This Robotic Arm Can Calculate the Path of Moving Objects & Catch Them
Rahul Kalvapalle — May 13, 2014 — Tech
References: actu.epfl.ch & gizmag
Researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have developed a robotic arm that can catch moving objects thrown at it in just a fraction of the second. The robot process the path of the object and intercepts it at blistering speed.
The team used a method known as 'programming by instruction' to teach the robotic arm to catch. The team showed the robot possible trajectories that objects might take before manually and repeatedly moving the 1.5-meter robotic arm to the point at which it could catch a projected target. This form of teaching, which is inspired by how humans themselves learn, allows the robot to learn how to catch and apply it in practice. The robot uses cameras located all around it to build a real-time 3D model which it uses to calculate object trajectories.
Aside from looking incredibly cool, this technology has a lot of potentially important applications. It could be used in construction sites for example to catch people that are in danger of falling or catch objects that may fall onto people.
The team used a method known as 'programming by instruction' to teach the robotic arm to catch. The team showed the robot possible trajectories that objects might take before manually and repeatedly moving the 1.5-meter robotic arm to the point at which it could catch a projected target. This form of teaching, which is inspired by how humans themselves learn, allows the robot to learn how to catch and apply it in practice. The robot uses cameras located all around it to build a real-time 3D model which it uses to calculate object trajectories.
Aside from looking incredibly cool, this technology has a lot of potentially important applications. It could be used in construction sites for example to catch people that are in danger of falling or catch objects that may fall onto people.
Trend Themes
1. Robotic Catching - The development of a robotic arm that can catch moving objects opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in industries like logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing.
2. Real-time 3D Modeling - The use of cameras and real-time 3D modeling to calculate object trajectories presents disruptive innovation opportunities in industries such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and gaming.
3. Programming by Instruction - The application of 'programming by instruction' method to teach robotic arms how to catch can lead to disruptive innovation in industries like robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence.
Industry Implications
1. Logistics - The development of robotic catching technology presents disruptive innovation opportunities in logistics, such as automated package sorting and handling.
2. Warehousing - Robotic catching can revolutionize the warehousing industry by enabling automated material handling and picking processes, increasing efficiency and productivity.
3. Manufacturing - The use of robotic catching technology can transform manufacturing processes by automating tasks such as quality control, reducing errors and improving overall productivity.
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