OTC Robotics/Robots/ Thread

Since I have seen various aspects of robotics mentioned in various other threads or related to robotics in general I thought it might be a good idea to make a thread for the discussion of robotics in general and related topics.

There are however some subjects that should have their own threads created for separate and focused discussion. Anything relating to Ethics of robotics and related fields should have their own separate thread to avoid creating problems in this thread.

The basic definition of Robotics is The science or study of the technology associated with the design, fabrication, theory, and application of robots.

A robot is defined as A mechanical device that sometimes resembles a human and is capable of performing a variety of often complex human tasks on command or by being programmed in advance. or A machine or device that operates automatically or by remote control. Robots can currently take a variety of forms with humanoid robots just now starting to make an appearance.

The general field of robotics encompasses a range of subjects and technologies.

It touches on

• Cybernetics: The theoretical study of communication and control processes in biological, mechanical, and electronic systems, especially the comparison of these processes in biological and artificial systems. In fiction this is also the study of creating cyborgs and is related to cyborgs as a field of study in real life.
• Cyborgs: A person who has biological components of their body replaced or aided by artificial or robotic components. This includes items like advanced robotic prosthetic limbs, eyes, ears, and organ replacements. In fiction this frequently portrayed as highly advanced body part replacements, entire body replacements, or other enhanced or artificial body parts.
• Unmanned Vehicles: Sometimes referred to as drones. These are vehicles that have no human pilot or driver in the vehicle itself but are instead controlled remotely from a control station. The number of vehicles range from ground vehicles, to aircraft, water surface vessels, and submarine type vehicles. UV’s with autonomous function capability are a current field of study being pursued by groups like DARPA.
  • Micro Air/Aerial Vehicles: A spin off of unmanned aerial drones. They are aiming for drones the size of common insects. Current challenges and limits in tech leave these devices in the realm of speculation and research for the time being.
• Space Probes: Unmanned probes and remote controlled scientific vehicles for space exploration. This has been a key component in modern exploration of our solar system to date.
• Androids: Artificial humans. Advanced robots that are designed to look and act like a human. For a popular example from a Western Tv Series think of Data from Star Trek The Next Generation or the Terminators from the Terminator Movies. While still strictly fictional , interest in developing or studying the possibility of creating androids is closely tied to robotics. On androids, study of possibility of androids, and possible creation of androids is directly related to cybernetics.
• Nano Robotics: An emerging field of microscopic or nanoscopic machines that typically work in a swarm. Earliest efforts include the creation of Mollecular machines. Ie machines made from roughly molecule sized components. In fiction they are protrayed as a super technology that can build anything, heal anyone, or destroy the world.

There are other subjects that may fit with robotics that are mentioned here in the op.

One thing we should all keep in mind is that robotics play important roles in modern life in general. From a machine designed to carry out experiments, surgical aides, and even manufacturing all use robotics.

Humanity has been fascinated with robotics and it's ideological predecessors. The subject shows up human myths with creatures like the Golems, other “man made life”, and early modern representations of Robotics such as in the Czek Play R.U.R. Rossums Universal Robots The various iterations of robotics and robots has played key roles in examining human nature itself, human kinds relation to deity, and our place in the world.

In modern times the major push for the advancement of robotics is their use as tools in situations that would be highly dangerous or hazardous for humans. These tasks range from welding machines, fire fighting robots, and other uses.

Keep the conversations civil, reasonable as possible, and generally polite.

edited 24th Oct '12 8:43:21 PM by TuefelHundenIV

As the Mod who opened this thread, I get the privilege of posting this first:

Domo arigato Mr. Roboto...

Look at that long OP and compare the effort that must've gone into it to how the first replies turned out.

I could go into a deep analysis of how robotic labor is rendering human labor obsolete and how the governments of the world need to step up and help the massive amount of people who will be out of work but still need monetary assistance during the short interval between still needing some people to work and an autonomous post-scarcity society, but I don't like writing Walls Of Text.

At least it will be better than what I would have done, which is probably just the words "yay robots!!"

