ASIMO, (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility)。是日本本田公司開發的目前世界上最先進的步行機器人。也是目前世界上唯一能夠爬樓梯，慢速奔跑的雙足機器人Honda希望開發出的機器人是能夠幫助人類，尤其是老年人的人類助手，而不是一個高科技玩具。因此ASIMO被設計成1.2米的高度，正好能夠和輪椅上的人平視。由ASIMO DINER 2008可看出來HONDA的用心。

Reference:

RoboticFan

This is a quick video illustrating how Measurand’s ShapeHand glove device can be used in the Quest3D software.

FiberMotion software (ShapeRecorder) 支援輸出以下格式:

BVH – skeletal data
3D – marker data
Cartesian

FiberMotion相容於以下軟體:

By Daniel Vlasic, Rolf Adelsberger, Giovanni Vannucci, John Barnwell, Markus Gross, Wojciech Matusik, Jovan Popovi´c

Commercial motion-capture systems produce excellent in-studio reconstructions, but offer no comparable solution for acquisition in everyday environments. We present a system for acquiring motions almost anywhere. This wearable system gathers ultrasonic time-of-flight and inertial measurements with a set of inexpensive miniature sensors worn on the garment. After recording, the information is combined using an Extended Kalman Filter to reconstruct joint configurations of a body. Experimental results show that even motions that are traditionally difficult to acquire are recorded with ease within their natural settings. Although our prototype does not reliably recover the global transformation, we show that the resulting motions are visually similar to the original ones, and that the combined acoustic and inertial system reduces the drift commonly observed in purely inertial systems. Our final results suggest that this system could become a versatile input device for a variety of augmented-reality applications.

商業化的動作擷取系統多數可在工作室內重建出來，但提供無法提供解決方法於每日週遭環境中。因次我們提供一套可以在任何地方使用的動作擷取系統。這個 穿戴式系統利用低廉的微型傳感器miniature sensors，收集超音波time-of-flight與慣性量測資料。經過紀錄後，將資訊結合外部Kalman Filter建置身體關節點結構。實驗結果顯示，即使動作一般屬於難以透過自然設定被擷取與紀錄。隨然我們的Prototype並不是很穩定的去完成全部3D人體的變形，但我們顯示的結果是Motion與視覺化的人物非常相近，並結合音響和慣性的系統，降低drift，研究的最終結果是建議這套系統可以成為多功能輸入裝置給予擴增實境方面的應用。

相關連結 Extenal Link

Practical Motion Capture in Everyday Surroundings

Jovan Popović

10. THE STANFORD CART
Grand Challenge finishers, UAVs, and even KITT from Knight Rider all owe a debt of gratitude to James Adams and Hans Moravec’s Stanford Cart. In 1979, the wagon traversed a chair-filled room on its own, a landmark achievement for self-navigating vehicles. Travel time: roughly five hours.

由史丹福大學人工智能實驗室（Stanford AI Laboratory，SAIL）在1973至1979年期間分別由James Adams和Hans Moravec研製，成功在無人協助的情況下在一間放滿椅子的房間來去自如，完全沒有觸碰任何物件，歷時五小時。Stanford Cart堪稱現代無人駕駛機器的始祖

09. DANTE II
After eight volcano researchers were killed in two 1993 eruptions, robots were brought in to take the heat. The next year, Carnegie Mellon’s Dante II was lowered into Alaska’s steaming Mount Spurr to collect data. It fell in, but not before uploading its readings, making it the first “successful” terrestrial explorer robot.

親臨火山進行觀察和研究的風險十分高，更曾經有科學家為此斷送性命。因此美國太空總署和美國卡內基美隆大學於1994年製造Dante II機械人，用作觀察活火山和試驗機械人在高溫環境下工作的情況。Dante II曾到過美國阿拉斯加州的斯普爾火山（Mount Spurr）探險，利用雙套繩索從峭壁下降到火山口。Dante II令研究火山活動的科學家毋須再冒險爬入活火山進行研究，可透過電腦遙控監視火山狀況。

08. DA VINCI SURGICAL SYSTEM
In the future, you’ll beg to be operated on by a machine. Credit Intuitive Surgical’s 2000 robot, a fusion of arms, cameras, and instruments that allows doctors to slice into patients remotely. Procedures done with the da Vinci are more precise than when humans wield the scalpel - research shows there’s less blood loss and quicker recovery.

