How Robots Are Revolutionizing
Our World
(Article 1)
From healthcare and homecare, to military use and emergency response, robots are fast becoming a
fixture in our lives. A number of T. Rowe Price's analysts are closely following their every move, and one
of them spoke recently about the latest innovations and opportunities in robotics, as well as where we
might see them making an impact next.
RHETT K. HUNTER FOR T. ROWE PRICE Mar 21, 2013
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For years now, robots have worked tirelessly in the shadows to increase or enhance the
productivity of humans. Until recently, however, the futuristic, sci-fi-inspired vision of robotic
technology has largely remained disconnected from the glamourless utilitarian role it's played in
manufacturing. But robotic technology has now advanced to the point where we're truly starting
to see it move into many new areas of the economy.
THE TWO PHASES OF ROBOTICS
The evolution of robotics can be divided roughly into two phases. In the first phase, we saw
electric machines that were programmed to perform specific tasks but otherwise didn't really
interact with the real world, such as those we've seen in automotive manufacturing for years.
Japanese companies were early to market with the industrial robots used in many areas today,
including auto manufacturing, distribution centers, foundries, pharmaceutical packaging, and
many others.
There's a publicly traded Japanese company called FANUC that actually has a fairly robust
portfolio of industrial automation robots. Their blade profiling systems, for instance, are used to
finely sharpen and finish critical metal parts for gas turbines used by aerospace and energy
manufacturers. Some of their other systems are used on a production line to hold, move, and
precisely place extremely heavy objects with the same delicate care and relative ease that a
person might use to put a carton of eggs into the refrigerator.
Industrial robots have progressively become more and more sophisticated. But the potential for
much broader industrial and consumer acceptance is tied to the development and advances
occurring in the second phase of the robotics evolution, which we're in the early days of right
now. These robots aren't simply programmed to perform repetitive tasks--they can absorb data,
recognize objects, and respond to information and objects in their environment with greater
accuracy.
The Japanese were leaders and early adopters when it came to industrial robotics, but now we're
seeing more activity and innovation coming from companies in the U.S. and Europe as well. And
we expect robotics to eventually touch every industry and evolve into a truly global opportunity
with a worldwide landscape of players over time.
ROBOTS ARE MODERNIZING HEALTHCARE
One great thing about robotics is that when you are aware of it, you know that it's improving
your life. Cultural acceptance is really key here, and our ability to touch and interact with the
robots is important. There are a number of areas in the global economy where people might
actually be surprised to learn about the participation of robots.
For example, people have talked about the concept of self-driving cars for decades. If you
happen to drive anywhere near San Francisco, you'll probably end up driving next to one made
by Google; I have, several times. When you see one, you know what you're looking at, but I
don't think that anyone expected to be commuting alongside self-driving cars in a public corridor
so soon-- and yet we are. And of course there is iRobot's Roomba home robot vacuum cleaner,
which has now sold more than 7 million units in over 50 countries worldwide. There is even a
neat start-up company called Romotive that has developed a small, mobile robotic platform that
uses your iPhone as its "brain."
There are many ways that robots are increasingly being used to modernize healthcare and related
services. Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci surgical robots are used by doctors in the U.S. as the
standard of care to perform minimally invasive prostatectomies. They're also used here, and to a
lesser extent around the world, to perform hysterectomies, lung surgery, and certain cardiac, ear,
nose, and throat procedures, too.
Another great example comes from iRobot, a company whose RP-VITA clinical remote presence
robot utilizes a mounted iPad to allow offsite specialists to interact with patients and administer
care. This platform enables doctors and practitioners to administer more personalized services
than would be available through the web or stand-alone kiosks. Eventually these robots might
make their way into patients' own homes, or other locations like elderly care facilities, just as
robotic home vacuum cleaners and floor washing units are today.
MILITARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY ARE BURGEONING MARKETS
One sector that has significantly increased its adoption of robotics is the military, where they've
essentially gone from zero ground robots in 2002 to over 5,000 ground robots today. The
expectation is that over time robots will be used more and more for reconnaissance, battlefield
support, and sentry duty. This is in addition to the tasks commonly associated with them now,
such as the detection and disposal of explosive devices, or radar tracking and missile defense.
