National Robotics Week and New Center Announcement:
Purdue University is celebrating National Robotics Week with various events. The Purdue Robotics Accelerator Center is officially inaugurated, bringing together four colleges to focus on collaborative robotics (Robotics 2.0). The center aims to drive research and development in co-robots and their applications in healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture. It emphasizes a full spectrum of activities, from basic research to deployment.

Introduction of Professor Rod Brooks:
Professor Rod Brooks, a renowned robotics expert, is introduced as the main speaker for the event. His contributions to robotics are highlighted, including his positions at prestigious universities, his deep research, and his ability to capture attention and funding. He is the founder of Rethink Robotics and co-founder of iRobot, the company behind the Roomba.

Professor Brooks’ Presentation:
Professor Brooks begins his talk by discussing his early influences and inspirations in robotics. He mentions W. Gray Walter’s book, “The Living Brain,” and his robots built in 1949, which demonstrated complex behaviors using simple technology. Brooks shares his early attempts at building robots based on these ideas, including a robot that could navigate around his house and follow lights.

Brooks’ Research Journey:
Brooks pursued a PhD in model-based computer vision at Stanford University. He worked on geometric modeling, path planning, and uncertainty analysis for robot tasks. His research focused on developing systems that could perceive the environment, plan paths, and execute tasks autonomously. He realized that traditional approaches were computationally intensive and complex, while biological systems like mosquitoes could navigate effectively with limited computational resources.

Shifting Focus to Behavior-Based Robotics:
Brooks recognized the need for a different approach to robotics and began exploring behavior-based robotics. This approach emphasizes the use of simple behaviors and emergent properties to achieve complex tasks. Brooks’ work in this area led to the development of robots that could navigate, avoid obstacles, and perform simple tasks without relying on detailed geometric models or extensive planning.

Rodney Brooks’ Research Interests:
Rodney Brooks had a strong interest in studying simple animals, particularly insects, and their behavior.

Artificial Insect Lab:
Brooks founded the Artificial Insect Lab to explore how to build robots inspired by insects’ behavior and arrangement of computation.

Brooks’ 1986 Paper:
Brooks’ paper, published in 1986, introduced the concept of subsumption architecture, which involved organizing robot computation into multiple layers, each responsible for a specific capability. The paper received mixed reviews, but the editor’s appreciation led to its publication, significantly boosting Brooks’ career.

Challenges in Robot Design:
Brooks identified several challenges in robot design, including: Handling multiple goals and priorities. Dealing with conflicting information from multiple sensors. Ensuring robustness in the face of sensor or actuator failures.

Subsumption Architecture:
Brooks developed subsumption architecture as a way to address these challenges. This approach involved adding new capabilities to the robot incrementally, with each layer responsible for a specific task. The lower layers handled basic tasks like locomotion and obstacle avoidance, while higher layers could focus on more complex tasks like exploration.

Comparison to Evolution:
Brooks viewed subsumption architecture as a simplified model of evolution. Each layer in the architecture could be seen as a “sub-brain” that connected sensors to actuators, with its own perception, planning, and action capabilities. The interaction between these layers gave rise to global behaviors in the robot.

Brooks’ Research Legacy:
Brooks’ research on subsumption architecture was influential in the field of robotics. It provided a novel approach to robot design that emphasized incremental development and robustness. Brooks’ work continues to inspire researchers and engineers in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics.

Summary of Rodney Brooks’ Presentation:

Behavior-Based Architecture:
Rodney Brooks developed a behavior-based architecture for robots, utilizing layers of finite state machines communicating via messages. This approach facilitated obstacle avoidance and navigation in real-time, outperforming existing mobile robots at the time.

Alan the Robot:
In 1984, Brooks built Alan, a robot equipped with sonar and cameras, demonstrating rapid obstacle avoidance and dynamic replanning.

Genghis the Six-Legged Rover:
Brooks created Genghis, a six-legged rover, capable of traversing rough terrain, inspired by insect morphology.

Early Vacuum Cleaning Robot:
Brooks constructed an early vacuum cleaning robot, despite its airflow design flaw.

“Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control”:
Brooks proposed a concept of small, autonomous robots for space exploration, challenging the conventional approach of large, servo-controlled robots.

iRobot and Rocky:
Brooks founded iRobot, a company dedicated to developing autonomous robots. iRobot collaborated with NASA on the Rocky project, a series of small rovers for planetary exploration.

