TC SPOTLIGHT
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Contribution Toward Future Biorobots By K.H. Low, Ravi Vaidyanathan, Jorge Solis, and Justin Seipel
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n recent years, the benefits of biologically inspired approaches have become increasingly clear in engineering design. While the level of detail can vary significantly, it is widely accepted that some form of biological influence can enhance the performance of robotic systems. Living organisms are complex systems exhibiting a range of desirable engineering characteristics that have proved difficult to realize using traditional engineering methodologies. Research in this field has successfully fused techniques from sensor development, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, simulation/modeling, and robotics. Biologically inspired robotics is characterized by a multidisciplinary approach that aims to strengthen the collaboration between roboticists and biologists. The IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Technical Committee (TC) on Biorobotics was formed with the goal of providing a forum and dissemination mechanism for the interplay between biological and artificial (autonomous or semiautonomous) systems and to present biology as a learning tool for novel engineering paradigms. Thus, the scope of the research in biorobotics covers two main approaches: 1) the application of biological concepts/strategies to improve the current capabilities of robots, for example, extending the robot’s flexibility and robustness by adopting design principles of biological systems and 2) the application of advanced robotic technology to improve the current techniques/ methodologies adopted by biologists. Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2012.2193937 Date of publication: 6 June 2012
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IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE
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JUNE 2012
A principal focus will In 2009, a renewed be given to the underTC was proposed, which standing of locomotion focused on applying bioprinciples (in terms of logical concepts/strategies sensing, actuation, dynamto improve the current ics, and control) of biological capabilities of robots from a © EYEWIRE systems in air, land, and undertechnological point of view. Our water; the physical design of their recent activities have included a range bodies; and the organization of their of tutorial and special sessions at consensory and nervous systems. Interest ferences, journal special issues, and areas include, but are not limited to organized talks. 1) biologically inspired robot architectures A special symposium at IROS 2011 2) biomimetic perception, action, and was held in celebration of the major behavior achievements in robotics over the last 3) brain, learning, and adaptation 50 years. The symposium provided a 4) neuromechanical systems forum for presenting historical, cur5) dynamics and locomotion control rent, and future trends in biologically of biological systems inspired robotic mobility, which is an 6) biologically sensory, actuation, and attempt to summarize the current level feedback of knowledge with respect to the inter7) simulation/modeling/experiments play between biological and artificial of living organisms systems and an assessment of biology 8) interdisciplinary academic (educa- as a learning tool for novel engineering tional) curricula in biorobotics. paradigms. The symposium featured an invited plenary given by Prof. ShiRecent Activity geo Hirose of the University of Tokyo In 2007, as an effort from the cochairs to (see Figure 1) on the historical trends make a more precise definition of the and unresolved issues in biorobotics, technical field of the TC, the scope of bio- Dr. Gabriel Nelson of Boston Dynamrobotics has been defined as a research ics on humanoid (PetMan) and quadfield that involves any use of mecha- raped (BigDog) robots, Prof. Robert tronics systems to understand complex Wood of Harvard University on living organisms. This field can be con- microfabrication for micro air vehicles, ceived as a highly interdisciplinary con- and Prof. Robert Full of the University ference that brings together scientists and of California, Berkeley on insect locoengineers from different backgrounds to motion and current needs in robotic share and learn about research activities locomotion. in this fast-growing field. Due to its interdisciplinary approach, during the past Other Activities Organized four years, several efforts have been by or Related to the TC undertaken to reduce the gap between roboticists and biologists, for example, Recent Activities (Last Five Years) through the RAS and the IEEE Engineering l BioRob 2008, Scottsdale, 19–22 October 2008 in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS).
• Track “Biorobotics for Longevity” of 6th International Conference of the International Society for Gerontechnology, 4–6 June 2008, Pisa, Italy l CUCS Distinguished Lecture: Blake Hannaford, Surgery over the Internet, Columbia Distinguished Lecture Series in Computer Science, 17 September 2007. Members of the TC benefit by getting relevant information (for example, about workshops, publication venues, and potential collaboration partners) and joining discussions of the future of the field. The current cochairs of the TC on biorobots are Kin-Huat Low, Ravi Vaidyanathan, Jorge Solis, and Justin Seipel. Xinyan Deng served as a TC cochair until 2011. With a range of future activities and outreach events, we strongly encourage new members to join our group. Please contact Prof. K.H. Low (
[email protected]) for further information or visit the TC Web site at http://tab.ieee-ras.org/committeeinfo. php?tcid=4. l
Figure 1. From left: Robert Full and Shigeo Hirose after the talk at the Special Symposium (IROS 2011) organized by the TC. l
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IEEE Transactions on Robotics: Special Issue on BioRobotics, 2008 Journal of Mechanism and Machine Theory: Special Issue on Bioinspired Mechanism and Engineering, 2008 ICRA 2008: Workshop on Biorobotics: Research Advances, Standards and Education, Pasadena, 19 May 2008 IROS 2009: Workshop on Biologically Inspired Robots, St. Louis, October 2009 IROS 2009: Sensor Platforms Enabling Multiple Modes of Mobility, October 2009 IROS 2011: “50 Years of Robotics” Plenary Session, featuring plenary speakers Gabriel Nelson (Boston Dynamics), Shigeo Hirose (University of Tokyo), Robert Full (University of Berkley), and Robert Wood (Harvard University) Special Issue of IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics: Focused Section on Bioinspired Mechatronics, 2012 Special Issue of Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics: Focused Areas and Future Trends of Bioinspired Robots, 2012.
List of Outreach Activities Outside the RAS l Track “Biorobotics and Biomechatronics” of Fourth International Conference on Autonomous Robots and Agents, 10–12 February 2009, Wellington, New Zealand (IEEE Instrumentation & Measurement Society)
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Track “Biorobotics” of IEEE/RAS EMBS 2008 IEEE International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics, 19–22 October 2008, Scottsdale Track “Anthropomorphism” of 17th CISM-IFToMM Symposium on Robot Design, Dynamics, and Control, 5–9 July 2008, Tokyo, Japan
