KUKA's industrial robots are usually all business. They do things like weld cars and assemble electronics. They don't play tennis or engage in sword play. At least, they didn't until recently. Aaron Rasmussen and his fellow engineers at USMechatronics have transformed a KUKA KR16 into a tennis-playing, sword-wielding robot that features a wireless control system based on a "WiiMote," the motion-sensing controller for Nintendo's Wii game console. "The idea was to take one industrial robot, add a laptop talking to a WiiMote, strap on a tennis racket, have it follow the swings that the user makes, and do it all in a few hours on a Saturday so we could get back to our busy schedules," Rasmussen writes on a web page describing the WiiBot robot's software development and hardware. After a bit of tennis, the WiiBot took up fencing. This video shows the robot in action. But don't think the WiiBot is all fun and games. KUKA plans to demonstrate this new wireless control concept at next week's ATX West Expo in Anaheim, CA. This concept cell was designed to show how robotic technology might trickle down from industrial robots to consumers, according to Kevin Kozuszek, KUKA's director of marketing. Read the full story here.
Safety networks have become more complex, and have actually become simpler and easier to deploy for plant operators. This slideshow highlights developments in plant safety with an emphasis on integrated safety networks.
As the MEMS industry spans a myriad of industries and markets, the future of MEMS in consumer electronics will enable a myriad of functionality, applications, and personalization.
The Nest is a sleek-looking digital thermostat which can actually "learn" its owners' schedule and then continue to regulate temperature to suit the user's preferences and patterns.
Thanks to embedded electronics, medical devices are getting smaller and smarter than ever. Pacemakers and implantable defibrillators are now able to call physicians. MRIs, CT scanners, and ultrasound machines are gaining mobility. And the venerable Band-Aid may soon be able to detect illnesses ranging from fevers to heart arrhythmias. On February 21, join Design News senior editor Charles Murray for a wide-ranging discussion, "Embedded Angles for Medical Products," which will explore the latest developments in medical electronics. The discussion will examine advances in medical device technology and offer an inside look at the embedded electronics behind it.
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