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Donatien Le BOUAR
Futur is already here.
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Today, there are many research around the robotic and empowerment systems. One of the most advanced program ( and certainly the most advanced ) is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency ( DARPA) with the Boston Dynamics' Labs. I will introduce to you some of their projects. ![]() Let's start with the Big Dog. This "Dog" can do almost anything, walk over the rough terrains, climb up slopes (35°), it can also carry 308 pounds 'approximately 140 Kg) in the snow or mud. He is also able to restore its balance when he is sliding on a patch of ice. Big Bod is the most advanced four-legged robot in all over the world. In 2009 a new stage have been crossed by the Big Dog and the Boston Dynamics engineering team. Indeed he was used for tests in the field during a active conflict. We need to say that this robot is a champion in his class : - He can run at 6.5 Km/h ( maximum speed) -He beat the world record of autonomy with 20 km done at 4 km/h. In his latest version the DARPA Dog can follow a team leader on the battlefield. Welcome in XXI century !! ![]() This is not realy a robot but it's also crazy. The Department of Research and Defense (DARPA) has unveiled a new advanced suspension system that lets robots tread over bumpy terrain without much hassle. In a demonstration video, DARPA outfitted a modified iRobot 510 PackBot with the new system and tested its mobility while the suspension was both on and off. Without it, the bot appeared to have a difficult time getting over minor obstacles like small bits of wood and gravel. But with the suspension switched on the ride was nice and smooth — even when rocks were tossed into the bot's treads. Right now the PackBot is used for a number of applications, including bomb disposal and surveillance, and the new suspension could simply make those jobs easier by making it more maneuverable. It was developed as part of DARPA's Maximum Mobility and Manipulation program, which also brought us the cheetah robot that recently broke the land speed record for bots with legs. ![]() Now let's talk a little about the new Boston Dynamics prototype as known as PETMAN "The Protection Ensemble Test Mannequin". This new prototype is able to test the new equipment for chemical protection of U.S. army, indeed this robot is equiped with a skin which is able to detect many chemical substances, and therefore by extension he can detect leaking of the suit. This prototype is evolved as the Big dog showed before. He is pretty stable, He can climb up stairs, pass through little hole and small wall which is very impressive. So impressive that some people are wondering. If he can do all this things, what is the next stage ? He will be able to fight ? This kind of robot would be able to change the futur and the way to fight in the futur, and people are scared about this idea. "It's going to be used for chasing people across the desert, I would imagine. I can't think of many civilian applications - maybe for hunting, or farming, for rounding up sheep,” Noel Sharkey, professor of artificial intelligence and robotics at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC previously in regards to DARPA’s robot creations. "But of course if it's used for combat, it would be killing civilians as well as it's not going to be able to discriminate between civilians and soldiers,” he said. So we have a dog and a "human" it's pretty cool no ? but what do you think about a real predator ? ![]() The Cheetah ( No we are not talking about Tarzan's wife), another Boston Dynamics project ! Cheetah robot have recently break his own record of speed limit in the past he was able to run at 18mph (approximately 28.96 kmh ). But now the Cheetah is able to run at 27.72 mph (approximately 44.70 kmh). DARPA admitted in a news release. The robot had a slight advantage over Bolt, since Cheetah ran on a treadmill which provided the equivalent of a 28.3 mph tail wind. Still, most of the machine's power was used to swing and lift its legs fast enough to achieve its quick pace, not to propel itself forward, the agency said. Two more robots are presented in the video, we have already talk about one of the both in an recent topic and the last but not least is realy crazy Sand Flea is a reaaaaaaly good jumper :). ![]() So, are you ready to welcome those robots ? If you ain't ready you should be and soon, they are coming. But the question is why they are coming ? helping us or destroying us ? Donatien LE BOUAR
![]() Some people predict, in a near future, the possibility of perfecting the human body or of increasing its capacities. Beyond the ethical questions which these emergent technologies can put, we risk to attend a wild race to Human enhancement, which could go out of the strictly scientific executive to take on geopolitical aspects. Russia recently opened the program 2045. This project, aims at creating a cybernetic adversity which would replace our biological body, with the aim of living eternally. In the United States, it is the Agency for projects of advanced research for defense which act the most. Their project is using certain scientific advances with the aim of improving biotechnologically their soldiers: slowed down physical strength, suppleness and speed increased, resistance increased in the pain, in the hunger, in the thirst and in the fatigue, the capacity of fast cure, better memory and upper sense of the strategy. China is interested in improving the intellectual abilities of its population. One of its projects is not only to improve genetically the intelligence of the human being, but also at helping the parents- to choose the "better embryo ". For some, the eugenic drift is such as the project must be stopped. In Europe, the projects are less ambitious. They