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Technology Last Updated: Jul 2nd, 2008 - 21:15:22


Moving From 'The Flintstones' Toward 'The Jetsons' with Robots
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Dec 10, 2007, 22:43

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Article Translations: English German Spanish French Italian Portuguese Japanese Korean Chinese
(NewsUSA) - Most people associate robots with the movies. From the robo-warriors in "Transformers" to the loveable and laughable robo-stars of "Star Wars," these man-made creations seem possible only in the imagination.

Most people, however, are surprised to know that robotic assistants like Rosie of "The Jetsons" are closer than they think to being a reality. Industrial giants like KUKA Robotics and major research facilities such as the Georgia Institute of Technology are getting closer each day to putting service robots into the American home-minus the Rosie apron for now.

"American culture is very function-oriented, and our robotics research and development has focused on helping people accomplish routine chores using minimum intelligence," said Henrik Christensen, distinguished professor and chair of Robotics at Georgia Tech.

Researchers and industry leaders are designing robots as strong and capable assistants, which could potentially extend our quality of life and free us from monotonous chores in the same way the dishwasher and microwave oven did in the 1960s and 1970s.

Currently, robots are usually found in the automotive and manufacturing industries, but an analysis from the International Federation of Robotics forecasts the next decade will be marked by an increase in personal and service robotics, which will create a $50 billion industry compared to the current $5 billion industry.

"We are only a few years away from service robots that can pick up and transport objects such as heavy groceries and even people," said Stu Shepherd, president of the Americas for KUKA Robotics. "The number of possible functions for a domestic service robot are endless."

New industry developments have also seen robots that are able to recognize and respond to people. Under guidance from a human hand, robots can cross into multiple disciplines such as modern health care to perform complex functions. For example, the Accuray Cyberknife, a robotic arm developed by KUKA, assists doctors in surgery with accuracy and precision. Robots could possibly even be helpful companions in assisted living facilities.

If you still don't believe the robotics industry is on the verge of a breakthrough, just ask the 1,100 participants who attended the world RoboCup, sponsored by KUKA. They saw robots play soccer, conduct search and rescue missions and even move microscopic matter. The future may already be here.

For more information about modern robotics, visit www.kukarobotics.com or http://robotics.gatech.edu.

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