The additional article I read was titled "Intelligent Machines" by John Jarvis and Edward Grant, and it dealt more with the actual construction and development of robotics and intelligent machines. Through the use of sensors, recognition systems, and other modern technologies robotics are becoming more common in industrial settings. The articles authors begin to explain how robotic systems are created - starting with task identification, the planning stages, control systems, sensors to detect scenarios, and how the robotic systems are able to recognize and relay information between each others and the main system. Overall, I felt the most interesting parts of the article were the figures and hierarchy diagrams, giving a visual explanation and "flow chart" like representation of robotic systems and and how they were able to complete their assigned task - which was given in a step by step order. This allowed for a greater understanding of the how the systems are developed and actually work. I feel like this article connect with and built upon the information discussed in the required article.
The required article gave a very in depth overview of robotics, ranging from the general idea and how different component were able to come together. I felt the article never went into current uses, applications and where robotics could eventually lead. I thought the sections on the different sensors that are used was interesting and allowed for one to come up with possible uses. I agree with what has been discussed by other students, that intelligent machines and robots will most certainly have a hand in the construction industry, however I don't see a time when they would be depended upon to construct the entire thing. I think the use of intelligent machines and robots in construction could very well grow with more and more pre-fab buildings, as the controlled environment of pre-fab construction would be ideal for robots.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Robotics Readings.
The first required reading on robotics was a great learning tool for me. As far as robotics go I would consider myself a rookie. I don't know much about it nor do I know how it all comes together to function. After I read this article I felt a little bit more versed in the terms of robotics. However, for the most part I still didn't understand some of the terms used. Overall, this article was a great overview of robotics. It was broken down into smaller sections to help organize topics by relativity.
The second article I chose to read was "Scientists Developing Robotic Hand of the Future". It was about researchers in Spain developing a robotic hand to imitate a human's. This article I found particularly interesting because I like to see how close we are to actually imitating humans. I liked how this article was formatted because it stated the major problems faced by the researchers. This particular project is called HANDLE and is based out Carlos III University of Madrid. The researchers at this university are trying to figure out how humans manipulate objects in order to replicate the movement and sensibility and autonomous movement. This article identifies the main problems in recreating a human hand. Some of the problems are pretty simple. One for instance is the lack of space to fit all the components and sensors inside the actual robotic hand. Another problem is the sensor market place. The researchers can't find a sensor on the market that is small enough to fit in the hand and have the appropriate sensor capabilities. The last problem they faced is integrating an intelligent system incorporate autonomous movement as well as adaptations to the environment and object specifications.
These two articles directly relate to each other. the first article explains the different systems of the robot while the second article applies them to an actual project. The robotic hand uses the sensors and intelligent systems described in the Robotics article on Access Science.
Most students said the same thing as me when it comes to the assigned article. We mostly said it was a good overview of the robotics topic in general and was a good base for follow up article.
The second article I chose to read was "Scientists Developing Robotic Hand of the Future". It was about researchers in Spain developing a robotic hand to imitate a human's. This article I found particularly interesting because I like to see how close we are to actually imitating humans. I liked how this article was formatted because it stated the major problems faced by the researchers. This particular project is called HANDLE and is based out Carlos III University of Madrid. The researchers at this university are trying to figure out how humans manipulate objects in order to replicate the movement and sensibility and autonomous movement. This article identifies the main problems in recreating a human hand. Some of the problems are pretty simple. One for instance is the lack of space to fit all the components and sensors inside the actual robotic hand. Another problem is the sensor market place. The researchers can't find a sensor on the market that is small enough to fit in the hand and have the appropriate sensor capabilities. The last problem they faced is integrating an intelligent system incorporate autonomous movement as well as adaptations to the environment and object specifications.
These two articles directly relate to each other. the first article explains the different systems of the robot while the second article applies them to an actual project. The robotic hand uses the sensors and intelligent systems described in the Robotics article on Access Science.
