it could generate revenues of $88 billion over the next decade.

With these numbers, China looks on its way to becoming a robotics powerhouse taken from the perspective of both as a buyer and a seller. There is a huge demand from its manufacturing sector. China’s Robotic Density rate rose from 25 units in 2013 to 68 units in 2016, due to the significant growth of robot installations. In 2016, China’s development of robot density “was the most dynamic in the world” as per the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

Currently, China ranks at only 23rd in robot density worldwide, the government intends to put the country into the world’s top 10 most intensively automated nations by 2020, making China’s robot density more like 150 units per 10,000 workers, accounting for 40% of the global robotics sales.

Robotics and Business Estimates

According to IFR statistics, China is automating faster than any nation on Earth, despite left one place behind the UK in industrial robot density. With the recent developments and Government support, there is no doubt that China will easily leapfrog the UK to secure its place in the world top 10 by 2020. Beyond that, it would aim the top spot which is currently held by the tech leader South Korea.

China is on a robotics purchase spree. In 2016 alone, it purchased 66,000 industrial robots which are one-quarter of all the models sold worldwide in that year. Each industrial robot purchased is currently capable of doing work of 15 full-time human workers which means that China has effectively automated one million human jobs at present. The country aspires to build these robots itself and sell them to the world.

The Government Assistance

To achieve the objectives of Made in China, the Chinese government is investing heavily in its robotics and AI ambitions. The results have shown China’s dominance. At present, China has the many of the popular AI start-ups in the world including the SenseTime, Reis Robotics, Geek+ and many others. The Chinese market hosts over 6,500 companies into robotics manufacturing with major players like SIASUN and DJI Innovations.

Government incentives have also allowed Chinese companies to acquire Western robotics companies including the acquisition of KUKA, one of the world’s largest robot manufacturers, by the Midea Group. In a bid to become the Robotics superpower, in addition to regional clusters, China has more than 40 robotics focused industrial parks throughout the country.

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Women are redefining the boundaries set by age-old prejudices in almost every field. The arena of technology is no exception. The domain of technology is evolving every day owing to various entrepreneurs and inventors leading the way. In this backdrop, female entrepreneurs are making a significant contribution to the field of robotics. Women are altering the way humans will interact with robots in the future. From sophisticated drones to projecting and implementing symbiotic ideas, women are reshaping the future of the industry.

The following list shows few of the many pioneering women making their presence felt in the field of robotics.

Fei-Fei Li

Li is the chief scientist of artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning at Google Cloud. She has the objective of democratizing AI and leveraging its applications by keeping its diversity in mind. She also believes that given the potential of AI, basic research on AI should be carried out responsibly. The future of robotics is completely intertwined with AI now. Li believes that the key to an effective AI strategy is to enable it with smart vision, that is, a robot capable of reacting to external stimuli and factors, instead of just recording it.

She’s an associate professor at Stanford’s computer science department and the director of the University’s Artificial Intelligence and Vision laboratories. With over 150 scientific papers under her name, Li is a leading expert in this field. She also built an image dataset that deals with the latest developments in visual object recognition software research named ImageNet. She also advocates AI educational programs for underrepresented groups through AI4ALL.

Cynthia Breazeal

The founder as well as the Chief Scientist at Jibo, a personal robotics company, her focus is on personal robots that help people in their daily lives. In a world that majorly believes AI has the potential to surpass human intelligence and work against it, Cynthia’s objective is to create robots that will have an impact on the society by working closely with humans. Jibo is the prototype of such an objective. It is the world’s first family robot. It helps busy families to coordinate and connect with each other. It has an inbuilt recognition technology that recognizes the voice of the family members so that it can identify which member is speaking and assist her in the best way possible.

Owing to the social stigma, belief and unprecedented growth in the technological field, AI has been often stereotyped and associated with negative dimensions. Cynthia has been a path breaker in this context by being a harbinger of social robotics. She’s the founder and director of MIT Media Lab’s Personal Robots Group.

