The malleable arm is mostly bendy, with a rigid part at the end (P6-P5)
Imperial researchers have designed a malleable robotic arm that can be guided into shape by a person using augmented reality (AR) goggles.
The flexible arm, which was designed and created at Imperial College London, can twist and turn in all directions, making it readily customisable for potential applications in manufacturing, spacecraft maintenance, and even injury rehabilitation.
In many ways it can be seen as a detached, bendier, third arm. It could help in many situations where an extra limb might come in handy and help to spread the workload.
Alex Ranne and Angus ClarkDepartment of Computing/Dyson School of Design Engineering
Instead of being constrained by rigid limbs and firm joints, the versatile arm is readily bendable into a wide variety of shapes. In practice, people working alongside the robot would manually bend the arm into the precise shape needed for each task, a level of flexibility made possible by the slippery layers of mylar sheets inside, which slide over one another and can lock into place. However, configuring the robot into specific shapes without guidance has proven to be difficult for users.
We’ve shown that AR can simplify working alongside our malleable robot.
Dr Nicolas RojasDyson School of Design Engineering
To enhance the robot’s user-friendliness, researchers at Imperial’s REDS (Robotic manipulation: Engineering, Design, and Science) Lab have designed a system for users to see in AR how to configure their robot. Wearing mixed reality smart glasses and through motion tracking cameras, users see templates and designs in front of them superimposed onto their real-world environment. They then adjust the robotic arm until it matches the template, which turns green on successful configuration so that the robot can be locked into place.
Senior author of the paper Dr Nicolas Rojas, of Imperial’s Dyson School of Design Engineering, said: “One of the key issues in adjusting these robots is accuracy in their new position. We humans aren’t great at making sure the new position matches the template, which is why we looked to AR for help.
“We’ve shown that AR can simplify working alongside our malleable robot. The approach gives users a range of easy-to-create robot positions, for all sorts of applications, without needing so much technical expertise.”
Video detailing the configuration of the robot using AR
The researchers tested the system on five men aged 20-26 with experience in robotics but no experience with manipulating malleable robots specifically. The subjects were able to adjust the robot accurately, and the results are published in IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.
Bent into shape
Potential applications include manufacturing, and building and vehicle maintenance. Because the arm is lightweight, it could also be used on spacecraft where every kilogram counts. It is also gentle enough that it could be used in injury rehabilitation, helping a patient perform an exercise while their physiotherapist performs another.
Co-first authors and PhD researchers Alex Ranne and Angus Clark, from the Department of Computing and Dyson School of Design Engineering respectively, said: “In many ways it can be seen as a detached, bendier, third arm. It could help in many situations where an extra limb might come in handy and help to spread the workload.”
The researchers are still in the process of perfecting the robot as well as its AR component. Next, they will look into introducing touch and audio elements to the AR to boost its accuracy in configuring the robot.
Although the pool of participants was narrow, the researchers say their initial findings show that AR could be a successful approach to adapting malleable robots following further testing and user training.
They are also looking into strengthening the robots. Although their flexibility and softness makes them easier to configure and maybe even safer to work alongside humans, they are less rigid while in the locked position, which could affect precision and accuracy.
Original Article: Bendy robotic arm twisted into shape with help of augmented reality
More from: Imperial College London
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Augmented reality robotics
- MIT’s new AI tech could make limbless, slimy, squishy robots a reality
A novel algorithm enables robots to flexibly squish, bend, or stretch for tasks such as obstacle avoidance or item retrieval.
- Augmented assistant robots ushers in the future of robotic surgery
Surgery assisted by artificial—or augmented—technology is the wave of the future. Capable of assisting surgeons during the surgical process, these technologies, which ...
- Rockwell Automation's ROKLive Kuala Lumpur Event Highlights Adoption of Emerging Technologies as Key to Driving Digital Transformation
The annual event highlights success paths with Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, and Robotics for the Southeast Asian region This year's ROKLive event served as a platform ...
- Organic infrared photodetectors offer advance in imaging technology
The demand for high pixel-count, low-cost focal-plane arrays in the near-infrared (NIR) and short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) spectra has surged due to their potential applications in AI-driven ...
- RayNeo and SEI Robotics co-launch Pocket TV, offering a portable Google TV™ experience for XR glasses
SHENZHEN, China, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RayNeo™, an industry leader in consumer-grade augmented reality (AR) innovation ... Co-developed by RayNeo and SEI Robotics, the sleek and portable Google ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Augmented reality robotics
[google_news title=”” keyword=”augmented reality robotics” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
AR to configure robots
- 6 top-rated robot vacuums of 2024
Automate your cleaning routine with these staff and expert recommended robot vacuums from brands like Roomba, Roborock, Shark and more.
- Kinect hacks
The Kinect is a depth-sensing camera peripheral originally designed as a accessory for the Xbox gaming console, and it quickly found its way into hobbyist and research projects. After a second ...
- 5 useful features iOS should steal from Android
Apple should do itself a favor and add the ability to configure the home screen to appease those of us with a flare for minimalism. When I first started using gesture navigation on Android ...
- Need a news app? Here are my top 5 across Android, Linux, and iOS
To configure what you see in this feed, open the Google app's Settings page and tap Manage Your Interests. You can then follow/unfollow topics that have been added based on your searches.
- Narwal Freo X Ultra review: Impressive next-gen robot vacuum/mop
Once you have the Narwal Freo X Ultra physically setup and the base station plugged in, you should allow the robot to charge completely before using it. Meanwhile, you can download the Narwal app ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
AR to configure robots
[google_news title=”” keyword=”AR to configure robots” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]