From Storage spaces to Makerspaces. . . .

If you are looking at the above image and are wondering what is, here’s some interesting tidbit for you. The above image is of Amazon’s Kiva robots. Kiva robots, a product of Amazon Robotics, is a revolution in the logistics and warehousing industry. Ever since introduction at Amazon’s logistics and warehousing facilities, Kiva has transformed the way products are hand-picked and shipped from the storage. It is an autonomous heavy duty robot which lifts crates of products and brings it directly to the hands of the packaging personnel who then ship the product to the consumer. This is a revolutionary technology that has changed the world of warehouse management. 

You are probably wondering what is this piece of information doing on a Kidobotikz article that is neither “Tech Mania“ nor “Geek Speak”. Well, in case you haven’t realised this about Kidobotikz yet, here it goes- there’s more to Kidobotikz and their students than that meets the eye!

We at Kidobotikz always motivate our students to improve upon their tech skills to make themselves “Jack of all trades”. To this end, the 9th Edition of Kidobotikz Robo Games will be featuring an event that tries to emulate what Amazon robotics did. Yes, you heard it right. Our Kidobotikz students will be trying to develop their own version of the Kiva robot. Called “Auto Transbot” , the event has a unique problem statement- “Design and build a robot which should pick and place a pallet from one place to another autonomously by following the given black line on white background”. 

Students will be tasked with developing the concepts, working mechanisms and the algorithms for these robots which will be autonomous. To ensure that the conceptual understanding of the students are put to the ultimate test and make it a gruelling ordeal for them to get Qualification-worthy robots, the problem statement has been intentionally made tough. But the resilience of Kidobotikz students is such that every KRG, the organizers are bested and amazed by the swarms of robots that our students make. This time is not expected to be any different either. So, if you are at KRG and see a swarm of bots lifting up some payload laden pallets; you are witnessing a technology which revolutionized the speed at which you got your online delivery and which is being revolutionized by the younger generation. 

Happy Roboting ! !

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New “Ourobot” overcomes obstacles with ease

Students at Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences have developed "Ourobot". Their project was supervised by a professor at the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and a CITEC researcher. It looks like a bicycle chain, but has just twelve segments about the size of a fist. In each segment there is a motor.

What distinguishes "Ourobot" from other comparable robots are the pressure sensors found in its chain segments which enable it to detect and overcome obstacles. The name of the robot, by the way, was inspired by an ancient Egyptian symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail, the Ouroboros. "At the moment Ourobot can only move straight ahead and cannot manage curves yet, but its sensors can detect obstacles, such as a book, and can traverse them", explains Jan Paskarbeit. The control mechanism behind this, i.e. the way the individual chain links interact in order to roll over an obstacle, involves a complex mathematical task. There is no concrete application for Ourobot at the moment. It is a feasibility study, meaning basic research. 

The supervisors' vision is to take the present robot that works in two dimensions "into the third dimension".The team aims to develop a robot that actively changes its form, which can adapt to its environment like an amoeba, capable of stretching and shrinking again. In this way, Ourobot can move through narrow terrain and overcome obstacles by means of different movements. The team has designed different variations of the new 3-D version of Ourobot, similar to a ball or a snake. In this area, however, there is still much research to do.

The robot was developed by four bachelor students in Computer Engineering- Johann Schröder, Adrian Gucze, Simon Beyer and Matthäus Wiltzok. The project was supervised by Professor Dr. Axel Schneider of the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Jan Paskarbeit from Bielefeld University.

The following video introduces the robot.

Source: Phys.org

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Why do we conduct KRG?

