Archives: 2006

Pirkus-R, the Bluetooth bot with facial recognition skills

17 Mar 2006

KDDI R&D Laboratories and I Bee, K.K. have upgraded their Bluetooth-enabled bipedal walking robot, named Pirkus-R Type-01, with facial recognition capabilities. Equipped with a built-in CCD camera, the 29-cm (1-foot) tall personal (build-it-yourself) robot can spot faces that it would like to inspect at closer range. Pirkus-R is able to self-correct its direction as it makes its approach, and once it captures a facial image, it can determine whether or not the person is registered in its file.

Pirkus-R Type-01

I Bee was responsible for developing the robot, which can be controlled from an au Bluetooth-enabled handset (W21T/W31T/W41T) using a BREW application. As I Bee continues to develop Pirkus-R?s control and facial recognition technology and the 8-bit CPU that links the robot with the handset, the price (250,000 yen for the deluxe model) may start to come down.

The robot?s facial recognition technology is based on technology that KDDI developed for mobile phones. KDDI has improved upon previous facial recognition technology, which used to require you to position your face directly in front of the camera in order to be recognized. Other problems with the human-robot interaction have been addressed, including lighting-related problems that occurred when capturing images. Pirkus-R is able to automatically detect which direction you are facing, and is no longer at the mercy of variations in lighting conditions. Furthermore, because it is equipped with Bluetooth technology, you can use your BREW-enabled au handset to check Pirkus-R?s operating status and facial recognition results. Of course, you can control it from your phone, too.

Pirkus-R Type-01 is scheduled to appear at the Robo-One fights being held this weekend (March 17 to 19) at Panasonic Center Tokyo.

(See videos here)

UPDATE 31/Mar/2006: Tempusmaster at www.robots-dreams.com has posted video of Pirkus-R in action (sort of) at Robo-One. The video suggests a need for further improvements to Pirkus-R's facial recognition capabilities. (Link)

[Sources: IT Media, Robot Labs]

The bioluminescent tail of Genji

16 Mar 2006

Scientists have succeeded in unraveling the mystery -- at the protein structure level -- of the mechanism at work in the glowing tail of the "Genji firefly" (Luciola cruciata Motschulsky), which is considered to have the highest luminous efficiency of any known source of light. The results of the joint research carried by the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) and Kyoto University are to be published in the March 16 edition of the British science journal Nature.

Bioluminescence

By tinkering with the chemical composition of luciferase (a bioluminescent enzyme), the research team succeeded in changing the emission color from its normal greenish-yellow to orange and red. Researchers are now attempting to recreate the blue glow of the sea firefly (Vargula hilgendorfii) and firefly squid (Watasenia scintillans) in order to have all three primary colors at their fingertips.

"This might prove useful in applications such as short-term emergency lighting when no source of electricity or combustion is available," says Kyoto University professor Hiroaki Kato. "Light could be created by mixing up a liquid protein solution."

Anytime energy is converted into light, there is some loss due to heat. Luminous efficiency is a measure of the proportion of energy supplied to a light source that is effectively converted into visible light energy (i.e. the amount not lost to heat or infrared radiation). The luminous efficiency of incandescent light bulbs is around 10%, while fluorescent light is around 20% and LED is around 30%. Firefly tails are significantly higher, at 90%. Scientists were aware that the Genji firefly used luciferase in combination with luciferin (a light-emitting substrate) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to produce light, but the detailed workings of the mechanism have until now remained a mystery.

[Sources: Jiji, RIKEN press release]

Hiroshima engineers develop robotic carp

15 Mar 2006

Koi robotRyomei Engineering (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries), in cooperation with two other Hiroshima-area engineering companies, has developed a robot resembling a koi carp. The robot was demonstrated at a pond on the grounds of Hiroshima Machinery Works.

The robot is modeled after a Nishiki koi carp as a form of tribute to Hiroshima Castle (whose nickname Ri-jo means Koi Castle). The 80-cm (31-inch), 12-kg (26-pound) fish has a white body with bright red spots. Though the tail movement is very smooth and lifelike, the remote-controlled koi is capable of moves that a genuine koi is unable to perform, such as swimming in reverse and rotating in place.

