Robotics are being used to help the elderly age in place and they are also found in outer space and everywhere in between. Researchers at the National University of Singapore are in the process of creating biometric robots that will be better able to perform tasks underwater. The robots of choice for underwater use are those that are small, sink and dive fast and can maneuver. Scientists at NUS plan to develop an army of these for use in detecting hazardous substances underwater.
When manufacturing the devices the specifications called for the robotic devices to perform deep dives, make rapid vertical sinks and perform complicated surveillance and testing of various locations. The turtles, as they are called, are also designed with long-lasting, self-charging batteries to eliminate the need for a return to the base station to be recharged. It’s hoped that advances in the turtle robotic technology will allow the devices to communicate with each other as they perform their tasks.
Robotic devices are also used in many manufacturing settings including pharmaceutical manufacturing. These devices, much like the underwater robotic models, employ cameras with custom optical lenses, to help do repetitive tasks and can eliminate errors in tasks that were previously performed by humans. This saves the manufacturer employee wages and can also protect an employee from having to work in a potentially hazardous setting. Robotics are also more ideally suited to tasks that need to be performed in “clean room” settings.
Robot automation, whether underwater or in a manufacturing setting, is a field that is rapidly gaining traction because of the robot’s ability to outperform humans in many cases. The vision capabilities of the automation helps heighten accuracy in the processes for which they are used.
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