“The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best and that you have gotten the most out of what you had to give.” ~ Howard Cosell

This incredible quote by the renowned sportscaster, who covered several of Muhammad Ali’s memorable bouts, encapsulates every positive there is in sporting and competition. It is no doubt that we as humans desire the sweet taste of victory every time it happens. Even when victory remains out of grasp there is always is a take away for someone who spends his time and efforts to take part in a competition. He could take back from anything between his lessened ego to the sweet satisfaction of an improved performance. Some people who put up brave faces in failure actually enumerate their misgivings during the preparation and the performance to ensure that such mistakes aren’t repeated in successive performances. This is what reforms us as human beings and helps us better ourselves through the universal method for betterment- Trial and Error.

Kidobotikz believes in the fruits of trial and error. After all, the kits that our kids love were developed after concerted efforts which saw many a errors and corrections. But, all our efforts would have been in vain if our students do not imbibe the competitive spirit of innovation where they try and things fail at things until the get it right. What better way to inculcate this spirit than through a robotics competition in which students get the taste of cut throat competition and are forced to think outside the box to come out on top of the competition. This is the major reason behind conducting Kidobotikz Robo Games, which tries to bring in all the elements of competition and the desire to strive for absolute excellence. These attributes are important for students over the course of their education and lifetime. 

KRG is a competition that strives to inculcate desired attitudes in children. By exposing them to a realm of competition Kidobotikz aims to bring out the full spectrum of focus in children. When they are in a competitive mode, kids tend to explore all avenues to achieve success. When this is in a science-related field they are motivated to think outside the box and learn all relevant concepts to achieve the desired competence to become victorious. This enables them to learn concepts that they would otherwise brush aside. More importantly, they will pick up some vital soft skills such as Team spirit, collaboration and sportsmanship.

Talking on the scholastic aspects surrounding the event, the event format comprises of carefully planned events each of which aims to bring out an important attribute in students. Events such as Project Expo encourage students to focus on their intellectual strengths, while Temple Run encourages to design bots that are optimised for the particular event as against generic robots. All of this aids in practical application of knowledge that kids gain throughout the year at Kidobotikz. Giving them technical problem statements promotes problem solving attitudes within them Bringing this out in them makes them better learners and gives them a purpose for practical learning. Every Student who has ever participated at KRG is Jack of all trades. He is well versed in some diverse concepts such as programming, algorithm, electronics and mechanics. By continuously participating in KRG he evolves into a tech-wizard who has a mastery over all the aforementioned subjects. This is the magic that KRG brings out in students. 

Happy Roboting! !

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Obi robot arm gives disabled diners a helping hand

Robotic cooking aids are gaining traction in the modern kitchen, but the team behind Obi has a goal more noble than just cooking up a gourmet storm. This little robot arm is designed to empower people afflicted with physical disabilities, giving them back the dignity of feeding themselves.

The first product out of consumer robotics company Desin, Obi looks like a clean, modern kitchen appliance that could improve the quality of life for sufferers of conditions such as ALS, cerebral palsy, MS, Parkinson's and brain or spinal injuries. After a caregiver divides the meal into Obi's four separate bowls, users are able to feed themselves through a simple interface: one button moves the arm between the bowls, and another selects that food, dips the spoon in and brings it up to the diner's mouth.

Those inputs can be customized, depending on the specific needs and abilities of the user. Big bright "Buddy Buttons" on the table can be useful for those who still have some function in their hands but lack the fine motor skills required to steady a spoon. They could also be placed on the floor to use as foot pedals. Pillows that respond to the slightest squeeze allow for head and cheek activation, while a small mouth piece switch can be triggered through sip or puff actions.

How does Obi know where the user's mouth is? There's a "Teach Mode" button where the arm can be positioned manually to the desired location. From then on, the robot will remember that position and return to it any time the user presses the button, until a new one is set.

Collision detection prevents Obi from charging straight onto that position if a wayward eye or hand happens to cross its path. When dinner's all done, Obi's plates and spoons, which are BPA-free, can be thrown in the dishwasher, microwave or freezer. Desin says the device will provide two to four hours of eating time for each charge of its internal batteries.

Learn more about Obi in the video given below.