The robot is Ryomei Engineering?s fifth in a line of fish robots that includes a sea bream, a prehistoric coelacanth, and a golden carp. New features added to the robotic koi include a CCD camera built into the head and sensors for analyzing water quality.

UPDATE: Check out the video at Riding Sun!

[Source: Kyodo News]

RI-MAN revisited

14 Mar 2006

RI-MANMore details about RI-MAN, the soft-skinned robot, were revealed in a press release issued by RIKEN yesterday.

RI-MAN is the world's first robot designed for lifting and carrying humans. A variety of sensors, including flexible tactile sensor sheets, provide RI-MAN with a sense of vision, hearing, touch, and smell. These senses help RI-MAN perform tasks such as locating people who are calling out to it, responding to spoken commands, carefully lifting those who need lifting, and checking the sanitary condition of the person it is carrying. RI-MAN is able to integrate a wide range of sensory data to adapt to changes in the environment.

The robot is also equipped with 19 motors, controlled by a system of hierarchical distributed processing that is modeled after the nervous system found in biological organisms. This "nervous system" -- a network of what RIKEN calls C-CHIPs -- integrates sensor data processing with motor control to provide RI-MAN the autonomy needed to respond quickly to changes in the environment. The head has 3 degrees of freedom, each arm has 6, the waist has 2, and the base (which acts as RI-MAN?s legs) has 2. Safety-related technology, including safety circuits and soft skin and joints designed to prevent injury, are incorporated into RI-MAN?s design.

Still in the initial testing phase, RI-MAN is currently practicing with dolls that weigh about 12 kg (26 lbs). Researchers plan to increase the weight of the practice dolls over time, with the aim of achieving the ability to lift human adults in 5 years. Researchers will continue working to upgrade RI-MAN's sensors and data processing skills to improve adaptability. The aim is to create a robot with the physical power needed for heavy lifting and the reasoning skills needed for operating in places like people's homes. RIKEN says that with these skills, RI-MAN can be put to work in nursing and rehabilitation, in furniture moving, or in any other job that requires muscle.

[Source: RIKEN press release]

[See also: RI-MAN homepage (includes video)]

Competition heats up between Tokyo power giants

13 Mar 2006

LIFUELTokyo Gas is beefing up efforts to popularize its "My Home Hatsuden" products, which use natural gas to generate household electricity. Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TEPCO), despite intensifying its push for all-electric housing, has expressed alarm and opposition to Tokyo Gas.

Last year, Tokyo Gas released the LIFUEL household fuel cell cogeneration system, which extracts hydrogen from natural gas along with oxygen from the air to generate electricity through a reverse chemical reaction. This year, Tokyo Gas expanded its lineup with the ECOWILL system, which uses a natural gas-powered engine to generate electricity. Both of these "My Home Hatsuden" products aim to capitalize on household energy demand at the expense of electric power companies.

LIFUEL and ECOWILL use the heat exhausted during electricity generation to heat household water. While able to supply 40 to 50% of the electricity for an average family of four, they can provide sufficient quantities of hot water. High power-generation efficiency and heat efficiency mean both systems are able to cut the amount of electricity required for heating water by 20%, contributing to reduced carbon dioxide emissions.

Use of LIFUEL can save about 60,000 yen (US$520) per year in heating and lighting costs, while ECOWILL can save about 27,000 yen (US$235) per year. The higher-priced LIFUEL system rents for 100,000 yen (US$870) per year. Government subsidies are available for purchasing ECOWILL, so the cost to the consumer is 6 to 7 million yen (around $5,000 to $6,000).

Tokyo Gas was initially focused on developing household fuel cells. However, after TEPCO stepped up efforts in its push for all-electric housing, Tokyo Gas decided to counter by focusing on ECOWILL until fuel cells achieve full-scale popularization -- which they believe will occur around 2008. Tokyo Gas plans to increase the installation of ECOWILL and LIFUEL in general households from 200 units in 2005 to a cumulative total of 43,000 units in 2010. Norio Ichino, President of Tokyo Gas, expects "My Home Hatsuden" to play a key role in their business in 4 to 5 years.

[Source: Mainichi Shimbun]

Robo-Fisher swims with (and cleans up after) the fishes

10 Mar 2006

Robo-FisherRobo-Fisher, a submersible robot designed to clean the floors of giant aquariums, is being developed by Osaka City University and eight private companies. Underwater operations were tested last week at a diver training pool in Osaka.

