This week had more research than news stories, but I am planning on some great content in the next two week. Today, to round out the week, some interesting links from around the community:
- Building a Super Robust Robot Hand (IEEE Spectrum Automation) – a terrific discussion on an anthropomorphic robot hand from DLR that can support more natural human movements and impacts than currently designed. Best way to simplify this thought: the tendons and springs allow for the hand to handle impacts on the fingers. Hit your fingers with your other hand – note how they spring back a little and bounce back? Most robot hands do not do this. They are stiff and are quite fragile when impacted. This hand has some interesting properties. (h/t to robots.net and PlasticPals)
- UMass Announces Research to Recreate Closeness of Daily Interactions and Mitigate Isolation – the team at UMass Lowell who brought us the first published paper on Use Cases for Telepresence Robots (pdf) are working on investigating where telepresence robots can help rehabilitation patients improve their lives through remote presence.
- Hackerspaces Mini-Documentary (KQED) – great five minute video on the explosion of hackerspaces that are beginning to pop-up all over the world. Back here in NYC, we have NYC Resistor started by Bre Pettis and others and have heard a rumor that TechShop is coming out here soon. See the NYC Resistor featured on RocketBoom below: (h/t to robots-dreams)
- Utterly Ridiculous Action Scene From Bollywood ‘Terminator’ Knockoff (BotJunkie and TheStranger) – I can not say it any better than Evan did:
The insane epicness of this movie cannot possibly be overstated. And somehow, the fact that it’s overdubbed in Russian makes it just that much more awesome.
Or maybe the Slog is able to:
If you are James Cameron, Michael Bay, or for that matter any person currently living in the United States of America, prepared to get your ass HUMILIATED by the most AH-MAY-ZING robot flick ever. What follows is a ten minute (and worth every goddamn second) excerpt from India’s incredibly popular flick Ethiran (or Robot) which makes every American-made Terminator and Transformer look like a Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper Barber Shop. This clip is dubbed in Russian, obviously because there aren’t any English words to sufficiently describe it. WATCH. IN. AWE.
And if you can get your hands on a copy, please contact me and Evan. (h/t to Laughing Squid)