These robots will be fully autonomous, enable remote awareness, and be capable of going places,
determining what's happening in their environment, and transmitting information about it as
needed. There's every expectation that they will operate close to military personnel in the field
and act as a force multiplier.
Similarly, we expect to see robots make an impact in the public safety area. The adoption of
modern information technology within the first responder community has been lagging behind
other segments, but with the FirstNet initiative (a single, nationwide interoperable public safety
broadband network being built and operated to help police, firefighters, emergency medical
service professionals and other public safety officials perform their jobs and stay safe) becoming
viable, there are a number of robotics companies--established firms and startups--ready to
provide robotic products that can help make a difference.
For instance, there are several companies pursuing the concept of quadrocopters to be used in
emergency response situations for military and commercial applications. These are unmanned,
remote-controlled flying drones that can serve as reconnaissance tools to provide real-time
assessments and monitor dangerous situations. Another similar idea is iRobot's throwable
surveillance robot concept. Imagine a five-pound robot with cameras and sensors that emergency
personnel can literally toss into a burning building or a hostage situation and, through the use of
a tablet, immediately have on-the-ground situational awareness and two-way communications
capabilities with people on site, without putting lives at risk.
INNOVATION MUST BE BALANCED AGAINST SCALE AND PROFITABILITY
The development of robots is a multi-disciplinary exercise, which is why you tend to see a lot of
the real cutting-edge innovation come out of academia--academic researchers aren't held captive
by the need to generate profitable growth, and they aren't subject to conference calls around
quarterly earnings. One such academic program that comes to mind is the University of
Pennsylvania's General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception (GRASP) Lab, where
they are doing some really interesting work on autonomous quadrocopters that utilize a control
system and sensors to fly indoors as well as outdoors.
People in academia can come up with incredibly innovative robots that look really neat, but the
challenge is to take an innovative idea and turn it into a physical product that can be
manufactured for profit. It is very difficult, however, to bring an innovative concept to market,
protect the intellectual property, create a distribution model, build a brand, identify customers,
and find the right price point based on the market.
As a firm, we own iRobot and have followed the company for quite some time. They're a "rule
breaker" in the robotics space, having scaled into a half-billion dollar revenue business--a good
amount of that is driven by sales of home robots, like their vacuum-cleaning Roomba and floorcleaning Scooba robots, and is complimented by sales of unmanned ground robots to the defense
and security sectors.
One thing we like about their approach is that they apply the necessary financial rigor to the
markets in the projects they pursue while remaining innovative. One project they previously
worked on (but ceased because it was difficult to make the numbers work) was a robotic sea
turtle, called the Transphibian. It had fins that enabled it to swim and maneuver in both shallow
and deep water, and even crawl along the bottom of the ocean. They have also worked on "robot
slime" for the government, which mechanically oozes like actual slime mold as it climbs up
walls and across ceilings, and also on robots that have a softer, human-like grip...much softer
than, say, the robots on the manufacturing line.
I think we will see much broader acceptance of robots when concepts evolve from being neat
prototype ideas to real products that make a profound impact in people's lives. These will be
robots that help us do things better, faster, and with greater knowledge about the world around
us. Ironically, they might even help us improve relationships we have with other people in
remote locations, making us more human in the process.
ARTICLE #2: NASA’S EXOSKELETON IN SPACE
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/home/feature_exoskeleton.html
NASA's Ironman-Like Exoskeleton Could Give Astronauts, Paraplegics Improved Mobility and
Strength August 2, 2013
Project Engineer Roger Rovekamp demonstrates the X1 Robotic Exoskeleton for resistive
exercise, rehabilitation and mobility augmentation in the Advanced Robotics Development Lab.
Marvel Comic's fictional superhero, Ironman, uses a
powered armor suit that allows him superhuman strength.
While NASA's X1 robotic exoskeleton can't do what you
see in the movies, the latest robotic, space technology,
spinoff derived from NASA's Robonaut 2 project may
someday help astronauts stay healthier in space with the
added benefit of assisting paraplegics in walking here on
Earth.
NASA and The Florida Institute for Human and Machine
Cognition (IHMC) of Pensacola, Fla., with the help of
engineers from Oceaneering Space Systems of Houston,
have jointly developed a robotic exoskeleton called X1. The
57-pound device is a robot that a human could wear over his
or her body either to assist or inhibit movement in leg joints.
