[Tyler]

Stabbed by a Robot for Science
     


The folks over at the IEEE
Spectrum automaton blog have posted an interesting story on research
being done at the Institute
of Robotics and Mechatronics in Germany. The
researchers, including Sami Haddadin, Alin Albu-Schaffer,
and Gerd
Hirzinger are studying the biomechanics of soft-tissue injury caused
by robots. Basically, they want to find out what happens when robots
wielding steak knives, scalpels, screwdrivers, and scissors stab human
flesh. Even though the robot in the video is only stabbing and slicing a
block of flesh-like silicone, it's still a little creepy. The
researchers used the results of their study to develop a collision
detection system that minimizes injury. Their system works well
enough that they show a knife-weilding robot try (not) to stab a real
human arm at the end of the video. This research was presented at the
recent IEEE International
Conference on Robotics and Automation held in Anchorage, Alaska.
   

http://robots.net/article/3019.html
     

[Art]

Funny but it looked as if the participant really wasn't too keen with the final stab to his forearm! I'd wager that it hurt AND left a mark!

Kind of gives new meaning to the phrase, "Take a stab at it!" 

[Freddy]

 

Not really sure here as to why they designed a robot not to do something.  Surely as a cutting robot it needs to cut things - and how would it know the difference between a slab of ham and a human arm anyway ?

[Art]

Companies have developed and do have for purchase, a variety of electric saws that will cut through wood but stop immediately upon contact with human skin barely causing the slightest nick.

Safety and all that....

Got me wondering about the ham experiment....

[Freddy]

I'm impressed, I didn't know there were tools like that.  I stand corrected.

But yes...ham versus human seems pretty much the same to me.  I guess if this was say a wood cutting robot then it can be done after considering your previous point.

[Art]

Freddy, check out the link....

http://www.sawstop.com/

[Freddy]

Thanks.  That's a very clever but simple idea.  I liked the sausage demonstration though it still had me worried