Most students said the same thing as me when it comes to the assigned article. We mostly said it was a good overview of the robotics topic in general and was a good base for follow up article.
Robotics and Intelligent Construction
Looking at the topic of Robotics I read the required article, "Robotics" by William A. Gruver from AccessScience and I also read "Emerging Construction Technology" by Daniel W. Halpin also from AccessScience.
The general Robotics article gave a summary of all the different systems used by Robotics and the characteristics that are unique to robotics. The precision with which a robot can perform certain tasks was very interesting, specifically using using a arm with pivots so that it can actually move in six different directions so that actions can be performed at a precise point but also at a specific angle. The different programming systems that robotics use was also interesting because of the different ways the robot takes in information and uses it.
The "Emerging Construction Technology" article was very interesting specifically with respect to Civil Engineering. The article talked about how up until recently we have still been doing construction the same way it was done hundreds of years ago. Recently technology and intelligent systems have started playing a role in the construction world. Much of the pre-construction work can now be performed online such as submitting bids, estimating, and purchasing materials. Other web-based systems can be used to allow the different contractors on a job to make updates which could automatically be seen by the other contractors. I think this is a really important system that needs to be utilized with construction jobs because it would eliminate the possibly of a contractor using out of date plans. With this system the engineer could update a plan or add field sketches to clarify something and the contractor in the field would be able to see these changes immediately and put them into effect.
The article also talks about using intelligent systems to model the projects in 4D where the system uses a 3D model from CAD based software along with simulations of construction to create a model of the construction of the project over time. The goal of using intelligent systems in the construction process is to create a leaner product and ultimately lower the cost of large construction projects. One specific example of how this is being accomplished comes from a European construction company called Dragados y Construcciones, who use a simulation system called PROSIDYC to simulate the casting of large bridge girders, install utility tunnels, and renovate heavy rail systems. This article was very helpful in explaining the ways that construction could become much more efficient through the use of intelligent systems.
Emerging Construction Technology
The required reading was very informative in describing the general overview of robotics. Robotics clearly is a massive topic that incorporates many fields of work. I personally enjoyed the section on the prosthetic limbs. Technology like that is fascinating especially for its uses for our returning soldiers. What was fascinating is the amount of detail and programming it takes to teach a robotic arm to perform simple tasks such as picking up an object. One does not realize how much thought process can go into performing such a simple task. To have the robots functions broken down to see what different components are required was quite informative. For instance in order to pick up a simple towel, the robot will have to have a tracking system of some sort to understand where the robot is in position on all of its axises. Further in the article I enjoyed the section on the walker robot that walks up and down the set of stairs. It explained the ability of the robot to carry twice its weight up and down the steps and four times its weight when stationary. This was extremely interesting to me because it reminded me of the robot used to explore the volcano in the movie "Dante's Peak." It is amazing to see how such a technology can be so helpful in the safety for humans. I can definitely see the need of robotic technology to assist in all aspects of human life. The menial and repetitive tasks will be the main use for robotic technology, but with advancing technology I think the possibilities are endless. Maybe what we see in all of these movies will happen sooner than we think.
The additional article I read was called “Emerging Building Technology”. The article entails the use of real time reporting for the construction team. It emphasizes the use of a web based data system that provides direct reporting, estimating, purchasing, and bidding. This time of innovation was crucial to the overall management of the construction process. Every party involved in the project now had access to a program that provided real time feedback. This was a major innovation of its time and I found it interesting to learn about how this enhanced the management process. The article also details on the use of 3d and 4d design programs to visualize the final product. To have the ability to witness how the project will turn out and how the systems will coordinate with each other is a huge aid to project. This article also details how a company Dragados y Construcciones has its own program that they created for their design practices. I wonder how many companies follow in the same footsteps of designing their own programs to complete their projects? The article ends by explaining the use of automated equipment in the field to aid in the construction process. This type of robotics I believe is the immediate future for construction practice. Advanced robotic technology will improve the time it will take to perform tasks and potentially provide less risk for the user. This type of field is something I personally would like to learn more about because I see this becoming a much bigger trend in our immediate future. The automated equipment reminded of the video we watched in class, however the video in class required much more design and programming to accomplish the task. The video made it seem that no user was needed for the process whereas in the article I read, a user would assist in the functioning of the equipment.