In the inhibit mode, the robotic device would be used as an
in-space exercise machine to supply resistance against leg
movement. The same technology could be used in reverse
on the ground, potentially helping some individuals walk for the first time.
"Robotics is playing a key role aboard the International Space Station and will continue to be
critical as we move toward human exploration of deep space," said Michael Gazarik, director of
NASA's Space Technology Program. "What's extraordinary about space technology and our
work with projects like Robonaut are the unexpected possibilities space tech spinoffs may have
right here on Earth. It's exciting to see a NASA-developed technology that might one day help
people with serious ambulatory needs begin to walk again, or even walk for the first time. That's
the sort of return on investment NASA is proud to give back to America and the world."
Worn over the legs with a harness that reaches up the back and around the shoulders, X1 has 10
degrees of freedom, or joints - four motorized joints at the hips and the knees, and six passive
joints that allow for sidestepping, turning and pointing, and flexing a foot. There also are
multiple adjustment points, allowing the X1 to be used in many different ways.
X1 currently is in a research and development phase, where the primary focus is design,
evaluation and improvement of the technology. NASA is examining the potential for the X1 as
an exercise device to improve crew health both aboard the space station and during future longduration missions to an asteroid or Mars. Without taking up valuable space or weight during
missions, X1 could replicate common crew exercises, which are vital to keeping astronauts
healthy in microgravity. In addition, the device has the ability to measure, record and stream
back, in real-time, data to flight controllers on Earth, giving doctors better feedback on the
impact of the crew's exercise regimen.
As the technology matures, X1 also could provide a robotic power boost to astronauts as they
work on the surface of distant planetary bodies. Coupled with a spacesuit, X1 could provide
additional force when needed during surface exploration, improving the ability to walk in a
reduced gravity environment, providing even more bang for its small bulk.
Here on Earth, IHMC is interested in developing and using X1 as an assistive walking device. By
combining NASA technology and walking algorithms developed at IHMC, X1 has the potential
to produce high torques to allow for assisted walking over varied terrain, as well as stair
climbing. Preliminary studies using X1 for this purpose have already started at IHMC.
"We greatly value our collaboration with NASA," said Ken Ford, IHMC's director and CEO.
"The X1's high-performance capabilities will enable IHMC to continue performing cutting-edge
research in mobility assistance while expanding into the field of rehabilitation."
The potential of X1 extends to other applications, including rehabilitation, gait modification and
offloading large amounts of weight from the wearer. Preliminary studies by IHMC have shown
X1 to be more comfortable, easier to adjust, and easier to put on than previous exoskeleton
devices. Researchers plan on improving on the X1 design, adding more active joints to areas
such as the ankle and hip, which will, in turn, increase the potential uses for the device.
Designed in only a few years, X1 came from technology developed for Robonaut 2 and IHMC's
Mina exoskeleton.
NASA's Game Changing Development Program, part of NASA's Space Technology Program,
funds the X1 work. NASA's Space Technology Program focuses on maturing advanced space
technologies that may lead to entirely new approaches for space missions and solutions to
significant national needs.
ARTICLE #3: NEW MATERIAL COULD MAKE ROBOT MUSCLES BETTER,
FASTER, STRONGER
http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/20/new-material-could-make-robot-muscles-better-fasterstronger/
(and VIDEO, 50sec)
There's already been countless advances in the always
exciting field of robot muscles, but a team of researchers
from the University of Texas have now made what
appears to be a considerable leap forward, which they
say could allow for "performance characteristics that
have not previously been obtained." The key to that is an
entirely new material comprised of ribbons of tangled
nanotubes, which can expand its width by 220% when a
voltage is applied and return to its original shape in just
milliseconds when the voltage is removed. What's more, the material is not only "stronger than
steel and stiffer than diamond," but it's able to withstand an extreme range of temperatures from 196 °C to 1538 °C, which could allow robots equipped with the muscles to operate with ease in a
wide variety of off-world colonies, er, "harsh environments." Head on past the break for a
demonstration of the material in its non-robot form.
