Top 10 robots of 2012

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Every other week it seemed there was some story or other that grabbed headlines around the world, giving them a rather nasty reputation. However, robotics technology is about much more than just killing machines and here are ten noteworthy examples from the past year that prove it.</p> <ul class="thumbnails"> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#1"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/top-ten-robots-2012-0.png" title="Boston Dynamics' LS3 robot pack mule, developed for DARPA, goes on an outdoor excursion" alt="Boston Dynamics' LS3 robot pack mule, developed for DARPA, goes on an outdoor excursion"/> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#2"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/top-ten-robots-2012-1.jpg" title="NASA and GM's Robonaut 2 began doing work aboard the ISS in 2012" alt="NASA and GM's Robonaut 2 began doing work aboard the ISS in 2012"/> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#3"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/top-ten-robots-2012-2.JPG" title="Boston Dynamics' Cheetah robot broke the record for legged robots" alt="Boston Dynamics' Cheetah robot broke the record for legged robots"/> </a> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#4"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_tn/top-ten-robots-2012-3.jpg" title="Cyberdyne's HAL exoskeleton was outfitted with radiation shielding for use at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant" alt="Cyberdyne's HAL exoskeleton was outfitted with radiation shielding for use at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant"/> </a> </li> </ul> <h2>Space and military robots</h2> <h3>Robonaut 2 begins operations on the ISS</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#2" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-1.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> Built by NASA and General Motors, the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/robonaut-2/" target="_blank">Robonaut 2</a> (R2) finally began doing some work aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in 2012, having arrived there <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/robonaut-2-first-humanoid-robot-in-space/17742/" target="_blank">in early 2011</a>. The R2 is the first humanoid robot in space, but will be joined later this year by a Japanese <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/japan-mini-robot-iss-summer-2013/25262/" target="_blank">communication robot</a> that will keep the astronauts company. Currently the R2 isn't doing anything too mind-blowing, but the project is paving the way towards permanent robotic helpers in space. <h3>Boston Dynamics' Cheetah robot breaks speed record for legged robots</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#3" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-2.JPG" alt=""> </a> </div> The team at Boston Dynamics, known for their <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/the-bigdog-quadruped-robot-gets-smarter/9824/" target="_blank">BigDog</a> quadruped, is hard at work on multiple challenges set forth by DARPA. The Maximum Mobility and Manipulation (M3) program seeks a legged robot that can run at least 25 mph (40 km/h), and the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/cheetah-robot-land-speed-record-usain-bolt/24022/" target="_blank">Cheetah robot</a> is well on its way there. So far the robot has been clocked at 28.3 mph (45.5 km/h), but it's currently powered by an off-board hydraulic pump and requires a boom to stay steady. We should find out how the latest version fares without these conveniences later this year. <h3>Boston Dynamics' LS3 quadruped plays follow the leader</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#1" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-0.png" alt=""> </a> </div> The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/darpa-ls3-quadruped-robot-boston-dynamics/25521/" target="_blank">LS3</a> is much slower than the Cheetah, but it can carry 400 pounds (181 kg) of gear for up to 20 miles (32 km) without stopping. This Northern Hemisphere autumn Boston Dynamics took it out into the woods, where it was able to follow a leading human through treacherous terrain. And unlike a real pack mule, which may not always behave the way you want it to, this one can follow verbal commands and find its way to GPS coordinates on its own. In 2013 it will be put through further tests with a real squad. <h3>Japan gets serious about nuclear clean-up robots</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#4" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-3.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> A number of Japanese companies and institutions revealed <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/japanese-first-responders-robotic-exoskeleton/24555/" target="_blank">robots aimed at cleaning up the damage</a> done by 2011's earthquake and tsunami. Among them were a handful of remotely-operated robots from <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/toshiba-four-legged-nuclear-inspection-robot/25120/" target="_blank">Toshiba</a>, <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/mitsubishi-heavy-industries-mhi-meister-robot/25336/" target="_blank">Mitsubishi</a>, and <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/hitachi-robot-nuclear-plant/25377/" target="_blank">Hitachi</a> that can perform inspection and rubble removal tasks in a variety of conditions. However, by far our favorite of the bunch was the reconfigured <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/robot-suit-hal/11471/" target="_blank">HAL exoskeleton</a> developed by University of Tsukuba spin-off Cyberdyne. The robotic suit carries the burden of heavy radiation shielding, and should see deployment later this year. <h2>Humanoids</h2> <h3>DARPA Robotics Challenge contenders revealed</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#5" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-4.