The 1-meter (3.3-ft.) long, 160-kilogram (350-lb.) robot features a water-pressure powered motor that relies on water fed through a hose connected to an electric pump outside the aquarium. Robo-Fisher directs a jet of water at the floor to free up detritus in the sand, which it then vacuums up and removes from the aquarium through a hose. The water-powered motor eliminates the danger of accidentally electrocuting the fish in the aquarium.

Researchers are developing Robo-Fisher with the cooperation of Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, which is known for its giant whale shark. The robot is also equipped with a small camera that can shoot video of the surrounding fish. In the future, aquarium visitors will be able to simulate the experience of walking underwater by operating the remote control camera and watching real-time video. There are also plans to broadcast live video over the Internet.

At present, divers use shovels to clean the aquarium floor four times a day.

[Source: Asahi Shimun]

Housecats “tagged” to protect Tsushima leopard cat?

10 Mar 2006
Tsushima Leopard Cat

Environmental advocates have come up with a set of guidelines aimed at preserving the Tsushima leopard cat (Tsushima yamaneko), an endangered and protected species that inhabits Tsushima in Nagasaki prefecture. Measures include mandatory registration of all domestic cats to reduce the number of strays and prevent the Tsushima leopard cat from contracting infectious diseases. The guidelines were decided at the International Workshop for the Preservation of the Tsushima Leopard Cat, which was held in Tsushima in January. Organizers are pressing the relevant national and prefectural organizations to adopt the proposed measures.

The guidelines stipulate that cat owners must register their pets and have them implanted with microchips. In addition, the guidelines call on the government to construct better roads to reduce the number of traffic accidents -- a major cause of death for the Tsushima leopard cat. They also suggest breeding the wildcats in captivity at several facilities to preserve the species.

[Source: Kyodo News]

Space-age brewers count down to April product launch

09 Mar 2006

Space sakeFinal preparations are being made for the April 1 launch of Tosa Space Sake, a Japanese rice wine made with a batch of yeast that spent 10 days in space last October aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket. At a March 6 press conference held in Kochi city, the labels for the space sake, which will hit shelves across Japan next month, were displayed to the public.

Each of the 17 participating brewers from Kochi prefecture has their own marketing plan. Five of the companies? labels show an image of the earth floating in blue space. Another label was created by Dehara Yukinori, a "figure illustrator" native to Kochi city, whose design features a comical depiction of an astronaut, sake brewer, and farmer. A separate label for the?Tosa Space Sake (Tosa Uchu-shu) logo is also affixed to each bottle.

All that remains now is the final taste check. Then, on April 1, the world's first space sake will take off.

[Source: Kochi Shimbun]

[Further reading: Asahi Shimbun (English)]

Laser-powered aircraft tested at Osaka Dome

08 Mar 2006

Laser-powered aircraftAn unmanned aircraft powered by a ground-based laser was demonstrated at Osaka Dome on March 7. The aircraft is the work of a Kinki University research team led by Professor Nobuki Kawashima (aeronautical engineering). The researchers expect the aircraft to be used for gathering information in the event of a disaster.

The aircraft measures 78 cm (30 in.) long, weighs 800 grams (1.8 lbs.), and has wings like a kite. A disc-shaped solar panel attached underneath powers the propeller when struck by a ground-based laser.

A battery powered the aircraft?s propeller at takeoff, but once it reached an altitude of about 50 meters (165 feet) -- near the ceiling of the dome -- the aircraft switched to laser-powered flight. The laser remained on target (error less than 1 cm) throughout the 20-minute flight around the dome. Observers say the aircraft looked like a kite flying on a string of light.

Flight time with this technology is unlimited as long as the laser can reach the aircraft, as opposed to a 5-minute flight time when powered by battery. Researchers envision this type of aircraft being used to get an understanding of areas devastated by earthquake or flood, or to serve as flying communication relay stations. Leisure-related applications are also possible.

"We would like to extend the tracking distance and increase the size of the aircraft," says Kawashima. "Hopefully we can make it commercially available in about 2 or 3 years."

[Source: Asahi Shimbun]

« Older
Newer »