Source: NewAtlas, Obi

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Democratizing Tech-education for the innovators of tomorrow

Internet has been called a “great equalizer”. It brought to us some of the creature comforts that generations before us could simply never gain access to. It brought us the gift of connectivity and massive outreach across the globe. There aren’t quite many sectors it revolutionized. Ever since its birth from the humble DARPANet till when Tim Berners Lee created the World Wide Web, the internet was something of a gizmo that was more of an university project. But, ever since that fortunate november in 1989, the world hasn’t looked back. The internet brought into parlance a key phenomenon- the phenomenon of content explosion. The phenomenon of content explosion aided in making sure that some of the most important pieces of information that were present in the form of the written word entered a global utopia where it could be discussed and debated until consensus was reached or commotion ensued until eternity.

All of this had a direct influence on the world of technology. Thanks to the efforts of a Mountain view, California-situated giant, whose intentions “ to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful ” have resulted in the world becoming a better place and actually making it a smaller place with android placing all the information at our finger tips. However, has all this actually made the world a smarter place? Unfortunately, No. Has it made our way of understanding things better? No. Has it made kids smarter? A big No. 

Problem for this has always been linked to the grassroot methods in teaching practices. The education sector as such has never seen any dynamic transformation in improving the quality of content nor the user experience that kids have access to. Kids still face discrepancies in the quality of educational content that is developed for their use. The need of the hour is a platform that provides access to high quality educational content that is both comprehensible from a student’s perspective as well as capable of capturing his imagination. Such a platform should be designed keeping in mind the attributes of a child’s acumen and his desire to remain entertained throughout the process. Such an approach would be akin to democratizing tech-intense concepts and making it available to students across the world in such a way that it reduces the pre-requisites for students before they can learn such concepts. This is important because the innovators of tomorrow still ride to school with their parents and are yet to start on concepts which would require them to wrack their brains around. It is imperative that we reach them with newer methods of pedagogy before they are mature enough to point out the discripancies in the education system and rue the fact that they were products of such a system.

Kidobotikz, as a team, is well aware of the shortcomings of such a system. We have always aimed to disrupt the educational system. This drives our operating philosophies. Our kits have been designed to cater to the niche created by the lack of a curriculum that captures students’ imaginations. Every kit consists in itself the most appropriate approach to STEM learning. Kids with access to Kidobotikz’s kits have always felt a transformation in their understanding of technology and the workings of everyday objects.

Happy Roboting!

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7-Eleven deploys donut delivery drone

A fully fledged drone service dropping items off across the US is a ways off yet, but the concept has now edged a little closer to reality with 7-Eleven carrying out the nation's first drone delivery to a customer's home. The retailer teamed up with drone startup Flirtey to complete the shipment, whose flying robot was loaded up with Slurpees and other snacks to give convenience store a new kind of meaning.

The deliveries began at a 7-Eleven store in Reno, Nevada, a state where Flirtey has set up shop with an office at the University of Nevada, looking to grow its technology at one of just six federally approved drone testing sites in the US.

A chicken sandwich, donuts, hot coffee, Slurpees and candy were packed into a purpose-built container and carried autonomously by a Flirtey drone across two separate deliveries to a customer's nearby home. Guided by GPS, the drone hovered over the property once it arrived and slowly lowered the package into the backyard for retrieval, with the delivery taking place over just a few minutes.

While the autonomous delivery of everyday items is an impressive feat, some serious roadblocks still remain before we see a service like this rolled out on a wider scale. Chief among them are laws announced last month prohibiting commercial drones to be flown where operators cannot see them, along with rules making it illegal to operate more than one drone at the same time.

But Flirtey has been nothing if not proactive. Strict rules like those mentioned above have made it difficult for the drone delivery industry to forge any real inroads, but the Australian startup as managed to find some wriggle room amongst all that red tape, while bigger players like Amazon and Google seem content waiting for it to clear.