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/darpa-robotics-challenge-humanoid-robots/24722/" target="_blank">DARPA Robotics Challenge</a> asks teams to build and program a robot that can drive a car, open doors, use tools, negotiate uneven terrain and stairs, and find and shut valves in a smoky environment. Some of the teams will get a bipedal robot built by Boston Dynamics while others will have to build their own from scratch. In late 2012 we got a glimpse of what those robots will look like, but we'll have to keep watch over the next two years to see how they come together and fare in the challenge itself. <h3>RoboCup's TeenSize League gets two open-source competitors</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#6" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-5.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> Just five teams managed to qualify for <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/robocup-teensize-champion-open-source-robot/24460/" target="_blank">RoboCup's TeenSize League in 2012</a>, mainly because building a bipedal humanoid robot that stands over three feet tall (95 cm) is a difficult proposition for most universities. However, a pair of commercial options may lead to bigger and better robotic soccer matches. The first one, from the University of Bonn, builds on the success of their award-winning platform. The second option from hobby kit maker <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/robobuilder-rq-titan-biped-robot-soccer/25538/" target="_blank">RoboBuilder</a>, which is something of the new kid on the block, may prove to be a worthy competitor. <h2>Industrial robots</h2> <h3>Rethink Robotics unveils inexpensive and user-friendly Baxter robot</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#7" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-6.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> <p>Industrial robots aren't nearly as glamorous as the other robots on this list, but they remain some of the most productive and practical examples of robotics technology today. Rethink Robotics, led by iRobot founder and former MIT professor Rodney Brooks, unveiled their solution: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/rethink-robotics-baxter-industrial-robot/24183/" target="_blank">a pick-and-place robot called Baxter</a>. This robot costs a fraction of its competition, and can be programmed in hours rather than days or weeks. This makes it ideal for smaller companies that normally couldn't afford to use this sort of technology.</p> <h2>Avatars and health care</h2> <h3>Miniature robot avatar goes with you everywhere</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#8" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-7.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> <p>The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/mh2-telepresence-robot/22860/" target="_blank">MH-2</a>, a tiny robot that you wear on your shoulder, has to be one of the most bizarre telepresence robots ever devised. The idea – from researchers at Yamagata University, Japan – is that you would take it with you all the time, allowing your friends to tag along over an internet connection. They see the world through its cameras, hold conversations, and even get the robot to make a move its limbs using motion capture technology. It's a bit cumbersome at this stage, but its developers say they're still working on it.</p> <h3>Toyota reveals Human Support Robot</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#9" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-8.jpg" alt=""> </a> </div> Toyota has been working on helpful "partner" robots for about a decade now, and while they began with extravagant technological showpieces, such as their <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/toyota-robot-helper/8471/" target="_blank">robot band</a>, they're now looking towards the health care sector. A prototype currently being tested in Japan called the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/toyota-human-support-robot/24246/" target="_blank">Human Support Robot (HSR)</a> ditches the expensive legs of its predecessors for the simplicity of wheeled locomotion. A bedridden patient would control the robot with a tablet PC to retrieve items in their room. We've seen many examples of this kind of robot in the past, but this one seems especially promising. <h2>Just for fun</h2> <h3>Japanese artist Kogoro Kurata fulfills boyhood dreams</h3> <div class="inline-item"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/pictures#11" target="_blank"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/inline/top-ten-robots-2012-10.png" alt=""> </a> </div> This is one of those projects that, while not necessarily a true robot, still warrants an entry on the list. It's not every day that you see a real-life working giant robot inspired by those seen in Japanese animated TV shows and video games. The <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/kuratas-mecha-robot/23511/" target="_blank">Kuratas</a> is mainly an art project, but it does contain its share of real robotics technology, such as its V-Sido (pronounced like "Bushido") software – that can be used to program and control hobby robots. And it can be yours – all 9,900 lbs (4,490 kg) of it – if you've got US$1.5 million dollars to spare. <p>There you have it – just a sampling of the memorable robot stories of 2012. If we missed some of your top picks, please let us know in the comments!</p> </div>  <div class="page-section"> <ul class="list-ui list-ui--horizontal share-bar"> <li> <div class="fb-like" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/" data-send="false" data-layout="box_count" data-show-faces="false" data-share="true"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> _ga.trackFacebook(); </script> </li> <li> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="vertical" data-via="gizmag" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/">Tweet</a> </li> <li> <div class="g-plusone" data-size="tall" data-href="http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/"></div> </li> <li> <iframe style="overflow: hidden; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900if_/http://badge.stumbleupon.com/badge/embed/5/?url=http%3A//www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/" width="50" height="60" id="iframe-stmblpn-widget-1" name="iframe-stmblpn-widget-1"></iframe> </li> <li> <div class="pin-it-button" data-url="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/" data-image="http://images.gizmag.com/gallery_lrg/top-ten-robots-2012.jpg" data-description="A look back at ten noteworthy robot-related stories of 2012."