Week 1 Post
This week the articles I read for class focused on robotics primarily and the various applications that they can be applied in. The assigned reading for this week"Robotics" from access science discussed the different types of robots and robotics systems. The article gave a very good general description of the different types of robots and how they are operated autonomously which made for a good reference article when reading other articles that used specific terminology. One example of this us the mention of double fuzzy logic systems in the article "Intelligent Inhabited Environments," which is used to have robots "learn" so that they make fewer mistakes and become more efficient at performing their given task. Another article that discussed using robots was "Architects using Robots to Build Beautiful Structures." In this article, they discuss using robots for not only building basic structures with brick and wood but also using robots as a milling machine to create complicated parts that could shape the acoustics of a room. Having a robot that can manufacture complicated parts can make construction costs in the future much cheaper since robots have the potential to be cheaper labor than people. This point is brought up in the article "Trend analysis of research and development on automation and robotics technology in the construction industry," which said in the abstract that there is the possibility for savings in the long run with R&D but if the project is just a short-term venture, then the possibility for savings decrease and resources become limited.
Another item that is addressed is in the blog post "Robotics Reading" which discusses how robotics are useful for repeated tasks but are still greatly lacking in "complex and unique construction requirements." The author goes on to voice his skepticism over the construction industry becoming fully automated, which I will agree is will not happen for quite some time and I believe there will always be a need for people during the construction of a building even in the distant future, however I think there will be a time where robotics are responsible for upwards of 90% of the construction from start to finish.
Another item that is addressed is in the blog post "Robotics Reading" which discusses how robotics are useful for repeated tasks but are still greatly lacking in "complex and unique construction requirements." The author goes on to voice his skepticism over the construction industry becoming fully automated, which I will agree is will not happen for quite some time and I believe there will always be a need for people during the construction of a building even in the distant future, however I think there will be a time where robotics are responsible for upwards of 90% of the construction from start to finish.
Week 2: Robotics Readings
The assigned article is very technical and uses a lot of definitions. It does elaborate on the mechanics of robots and their configurations, and also does well to explain the kinematics and workings of robots, while detailing various components and types of robots. However, this article uses terminology that is likely better understood by engineers or researchers familiar with the field of robotics. The technical content is, therefore, a bit overwhelming. Overall, this article is also significantly more text-heavy than the other two articles I read, which focus more on applications of robots as interactive sensors for building architecture and engineering. This article delves into the details of how many types of robots work, providing a general overview of the field of robotics. The other two articles are more specific and explicitly state some of the uses of robotics in buildings, and their content assumes some familiarity with much of the content addressed in the assigned article. The second article I read relates the use of Local Positioning Systems (LPS) and Natural Feature Positioning Systems (NFPS) to the workings of satellite Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and its advanced use in robots used for collecting building space data and optimizing the temperature, energy, and air quality of a building, among other characteristics. The article also explicitly notes the usefulness of this technique to respond to emergency situations in a building and to communicate any sensed observations to a central building controls system. The article looks forward to the future of this application in buildings and states that further development has the potential to accomplish other useful tracking and recording features, such as sensing the conditions of building floors. This article aims to promote the idea of mapping devices revolutionizing their use in buildings. As this post also suggests, though this industry is focusing on the construction phase of buildings, ensuring the safety and maintenance of buildings is also a priority in this field and is also being continually developed.
The third article I read relates the use of robotics in architectural design. It focuses on the advantages that come with using fabrication robots, called ROB Units, to create prefabricated construction materials via algorithm programming. While the first article helps to define some of the qualities of the robot units discussed in the third article, the second article focuses on the maintenance of safety of buildings, as opposed to the importance and use of robotics in construction. This article also discusses the construction of a 72-foot structural wall made of bricks. This construction took place using preprogrammed units, but researchers in Zurich are looking into the ability of these robots to perform this type of construction while making “design decisions” simultaneously. This concept proposes a great potential in the field of robotics and its relation to building design and construction.
