The Cybernetics Society

You can attend the annual conference of the Cybernetics Society in London on Saturday September 16th.

The monthly informal talks are of more general interest with speakers such as Prof Igor Aleksander (past Chairman), Prof Kevin Warwick (this years Royal Institution Christmas lecturer) amongst many other prominent AI and related experts.  Non members are generally welcome to attend.  Details are on www.cybsoc.org

Pulling the legs off robot spiders

Portech has produced the Robug, a robot which can have legs added or removed without software having to be rewritten. The Robug has four actuators on each leg, which it sees as separate nodes that can work independently of the main body. Robug uses linear conductive potentiometers that keep the machine's legs in phase as it walks.

Millennium Robots

A family of 21st century robots will be among the 20 exhibits in the Mind zone of the Millennium dome. Sponsored by British Aerospace and Marconi, the zone combines art and technology to explore the mysteries of language, perception and identity.

"The Mind zone is where high tech art meets contemporary engineering," says Richard Ellis, BAe's millennium project director. "British Aerospace believes it will make the public think differently about science and technology and inspire today's young people to become the engineers of tomorrow."

Moccasin-II, Pipe crawling robot

The pipe-crawling robot looks like a cyber-worm

The robot runs from compressed air. This gives it added portability. The robot can run off air tanks when there is no electricity to run an air compressor, and it is designed so that it breaks down into components that can easily be carried in backpacks to remote disaster sites.'

Moccasin II is fitted with a tiny video camera and lights that feed video through a cable to a monitor so its location in the pipe can be viewed. The robot can also carry sensors that can 'hear' or sense vibrations from someone tapping on those pipes.

The on-board video and ability to carry sensors into the pipes makes Moccasin 11 a versatile robot that could be used not only for search and rescue but also for repairs on piping in areas where humans would be in danger, such as in nuclear power plant pipes or in gas lines. With other modifications, it could be used to detect cracks in sewer or water lines.

"We are currently working on modifying a different robot based on what we have learned from the Moccasin design,' says Grant. "Using compressed air is the key to making a robot that is safer in areas

A close-up of the front end.