></div> </li> <li> <script type="IN/Share" data-counter="top"></script> </li> <li class="js-share-reddit"> <script type="text/javascript"> reddit_newwindow='1' </script> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="ad "> <div class="ad-label">Advertisement</div> <script async src="//web.archive.org/web/20150706230900js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle ad-article-bottom" style="" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1607124478120364" data-ad-slot="6055296962"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div>  <div class="page-section"> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900oe_/http://www.gizmag.com/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/" data-widget-id="AR_1" data-ob-template="Gizmag"></div> <script type="text/javascript" async="async" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900js_/http://widgets.outbrain.com/outbrain.js"></script> </div>  <div class="page-section media"> <p class="h2 title-standout">About the Author</p> <a class="media__right" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/author/jason-falconer/"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900im_/http://images.gizmag.com/CACHE/images/avatars/180.12372dc67f18.jpg" alt="Jason Falconer"/> </a> <p>Jason is a freelance writer based in central Canada with a background in computer graphics. He has written about hundreds of humanoid robots on his website Plastic Pals and is an avid gamer with an unsightly collection of retro consoles, cartridges, and controllers.</p> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/author/jason-falconer/"> All articles by Jason Falconer </a> </div>  <div class="page-section"> <p class="h2 title-standout">Tags</span> <ul class="list-ui list-ui--horizontal article-tags"> <li>» <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/robots/" rel="tag">Robots</a></li> <li>» <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/darpa/" rel="tag">DARPA</a></li> <li>» <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/robotics/" rel="tag">Robotics</a></li> <li>» <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/humanoid/" rel="tag">Humanoid</a></li> <li>» <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/tag/boston%2Bdynamics/" rel="tag">Boston Dynamics</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="page-section"> <p class="h2 title-standout">6 Comments</p> <ul class="list-ui list-ui--vertical word-wrap"> <li> <p>What about Petman from Boston Dynamics? Why isn't the world's most impressive bipedal robot to date on the list? Yes, first generation of both Petman and the Atlas Proto robot from Boston Dynamics was crated befor 2012. But surely the Atlas Proto robot has made tons of progress last year that outperforms any competition around the world.... at least when it comes to bipedal robots.</p> <span class="strong">Fishing Zebra</span> </li> <li> <p>In the past few years there were some really amazing advances in robotics, which is kind of weird. Stepper and servo motors, hydraulics and pneumatics existed for a long time. So if you look at the actual physical components of these robots, I think most of that could have been constructed decades ago. </p> <p>The real revolution is all about control. The sensors, the computers and the algorithms that control robots are the ones that have improved drastically in the past few years. And this makes it possible for robots, to do such amazing things. Large industrial robots have existed for a long time. But you would never put something like that next to a hospital bed. It would crush your patients. You need a robot, which can sense, where the patient is, and react accordingly, not just repeat pre-programmed motions. </p> <p>But there is still a huge problem: power supply. The Cheetah might be fast, but it is powered by external hydraulic pumps. And I suspect that the lack of an adequate power supply is the main reason why exoskeletons are not more widespread. Finding a solution to this problem will be the next step of the revolution...</p> <span class="strong">cypher</span> </li> <li> <p>@FishingZebra ... Boston Dynamics' platform will take center stage during the DRC during the final phases, which will take place in late 2013 and 2014, so it will likely appear in future lists.</p> <span class="strong">Jason Falconer</span> </li> <li> <p>What, no dancing quad rotors?</p> <span class="strong">nutcase</span> </li> <li> <p>i'm not trying to get too strange, i like robotics because i consider myself to be one. i'm made of the crust of the earth just like everything i use. biological robots vs the mechanical in industry, i think all can see where this is going and we do need to look at it, the ramifications are huge, approaching astronomical in it's social implications. a world that has no need for the less efficient labor of the common person is not that far away.</p> <span class="strong">slayerwulfe</span> </li> <li> <p>I am a retired electrical engineer. When I was studying engineering, "robot" specifically meant autonomous and was a clear delineation from the term, "remote control." They were two completely different things and with good reason. The level of engineering required to create a remotely controlled device is nothing compared to that necessary to create an autonomous device. </p> <p>Nevertheless, it seems those terms are becoming one in the same, which, in my opinion, is a mistake, because that means my remotely controlled toy helicopter is a "robot." </p> <p>It's not.</p> <span class="strong">SpotandJerome</span> </li> </ul> </div>  <div class="page-section"> <a name="comment-form"></a> <p class="h2 title-standout">Post a Comment</p> <div data-article="25726"> <form class="login-form js-login-form" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20150706230900/http://www.gizmag.com/login/" method="post"> <p class="strong">Login with your Gizmag account:</p> <p class="js-login-error"></p> <input type="hidden" name="csrfmiddlewaretoken" value="rLQYnaLsTvcDFF7wtJLIi58JEaypA7zA"/> <input type="hidden" name="next" value="/top-ten-robots-2012/25726/"> <tr><th><label for="id_email">Email:</label></th><td><input id="id_email" 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