http://www.communistrobot.com/
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Stanford University has assembled a team of 30+ researchers and several college professors to create an advanced robotic maid. The project is part of the schools STAIR program and has already achieved the first of its four major objectives. Using a webcam and a proprietary algorithm, the STAIR bot is now able to analyze an unknown object and decide how to pick it up based on past experiences. It does so by querying an onboard database to locate similar objects and combining reference information to form a grasping strategy.
The next steps for the STAIR bot will be significantly more difficult, as the robot is intended to be able to clean up after a party (including loading the dishwasher), assemble a piece of furniture from IKEA using multiple tools (screwdriver, hammer, pliers, etc.), and guide guests around an active area where things change daily while answering questions and keeping track of the entire group.
While the team still has a long way to go they are optimistic about the progress made so far. Stanford has a good track record with robotics, having created Shakey, the first autonomous robot back in 1966, and more recently winning the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge. With funding from the National Science Foundation, DARPA and industrial technology companies Intel, Honda, Ricoh, and Google, this project is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2006/november8/ng-110806.html
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Stanford University has assembled a team of 30+ researchers and several college professors to create an advanced robotic maid. The project is part of the schools STAIR program and has already achieved the first of its four major objectives. Using a webcam and a proprietary algorithm, the STAIR bot is now able to analyze an unknown object and decide how to pick it up based on past experiences. It does so by querying an onboard database to locate similar objects and combining reference information to form a grasping strategy.
The next steps for the STAIR bot will be significantly more difficult, as the robot is intended to be able to clean up after a party (including loading the dishwasher), assemble a piece of furniture from IKEA using multiple tools (screwdriver, hammer, pliers, etc.), and guide guests around an active area where things change daily while answering questions and keeping track of the entire group.
While the team still has a long way to go they are optimistic about the progress made so far. Stanford has a good track record with robotics, having created Shakey, the first autonomous robot back in 1966, and more recently winning the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge. With funding from the National Science Foundation, DARPA and industrial technology companies Intel, Honda, Ricoh, and Google, this project is definitely worth keeping an eye on.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2006/november8/ng-110806.html
