Future Technology » Robotic

Nissan EPORO Robot Car Mimics The Behavioral Patterns of A School of Fish

TheFuture — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:30:02 +0000

The EPORO Robot Car is a concept robot vehicle that can travel alone or in a group in certain patterns and can avoid obstacles without making a collision with each other. Aside from showcasing information technology and cutting-edge electronics, Nissan, the manufacturer of this car, has demonstrated many functional features of this concept that will be helpful for all range of commuters. This concept car with anti-collision abilities can navigate intelligently and instinctively through challenging roads by detecting and avoiding barriers, while presenting a great display of running in groups like fish schooling. This robotic car evolution will help preventing global warming and decrease dependence on gas, which signifies a notable contribution to the society.

Designer : Nissan

Robot Harvester Design For Gathering Rubbish from Shopping Centers

TheFuture — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

The Robot Harvester is a self driven robot concept that has been designed to gather rubbish from shopping centers and street territories, and put them to the right place for disposal. Not only the small rubbishes, the Robot can gather big rubbishes as well using manipulators. It features two web cameras and sensors to detect length of an element which will help it to estimate the territory and locate the place where the rubbish is awaiting to be picked. The scope of small rubbishes is created through a couple of diagonal sweeper-collectors that can sweep just near to the edge.

After sweeping, the rubbish is dumped inside the tank which is divided into two parts: one for small rubbish and another for bigger one. Big rubbish are put by manipulators and falls through upper hole, that is closed with plates. The plates work using the principle of jalousie from small serve drive. All rubbish will be put away from the robot automatically, and its tank can be put away for washing. Recharging of accumulators is automatic too.

(Click image for bigger view)

Designer : Olga Kalugina

Tri.on Remote Controlled Robot To Help Fire Brigades

TheFuture — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:21:31 +0000

Tri.on is a remote controlled robot concept specially designed to be used by the fire brigades or disaster control unit. The main inspiration of this concept came from the drive of generating something that can substitute a human being under tremendously dangerous conditions. Tri.on robot features four wheel shaped rolling tires, each with 3 inner wheels to make the tires roll, allowing the robot to run over any sorts of uneven surfaces such as stairs. It has two hands that can move in any direction and two holders in the end of the hands that provides strong grip when picking up an object.

The tasks of “Tri.On”:
- evaluation of potential dangers by means of various sensors
- taking samples of dangerous substances for further analysis
- precautions to avoid the spreading of dangerous substances, for example sealing leaks or depressurization of containers.

In order to accomplish these tasks, Tri.On is equipped with state of the art sensors. In addition, the robot has stowage for up to three tools in it`s torso.

Designer : Patrick Ehlers and Tobias Weiland

Le Petit Prince Intelligent Robot for Expanding Population in Mars

TheFuture — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:43:42 +0000

Le Petit Prince or Little Prince is a robotic greenhouse concept that is specially designed to help the future exploration and expanding population in the Mars. This intelligent robot can carry and take well care of a plant inside its glass container, which is functionally mounted on its four-legged pod. The robot is designed to learn the optimal process of searching for nutrients in order to keep the plant in a good condition. Moreover, it can send reports of its movements and developments to its fellow greenhouse robots through wireless communication, making it possible to learn from each other. Le Petit Prince is one of top 8 Electrolux Design Lab finalists, you can vote for Le Petit Prince here.

Martin interview with Electrolux :

What was the inspiration for your concept?
In my opinion, everything I have ever seen, read and heard is my inspiration. Every experience stays somewhere inside you, and if you are lucky, it will come out at the right moment. If I look back, this particular concept was definitely inspired by the book The Naked Sun from Isaac Asimov, the R2-D2 robot from Star Wars, an egg, insects, and whatever else I see every day.

How does your concept fit into this year’s competition theme “Designs for the next 90 years”?
Ninety years is very long time. Nearly four generations will pass through, every one of them with its own dreams, desires and possibilities. One long lasting dream is to reach the stars, but before that, we will have to reach Mars to see whether or not we can live without Earth. This is the time where my concept is relevant. At that time, we won’t think of machines as dumb boxes with buttons, but more as partners that obey our commands, but still have their own minds. They will be more autonomous and think and make decisions on their own. It may sound frightening, but it isn’t scarier than the first arrival of trains to the cities.

What are the main consumer benefits of your concept?
One thing you notice on Mars is the silence and serenity. That’s quite good for one week’s vacation in the countryside, but for modern people it’s very depressing to live in such a place for several months or years. Therefore, the main benefit of Le Petit Prince is that it’s not just a machine, but more like a pet or silent friend that you can speak to when you aren’t in the mood to talk to people. On top of that, it is a good gardener that grows any plant you want or need to bare life or just for its beauty.

Describe the consumer research behind your concept.
Well, I must admit it’s difficult to do any real research behind the concept since it’s designed for Mars. However, some of my friends said it’s cute (I always thought some of them have to be from Mars) and I consider their feedback sufficient.

