Robots With A Sense of Touch? Weird!

Robot SkinGetting “touchy-feely” with a robot? Ah-no! I don’t think so!

Electronic Skin Gives Robots a Sense of Touch!

“Thanks to classic movies, many people view robots as clunky, lumbering galoots, knocking over lab racks and breaking through walls. While this image contrasts entirely with today’s violin playing robots, still robots aren’t typically known for their delicate sense of touch.

However, some researchers from the Technical University Munich (TUM) might be changing that stereotype. In their attempt to create a more sensitive robot, the team has produced small hexagonal plates that, when joined together, form a responsive robot skin.

The artificial skin is composed of small, rigid hexagonal circuit boards. Each circuit board has four infrared sensors that detect anything that comes closer than a centimeter, effectively stimulating light touch. Therefore, the robot can detect when it runs into things and either retreat from the object or direct its eyes to better examine the object.

As well, TUM researchers have embedded the plates with six temperatures sensors and an accelerometer. Researchers say these add self-perception to the robot by allowing it to register individual limb movement.”

Super Expensive Game Development Software… Now FREE!

Wow! Wanna get into designing games! If you have always wanted to create your own game, but thought the tools were just too expensive, check this out!

$5000 game-making software now free

“Caspian Software makes a product called Thinking Worlds, which the company describes as a “globally unique 3D sims & games engine and authoring environment.” The product lets both beginners and advanced game-makers create and publish games quickly and easily, and even publish to iPad and iPhone.

Developers see potential, pitfalls with iOS 5
On Friday, the company released the latest version of Thinking Worlds with the astonishing announcement that the formerly $4,999 package is now completely free to use. Advanced users will have the option to pay for additional features if they require them, but basic functionality is completely free.

The thinking behind the new approach to the software is that traditional barriers to game design—such as learning a complex programming language, the difficulty of creating 3D are and the challenges of publishing games—need to be overcome to allow creative minds to make the games they have locked in their imaginations. Thinking Worlds’ finished projects can be published as standalone titles for PC, but can also be run via web browser and iOS devices.”

Dr. Bill.TV Site Updated!

Dr. Bill.TVI have updated the Dr. Bill.TV web site with the new MediaLister software. It now has more features, and should be easier to use! Here’s a link:

Dr. Bill.TV Web Site

Clink on the “Episodes” link at the top of the site at this link, then try clicking on an episode. Note that the new display has a still photo of each video (like an excerpt from it.) And, there is more info on each episode available per generated (via MediaLister) page! Cool huh!?!

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