For better or worse, it looks like the days of the cowboys are numbered. In Australia, anyway. According to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), unmanned helicopters would be the perfect tool to herd cattle. CSIRO’s Dr. Jonathon Roberts, who I guess has put a lot of thought into this sort of thing, says:

“Have the helicopter figure out where the cows are, know where they have to go and actually plan their path, move around and drive the cows in the right direction. There’s an advantage of using these helicopters they’re noisy and cows don’t like them so they should go in the opposite direction to the helicopter so just like the mustering is done now.”

That sounds like it would be a heck of a lot of fun to watch, if not entirely pleasant for the cows. There’s a ways to go in the software department before UAVs will be able to pull this off, but herding cattle with (piloted) helicopters is more common than you might think. Video example from Hawaii, after the jump. (Read more…)

Okay, so even by my definition of robot (i.e. if I think it’s a robot, it’s a robot), this thing may not completely qualify. But there’s just something about it. Something sinister. I don’t know whether it’s the legs, the way it moves, or the scorpion tail with a decapitator on the end of it. If it ever figures out how to scuttle, I think it would seriously freak me out.

Yeah, eek.

[ Plustech ] VIA [ Like Cool ]

This robot, designed by University of Illinois engineering student Lei Tian, doesn’t seem to have a name. So I’m going to give it one: weedbot. Weedbot is the ultimate in solar powered weed destruction machines. GPS guided and totally autonomous, weedbot uses stereo cameras to locate and identify weeds for extermination based on image characteristics stored in an 80gb onboard database. If a weed is found, weedbot not only chops it down, he also applies herbicide to the spot ensuring that the weed will not rise again. You know, like cutting the head off a zombie. Or something. Weedbot is 2 feet tall, 5 feet long, and can travel about 3 miles an hour on wheels or little tank treads. Since he applies herbicide so precisely, weedbot is much cheaper and more environmentally friendly than typical agricultural weed management techniques that involve spraying an entire field.

Weedbot is currently confined to experimental fields at the University of Illinois, but I’m hoping he breaks out and finds his way over to my back yard.

[ U. Illinois ] VIA [ Robot Living ]

Why are robots better at repetitive tasks than humans? This video should give you a clue. Instead of building better / faster / stronger robotic hardware, ABB has decided to focus some of their attention on the software that controls the movements of the robot. By making the robot smarter, ABB is able to increase payload by 20%, repeatable accuracy by 35%, and speed by 10%. These are pretty huge numbers when you consider that this isn’t a hardware change; the robot just has better instructions.

I’m not sure whether this demo is more impressive than these incredible ABB FlexPicker robots… True, this example is very fast and precise, but it’s following a preset path and not having to make any decisions. The amount of progress in automation that has been made in the relatively recent past is vaguely shocking, and at this point, the capabilities of robotic systems in situations like this are SO far beyond humans that I’m feeling just a little intimidated.

[ ABB ]

This friendly robotic pachyderm likes nothing better to have a dirty urinal inserted into his rear, at which time some mysterious mechanical guts work their magic, and about 10 seconds later, poof, the urinal is all nice and clean and sterile and smelling (I assume) of sweet elephant backside. His little yellow hat is just adorable, and I guess the whole trunk concept is sort of cute, but from a slightly different angle, it kinda looks like… Oh, nevermind. Just watch the video:

VIA [ Engadget ]

This Comau SMART NH4 industrial welding robot has been fitted with some kind of spectacularly badass laser system which can instantly spot weld metal from over a meter away:

I want one for my patio. I’d use it to zap mosquitoes. Muahahahaha.

[ Comau Robotics ] VIA [ Communist Robot ]

KUKA robot arms: great toy, or greatest toy ever? We’ve seen them programmed to write calligraphy, DJ, chuck flaming bowling balls at RVs, and fling people around. From back in the archives (before the existence of the BotJunkie archives, actually) comes this video of a KUKA robot modified to play tennis and wield a sword, all controlled with a Wiimote:

FYI, KUKA robots run in the mid five figs, although there is a used one on eBay right now for only $10k.

[ WiiBot ]

The speed and precision of the ABB IRB 340 FlexPicker robotic, um, arm, is pretty wild. It’s the world’s fastest industrial robot, able to accelerate at 10gs, as the arm goes from zero to 280mph in 1 second (after which it hopefully slows down again). Able to handle payloads of up to 2kg, it’s optimized for short and fast pick-and-place cycles, requiring as little at 0.4 seconds per cycle. The system includes a camera that can detect any object that doesn’t conform to a set of standards, which makes the FlexPicker perfect for working with food. The video below shows FlexPicker systems sorting croissants, stacking sausages, and boxing muffins, realtime:

Terrifying, isn’t it?

[ ABB FlexPicker ] VIA [ Hacked Gadgets ]

Robots have been the champions of the manufacturing industry for years, but it’s still pretty cool to see them in high speed action. This video shows an automated sorting and mailing system for Netflix movies. I don’t know about you, but it gives me a warm and happy and slightly worried feeling when I think that the very same movies I receive in the mail every week are sent to me by a robotic system that’s four times as fast and efficient as humans. That doesn’t forgive the fact that you sent me Star Trek: Voyager Season 5 Disc 4 when I’d asked for Disc 3, though… Completely ruined my evening.

VIA [ Communist Robot ]

I grew up in Oregon, one of the two US states in which it’s illegal to pump your own gas. Roadtrips were always extra special, since Dad let my brother and I fill up the ol’ Volvo ourselves. Looks like those days are coming to an end, in the Netherlands anyway, thanks to Dutch inventor Nico van Staveren, who has developed a robot arm that does the fun part for you. The “Tankpitstop” robot is (for any car which it’s been programmed for) able to open the gas flap, unscrew the cap, fill the tank, and then put everything back just the way it was. It doesn’t look like the robot is able to come around and take your credit card, but it’s probably got some sort of laser cannon attachment to ensure that you don’t just drive off. The cost for this tiny extra bit of convince? $111,100… And I bet it’s not going to come programmed with specs for my ‘85 Volvo wagon.

VIA [ Reuters ]