Lunar Rover Test:
iRobot conducted a test launch of a rover on a brilliant pebble at Edwards Air Force Base, demonstrating a soft landing and autonomous operation.

NASA’s Mars Rover:
NASA incorporated a rover, based on the Rocky project, into the Mars mission, landing on Mars in 1997. The rover, named Sojourner, operated for 84 days on the Martian surface.

Roomba and Military Ground Robots:
iRobot shifted its focus to vacuum cleaning robots, developing the successful Roomba, with over 10 million units sold. The company also supplied approximately 5,000 ground robots to the US military.

Past Works:
Rodney Brooks, a renowned scholar, ventured into humanoid robotics, distinct from his company iRobot, to explore social interactions and force-based tasks. COG, a humanoid robot, exhibited lifelike behaviors, prompting lab members to create barriers for privacy. Series elastic actuators, co-invented by Gil Pratt and Matt Williamson, enabled force feedback and compliant interactions. Baxter, a collaborative robot, was designed for easy training by factory workers, marking a shift towards human-robot collaboration.

Manufacturing Trends:
Outsourcing manufacturing to China has increased productivity but led to reliance on low-cost labor. As labor costs rise and living standards improve, countries experience a decline in interest in repetitive assembly jobs. The chasing of low-cost labor has led to a global shift in manufacturing locations, starting from Japan to Korea, Taiwan, and eventually China.

Challenges and Solutions:
The demand for better work conditions and the shortage of labor have made it difficult to continue relying on cheap manual labor. To address these challenges, Brooks proposes using robots instead of people in manufacturing. Industrial robots have been used since 1961, but their rigidity and lack of adaptability limit their use to structured environments.

Baxter’s Significance:
Baxter, a collaborative robot, is designed to operate alongside humans in factories. Its user-friendly interface allows ordinary factory workers to train it to perform simple tasks, promoting human-robot collaboration.

The Future of Manufacturing:
Brooks emphasizes the need to bring manufacturing back to developed countries to foster innovation and maintain control over product development. Robots can play a crucial role in this transition by replacing repetitive manual labor and enabling more flexible and adaptable manufacturing processes.

Rethink Robots’ Production Robots: A Paradigm Shift in Industrial Automation:
Rodney Brooks, a robotics expert, introduces Rethink Robots’ production robots, a new category of industrial robots designed for ease of use and safety.

Production Robots: Advantages and Features:
Production robots address the challenges of traditional industrial robots, which require specialized programmers and complex integration. They are easy to use, requiring no coding or specialized knowledge. Training is done by showing the robot what to do, similar to teaching a person. These robots feature series elastic actuators that allow them to sense force and adapt to changes in the environment. They are safe to interact with and operate without safety cages.

Software Platform and Hardware Independence:
Rethink Robots follows a hardware platform and software platform approach, similar to Apple and Samsung. The hardware platform is the physical robot, while the software platform includes the operating system and application software. Software releases and upgrades can improve the robot’s capabilities without requiring hardware changes, enhancing performance and functionality.

Series Elastic Actuators:
Production robots employ series elastic actuators, which combine an elastic element with a motor, gear train, and load. This design allows for precise control of force and stiffness, protecting gearboxes from shock and enabling safe interaction with humans.

Training and Inference:
The robots are trained by showing them what to do, rather than programming them in code. They infer actions and intentions based on the user’s inputs and interactions, such as opening or closing grippers. The manufacturing version of the software includes a face that glances where the hand is about to move, providing visual cues to people working nearby.

Simple and Complex Tasks:
Production robots can perform simple tasks easily and efficiently. They can also handle more complex tasks with additional training and customization. Users can specify parameters such as height above the table during movement, demonstrating the robot’s adaptability.

Custom End Effectors and General-Purpose Hands:
Production robots do not have general-purpose hands, but users can customize end effectors for specific tasks. Examples include suction grippers made from plumbing materials and 3D-printed fingers with electric grippers.

Safety and Human Interaction:
Rethink Robots’ production robots prioritize safety and human interaction. They are safe to be around and work closely with, as demonstrated by their use in factories and by children during Take Your Kid to Work Day.

