ITGS
The latest DARPA Grand Challenge focuses on humanoid robots and is possibly the most difficulty robotic challenge yet. The challenge is to design a robot that can perform various complex tasks in "degraded, human-engineered environments" - in other words, in buildings damaged by earthquakes, disasters, or war. The robots must be able to open doors and entry buildings, clear rubble, and drive vehicles.
A year later, and the 2005 Grand Challenge offered an increased prize of $2 million and a race over 212 kilometres of the Nevada desert. Key entries include Stanley, entered by Standard University; Highlander and Sandstorm. As the first race, one of vehicles were still running at the point Sandstorm failed.
After the success of the desert chanllenge, in 2007 DARPA has hosted the other next challenge- called the Urban Challenge. This require the vehicle to negotiate with the road couse while following all trafic rules, avoiding other vechicle, obstacles and pedestriants. In all, six teams managed to complete the course successfully.
Wired has a good article showing some prototype humanoid robots such as the PETMAN robot.
Case Study: DARPA Robotics Challenge
Case Study: Industrial robots resources
Industrial robots resourcesIndustrial robots are becoming ever cheaper - and increasingly they are competing with people for jobs. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) produces annual statistics about global use of robotics, which makes an interesting read.
The New York Times' article Skilled Work, Without the Worker is a great introduction to this topic, with many examples, photos and a video. A $22,000 humanoid robot that competes with low-wage workers (MIT Technology Review) provides a good insight into how businesses can save money with robots, and the related social impacts in the Business & Employment sector - particularly on poorer workers. It's a Man vs. Machine Recovery(Business Week) and Marathon machine (Economist) both examine this impact on unskilled workers in more detail.
More Jobs Predicted for Machines, Not People (NY Times) discusses the many areas in which robots are taking human jobs; Will there be jobs left for a human being? delves deeper into these social impacts and asks whether the end of mass employment is near.Will Robots Create New Jobs When They Take Over Existing Ones? also addresses the issues of unemployment and reskilling.
Safety is a concern wherever robots and humans are working alongside each other; heavy robotic arms could easily kill or seriously injure a nearby human worker. For this reason, robots and humans normally work in separate, fenced areas. However, Robots and Humans, Learning to work together (NY Times) discusses a new generation of robot with improved ability to sense its surroundings and work cooperately with humans.