ARTICLE #4: HOW ROBOTIC APPENDAGES WORK
http://human-meets-robot.wikispaces.com/How+Robotic+Appendages+Work
Robotic News
On page 337 in the Biological Psychology textbook written by S. Marc Breedlove, Mark R.
Rosenzweig, and Neil V. Watson, an excerpt titled "Cortical Neurons Control Movements of a
Robotic Arm" describes how signals from a motor cortex of a rat can control one-dimensional
robotic arm movements, which parallel the rat's own arm movement.
It seems that reality trumps classic science fiction as new research takes the bionic arms of the
Six Million Dollar Man
According to the Daily Mail, two patients have successfully undergone a surgical procedure that
links the advanced prosthetic to the absent limb's nerves and reroutes the nerves to the upper
torso, where they grow toward the skin surface. While the redirected nerves make th from
fantasy to feasibility. Scientists from the United States have developed an artificial hand and a
groundbreaking surgical technique that work in tandem and promise to restore the sense of touch
to amputees.e patients feel sensations from their "hands" on their chest, researchers suggest that
the technique may be manipulated to offer amputees the hope of replacing lost appendages with
artificial arms that simulate feelings of pressure and pain.
The patients, Claudia Mitchell, an ex-US Marine, and Jesse Sullivan, now wear the most
advanced prostheses in the world after the surgery conducted by the Rehabilitation Institute of
Chicago's Dr. Todd Kuiken. The surgical technique, dubbed targeted reinnervation (TR),
promises to revolutionize the treatment options for amputees. Researchers hope that within a few
years such prosthetic limbs may be available on a wide scale.
Equally important to the prospect of returning sensation to patients is that the treatment returns
limb mobility as well. Indeed, scientists envision bionic arms available to all amputees that not
only transmit sensory impressions to their wearers, but whose movement is controlled by their
owner's thoughts. Ms. Mitchell is the first beneficiary of such a vision, boasting that she not only
feels pain and pressure from her new arm (on her chest), but that she can peel a banana and cut
steak too. The movement is made possible by the redirected nerves near the skin surface that
send electrical signals to sensors on her chest and are picked up by the artificial appendage.
How Does a Prosthetic Hand Work?
By Kristie Karns
Static and Dynamic Prosthetics
1. A static prosthesis is one that does not use electronics in order to function. A good
example would be the old fashioned hook which is designed so that two metal hooks
come together to grasp an object. The user cannot feel anything at the hook end, therefore
they must watch what they are doing at all times. By contrast, a dynamic prosthesis, or
one that uses electronics to function, can be made to resemble a real hand, both in
outward appearance and in the movement of the fingers. Some older varieties of
electronic prosthetic devices are operated by the movement of remaining arm muscles,
the result of which is that the hand opens and closes and the wrist turns to grasp and lift
objects. These hands generally operate with all the fingers moving together with no
independent movement.
Sensors and Electrodes
1. There are even some prosthetic hands that use sensors to detect hot and cold sensations
and transmit these signals to electrodes that are attached to the wearer's skin. Many of
these same hands can move the thumb, index and middle fingers independently of the
others, to make a more flexible and natural looking hand. The patient can be trained in
the use of these prostheses to the point where the new hand becomes second nature and
he is able to do much of what he would have been able to do with two good hands,
including typing, holding slender objects like cardboard and paper and lifting relatively
heavy objects.
Myoelectric Signals and Computerized Motors
1. Prosthetic hands are operated by myoelectric signals from the remainder of the natural
arm, using electrodes which carry signals that guide five tiny computerized motors to
enable the hand to move. The newest, most modern of these hands can wiggle all five
fingers independently, grasp items in a fist and basically do everything that a natural hand
can do. Unlike the older models the new prosthetic hands are designed to have a softer,
more natural feel and appearance and are generally matched to the patient's natural skin
color to be as unobtrusive as possible. Batteries are used to run the motors inside the
fingers and wrist
ARTICLE #5: BETTER, FASTER, AND CHEAPER – THESE ROBOTS ARE
INVADING CAR MANUFACTURING PLANTS
http://singularityhub.com/2012/05/04/better-faster-and-cheaper-these-robots-are-invading-carmanufacturing-plants/
(and VIDEO, 2min51sec)
Does anyone doubt that it really is just a matter
of time before human assembly line workers are
a thing of the past? And automakers are doing
their best to gain a competitive edge by
roboticizing their manufacturing plants. Here’s
a glimpse of some of the robots that have
recently stepped onto the assembly line floor.