On Robotics and Intelligent Buildings
Before I get into the additional readings that I did this week, I would like to comment on the use of robotics in the building/construction industry in general. Mainly this is a response to the video that we watched at the beginning of class last week. I certainly can respect the novelty and potential of the quadcopters we saw transporting and precisely laying those blocks - though for the record I was not entirely clear on whether or not they were autonomous or remotely controlled. Still, as it pertains to intelligent buildings, I think we are getting ahead of ourselves in these ways that we are aiming to apply robotics to building design and construction. The majority of the buildings we inhabit are outdated and inefficient, and even today LEED certification is a gold-star achievement, not an expectation. I think we need to focus our attention now on updating the industry. Using smarter design approaches to design smarter buildings which more effectively meet our needs and serve their purpose. We need to make this standard opertaing procedure. And we need to get there before we start experimenting with robotic workers. Baby steps.
This brings me to my second issue. I was somewhat disappointed with the definition of robotics that the Access Science article seems to imply. Some of the language was over my head, but overall it was a good introduction to the main concepts and components of engineering. Still, the big picture that I got from reading the article is that the field of robotics is exclusively limitted to autonomously controlled or otherwise programed tools/objects that in some way resemble humans or perform human tasks. Most of the definitions you can find online offer the same explanation, and as humanoid technology continuous to improve, that window seems likely to narrow even further. As a civil engineer, I feel slighted by this concept of robotics. To me, a fully autonomous HVAC system, which analyzes data from sensors throught the building, and works in tandem with other building components to make necessary changes is as much a robotic accomplishment as getting a bipedal robot to walk forwards and backwards, mimicking human mechanics. A visual sensor which recognizes patterns in human behaviour, and uses that data to make comfort and safety decisions in your office building or home, is as much a robot as any other programmed device.
The first two articles I read go hand-in-hand and fit this expanded view of robotics, as well my thoughts on the need for smarter design and maintenance practices. Both articles are essentially transcripts from 2 of 3 summits which were held in Chicago, IL and Washington, DC, regarding the current state of smart, sustainable design in early 2011 (the 3rd was help in Los Angelos). The seminars brought together leading experts from IBM, Johnson Controls, Eaton and other major companies that have taken an interest in advancing green design. The first article provides quotes from these experts regarding current industry standards, classifications of a smart building, how these goals are being achieved now, and what future needs are. The second article discusses the same concepts, but focuses on how some LEED certified buildings are not performing adequately in their post-design life, by not living up to energy goals, or promoting as much employee productivity as owners were hoping for. The concerns raised here are that designing a building to meet LEED speficications is only the first achievement. After that, they must be managed by informed personel, who are able to make effective use of the available teechnologies and systems, in order to achieve efficiency goals. The two articles do not explicitly discuss any robotic applications or technologies, but they speak to the idea I brought up earlier, that this is the direction we need to go concerning the use of robots in the building industry. Also, looking ahead to the other discussion topics, I'm not sure if these articles would fit any better elsewhere.
Smarter Buildings: The Executive View, Part 1
Smarter Buildings, Part 2: How to Close Gaps Between Design and Performance
The third article gets much closer to the discussion topic, of robotic systems in building design, construction or usage. As the name suggests, the article discusses the potential usages of video cameras are building sensors. Currently, video cameras are used mostly to record footage of various locations in a building, which is monitor by security personel for safety purposes. For lack of a better term, I will call this a very passive application. The camera does nothing but record video; most of the decisions are still made based on human observation. The article brings up several analysis tools which can be coupled with typical video camera hardware to better integrate a buildings main systems. One of the coolest examples that is discussed is the use of person recognition technology, which can be used to count the number of people that enter and exit a building. If positioned at every entrance, this can provide an amazingly accurate occupancy reading, data which is otherwise difficult to monitor, yet is incredibly useful. Having those numbers, not to mention the ability to monitor it instantaneously could be integrated with HVAC systems to control the temperature settings in a room, operate lights, or make other decisions based on occupancy. Furthermore, pixel recognition can be used to spot fires or other safety and security issues much quicker than currently used sensors. Again, this article represents a unique technology that I feel is a better application of robotics to the building industry.