Cybernetics is your friend.

edited 24th Oct '12 6:58:57 PM by IraTheSquire

Best Of: Oh I expected this. And I come prepared.

Behold our somewhat less then agile robot masters. DARAPA Rescue Robot navigating a simple obstacle course. Not as agile as a human but still progress.

They shall unleash Robotic terrors that are faster then the fastest of humans alive Cheetah robot faster than Usain Bolt

Their disturbing lumbering servants shall carry more then any man and be twice as relentless Big Dog robotic Pack Mule

Not even the birds and the bees are safe from the robots influence Airfroce aviary of micro drones and Harvard robot bees

When the fires of humanities death are finally extiguished by the robot masters servants honestly a creepy looking navy fire fighting robot

After we are gone they will dance on our collective graves Navy robot "dancing".

edited 24th Oct '12 8:32:06 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Robot bees? That'll make any sort of fears over bee pandemic moot - artificial pollenization (that failed spellcheck).

Indeed. They also want insect spy drones for spying. Literal flies on the wall.

Added Nano robotics and Micro Aerial/Air Vehicles to the OP.

edited 24th Oct '12 8:44:14 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Here's your daily does of robotic awesomeness.

Holy crap. Now robots can do things that I cannot do/better than I can.

-hopes for a future BMI interface so that they can be implanted into his body-

Now for something awful/awesome:

edited 25th Oct '12 7:17:30 PM by IraTheSquire

edited 25th Oct '12 7:26:21 PM by Deboss

Robots. Anything you can do they can do better, they can do anything better than you.

Not gonna lie, it looks pretty ugly, but it gets the job done. Give it a few more years, maybe a decade, and I'll bet it'll look Apple sleek.

edited 25th Oct '12 7:37:20 PM by Ekuran

I for one look forward to the triumph of our cybernetic masters. They couldn't possibly fuck things up worse than people.

Navy Drone Boat Fires Missiles for the firs time

Bah, I'd prefer Ferrous Male Mammalian look over Apple. Or raw machinery.

NASA has rather large drones for studying hurricanes They missed getting them out for Sandy though.

Incidentally, one weather satellite that NASA has been using to track Sandy is called Suomi NPP. It's named after Verner E. Suomi, the scientist who came up with the idea of studying the climate with satellites. His parents were Finnish immigrants, and his last name is actually Finnish for "Finland." It's not a common name here, so it's kind of fortunate that someone would've carried that name to the US and raised a child to become a scientist after whom a satellite could be named. I bet they did it all just so I could read NASA's Twitter feed where my country is mentioned (by proxy) in almost every Tweet.

edited 30th Oct '12 4:50:30 PM by BestOf

(Whoah, how did this thread die so quickly?)

Since the OP says that cybernetics and nanorobotics are on-topic...

Has there been any thought givent to the idea of "cybernetic cells"? That is, a microscopic entity with both organic and mechatronic parts that serves an equivalent function to biological cells — forming the most basic structural, functional, and (cyber-)biological unit of a macroscale cybernetic organism/robot? What potential applications do think would possible with such "cellular-level" cyborg designs?

edited 9th May '14 6:42:36 PM by MarqFJA

I remember something about turning bacteria into nano-robots of a sort to deliver cancer medicines.

You sure it wasn't genetically engineered bacteria?

@Best Of: I dunno, I think ASIMO's "uber-intensive calculations" approach to locomotion is pretty inefficient.

edited 9th May '14 7:05:42 PM by CassidyTheDevil

Cassidy: Check the time stamp on that. That post was made about two years ago.

edited 9th May '14 7:18:25 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Marq: Since you revived the thread and showed interest in the nano-machines I dug up some articles for you. Most of them pre-date this topic though> I also threw in a non-nano robotic link as well.

Cyborg Bacteria

Micro Robotics

Harvard's page on Micro Robotics

Localized Drug Delivery by micro-carriers

Phys Org has a bunch of related articles

edited 9th May '14 7:22:33 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Very interesting and informative articles.

... Nothing on cyborgs comrpised of "cybernetic cell"-based bodies, perhaps? Even speculative?