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Lasers in Space
Earth's orbit is cluttered with dead satellites, discarded rocket boosters and other space junk, so methods to avoid the accumulation of this kind of debris are desperately required.
"How about using a tractor beam to simply steer future junk aside," says space-flight engineer John Sinko of Nagoya University, Japan.
Sinko's idea is based on an experimental kind of spacecraft engine called a laser thruster. Within these motors, laser pulses fired into a mass of solid propellant cause a jet of material to be released, pushing the craft within the opposite path.
He has created a series of laser thrusters that could be activated in this way. A spacecraft fitted with a laser would fire a low-power beam at a thruster fitted on another craft to attract, repel or steer it in another path. Pushing a spacecraft away is a fairly simple matter, but more complex styles utilizing mirrors are needed to use a beam to tug a single towards the laser.
Combining individuals styles could permit complete control in any direction, says Sinko. He imagines spacecraft being fitted with remotely operated thrusters before launch, so that once they reach the end of their lives it's easy to alter their orbit or even shove them into the atmosphere to burn up - even if they've lost all energy.
Sinko hopes to test a single of his tractor beams on the 10-kilogram satellite within a few many years. He is not alone in trying to develop this kind of technologies: a team on the Research Institute for Complicated Testing of Optoelectronic Devices and Techniques in Sosnovy Bor, Russia, is working on comparable ideas.
It's an interesting idea that could work in principle," says Richard Holdaway, director of space science technology at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Didcot, UK. Keeping a laser beam accurately trained on a distant motor would be a challenge, he adds, "but perhaps not an insurmountable one‚"
Share Your Robotic Projects With Legos Mindstorms Community Forum
If you're interested in developing your own robot Lego has created a great online community for you to share your projects and view others. You can update your progress, rate and even comment on projects. The Lego Mindstorms community is a step in the right direction for those just getting into robotics. Pick up a Lego Mindstorm NXT 2.0 directly from LEGO's website today and start your own project
Here are a few projects to check out.
Buggy Ugly
This is my second mindstorm PROJECT. It only requires 1NXT set 1.0. At the begginning it looked really cool but after I needed to put the NXT on and I named it Buggly- Ugly. My first idea was to have one motor turning one motor pushing and another one moving the US sensor like the explorer bot.
Angeled Segway/Balancer
This is a project I made some time ago, didn't bothered to publish it then, but here it is! The special about this is that it's wheels are angeled (inspiration from another robot here on NXTLOG) which means, more floor-grip and better balance! It uses a Segway-program I found on NXTLOG, can't remember what exactly. I have made an LDD and a video.
Second Mini Tank In Mini Tank Series
This is #2 in my mini tank series this tank has almost the same body base as the other one. but it is much lower to the ground, witch makes it a very good climber and thats what i wanted in this series, witch would tanks that can do different things. please commet, rate, and ideas would be good too.
High School Robotics Team Recognized at International Competition
Constructing a robot that can pick up balls and drop them more than a short wall requires knowledge, skill and perseverance.
"We come up with designs, review them, find flaws maybe, then build them," said 17-year-old Matt Johnson, a student in the robotics class at Concord High School.
Teens in the course created, built and manipulated robots that competed last month towards about 100 other student inventions in the 2010 VEX Robotics Competition World Championship in Dallas. Although the Concord teens didn't win the overall competitors, they came house with an education award recognizing the school for its rigorous curriculum, which focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Some teams in the competition came from clubs that mainly concentrate on building robots that may achieve the challenge, which alterations each 12 months, he mentioned. This 12 months, robots were required to scoop up small balls and plunk them on the opponent's side of a rectangular region.
Now that the Concord students are back in school, they're functioning on a brand new project unrelated to the competitors: constructing robots than can maneuver through a simulated underwater cavern and retrieve an object. The teens are excited about the challenge and methodical within their strategies.
"We're calculating buoyancy and thrust," said Nick Bublitz, 18. "It won't be, 'Build it and see if it works.' It's, 'This will work.' It's more of an industry approach instead of trial and error."
Smidebush, who began the course two many years ago, mentioned he has seen tremendous growth in his students' abilities.
"It definitely shows in their designs," Smidebush said. "They're more robust and sophisticated."
Concord High may be the only school in the Mt. Diablo district having a robotics class, even though Northgate Higher has an extracurricular robotics club, which also sent college students to the Vex competitors, Smidebush said.
The Concord Higher college students mentioned they really feel lucky to become immersed in a powerful curriculum that is preparing them for university and careers in competitive science and technologies. The robotics course is funded by the Contra Costa County Office of Education's Regional Occupational Plan, which helps guard it towards district spending budget cuts.
"Because of this class, I've found I love to program," said David Lambertson, 18, who plans to study computer programming at Brigham Young University next year.
Shelby Lope, also 18, lately got a part-time job in the Moose Metal fabrication shop in Concord, where he is understanding to plan robots that weld. Rick Sobilo, who owns the shop and hired Shelby, mentioned his daughter is also in the robotics class.
"It gets kids interested in something that's really cutting-edge," he said. "These kids have tangible, intellectual skills that they can use to go forward and develop careers. It teaches kids to conceptualize ideas and to carry them through."