Last year it carried out the first federally-approved drone delivery by carrying medical supplies to a rural clinic in Virginia, earlier this year completed the first urban drone delivery and then last month the first ship-to-shore drone delivery to demonstrate the potential of using the aircraft for disaster relief. It has formed important partnerships with NASA, the Nevada Institute for Autonomous System and now the world's largest convenience retailer in 7-Eleven which, as it turns out, has no less than 10,700 stores across North America.

"It was the first few deliveries of our service with the key being we will scale up incrementally from here," Flirtey CEO Matt Sweeny explains to Gizmag. "For now we can operate in line of sight, there are 1,500, homes within one mile (1.6 km) of this store. And then as we expand beyond line of sight it opens up to more and more people across the country. 7-Eleven has over 10,000 stores in North America, compared to Amazon which has fewer than 100 distribution centers so this partnership gives us a huge national footprint and we can scale incrementally from here."

So while still limited, teaming up with such an omnipresent business with countless homes in its line of sight could give Flirtey freedom to continue testing its autonomous drone technology in the real-world, all while helping familiarize more people with the concept of delivery by flying robot. Sweeny wouldn't offer a precise timeframe on when the service might be expanded to other stores, but says the flights will become more routine in Reno over the next little while.

"We will build up to that incrementally and the next step is to start offering drone delivery on demand to a select number of houses regularly in the coming months," he says.

You can see a video of the delivery below.

Source: 7-Eleven, NewAtlas

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Geek Speak: Amay Anand

The spirit of collaboration is something that leaves a lovely impact on one who bears witness to the same. When two minds come together and try to work together as a single entity and attain a common goal, it is something that defines that key difference between us humans and other species on the planet- civility. And when young minds come together to develop tech concepts, it shows how much we have come forward as a species. Back at Kidobotikz, this form of partnership is witnessed quite often when students from different schools and different parts of the city come together to develop something that gives them immense joy- A working model. Meet Amay Anand and Vishal Harinandanan, fellow Kidobotikzians and now friends. The two of them are here on the weekend to develop a concept to display at KRG’s August edition.I had already interviewed one of them yesterday while the other one was busy with some aspects of the project. Today, Amay, the taller one of the duo finally found some time to sit down for a chat with me.

Hey Amay! Why don’t you temme about yourself and how you discovered Kidobotikz?

I am Amay Anand. I study in the 8th Grade at PSBB KK Nagar. I am in the Advanced level here at Kidobotikz. I joined Kidobotikz because of my sister. When I saw my sister learning interesting things in programming and do the same on our computer, I grew curious. I wanted to learn those “cool” things as well. Hence, I joined Kidobotikz.

That is interesting. Since when are you at Kidobotikz? And do your classmates know about the same? 

I joined here 3 years ago when I was in class 6. I did a couple of the basic courses, then took a break before taking up my Advanced level this year. As for my friends, they can’t hear enough of Kidobotikz from me. I boast to them about the bots i make every week and make fun of them with the same. 

That is amusing. Talking about boasting, have you participated in robotic events?

I have taken part in robotic competitions. I recently took part in a line tracer bot competition. Besides, as Vishal told you, we are building a line tracing transbot for this edition of KRG. 

So, what do you plan to do with the immense knowledge of robotics you gain here?

Learning robotics actually helps me understand the way other things work. I love understanding the working mechanisms of all kinds of things. So, I wanna build on my knowledge of robotics and learn other areas as well.

Impressive! Which type of robot do you read more about?

Well, I love things that I am capable of building on my own. As of now, I am capable of building good Line Tracer robots. So, I gotta say they are my favourite at the moment. 

That is cool. One last question before we move on, what are your plans for the future?

My love has always been in programming and coding. So, I wanna pursue a degree in preferably Electrical or Computer science engineering. IIT-M or IIT-Delhi are the universities where I wanna see myself in. After that, I wanna work on some interesting areas like Nanotechnology, Agribots. Particularly Agribots because they are a challenge to design and build.

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