Helen Greiner

Greiner is the co-founder of iRobot and also the founder and former CTO of CyPhy Works. CyPhy Works is a prominent start-up specializing in making multi-purpose drones. Born and brought up in London, Greiner co-founded iRobot, which specializes in delivering robots to the consumer market. In her tenure, iRobot released several specialized military robots. She also bagged the Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Award for her innovative work at iRobots. Greiner was also inducted into Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2007.

Tessa Lau

Tessa Lau is the former CTO and Chief Robot Whisperer at the company Savioke that build sophisticated service robots. Lau led the software team and developed the first-generation Relay system. She has been named a 2017 Woman of Influence by The Silicon Valley Business Journal. Under her guidance, a new generation of bots has been created and delivered all across America in different hotels. She is a pioneer in the field of service robots.

Lydia E. Kavraki

Lydia is known for her pioneering works concerning paths for robots. A professor of Computer Science and Bioengineering at Rice University, Lydia is the developer of Probabilistic Roadmap Method (PRM), a system that uses randomizing and sampling-based motion planners to keep robots from crashing. The concept was a game-changer in the field of robotics. For robots to achieve any given objective, the first requirement is for it to be ambulatory. She has studied the field in depth, that is also reflected in her book Principles of Robot Motion. The computer scientist is currently a professor of Computer Science and Bioengineering at Rice University.

Ruth Schulz

Ruth along with her colleagues at the University of Queensland developed a pair of “lingodroids” that essentially facilitates communication among robots. Rather than just communicating amongst themselves, lingodroids help robots to “talk” with each other. Such concepts and context are getting attention from cognitive researchers like Ruth.

The above list points to the fact that these innovators have taken an approach to positively incorporate AI in fields as varied as robotics, finance, biomedical engineering and education. Instead of working against humans, these innovators are facilitating and inventing robots that are conducive to human race advancement and growth. The future of robotics and the human race looks bright with women breaking the shackles to come forward and lead the way ahead.

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Through pattern recognition, your digital footprints caused by frequent visits to the e-commerce sites, keep a track of your online search to offer you results based on historical your search preferences. Thus probability is bright that the holiday package you were just browsing online may come with a buy option at different web pages that you visit later. Such is the power of Technology!

Leveraging Robotic Vision

Computer Vision and Robotic Vision (also called Robot Vision) are the two most impressive inventions in the field of AI. Many perceive more often than usual, these two entities to be the same. However, there are major differences between these two futuristic vision technologies. Robotic vision powers robotics while computer vision is the technology behind image recognition.

Robot Vision at its core is a combination of multitudes of cameras, computer algorithms and other hardware components that work together to provide visual insights to the robot or machine they cater to. It is the Robot Vision that helps any robot to accomplish complex tasks requiring a visual understanding of its surroundings. For instance, it is the Robot Vision techniques that guide a machine or a robotic arm to pick an object and place it somewhere as per requirements. Imagine a scenario where sensors and cameras detect an object placed on an elevated height which is subsequently lifted up by the robotic arm deploying complex Robot Vision algorithms. For object detection the Robot is teamed with the ordinary 2D cameras if the situation is more complex like the robotic arm has to mount its wheels on a moving vehicle, advanced 3D Stereo Cameras are used. The process of robotic vision works in two simple steps:

1. Imaging: In this process, the robot uses vision technology for scanning or “seeing” objects. The robot can scan two-dimensional things including barcode scanning and line scanning, in addition to the X-ray imaging and 3D imaging for inspection purposes.

2. Image Processing: Image processing follows Imaging process. After object detection, the robot processes it or starts to think about it. For instance, the robot finds the presence of an obstruction and detects edges, discovers and manipulates objects according to its programming, counts pixels, and recognizes patterns.

Talking in the crux, a Robot would apparently be blind if there was no Robot Vision technology to show the way. Essentially, robot vision is a sophisticated technology helping an automated robot, to identify things, navigate, find objects, and inspect things along its way. Robot vision deploys a series of carefully-calibrated algorithms, temperature detection sensors that come with a varying range of complexity and application.

This innovative and path-breaking technology has the potential to cut operating costs to create practical application solutions for all types of automation. Robots working side by side, with robotic vision technology, would not collide with each other performing a series of different tasks like measuring, reading barcodes and scanners, inspecting engine parts, surface inspection and packaging, checking the orientation of components and pieces and inspecting for defects among others.

