robots with brains

Robots with Brains: Welcome to the World of the Humanoid

Replicating human thought has been the goal of robotic inventors for centuries. From Leonardo DA Vince's 1495 ant robot, to the cutting edge science of NASA and Japanese engineers, the objective is the same - mimicking the human form and brain.

Why humanoids? The potential is immense. From household assistants, to team players in space, robots with brains are creating an exciting future.

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS

Many are looking to robots to serve the elderly, ill, or bedridden. Japanese humanoids are at the forefront of this field. At Tokyo University, robots have demonstrated their ability to handle typical household tasks, such as pouring tea and washing dishes. The goal is to have humanoids that think - those who could learn from their mistakes by memorizing situations and outcomes and being able to recognize them and adjust accordingly.

HONDA ASIMOV

The ASIMOV robot is expanding horizons. Not only can it walk alongside someone, and hold hands, it can run at 6km/h and turn while running. It moves carts, acts as a receptionist and carries trays.

NASA'S J PL ROBOTIC RESEARCH:

NASA is developing space robots that think like humans. Their goal is creating robots that perform apart from human direction and performance-specific software. These robots will work in teams to build and maintain planetary or orbiting facilities. The main focus of their work is focused on two different approaches within artificial intelligence: fuzzy logic and neural networks.

    Fuzzy Logic: Beyond Black and White - Fuzzy logic is an attempt to duplicate all the variations that exist in the human mind between now and yes, true and false. Its goal is to create a sophisticated thought-process.

    Neural Networks: Learning from Mistakes - This type of robotic thinking allows robots to learn from previous actions. It mimics the brains ability to reason through a number of steps and finally make a decision.