WHAT IS ROBOT ?:
A robot is an automatically guided machine which is able to do tasks on its own, almost always due to electronically-programmed instructions. Another common characteristic is that by its appearance or movements, a robot often conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own. WHAT IS ROBOT ?
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Japanese researchers, never at a loss for concepts mashing up domestic and medical care with the best in robotics, has developed a robotic wheelchair that automatically follows a human companion. HOW IT WORKS? Born of Saitama University's Human-Robot Interaction Center , the wheelchair employs a distance sensor that tracks the position of a companion person, keeping the wheelchair always at the person's left. It also tracks the position of the companion's shoulders, anticipating where that person is moving next. Even if the companion stand in place and simply rotates, the chair will circle around to remain abreast of the companion.
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The chair is rigged with a few sensors , and a camera that sits a top that extended piece above the back of the chair. The camera system works to track not only the person that it is following, but also those around it. It’s able to follow someone because it tracks the position of the companion’s shoulders, and anticipates which directly they are facing, so it knows which way to turn, and how far to go.
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Why we are using this? It is great idea: a wheelchair-bound person’s companion usually has to push them around, and therefore if something comes up where they need immediate assistance, they may not be able to get to them fast enough. But, having the wheelchair follow them, and therefore freeing up their hands, makes that assistant all the more helpful . And thanks to the distance sensor, the wheelchair can avoid not only stationary obstacles, like chairs and desks, but also people. If a group, or an individual, is walking toward the chair, it will automatically avoid that obstacle. And according to the engineers behind the project, apparently they can have two chairs follow a single person.
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ANY QUESTIONS?