Trusting a Robot…With Your LIFE

I have been to my fair share of hospital emergency rooms, including one interesting trip to an ER in Seoul, South Korea (which is a story for another day). Luckily enough, these visits were usually minor and involved some level of stupidity on my end.  For those of us who have been less fortunate, hospital visits have involved some sort of surgical procedure. From a routine outpatient podiatry procedure that lasts less than a half hour to a complex cardiothoracic surgery that takes multiple days and requires an inpatient stay of months, surgery can be scary, painful, and costly. The fact is that the patient must trust the doctor with his limb, his heart, or even his life. While surgeons are able to safely perform operations today that healthcare professionals could have only dreamed of twenty years ago, complications, pain, and suffering will continue to pervade the process of undergoing surgery no matter how advanced the field becomes. This is clearly evident, as all of us have at least known someone close to them who has had to have an operation.  Surgery can save lives and, in other cases, can just as easily take them. The surgeon’s duty is to give their patients the best care, whether that means performing an operation or to advising against it and recommending alternative solutions. The patient’s duty is to decide if the doctor’s advice is sound and, if so, to trust it. Now, just imagine how hard it is to trust someone with your life. Now, do it again – but this time, imagine trusting a robot with this responsibility…..

In 2000, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. introduced the FDA approved da Vinci robotic surgical system. The system is composed of a surgeon’s console, fitted with a high-resolution viewing screen and an Endowrist system that reacts to the surgeon’s movements, and a patient side-cart, equipped with four robotic arms capable of emulating the surgeon’s movements almost exactly. Since 2000, over 1,400 da Vinci systems have been purchased and successfully employed in hospitals from the United States to Austria. At a price of around $2 Million, the da Vinci system represents an innovative, but expensive approach to surgical procedures. While the price may seem steep, sales have risen dramatically over the past few years and are expected to increase by 400% next year. So why are more and more hospitals around the world willing to pay so much for this system? For starters, the system allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures with more accuracy and greater effectiveness. Rather than having to saw through someone’s mandible in order to reach a cancerous mass in the back of someone’s throat, this system is able to make a tiny incision in neck or even proceed directly down the throat in order to reach the same malignancy. This not only reduces the trauma levels inflicted to the patient, but also preserves tissue and dramatically reduces recovery time. This saves the patient and the hospital lofty costs associated with extended inpatient stays, increases patient satisfaction, and increases a hospitals’ brand in terms of innovativeness. No wonder hospitals are jumping at the chance to be the next institution to employ the da Vinci system in their surgical centers, right? From the sounds of it, I would trust this thing more than I would trust the Cleveland Browns to disappoint their fans (which is pretty much guaranteed).

Now, here’s the other side of the story. The surgical robot is not autonomous – it requires a surgeon who is not only comfortable performing the operation remotely, through a screen, but who is also capable of deftly maneuvering the Endowrist system well enough to make it react as if its his own hands. In theory, this is how it’s supposed to work. This requires hours and hours of training and even then, success is not guaranteed. In being detached from the patients’ tissue, the surgeon will obviously have less sensitivity. In some cases, this has resulted in mistakes that result in even bigger problems than the initial surgery was meant to correct. In addition, more and more cases are being reported as problematic as research begins to surface regarding the da Vinci’s outcomes. So far, only 245 problematic operations have been reported, according to the FDA. But, these problematic cases are self-reported and as a result are vastly underreported. While the da Vinci system is understandably an innovative approach to surgery in the 21^st century, it is far from a perfect machine. As I said before, every surgery involves some sort of risk. The question is whether or not this robot is able to minimize these risks effectively.  

Brendan Cmolik

Logist-O-botics

--> “The machine has no feelings, it feels no fear and no hope ... it operates according to the pure logic of probability. For this reason I assert that the robot perceives more accurately than man.” 

MAX FRISCH, Homo Faber: A Report

Stop and pause for a moment… now imagine a world where no time is wasted, where efficiency's boundary is a near-infinite horizon and where people are able to focus on and think about problems that really matter. The truth is that modern logistics is not far away from this reality! Robots are put in to action to optimize operations, adding real and measurable business value to companies across industries around the world.

But do robots really offer any business value through improved logistics? And if so, why?

Lets delve deeper into the differences between mankind (the “traditional” workforce) and robots in order to assess what might work best for this job.

