Robots are many. Some are bipedal, with wheels, crawling, they can swim or even some that can display facial expressions. But virtually all of them must be programmed so they can do what they do. But a few, like Baxter, are capable of learning new behaviors from the guidance of his own, without writing a single line of code. Baxter costs about 20,000 euros, and many believe that in the future many robots will learn as he does.
In the last two decades have seen how robots stopped being tools for the assembly line of a manufacturing plant or protagonists of a science fiction novel to become sophisticated learning tools or entertainment. The advance of microelectronics and low price of servomechanisms, coupled with breakthrough occurred in processing power and memory of microcontrollers has enabled even robotics enthusiasts can design and build their own models. However, in almost all cases, regardless of concerned business models or built at home, it is necessary to write programs that tell the robot in question and carry out certain task. If we want our newly built biped robot one step, we have to write a program to turn your servo and respond to stimuli received from its sensors so you can get it right This task, of course, is not accessible to all potential users of these interesting devices.
Baxter, a new robot designed and built by Rethink Robotics, is based on a concept that, while not entirely new, has been implemented well enough to work perfectly and perhaps mark a trend in the market robotics. Instead of using traditional programming to learn new tricks, simply manipulate their own limbs showing him what to do. Suppose we want the robot takes an object that is on the right and moved 40 centimeters to the left. Instead of writing a program in a complex programming language, indicate when and how to move each of their engines, just put it in "program mode", move your right arm to the object, open the "hand", placing on property, close, move the arm 40 inches to the left, open hand again to drop the object, and keep all those movements in a. Thus, Baxter has "learned" that sequence of movements without writing a single line of code.
As mentioned, this form of teaching a robot is not new. However, it is the first time we see one, for the market (ie, outside a laboratory) with a lower price to 20,000 euros and that works as well. Baxter complements their learning skills with a "face" based on an LCD equipped with very expressive eyes, which helps a lot when it comes to understand that's what we're trying to communicate device or what it is "seeing" with their cameras. It is designed to help small assembly lines, parts handling light tasks or assist in packing / unpacking, but if the system works as well as it looks, certainly appear similar to Baxter models but cheaper and for the home. 'd Point you to one?
Your partner is there, the other side of the table. Suddenly, his face turns and looks at you with wide eyes, as making a huge force without leaving your seat. I start feeling. Spend 10 seconds and the pain starts. 15 seconds and you can not breathe. 20 seconds: your head explodes. Thoughts that kill, my friends. And no fiction of the 80s, is an invention that has shown some hackers in Louisville Kentucky where thanks to a helmet EGG, an air compressor and intense thoughts can destroy a watermelon with the mind.
David Cronenberg knew it did when all this blew fructose on set. Was creating one of the most memorable murders in history, where one person flying brains to another, literally, and without using any weapons but their own mind. In this, that science fiction and softcore ochentosa has much gore, lies an analogy that hackers Luisville a Kentucky community have fully exploited llamadaLVL1 enthusiasm splashing any fan of the genre. In their experiment, the lucky passers of a park could live the prodigious experience EGG put on a headband and then to concentrate, leaving a watermelon with their minds. If you want to burst with envy with us, look at the video of the show.
The experiment has some components that are particularly striking, as the presence of a headband Star Wars Force Trainer, a toy company Uncle Milton brought to market so you could move a pingpong balls in a tube using the power of the Force electric waves in your brain. Thanks to hack the device and taking into account the alpha and beta waves in your brain for transfer in wireless pulses, scientists (and then the surprised participants) were able to activate an air compressor which was situated on a table inlaid with a watermelon. Jumping into the air suddenly watermelon, made her explode overhead to the astonishment of those present.
To make the pulpy enchastre of poor tropical fruit, the system also used some Arduinos and some Xbees to make connections and get the signals arrived with enough force to activate the air compressor. So Mind Over Melon created, the game where watermelons explode with mind is a common thing. While waiting for the boys of the hacker community and indications drafted Mario Sacco convince us to build our home version of Mind Over Melon, you can go looking for the name of the film to which we referred at the beginning of the article.