Concord Higher graduate Josh Filstrup, who took robotics last 12 months, is now studying engineering at San Jose State University and working to obtain a robotics club heading there, mentioned his mother, Pam Filstrup, of Concord.
Want to get your robot on? Pick up your own Vex Robotic Kit here. For more information about the Vex Robotics competition visit www.vexrobotics.com.
Virginia Tech Students Build Full-Sized Humanoid Robot
As CHARLI takes his first steps, anxious onlookers stand ready to catch him if he falls. His stride is short, but upright, as a single foot is placed in front of the other within the basement of Virginia Tech’s Randolph Hall.But CHARLI is no toddler.He is a 5-foot tall humanoid robot constructed by graduate and undergraduate students with the Virginia Tech College of Engineering’s Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory.
CHARLI (Cognitive Humanoid Autonomous Robot with Learning Intelligence) is historic. CHARLI may be the very first untethered, autonomous, full-sized, walking, humanoid robot with four moving limbs and a head, built in the United States. His two long legs and arms can move and gesture thanks to a combination of pulleys, springs, carbon fiber rods, and actuators. CHARLI soon is going to be in a position to talk as well. Fans of robotics are taking note.
“This is a significant milestone in robotics engineering and is a testament towards the technological leadership of Virginia Tech’s RoMeLa lab,” said Tom Atwood, editor of “Robot” magazine.That research is under way, there are two CHARLIs.
CHARLI H (for Heavy), is a bulkier robot will utilize custom-designed actuators and other technologies that a single day will allow it walk about the sloping, rising ground that comprises Virginia Tech’s campus. He also is going to be able to run, jump, kick, open doors, pick up objects, and do just about anything a real individual can do.
The students constructed CHARLI L with $20,000 in seed money from the Virginia Tech Student Engineers’ Council and donated equipment from National Instruments and Maxon Precision Motors. “The spending budget constraints really inspired us to think of different solutions, ‘How can we actually make this happen with a little spending budget?' And that actually led us to new kinds of mechanical solutions,” Hong mentioned.
Function about the robot began in 2008 with 13 undergraduate and graduate students working on the project at any given time. Inspiration came from science-fiction films and spouses.Atwood said he is excited for the future. “Eventually, there is going to be a robot in every home assisting families and people, and walking robots will find work in all kinds of places, from warehouses to manufacturing centers,” he said.
Learn more about CHARLI and the Virginia Tech Robotics Lab by visiting romela.org. Interested in getting a robot kit for yourself or a school project check out our listing of beginner robot kits or more advanced robot kits on Cool Robot Toys.
Dennis Hong’s Seven Species of Robot
The New Zhu Zhus
Zhu Zhu Pets were the biggest selling toy of 2009, and now for fans of the fuzzy hamster toys there is something new to look forward to in 2010 - new Zhu Zhu Pets!
According to Cepia Inc. over $7 million households own at least one Zhu Zhu Pet, such as Mr. Squiggles and Pipsqueak, but with the upcoming release of Zhu Zhu Rockstars and Zhu Zhu Wild Bunch Cepia is hoping everyone will have room for at least one more.
Bruce Katz, the vice president of Cepia held a sneak peak of the new range of Zhu Zhu Pets, including the four Zhu Zhu Rockstars, described as 'hamsters with attitude' going by the names of Pax, Kingson, Ryder and Roxie. They are named after celebrity children.
Good news for Zhu Zhu fans: The fuzzy electronic hamsters have quickly multiplied from just four last year to more than 40 new ones -- including the Kung Zu battling hamsters -- that will hit stores this summer.
"Rockstars are the first long-haired hamsters with attitude," said Katz. Although the hamsters don't interact with each other, Katz said a smart chip in each toy gives it its own unique personality.
Katz said the new "Wild Bunch" collection extends the brand beyond hamsters. "There's a skunk, hedgehog, raccoon and a bunny," he said.
"The appeal of this new collection is that these are animals that every child wants to have but parents won't let them have it," said Katz.
There's also a much-anticipated Kung Zhu line of battling hamsters geared primarily for boys aged 8 to 12.
Katz said the Kung Zhu line will have eight initial characters split into two battling groups called "Special Forces" and "Ninja Warriors."
"We're using a smart chip technology to create good and evil action figures that come to life," said Katz.
"As you put them through training, these characters will transform their personality," he said.
Katz said the Kung Zhu hamsters start off as "cute" and "mild-mannered." Then they become "fighting, battling warriors."
"You can actually hear that transformation take place," Katz said.
Kung Zhu hamsters feature snap-on armor, weapons, vehicles and a "battledome."
"It's all the things that boys really love," said Katz. "But the coolest thing is that you don't know who the winner or the loser is going to be."
Cepia will introduce 40 new Zhu Zhu characters in total this year, launching a new line every six weeks, said Katz.
And if that isn't enough Zhu Zhu for you, Katz said Cepia is introducing new "play environments" that include cars, boats, an elevator and a beauty salon for these toy hamsters.
"The car, boat and other toys are all hamster powered," said Katz, explaining that the running wheels on each Zhu Zhu toy powers the car, boat and elevator into action.
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