The Potential of Computer Vision

Computer Vision is a component of Artificial Intelligence aiming to render advanced visual capabilities to computers through camera hardware and complex algorithms. Computer Vision primarily deals with image recognition. The method begins with the initial extraction of useful information from the different videos and digital images. This information is further processed and analysed usually with the help of webcams, by acquiring high-dimensional data from the real world. This data is finally processed to generate symbolic information powering the computer to take important decisions. Further, Computer vision is categorised into various subfields which include object pose estimation, image restoration object recognition, video tracking and event detection.

The latest advances in Computer Vision have enabled nearly 300 million visually impaired people around the world to see what the sighted often take for granted, any number of the nearly 2 billion photos which are uploaded onto Facebook on a daily basis. Computer vision is additionally deployed by consumer offerings, social media platforms, law enforcement agencies, and industrial production houses.

Computer vision and Robotic vision have already entered our lives and businesses in ways many of us may not be aware of improving the quality of our lives with each passing day.

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The Fourth Industrial Revolution, marked by disruptive changes in artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, nanotechnology, and 3-D printing, will be a game changer not only to business models but also to labour markets in the years to come, with enormous skill additions predicted to be imperative to thrive in the new rapidly changing landscape.

The greater adoption of automation, artificial intelligence and robotics, will be a boon for businesses with an impactful global change. In a recent report by the Future of Jobs, employment opportunities will be created in tune of an estimated 2.1 million in more specialised areas such as engineering, math, architecture and computing attributed to automation. Jobs created will be within the highly-skilled areas primarily suited to scientists and engineers giving greater pressure for companies and countries to find new talent and train employees to use digital and automation tools promoting the digital workplace culture.

Countries Spearheading Change

The world is preparing for a digital change and the top nations running the race to finish at the top levels for robotics and artificial intelligence are Germany, Singapore and South Korea. According to the Automation Readiness Index: Who Is Ready for the Coming Wave of Innovation report based on a newly created index by The Economist Intelligence Unit, rankings of 25 countries are determined on 52 different category indicators like labour market policies, innovation environments and education policies.

The other countries in the top list include Japan, the US, Australia, Canada, Estonia, France, and the UK. The Republic of China often thought of as a leader in robotics and AI space was ranked No. 12 on the list. Of late massive investments have been made by countries on AI and robotics research to beat each other in the race to finish. The report asserted that South Korea and Japan have spent hundreds of millions of dollars towards public and private sector organizations. On the contrary, in Germany, much of the digital spending is dedicated to the Internet of Things research, data analytics and manufacturing sector.

Investment patterns change from the structure of economies, there is still a large gap separating high-income countries with those from middle- and lower-income brackets. Lower income countries that have agriculture-based economies are less exposed than middle-income countries hosting startups and giants who have embraced technological change.

The Global Competitiveness

Another benchmark pointing to the countries running top and struggling behind come from the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report that takes a look of 98 indicators across 140 countries to determine the overall ranking of countries in the global ease of doing business. Each indicator deploys a scale from 0 to 100, to signify how close an economy ranks in global competitiveness. The rankings are based on indicators organised into 12 pillars, such as infrastructure, health, skills, institution and financial systems.

The 2018 rankings released by the World Economic Firm used a new methodology to fully capture new emerging dynamics fuelling the global economy like diversity, reskilling, workers rights and press freedom, with 1 being the least score and 7 being the highest possible score to determine which countries are best or worst prepared to tackle technological changes. When the scoring results were out, no country scored over 6.0, however, Finland was the only country reaching the top score and claimed the number one position. The US took the second place with 5.7, and a host of countries were placed within the 5.0 range. Out of the 137 countries analysed and ranked in this sub-index, only 15 managed to score a 5.0 and over, indicating an increasing skills gap in the workforce. Countries that stood at the bottom are some of the poorer nations, where poverty is still prevalent and development is still a fancy.

