Researchers developing flying bat robot 'BaTboT'

It's about time science brings technology that would even make Bruce Wayne drool. Meet BaTboT, the flying robot bat being developed by robotics researchers from Spain and the U.S. Bats bring many notable abilities to the table, from their great wing maneuverability to their ability to save energy by folding their wings on upstroke.

“Bats exhibit extraordinary flight capabilities that arise by virtue of a variety of unique mechanical features. These flying mammals have developed powerful muscles that provide the folding and extension of their wing-membrane during flight (morphing). Although observing and gaining inspiration from these animals can provide significant insight into the physical requirements of flapping flight, it remains an engineering challenge to develop equivalently effective morphing wing vehicles," explains a research paper about BaTboT.

The U.S. military partially funded this research so watch out for flying death bats in the future. This news probably does not sit well for the chiroptophobic.

Source: http://www.disam.upm.es/~jdcolorado/BAT/Overview.html

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Robonaut 2 To Make Television Debut on Super Bowl Sunday

Robonaut 2. Credit: NASA

Robonaut 2, NASA's dexterous humanoid robot, will make its television debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Millions of viewers will be able to watch the state-of-the-art robot during a General Motors segment to air during the Super Bowl pre-game show on the Fox network.

Robonaut 2, or R2, was developed and built by NASA and General Motors via a Space Act Agreement. Using the latest technology, it's a new humanoid robot capable of working side-by-side with people. Using leading edge control, sensor and vision technologies, future R-2s could assist astronauts during hazardous space missions and help GM build safer cars and plants.

The two organizations, with the help of engineers from Oceaneering Space Systems of Houston, developed and built the current iteration of Robonaut. Robonaut 2, or R2, is a faster, more dexterous and more technologically advanced robot. Its capabilities include the use of fully-functional hands and arms to do work beyond the scope of prior humanoid machines.

Like its predecessor Robonaut 1, R2 is capable of handling a wide range of tools and interfaces, but R2 is a significant advancement over its predecessor. R2 is capable of speeds more than four times faster than R1, is more compact, is more dexterous, and includes a deeper and wider range of sensing.

Advanced technology spans the entire R2 system and includes: optimized overlapping dual arm dexterous workspace, series elastic joint technology, extended finger and thumb travel, miniaturized 6-axis load cells, redundant force sensing, ultra-high speed joint controllers, extreme neck travel, and high resolution camera and IR systems. The dexterity of R2 allows it to use the same tools that astronauts use and removes the need for specialized tools just for robots.

One advantage of a humanoid design is that Robonaut can take over simple, repetitive, or especially dangerous tasks on places such as the International Space Station.

Source: Reprinted news release via NASA

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