Psychological theories and studies conclude that humans filter what they perceive with a distinct bias formed through their previous experiences. There is this great book called “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two” that basically deals with the boundaries of human perception and memory. It is often interpreted to argue that the number of objects an average human can hold in working memory at one particular point in time is 7 ± 2. Let me elucidate this through a practical example: Have a look around you (no matter where you currently are) and try to count all red objects in your surrounding (actually do it). When you’ve got your number, remember it. Now, without a single view, how many green objects have you noticed?

Exactly! 

As you probably noticed it is way harder to recall all green objects in such a situation, because you primed to remember only the red objects, creating a biased experience. So I believe that we can all agree on the fact that human perception and working memory is at least to some extent limited. It is moreover not always given that, even if a soundly “programmed” human perception filter is used, this perception concludes in an accurate measurement. Humans sometimes make errors. It’s just human (humans get also tired. And human make even more errors when they’re tired).

This might happen:

or this:

We already know that robots are synthesized by hard- and software, containing all sorts of interconnected sensors. Hence, it should not be too hard for us to understand that robots perceive and react a lot more accurately than humans. Robotic sensors are only limited by their specs, and their specs are programmed to eliminate human bias. They store the amount of data that is provided by the hard drive; as much as it shall be. Although they are bounded to certain circumstances (perceiving just a small part on which they are programmed for), they are capable of doing a really great job at it. Just take a look at the following clips:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTDgrUT0J0U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLRfsTPPAcU&list=PLF9121E5DF17AFA99

Amazons next big INNOVATION for its logistics: "Prime-Air" drone for 30-minute deliveries! Your future Amazon packages could be delivered by a flying robot. Isn´t that impressive?! Have a look at this short clip:

Innovative robotic logistics solutions are aslo applied in other business fields... for instance, in car park systems (video below):

However, machines and robots are also limited in thier capabilities. They lack capabilities including - for instance - the ability to synthesize qualitative information to one big picture, generate emotions, imagination or intuition. Hence, humans are more versatile in thier way of working, a fact that gives them an advantage; especially for conceptual and strategic thinking. A key robotics groth area and trend is Intelligent Assis Devices (IAD) - operators manipulate a robot as though it were a bionic extension of thier own limbs with increased capabilities. This is robotics technology - not replacement for humans or robots but rather a new class of ergonomic assist devices that help humans in a wide array of ways (e.g. power assist, motion guidance, ine tracking and process automation. This hybrid conjunction might apear as the most benificial solution with respect to effectivness, quality, risk and cost.

One of the core challenges is to realize a sound human-technology-interaction (HTI), that narrows down to the design of hard- and software of robots. This demands a huge amount of psychological, proccess and organisational studies and therefore a lot of research & development.

Stay tuned for the next episode!

- Kimon Georgiou

Intelligent Cars

Many have imagined the day that cars would be able to drive themselves and, the reality is, they're not far from it. The first car manufacturer to introduce these kind of features was the Toyota Motor Corporation. Their Lexus the Toyota Prius models were provided with an Intelligent Parking Assist System (IPAS), which allowed the cars to park on their own. The first IPAS's included parking sensors and reverse cameras. Now Toyota vehicles are available with reverse auto-aligning cameras, side mirror cameras and self-park systems.

Audi’s latest self-drive/park feature is another testament to the automotive industry's application of innovative technologies. The Audi A7 is now capable of driving and parking itself.....remotely. Owners are now able to activate and recall their cars from the parking lot using their mobile devices. When you arrive to the mall, you literally stop in front of the entrance. Leave the car in the middle of the road. Click Park, using the application on your phone. Then the car will find the closet spot available - safely of course. When you leave the mall, click Pick Up on the application and you can expect your car to pick you up shortly.

If you thought Audi's remote driving system was impressive,  Mercedes may blow you away. It's developing self-driving technology in its S-Class models. The car is capable of reaching any destination. It is able to keep a safe distance from cars, stop at traffic lights, slow down for pedestrians and stay in the center of the lane. Let's just say this car sounds safer than an abuelo behind the wheel. It may be hard to believe, but we are close to being able to read a book, have a meal or behind the wheel while arriving at the destination safely. While it may be hard for most of us to trust a car that basically controls itself, the video below shows you just how close we may be....to actually letting the car drive us. 

