I'm sure they were just reminiscing about old friends and new beginnings but just in case we're missing something important you might check out these articles in the current issue of Electronic Products:
Some colleges and universities are attempting to lay a mechatronics foundation by changing curriculums and degree programs. Schools that once only offered degrees in mechanical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, electronics, or electrical engineering (with concentrations in robotics) are now offering degrees in robotics engineering that incorporate all of the required disciplines.
Instead of teaching one student how to design a mechanical arm, another student how to create its electrical power drive, and a third student how to develop its control program, students in these new programs will learn how to do all three. More than likely, this skill and knowledge set will result in more advanced, innovative, and sophisticated robots.
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What's next in robotics design.Also a nice survey of some new technologies that you don't have to go to a planet far-far-away to learn something about:
Sensors
In the world of industrial control, sensors can be found everywhere. They are usually specially designed devices targeted for applications such as temperature, pressure, pH, stress, and even more complex functions such as imaging. If we examine how a human interacts with an object, it becomes quickly apparent that we employ multiple senses to understand and manipulate it. Just watch a baby playing with a block of wood. Now look at another example on the other end of the spectrum: gymnastics. Gymnasts use amazing strength and extremely fine motor and sensory skills to leap and twirl their bodies precisely through complex routines. If anything changes their perception of the environment, the results can be catastrophic. This too is true of a robot.
Accurately sensing the environment is essential for a general-purpose robot. A human’s skin contains all kinds of sensors, including hair follicles that respond to pressure, temperature, and contact with other objects. To reproduce this network would take millions of sensors all feeding a continuous stream of data to our processing engine. Today, a lot of research is going on to develop a skinlike material that can replicate our sense of touch. Without the sensitivity and variation of mechanical stimuli, a robot would effectively have a poor sense of touch: a show stopper for our home robot. An artificial skin that can repair itself, sense temperature and pressure, and is warm to the touch, flexible, and resilient would be a major breakthrough for both robotics and prosthetic limbs.
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Where are all the robots?