What kind of materials would you use to build your concept?
Metallurgy, glass production and synthetic plastics have been used for a long time and will probably continue to be used in the next hundred years, so I didn’t feel an urge to use new yet unknown materials. Nanotechnology made giant leaps in the last few years and it will improve properties of material surfaces in the future, so they will be even harder and more resistant than anything we know today. More effective (even transparent) are solar panels, etc., but this evolution will not affect the fundamentals of my concept.

Designer : Martin Miklica

Butl-R-Bot : Futuristic Robotic Kitchen Assistant

TheFuture — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:58:24 +0000

The Butl-R-Bot is a futuristic robotic kitchen assistant that features responsive artificial intelligence and innovative advanced technologies like humanistic arms, cameras and advanced sensors, fan arrays with movement ability, and many more. With all these useful features, this robot can cook meals, take order and collect food and even it can interact with kitchen appliances and utensils. Butl-R-Bot can fit in any size of kitchens with its compact shape (only 35cm wingspan) and can work under almost any sorts of environment. This functional kitchen assistant will let the busy and stressful future users to spend more time on entertaining activities or at work.

Designer : Tim Leeding

Unique and Funny Marionette Concept Clock from Mintpass

TheFuture — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:25:37 +0000

The Marionette Clock is a unique concept clock, where the entire wall acts as a clock and the hand is attached with strings that are clasped up to a conveyor on the top. The innovative design of this clock has made it like a puppet play, performed by the Mint boys, who are moving the clock’s hand by controlling the strings, while riding on a roller between their legs that are powered by electric motor.

Marionette boys control the vertical wires attached to the clock’s hand by winding and unwinding the crank. The vertical wiring is controlled by the stepper motor and the function of its module is to calculate the vertical wire’s length to a high level of accuracy. Display of time is done by calculating the vertical wire length and the unicycle’s position to their appropriate figure. The unicycle, on which the Marionette boys ride, is made of “Mycom”, which runs by the stepper motors and let the Marionette boys stay put. The Marionette boys are equipped with rechargeable and interchangeable battery, kept in a backpack on their backs for better balance and this unique design prevents the ride of the boys from falling off, even when they are positioned in an angle.

Marionette clock forms a kind of tiny circus show with two moving Marionette boys back and forth on a unicycle to show the time which certainly will create an artistic sensation.

Designer : Mintpass

Futuristic Creature Guard That Protects Endangered Animals

TheFuture — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:01:04 +0000

The creature guard concept is a self initiated project by car designer Nils Poschwatta, which is a futuristic vehicle that protects endangered animals as well as any kind of living being that needs emergency help. The designer has envisioned this innovative vehicle consisting of a bionic sting-ray, with the ability to fly really fast at a lower altitude, and a pilot with specially designed outfit. This ray is detachable and is interconnected to the propulsion unit through its bio-morph grip. This vehicle features a 1:4 scale model of the vehicle and the pilot by using clay.

Designer : Nils Poschwatta via DesignBoom

VineGuard : Futuristic Concept Robot for Agriculture

TheFuture — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:32:36 +0000

VineGuard is a concept agriculture robot for near future designed to be used as an innovative working animal. The inspiration of this project came from the fully functional insects that needed to be eliminated. This concept insect killer machine works autonomously, leaving the user to relax from fretting about their work to be done. In special cases, this vehicle will provide the information to the owner automatically. It includes heavy duty batteries that provide hours of working by using a single motor on every wheel. The spraying mechanism comprises a nozzle and a camera that provides real time detection of the grapes and spray on them accurately.

Designer : Eyal David

Futuristic Robotaxi by Petr Kubik

TheFuture — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 05:07:57 +0000

The concept of Robot taxis include two seats and three wheels and have designed to ensure smooth public transportation system forever. This slick and compact robot taxis are very much look like a crane driver’s cab with only one uplifting door for passenger entry. These taxis will be available over the city and all of them will be always synchronized and aware of each other’s position. Passengers can jump in any of them at any place or pick the phone and order one, and reach their desired destination in no time. Other key features of this concept are ever-evolving, fully-optimized, always-self-adjusting, and superfluous public traffic system.

What Petr say about this Robotic Taxi :

Instruction to use robotaxi
- You call taxi by mobile phone
- Robotaxi operator will evaluate the closest taxi
- Robotaxi will arrive in very short time and open the door for you
- Put your baggage and go inside the taxi
- You need to set your destination (by your voice or by touch panel)
- While in the road, you can watch video on double-sided cabin window or surfing on internet
- Payment will be done automatically (by wireless reading from you credit card)

Designer : Petr Kubik

Forest Fire Clear Cut Robot Concept by Jordan Guelde

TheFuture — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:49:08 +0000

Technology has presented us various megastructures to make our lives better and Forest Fire Clear Cut Robot is one of such massive creation that is designed to make clear-cut paths in an on fire forest to prevent the blazes from spreading by cutting large quantity of trees at a time. It’s true that with the combination of around 600 individual parts, the first look of this robot will create fear inside you but this useful robot will serve mankind as a savior of immense fire damage. This futuristic concept robot design was an independent study project and it took over 6 months to complete.

Designer : Jordan Guelde