The Bugatti Veyron

“It’s like the Nissan GTR on LSD: it alters the way in which you perceive the world around you.”
-Angus Mackenzie.

It goes from standstill to 400 km/h in less than one minute. It has an average top speed of 408.47 km/h. It is faster than any other production car in the world. And that’s because it’s not just any production car: it is built out of technology and materials from outside of the automobile industry. To start, the front and rear frames are constructed from high-strength aircraft stained steal, welded in the same way as aircrafts are, taking from 80 to 90 hours to make one of these handcrafted parts. It’s produced by Heggeman Aerospace, a company involved in building jets and rockets, and who is also responsible for the car’s hydraulic rear wing. This wing is one of the features that make this car so special. It makes sure that at a speed from 220 km/h, it provides a down force of 3.425 newtons.

Oddly enough, this is not even its main function. If you are moving at these kinds of speed, you better have a good set of brakes. Although the carbon fibre C/SiC (reinforced silicon carbide) composite discs already make up of 2/3 of the breaking power, the other 1/3 is coming from the rear wing, set in an angle of 55°. To control the rear wing you need something unimaginably fast to measure the cars speed and changes in its speed. Here’s where the technology comes in. We are talking about a sensor unit that is actually the fastest piece in the car. It measures the time it takes a pulse of light to follow a wire, hit a magnet and reflect back as an ultrasonic sound wave. This information is then being sent to the car’s computer, which calculates how to react. When accelerating above 220 km/h, it will adjust into an angle of 15°, and when increasing into 370 km/h, it will even change into an angle of only 2°.

When making high speeds stops, the computer will put the wing in a 55° angle, in only four tenths of a second, so that the car brakes from 400km/h to standstill within a distance of 0.5 km and less than 10 seconds. To be more precise, the car can make stops from 200 km/h to a complete standstill in 2.2 seconds. So actually this car brakes faster than it accelerates (0 to 200 km/h in 2.5 seconds). Thus, the 4000 hp. needed to brake greatly exceeds its 1001 hp. of motive power.

If you’re not yet in love with this car, all it will take is one drive. In contrast with most supercars, driving, racing and handling this car is simple, even your granny can do it, all thanks to the car’s computer. It controls the traction, the stability, the rear wing, the heat production, and so on. This incredible piece of intelligence is essential to the extraordinary accomplishments of the Bugatti Veyron. 

Seems like a dream come true

In 1977, a man called George Lucas released a film about space, aliens and robots. Back then, it all seemed like a dream. Robots were simple toys for kids or tools for movies. They were nothing more than fictional characters. Today, there are robots in almost every aspect of our lives. We see robots in operating rooms doing non-invasive surgeries, or flying around the world while the pilot is lying down in his/her couch. 

Nowadays, they have been introduced into most aspects of our lives, becoming a cost-effective solution to market problems. From talking robots to drones and whether you run a factory, are a farmer or in the military, companies are integrating robots into their daily lives to improve their business value. They reduce time and costs of the common business processes while increasing efficiency. 

A study from the International Federation of Robotics says that the sales of industrial robots will increase by 2%, this year. The countries that will demand the largest number of robots are the United States, Brazil, South Korea, China, Southeast Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Turkey, while Japan's demand will be decreased because of their economic situation.

The IFR divides robotics into two categories: industrial and service. Within the service category, robots are divided into professional or personal use. In the past three years, the demand for automobile and electronic robots has increased. Also, the demand for medical robots or robots for military use has also seen a great increase in demand. 

Thirty years ago, robots seemed a thing that we could only see and experience in dreams and fiction movies. Today, they are among us making our lives easier and helping us improve our business value and life expectancy. If this is what they do today, just imagine what they will be able to do in 10 or 20 years time. 

Sources: IFR, HBR, The Business of Robotics

A look into the past, the present and the future...

A look into the past, what the present is like and what the future has in store for us....

The world of Robots.... Its still the beginning of what we know.....

Robotic Beings Rule the World

Robotic Beings Rule the World

No. Don’t worry - the humans aren’t dead…. yet. While obviously satirical, the New Zealand band, Flight of the Concords, does shed some light on the growing reliance of robotics in our daily lives and in the world of business. During the coming weeks we will explore robotics through multiple lenses, eventually painting a clearer picture of just how prevalent robots have become in various sectors, what types of value they add, and the consequences that accompany these innovations. 