Why Video Cameras are the Swiss Army Knife of Building Sensors
This brings me to my second issue. I was somewhat disappointed with the definition of robotics that the Access Science article seems to imply. Some of the language was over my head, but overall it was a good introduction to the main concepts and components of engineering. Still, the big picture that I got from reading the article is that the field of robotics is exclusively limitted to autonomously controlled or otherwise programed tools/objects that in some way resemble humans or perform human tasks. Most of the definitions you can find online offer the same explanation, and as humanoid technology continuous to improve, that window seems likely to narrow even further. As a civil engineer, I feel slighted by this concept of robotics. To me, a fully autonomous HVAC system, which analyzes data from sensors throught the building, and works in tandem with other building components to make necessary changes is as much a robotic accomplishment as getting a bipedal robot to walk forwards and backwards, mimicking human mechanics. A visual sensor which recognizes patterns in human behaviour, and uses that data to make comfort and safety decisions in your office building or home, is as much a robot as any other programmed device.
The first two articles I read go hand-in-hand and fit this expanded view of robotics, as well my thoughts on the need for smarter design and maintenance practices. Both articles are essentially transcripts from 2 of 3 summits which were held in Chicago, IL and Washington, DC, regarding the current state of smart, sustainable design in early 2011 (the 3rd was help in Los Angelos). The seminars brought together leading experts from IBM, Johnson Controls, Eaton and other major companies that have taken an interest in advancing green design. The first article provides quotes from these experts regarding current industry standards, classifications of a smart building, how these goals are being achieved now, and what future needs are. The second article discusses the same concepts, but focuses on how some LEED certified buildings are not performing adequately in their post-design life, by not living up to energy goals, or promoting as much employee productivity as owners were hoping for. The concerns raised here are that designing a building to meet LEED speficications is only the first achievement. After that, they must be managed by informed personel, who are able to make effective use of the available teechnologies and systems, in order to achieve efficiency goals. The two articles do not explicitly discuss any robotic applications or technologies, but they speak to the idea I brought up earlier, that this is the direction we need to go concerning the use of robots in the building industry. Also, looking ahead to the other discussion topics, I'm not sure if these articles would fit any better elsewhere.
Smarter Buildings: The Executive View, Part 1
Smarter Buildings, Part 2: How to Close Gaps Between Design and Performance
The third article gets much closer to the discussion topic, of robotic systems in building design, construction or usage. As the name suggests, the article discusses the potential usages of video cameras are building sensors. Currently, video cameras are used mostly to record footage of various locations in a building, which is monitor by security personel for safety purposes. For lack of a better term, I will call this a very passive application. The camera does nothing but record video; most of the decisions are still made based on human observation. The article brings up several analysis tools which can be coupled with typical video camera hardware to better integrate a buildings main systems. One of the coolest examples that is discussed is the use of person recognition technology, which can be used to count the number of people that enter and exit a building. If positioned at every entrance, this can provide an amazingly accurate occupancy reading, data which is otherwise difficult to monitor, yet is incredibly useful. Having those numbers, not to mention the ability to monitor it instantaneously could be integrated with HVAC systems to control the temperature settings in a room, operate lights, or make other decisions based on occupancy. Furthermore, pixel recognition can be used to spot fires or other safety and security issues much quicker than currently used sensors. Again, this article represents a unique technology that I feel is a better application of robotics to the building industry.
Why Video Cameras are the Swiss Army Knife of Building Sensors
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