Connect the Dots: Stop Killing Your Yield—The Hidden Cost of Design Oversights
Global PCB Connections: A Field Engineer’s Perspective on the Top 10 Trends to Watch
Target Condition: Designing vs. Inventing
New Robot Set to Save Lives, Cut CO2, Support Construction
June 8, 2021 | Heriot-Watt UniversityEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
A robot made famous by dancing on YouTube is set to help save lives and cut carbon dioxide emissions by supporting hazardous environment research at the National Robotarium, based at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.
The robot is part of the 'Spot' range created by Boston Dynamics.
Experts at the National Robotarium, a world-leading research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence, will use the new hardware to carry out research into how robots can support humans in hazardous environments like offshore energy inspection and disaster recovery.
The £60,000 robot will be fitted with “telexistence” technology, which lets humans experience an environment without being there, using devices like microphones and cameras to relay sounds and videos.
Children in the area covered by the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal are also being given the chance to name the robot, which will then visit the winning school.
Professor Yvan Petillot, professor of robotics and autonomous systems at Heriot-Watt University and co-academic lead of the National Robotarium, said: “Fitting this robot with our telexistence technology means we can carry out a range of experiments.
“We can test how the robot can help and support people working in hazardous environments, including oil and gas platforms and oil refineries.
“In search and rescue operations or following accidents, Spot robots fitted with our sensors could monitor a casualty’s vital signs and transmit images and sounds back to a hospital, allowing doctors to offer advice on treatment or decide when it’s safe to move a patient.
“Robots of this design can climb over rubble, walk up and down stairs, and cope with hazards like dust and rain. These features will prove very useful as we develop more ways to ensure robots can help keep people safe and save companies money.”
Dr Sen Wang, an associate professor at Heriot-Watt University and robotics and autonomous systems lead at the National Robotarium, added: “Through a project with the ORCA Hub, the first application for our research with this new robot will be supporting the construction industry. We are going to fit lidar to our robot, which is similar to radar but uses light instead of radio waves.
“That will allow the robot to build up a picture of its surroundings while spotting obstacles like rubble on construction sites.
“Our Spot, however, is unique. We have set it up to be a moving data collector and data centre, equipped with advanced telepresence solutions. When we deploy it on construction sites, it will collect and measure in real time, relaying the data to multiple experts at once, all around the world. This means construction companies, regardless of their location, can benefit from worldwide expertise. Using Spot in this way has the potential to speed up the construction process, reduce costs of re-work, detect hazards, increase efficiency and improve quality control.”
Read the original article, here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Wistron Announces 2024 Financials and BOD Results
02/27/2025 | WistronWistron Corp. held a Board of Directors meeting and announced its financial results for 2024. The company reported consolidated revenue of NTD 1,049 billion, operating income of NTD 38,980 million, profit before tax (PBT) of NTD 40,057 million, and profit after tax (PAT) of NTD 17,439 million, with earnings per share (EPS) of NTD 6.11.
U.S. Department of Commerce Announces CHIPS Incentives Awards with Corning, Edwards Vacuum, and Infinera
01/21/2025 | U.S. Department of CommerceThe U.S. Department of Commerce announced it finalized three separate awards under the CHIPS Incentives Program’s Funding Opportunity for Commercial Fabrication Facilities.
Texas Instruments Announces Award Agreement for CHIPS and Science Act Funding
12/25/2024 | Texas InstrumentsTexas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) and the U.S. Department of Commerce today announced an award agreement of up to $1.6 billion in direct funding through the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, following the preliminary memorandum of terms announced in August 2024.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Bosch to Advance U.S. Supply Chain Resiliency of Crucial Semiconductor Manufacturing Components
12/13/2024 | U.S. Department of CommerceThe Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Bosch have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $225 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act.
From Construction Work to PCB Design in Under a Year
11/27/2024 | Andy Shaughnessy, Design007 MagazineAt the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show in October, I had the opportunity to talk with some new PCB designers, including Jon Smith of Frontgrade Aethercomm. During the Anaheim show, John Watson, a PCB design instructor at Palomar College, led a panel of his past and present students, including Jon, who shared his story of switching from a construction career to PCB design in a matter of months, courtesy of Watson’s Palomar College design curriculum.