Robots have steadily infiltrated all types of businesses. From hospitals to military front lines to automotive production to the depths of the ocean – all these industries have implemented and realized the benefits of robotics. Surgeons are now able to perform life-saving operations from miles away, while reducing inpatient stays and unbearable levels of pain. Cars can now be assembled with accuracy and time efficiencies that near 99.999%. Drones have now replaced manned planes, allowing militaries to execute missions without leaving their bases. Undersea exploration has just begun to breach the extreme depths (over 10,000 meters) of the ocean using unmanned submarines, which are currently impossible to reach using crewed vessels. These are just a few brief examples of some of the contexts robots have been employed in, with great success. In most cases, robots have pushed the boundaries of what humans are capable of. Ultimately, robots have added value in uncountable ways, whether it is in business, scientific research, or in healthcare. 

While this seems all well and good, others like the MIT scholar Andrew McAfee have stated that we may ultimately lose the “race against the machine.” Will there come a day when manual labor is replaced by machinery or when robotic beings really do “rule the world”. This is a highly debated and speculative topic, which, in all honesty needs to take place lest we lose sight of where robotics is going and where that puts mankind – tomorrow and hundreds of years down the line. For now, let’s just say that this blog is going to be an amazing journey through robotic applications and innovations in a variety of field and from a mixture of perspectives – Now, Robo-Boogie!

-Brendan Cmolik

Robots - The basic building blocks

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“Aimless extension of knowledge, however, which is what I think you really mean by the term curiosity, is merely inefficiency. I am designed to avoid inefficiency.” -R. Daneel Olivaw 

To fire away here’s a video-clip of a much beloved movie.

Transformers - Yes these are Robots, very advanced Robots.

Robotics, for many of us, this is a funny term indeed. What comes to our mind if you think of a robot is an awkward looking creature; one who could do your day to day work, your most boring tasks or practically everything one can dream of. Is this image true or rather could it be true? Researchers have tried to answer this question and discussed it probably more than any other technical topic. Yet, we still haven’t reached our full expectations of the robotic future.

But what exactly are Robots?

There’s different ways of defining the concept. A theoretical description for example:
“A robot is a mechanical or virtual agent, usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by a computer program or electronic circuit.”[1] That’s a bit too theoretical, right? Let’s understand the concept of a Robot as a machine which simply reduces our work. So from ‘Can Openers’ to ‘Fans’ to even a ‘Locomotive’, these are all Robots, it’s only the function that varies.

Before we try to understand how the combination of mechanised parts, a chip and some algorithms are functioning together, let’s take a closer look at how the Robot is built and the basic nuances that will constitute that, what we actually call a "Robot".

The Robot is a machine that is characteristically defined by two major parts - the hardware and the software. Every business, when constructing a robot, have certain requirements for which the hardware and the software can be designed for. Let’s look at an example in this short video.

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[1] ‘Robot’, Sunday 06-10-2013 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot

In this Robowars International video, we see how robots specifically compete with each other, using their strengths and weaknesses, to win the title. If we were to project this on the organisational setting the goal is to destroy competition and to advance. To get a fair example of how this specific designing works, let’s think of Razer in the video above, and think of all the possible we could attribute to him or straight to the point which mechanical instruments would you require to break a slab of Concrete, his competitor. These instruments would be what we call the hardware. As in this case the Robots are controlled manually, there’s no specific software related.

So forming the robot hardware profile, is very simple and consist only of two steps: first we take into account the requirements, secondly we put all the different hardware parts, which fulfil the requirements, together on one base. The software part however is a bit more complicated. Between all of our different hardware parts, there is always a chip (similar to the ones used in our computers) that connects the hardware with the software. On this chip we can find the programming that produces the electric motor signals that drive the robot. This programming is set in several languages, most of the Low Level, a most basic type of language that is fundamental to machines. So the robots don’t need a translation, such as they would need when using a language we find understandable.

Friends, we welcome you to the world of Mobile Robotics. We will take you on a journey showing various examples of Robots in an organisational setting, we will make you realise what they are doing for us through automation, and teach you that robots can do things that are practically impossible for the humans to do.

Aishwarya Tiwari