醫學界一直都希望將外科手術所造成的創傷減少，以減少手術的風險如細菌感染，令病人能夠早日康復。2000年Intuitive Surgical, Inc.成功開發達文西外科手術系統。醫生可透過該系統內置的立體影像攝影機，觀察和拍攝人體的狀況，然後通過手術臺旁的電腦操縱杆，控制機械手臂；需要時可將機械手臂連接各種精密手術器械。達文西外科手術系統造價雖達到100萬美元，但具有人手無法相比的穩定性及精確度。Intuitive Surgical, Inc.正嘗試改進現有系統，實現遠距進行手術的構想。

07. THE MECHANICAL KNIGHT
Way back in 1495, Leonardo da Vinci designed what was probably the first robot - an automated suit of armor with a windup crank. It could sit up, wave its hands, and maybe even talk. Five hundred years later, engineer Mark Rosheim used the master’s schematics to build a working miniaturized version.

被視為世界上有記錄以來第一個機械人。1495年，意大利著名藝術家達文西設計出一個機器武士，能夠起立，移動手、頸及下顎。到了五百年後的今天，工程師Mark Rosheim利用原來的草圖，製造出一個縮小了的版本。

Developing Leonardo’s model

06. QRIO
Bipedal robots that can walk up stairs seem flatfooted compared with the running, jumping, and traditional-Japanese-fan-dancing Qrio. Officially, Sony uses its state-of-the-art androids, debuted in 2003, as corporate ambassadors. But the company may one day sell them for entertainment. Works for Beck: The singer recently used all six Qrios in his video for “Hell Yes.”

此乃Sony著名的QRIO機械人。QRIO源於英文“Quest for Curiosity”，意謂「好奇心探索」。QRIO身高58cm，體重7kg，在多達38個可轉動關節下，不僅可跳舞、唱歌、踢足球，更可以通過感測器判斷地面類型，並即時相應調整姿勢和步行姿態，來適應各種環境。QRIO還有更引人入勝的地方，就是能夠與人類進行豐富的交流。QRIO內置聲音與臉部特徵紀錄系統，只要對它說出自己的名字，它便會分析並記錄你的臉部和聲音特徵。到下一次見面時，它便會認出你，並向你問好。QRIO絕對是集科技與娛樂於一身的機械人。

05. SHAKEY
Developed by Stanford Research Institute International, Shakey had jerky, often nonsensical movements. But that didn’t stop the 1972 robot from entering the history books as the first machine to autonomously locate objects, steer around them - and then explain its logic for doing so.

於1966至1972期間由史丹福研究院（Stanford Research Institute，SRI）所研制，是全球首個懂得分析周圍環境並自行作下一項工作的機械人。其內置的電腦懂得處理簡單的移動、轉向和路線策劃；它亦可以組合一連串簡單的指令來執行較複雜的工作；它更懂得如何自行計劃和完成主人所指示的工作，亦可以將實行過的計劃儲存到日後再用。雖然Shakey偶爾會做出一些難以理解的行為，但它對人工智能和機械人的發展仍具有不少影響。

04. ROBBY THE ROBOT
Few robots can trace their origins to Shakespeare. Robby, from the 1956 film Forbidden Planet, was inspired by Ariel in The Tempest. But that didn’t keep Robby from leaving a legacy all his own. For decades, the very idea of a robot was synonymous with Robby’s bulbous figure.

是為1956年的科幻電影“Forbidden Planet”中的機械人。據說故事裡的機械人羅比，其靈感是來自莎士比亞作品《暴風雪》（The Tempest）內的精靈阿里爾（Ariel）。故事中的羅比遠比人類聰明，但又像一個忠實的僕人那樣任勞任怨?人類服務。羅比的可愛和忠心形象成為日後不少電影裡忠心地為人類服務的機械人雛形，例如《星球大戰》入面的C3PO和R2D2機械人。

03. SPIRIT AND OPPORTUNITY
Some robots sit in labs for researchers to tinker with. These two bots are on frickin’ Mars. Expected to last only three months when they touched down on the Red Planet in January 2004, the rovers are still going strong two years later - each sends back 100 megabits of data a day.

百多年來探測火星是不少人的夢想，這個夢想在美國太空總署自2004年1月所發射的「勇氣號」及「機遇號」火星探測器成功著陸後總算實現了。兩者均為六輪移動探測車，配備全景照相機（Panoramic Camera）、微型熱幅射光譜儀（Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer，Mini-TES）、顯微成像儀（Microscopic Imager，MI）、Alpha粒子與X-ray光譜儀（Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer，APXS）、莫斯堡光譜儀（Mossbauer Spectrometer）、岩石鑽磨器（Rock Abrasion Tool）等工具，為研究遠古時期的火星是否有生物存在帶來不少線索。 「勇氣號」及「機遇號」原來的預計壽命為三個月，但自著陸屹今已有兩年，卻依然正常運作，每日繼續傳回大量照片。

02. ASTROBOY
While American kids were daydreaming of Superman, Japanese tykes were worshipping at the altar of Tetsuwan Atom, aka Astroboy. First drawn in 1951, Astroboy has rocket boots, lasers that shoot from his fingertips, and, uh, an ass cannon. The lovable crime-fighting robot was an inspiration to a generation of kids -some of whom went on to become robotics researchers. He’s a big reason why Japan is at the forefront of android development today. Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.