When Ford’s 2013 Escape hits the road later
this year, it’s a safe bet that no one will notice
just how precisely it’s parts are put together,
compared to past models. The improved
assemblage is due to a group of robots which
use lasers and cameras to fit windshields, door
panels, and fenders together more closely. When installing a windshield, a robot deposits
adhesive evenly around the glass border, then uses a suction cup to move and secure it. Gaps
between pieces are smaller, which makes for a more aerodynamic and quieter ride due to
decreased wind noise.
The 2013 Escape is their first US-manufactured car to benefit from the seeing-eye robots. Ford
had already been using the robots at their manufacturing plants in Europe but only recently
installed 700 of them at their Louisville, Kentucky plant. The robots raise the quality of assembly
to “custom-like build,” Ford engineer Thomas Burns said in a press release. The robots also give
a boost to the all important bottom line by saving energy and reducing the physical strain exerted
by their human co-workers.
And if you have laser-vision robots, you might as well use them to inspect their own handiwork.
Check out Ford’s incredible robots in the following video. You can almost sense an awareness
behind their scrutinizing inspection.
Ford cars will also have nicer coats to show off their improved assembly. The company is
bringing 88 new robots to apply paint and sealer to vehicles. By getting rid of all the humans in
paint zones the plant saves money by minimizing the need for climate and air current control.
And Ford isn’t completely automation-centric with their robotic upgrades. Last year the
company bought robotic arms that turn their assembly workers into ergonomic cyborgs. Made by
Equipois Inc., the X-Ar arms are wearable exoskeletons that bear the weight of the workers’
arms as they repeatedly grab small objects and assemble them. The X-Ars not only reduce
fatigue and risk of ergonomic injury, but they increase manual dexterity and, ultimately,
productivity.
GM is doing their part to keep up with their competitors by adopting their own robotic
appendage. With the help of NASA, the carmaker developed a robotic glove that, like the X-Ar,
reduces the stress of repetitive motions on the assembly line. The so-called Human Grasp Assist
Device, or Robo-Glove, is still a prototype. The arm comes with sensors, actuators, and
simulated nerves, muscles and tendons that give its wearers an additional 10 pounds of bionic
grip force while using tools. Robo-Glove is a spinoff of NASA’s humanoid robot, Robonaut 2,
that is a permanent member of the International Space Station crew lending a helping hand with
dangerous or mundane tasks.
Always at the forefront of increased efficiency through technology, China opened an automotive
plant last August in Tianjin that is perhaps the most advanced in the world. The plant, belonging
to Chinese automaker Great Wall Motors, has 30 workstations occupied by 27 robots that
perform more than 4,000 high-precision welding operations. The robots are so fast they can
complete the welding of an entire Haval SUV in just 86 seconds. On the assembly line, more
than many other places, time is money.
The master welders are actually a team of two types of robot, the IRB 6640 and IRB 7600, made
by Swedish-Swiss robotics giant ABB Robotics. The IRB 7600 acts as the 6640’s assistant,
holding panels and other equipment in place while IRB 6640 welds the parts together. The IRB
6640 is packing servo-driven welding guns which are 25 percent faster than traditional,
pneumatic welding guns. What’s more, the robots are flexible enough to weld different car
models.
Of course, automanufacturing plants aren’t the only ones being taken over by robots. Right now
there are over 190,000 ABB robots in automotive factories worldwide, and last year ABB
unveiled FRIDA, the two-armed, headless concept robot that’s meant to do what human
assembly line workers can to, but do it better. FRIDA’s small size and 7 degrees-of-freedom
arms makes for easy installation and flexibility to do whatever a particular manufacturing plant
needs it to do.
Up 30 percent from 2010, robot sales exceeded all expectations last year, according to the
International Federation of Robotics. Increased demand from places like China, where
manufacturing is expanding, and lowered costs make it easier and more sensible for companies
to replace their human workers with robotic ones. Maybe we should stop worrying about the
robot apocalypse and start worrying about the human apocalypse that could result from so many
factory workers out of the job.