always seem to appear as therapeutic projects restrained by the European past, tarnished by its eugenic drift during the first half of the XXth century. Nevertheless, the European Virtual Embodiment and Robotic Re-embodiment project, which aims at allowing to connect his brain to an robot and to collect it as its own body. In Switzerland, we shall evoke the Nano-Technologic project ra, a small laboratory of blood tests portable staff: a tiny device implanted just under the skin which presents an immediate analysis of substances in the body, a radio module transmits them the results to a doctor. This kind of innovation will have very certainly therapeutic profits, but could be also used in a perspective of improvement of the human being. The race in the human improvement will be a geopolitical challenge. Although, in the world, the totalitarian governments are nowadays rather in the decline, it is possible that certain leaders choose to use these new technologies on the population to make "better" citizens. It is not excluded that one day, a disturbed government tries to finalize the technologies of genetic engineering to modify the human race. Beyond the theoretical possibility of such a government, a new imperialism could happen. The international balances could be also considerably allocated by these future technological revolutions. On the military plan at first, arms races traditional could leave place with a biological modification of the soldiers, their physical and mental skills, more effective and avoid injuring themselves or dying in the fight. Certain States could be tried to improve intellectually their population to develop their economy more quickly. Just like the use not generalized by GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS in the world agriculture, we can imagine the consequences on the international balances in the economy of various national legislations on the use of these new technologies. The economies of the countries which would adopt these technologies could develop considerable competitive advantages thanks to an improved workforce. If the principles of improvement already raise enormous problems and disagreements towards GMO, what about the human being? Some already begin to adopt practices similar to those Amish communities living away from the modern society. For Amish, the technologies are only adopted if they strengthen the relations between the members of their group. In a near future, it is possible that certain communities refuse these new technologies, their vision of a successful life and a healthy society opposing to it. With the eyes of the other societies, they would then risk to seem crazy. It will be thus crucial that the various communities and the right of the individuals of not "to improve" can be respected. Finally, it will be necessary to make sure that the various individuals in the power cannot use these technologies to control their population. The effects on the international balances of these projects of improvement of the human being would thus be taken seriously by the various global actors. Romain Careil ![]() If a small robot is ever going to explore any ground on its own, it will certainly have to be able to jump, if it doesn t already fly . WIth their X-RHex Lite (XRL) robot, the UPenn robotics group devised yet another technique that gives the crawling robot the ability to not only cross gaps with a single jump, but also climb cliffs using single or sequential jumps, or leap a wide gap by taking a running start. There could be in a close future long jump championships for miniature robots ! By looking to the video below, you may not be amazed by the jump, this certainly due to the ridiculous size of the scene and the lack of abyss, like you are used to see in every Hollywood movie, yet you can scream your outburst of joy as it succeeds its jump ! ![]() This device, named CurvACE, for Curved Artificial Compound Eye, has been developped by a consortium of European researchers . By taking example from Mother Nature they succeed in creating a new class of sensors, different from human eyes' inspired ones . The result is a low resolution sensor, but enough to be exploited for motion detection , along with a low energy consuption and volume(see picture) . If we go back to our scale, these new sensors may also show themselves as good alternatives for collision avoidance for both terrestrial and aerospace vehicles, distance estimation and vehicle landings . A small eye for insects, a big step for humanity ..... ![]() What was the surprise when the New Yorkers discovered in Time Square a real scale X-wing made with Lego's bricks. The danish firm used 5.3 million bricks for the construction and it took more than 17 000 hours of work. The constrcution will stay few days before leaving for Legoland in California. Donatien LE BOUAR ![]() The NASA announced its intention to launch a new robot of scientific exploration on Mars in 2020 with objectives which still remain to define. " The Obama’s administration is undertaken to lead a serious exploration of Mars and with this next mission we make sure that America remains the world leader of the exploration of the Red Planet ", declared on Tuesday Charles Bolden, the boss of the NASA. ![]() After the george washington university conference NASA said that her first objective was to send men on mars. The challenges are huge obviously there is some technological issues but also financial. One of the biggest issue would be to land tons of materials for the Survival of the astronauts. Moreover there is so many psychological factors that must be check. 2030 it is far away, so we hope nasa will be able to solve all the issues and send men on mars. Donatien Le Bouar |
AuthorVoilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition! The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V. ArchivesCategories |