只要是接觸過日本漫畫的朋友，都應該不會對原子小金剛感到陌生。日本漫畫大師手塚治蟲於1952年開始繪畫的《原子小金剛》，轟動全日本。原子小金剛是一個融合科技與人性的角色，故事講述少年機械人阿童木如何在未來世界為人類謀福祉。雖然阿童木身體是機器人，但卻有一顆憐憫及愛護大自然的心。這個聰明、勇敢、正義的小機器令許多日本孩子長大後投身機器人的研發工作，令日本在發展具人類特徵的機械人上一直走在世界前列的原因之一。

01. STANLEY
The Stanford Racing Team’s autonomous vehicle is a modified Volkswagen Touareg that can scan any terrain and pick out a drivable course to a preset destination. Cup holders optional.

由美國史丹福大學研製，於去年10月奪得美國國防部無人駕駛汽車越野大賽冠軍，在臨場沒有得到人類協助的情況下，成功在10小時內橫越一條長175里、並充滿障礙物的沙漠賽道。Stanley無人駕駛車外表上跟一般四驅爬山車無異，但內裡其實是一個流動高科技實驗室。它裝備了5個激光測距機、單目攝錄機和雷達收集沿路資訊。GPS衛星導航系統為Stanley無人駕駛車確定位置和指示方向。車身的平衡由一具慣性測量系統（Inertial Measurement Unit）和兩具額外的GPS天線負責。

所有收集得來的資料會被傳送到位於車底的高性能電腦內。它由6個Intel Pentium M主機板以網路連接的組成。這套電腦系統採用了獨特的軟件系統，負責處理電腦映像分析、車輛控制、光雷達遙測（Light Detection And Ranging，LIDAR）、慣性導航（Inertial Navigation）等各種資訊，並根據以上資料發出適當指令，這樣就可以根據道路情況而即時地完成各種行駛動作。
由機器武士到Stanley無人駕駛車，機械人由夢想階段到一個又一個的製成品出現，那些曾為製造機械人而付出努力的專家實在值得尊敬。但我們距離製造出一個懂得思考、有感情、又遵從「機器人三原則」的機械人還有一段很遙遠的道路。因此，要看到好像原子小金剛或R2D2那樣的機械人還是不太可能。我們也許可以看看玩具店櫥窗裡的「超合金」玩具，然後想像一下未來世界人和機器是如何共存吧！

PuppetShow is a system that allows people use there bodies to control virtual characters. Puppet show uses a webcam to track the movements of a puppet and translates the gestures into bone movements in a game engine. Puppet Show’s goal is remove confusing middleware (keyboards and mice) from the player interface and allow the users to use their body’s natural expressiveness to convey themselves in virtual environments.

PuppetShow was built with Processing and runs within the Unreal Runtime using custom characters. Currently PuppetShow is in the late alpha phases and can track any flat color puppet and relay the actions two different specialized characters: a duck and a panda. Currently the PuppetShow team is integrating the complete PuppetShow animation system into the standard Unreal skeletal system. In the near future PuppetShow will be able to control any Unreal character through the PuppetShow interface.

How it Works

PuppetShow in truth is actually two separate systems that communicate over a TCP link: the puppet tracker and the Unreal puppet animation system. Below is the overall flow diagram of how PuppetShow works.

Puppet tracking is accomplished by using a puppet, a webcam, and the PuppetShow color tracking software. The color tracking software uses a refined blob tracking algorithm to track solid colors on a puppet. Since the tracking is based solely on color almost anything can act as a puppet: origami, gloves, socks, shirts and so forth! The tracking color can be set easily with the dynamic color calibration system. Based on a predetermined scheme, the tracking software then takes the blobs and translates them into usable information which is subsequently sent to the Unreal Runtime running the PuppetShow animation system.

The PuppetShow Mutator takes in values from the color tracker and translates them into bone translations and rotations. These are then applied to the character controlled 3D mesh (in the above diagram: a ducky!) which is subsequently displayed on the screen. An important note: PuppetShow does not interfere with the standard input devices of Unreal. This allows players to move and manipulate their characters as they would usually be able to.

http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~dhunt/puppetshow/index.htm

by devin grey hunt.