Robotics

The DARPA Autonomous Robotic Manipulation – Software (ARM-S) program seeks to advance the state of the art in autonomous dual-arm manipulation. RE2 is the primary integrator and maintainer of the multiple robot platforms that were provided to various research teams around the country.

In the video below, Patrick Rowe from RE2, the Pittsburgh firm hired by DARPA to build the robot, which apparently is called "Robbie," describes its main components and capabilities.

Later this year, a copy of the robot will be sent to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., and RE2 is developing games and tasks for visitors to interact with the robot. The challenge is to give visitors as much control of the robot as possible without allowing them to, er, destroy it.

The DARPA Autonomous Robotic Manipulation – Software (ARM-S) program seeks to advance the state of the art in autonomous dual-arm manipulation. RE2 is the primary integrator and maintainer of the multiple robot platforms that were provided to various research teams around the country.


The highly sophisticated robotic platforms consist of two off-the-shelf 7-DOF arms and 3-fingered hands with wrist-mounted force/torque sensors along with pressure sensors in the palm and finger-tips, a high-resolution color camera, stereo cameras, flash lidar 3D camera, two head-mounted microphones, and an innovative 4-DOF neck to allow the software to position and orient the sensor package as desired.

Along with integrating the hardware components, RE2 developed a ROS-compatible software interface, operator control unit, and data logging capabilities. Additionally, RE2 has developed higher-level software to have the robot platform perform various manipulation tasks for trade shows and museum exhibits.

The DARPA ARM program, which seeks to revolutionize robot manipulation, is coming to its final phase, in which the remaining teams will face some tough challenges, including changing a tire of a small car. It remains to be seen whether the program will fulfill its goal of significantly advancing robotic manipulation.




SOURCE  IEEE Spectrum

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