NASA has designed Robonaut 2 to perform a series of tasks with its hands much like humans would. The robot is currently helping astronauts aboard the International Space Station. (Source: NASA)
I think it would have to be relegated to applications where people weren't exposed to it otherwise the creep factor would be too much of a distraction.
Beth, It's interesting to me that the creep factor is a major consideration for you. Clearly there is a trend to mobile robots interacting more with human workers, from autonomous vehicles that are transporting materials in tire manufacturing plants, for example, to surgical assistants helping with organization and sterilization of instruments. In any of these applications where there is human interaction, I guess there is an adjustment to working with the robot. I guess it's the upper torso design that makes the difference in this case. It's interesting that GM sees the possibility long-term of service robots used in assembly areas, working in conjunction with human workers as a possibility.
What I've noticed with this one is that they didn't try to give it a face - which I think tends to be a major failing with a lot of the humanoid robots. The "helmet" look prevents the "creep factor" of something that looks "almost" human.
By experimenting with the photovoltaic reaction in solar cells, researchers at MIT have made a breakthrough in energy efficiency that significantly pushes the boundaries of current commercial cells on the market.
In a world that's going green, industrial operations have a problem: Their processes involve materials that are potentially toxic, flammable, corrosive, or reactive. If improperly managed, this can precipitate dangerous health and environmental consequences.
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