The Ease and the Bottom of Doing Business

While Finland stays on the top, followed by the US, India’s favourable demographic has earned it a rank of 58 among 140 countries in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) latest global competitiveness index. While India’s current ranking is 18 places down from last year (#40), the WEF has clarified that the 2018 index is based on a number of new factors such as labour rights, workforce diversity, disruptive businesses and e-governance. India’s stronghold is the largest gain among all G20 economies making the country a leader among the South Asian economies. Indian companies can access the third largest market in the world, credits to the rich demographic yields, the country lies in the bottom 20 countries in, trade tariffs, female participation in the labour force and terrorism incidence.

The emerging technologies are here to stay and sooner a country adopts, the richer dividends it can earn catapulting its economy to new heights never seen before.

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Have you called a family member or a friend and after exchanging a couple of words you know exactly who you are and your friend are planning to talk about? On the contrary, when we call and speak with an automated customer service center the same experience is not felt. When we speak to a computer technology, it determines the words we speak and based on these words the computer decides how to respond to our queries.

So, when we speak with a computer, we expect technology to better understand human conversation outside the spoken communication. Which words were emphasized to indicate what is important, what about the emotions, time crunch, or available time to be spoken in a conversation? What about noises in the background and the response of the virtual assistant? Welcome to the exciting world of audio analytics which can help to bridge this gap by learning the characteristics of human speech and the environment of communication.

Deep Audio Analytics beyond the Earth Frontiers

In space, the mechanical equipment screaming cannot be heard by anyone, unless, it is a pressurized environment with a microphone array availability nearby. Bosh and American space logistics company Astrobotic Technology Inc. will soon send roving robots into space and plan to test experimental sensor technology powered to assess how mechanical systems are running just by listening. This research will take place on board the International Space Station (ISS) and could commence as early as May 2019.

The joint Bosch and Astrobotic research adds a bit of scientific repeatability to that idea, Bosch’s SoundSee technology deploys an array of machine learning and microphones to study information contained in noises emitted from machinery aboard the ISS. SoundSee’s analytics determines whether audio data may be used to refine and upgrade the operations of the space station.

Dr. Samarjit Das, principal researcher at Bosch Research and Technology Center in Pittsburgh, asserts that machines like pumps and motors emit noise signatures while they operate and SoundSee’s AI algorithm uses machine learning to analyse the subtle acoustic clues to determine whether a machine, or even a single component of a machine, needs replacements or repairs. The equipment post the testing phase will be mounted on NASA’s Astrobee robot, which is an autonomous free-flying vehicle built by Astrobotic programmed to navigate the internal chambers of the ISS.

Dr. Joseph Szurley, a Bosch research scientist on the project adds that, for some time Bosch has been interested to use audio analytics to monitor critical machines and equipment, such as HVAC systems or car engines. The International Space Station (ISS) will allow technology to study how these techniques can extend to even more challenging and unique environments.

About the Project

Bosch in North America and Astrobotic Technology Inc. have together collaborated to a research partnership aimed to send experimental sensor technology to the ISS as early as May 2019. Bosch’s SoundSee technology is a deep audio analytics capability deploying a custom array of machine learning and microphones to analyse information contained in emitted noises. Adding to the conversation, Dr. Andrew Horchler, Astrobotic lead project engineer says that the support from NASA has been critical in catering to the requirements and feedback that have contributed to the design and operational plans to understand the challenges of sending a hardware payload to the ISS.

On the ISS, space researchers will collect data to send it back to the Earth for Bosch’s experts for a study. As research progresses, the team will adjust to operational routines and update the software to improve data-collection results. Jon Macoskey, research engineer at Bosch and lead payload designer for the project asserts that this data should allow them to gain insights into the state of the space station. The long-term goal is to show how anomalies can be detected in the operation of the station and return that intelligence to crewmembers or ground control. This research holds promise for numerous crewed spacecraft and terrestrial applications, including missions to the Mars and the Moon.

The SoundSee project has been into development stages since the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) has approved funding for launch costs and astronaut time aboard the space station earlier this year. CASIS is an organization tasked by NASA to manage the ISS U.S. National Laboratory. The SoundSee payload will soon launch to the ISS as a part of NASA’s Astrobee robot, programmed to be delivered on a future commercial resupply services mission.

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