Metrics for Evaluation:
Brooks emphasizes the importance of using appropriate metrics to evaluate robots. Metrics like jumping height may be relevant for spy robots or robots designed for specific tasks, but they are not suitable for industrial robots.

Different Metrics for Baxter Robots:
Baxter robots prioritize adaptability, flexibility, and ease of use, unlike traditional industrial robots that focus on precision, repeatability, and speed. Throughput is more critical for Baxter robots than absolute speed, as their integration and training time significantly impact overall task completion.

The Maker Movement:
Chris Anderson, former editor-in-chief of Wired, has become a prominent figure in the maker movement, starting 3D Robotics and showcasing his wares at the Maker Faire in Shenzhen. The maker movement involves people creating and building things, often using digital tools and technologies. Examples of innovations from the maker movement include a wooden 3D printer that sold for $480 million and MakerBot, a New York City-based company.

Similarities to the Homebrew Computer Club:
The maker movement is comparable to the Homebrew Computer Club in Silicon Valley during the 1980s, where individuals built their own computers. The original Apple computer had a wooden case, showcasing the early stages of technological innovation. The maker movement represents a significant shift in manufacturing, similar to the impact of the Homebrew Computer Club on the tech industry.

Manufacturing Models and CAD Tools:
With the advancement of 3D printers and maker spaces, manufacturing may shift towards localized production and custom tooling. CAD tools are becoming more parametric and incorporating manufacturing information, leading to potential changes in manufacturing models.

Changes in Manufacturing:
Product companies may sell designs directly to retailers, who then bid out production to local factories, promoting local manufacturing. This model could reduce shipping costs, increase customization options, and support entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship and Emerging Technologies:
The rapid evolution of technology creates opportunities for entrepreneurial ventures and new business models, particularly for students with the necessary training. Changing technologies lead to shifting roles and players in business, making it an exciting time for entrepreneurial activity.

Demographic Changes and Robotics:
The percentage of adults in the workforce is declining due to aging populations in China, the US, and Europe. Robotics can assist in providing services for the elderly, enabling them to maintain control of their lives and stay in their homes longer.

Baxter Research Robot:
Baxter Research Robot is a company developing robots for manufacturing, inspired by the growth of mobile robotics research labs in the 1980s and 1990s.

Shift from Niche to Mainstream Research:
Rodney Brooks highlights the exponential growth in robot navigation research, from a few dozen to thousands of researchers, following the commercialization of mobile robot platforms in the mid-90s. This surge in research led to the formalization of Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), which has had a profound impact on autonomous driving and advanced automotive features.

Baxter Robot as a Research Platform:
Unlike previous robot arms, Baxter features built-in safety behaviors, making it safe for students to work with. Brooks expresses his hope that researchers will leverage Baxter to develop innovative solutions, improve robot usability, intelligence, perception, and hands.

Importance of Collaboration and Open Innovation:
Brooks emphasizes the significance of having a large community of researchers working with safe robot arms to drive progress in various application areas. He anticipates witnessing new application areas and demonstrations during the presentation.

Baxter’s Programming by Demonstration:
Baxter utilizes lead-through teaching, allowing users to demonstrate tasks for the robot to learn. Richard M. Voyles demonstrates this programming method using Baxter, showcasing a simple block stacking task.

GestoNurse:
Professor Juan Wachs from the Industrial Engineering Department is introduced to discuss the GestoNurse, a nurse assistant robot.

Unconventional Robot Application:
Baxter robot used to assist surgeons in surgery. Graduate and undergraduate students are practicing the task. Aim is to explore natural interaction between surgeon and robot through speech, gestures, and foot gestures.

Natural Interaction Modalities:
Speech: Surgeons communicate with surgical nurses through speech. Gestures: Surgeons use hand movements or gestures to communicate. Body Stance and Language: Surgeons communicate through body stance and language.

Foot Gestures:
Foot movements or foot gestures are used by the surgeon to communicate with the robotic assistant. Dance on dance revolution part is used as an interface for foot gestures.

Open Houses:
Open houses will be held from 7 to 8 or 8.30 pm after the presentation. Four labs will be open: Assistive Surgery Lab, Collaborative Robotics Lab, Multidisciplinary Design Lab, and Interactive Manufacturing Lab. Maps and further instructions are available on the table outside the Loeb Playhouse. Follow the C-3PO and Baxter heads for directions.