February 4th, 2010 Pondering a robot as co-worker Posted by Larry Dignan @ 8:15 am
*Categories:* General <http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?cat=1>, Innovation<http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?cat=135>, Science <http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?cat=24> *Tags:* NASA <http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/NASA.html>, General Motors Corp.<http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/General+Motors+Corp..html>, R2 <http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/R2.html>, Robots<http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/Robots.html>, Automotive <http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/Automotive.html>..., Emerging Technologies <http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/Emerging+Technologies.html>, Larry Dignan <http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/Larry+Dignan.html> 5 TalkBacks <http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=30438#comments> - - - - - - - - - - - - - Print <http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=30438&tag=nl.e589#> - Email<?subject=Pondering%20a%20robot%20as%20co-worker%20%7C%20Between%20the%20Lines%20%7C%20ZDNet.com&body=Pondering%20a%20robot%20as%20co-worker%0Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fblogs.zdnet.com%2FBTL%2F%3Fp%3D30438%0A> - Thumbs Up <http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=30438&tag=nl.e589#>Thumbs Down<http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=30438&tag=nl.e589#> - +1 1 *This post originally appeared on SmartPlanet. <http://www.smartplanet.com/> * <http://i.bnet.com/blogs/nasa_gm_robotic_coworker_02.jpg>*NASA* and *General Motors* are collaborating on next generation robot technology. This robot, dubbed *Robonaut 2* or *R2* for short, could be your co-worker someday. R2 is a humanoid robot capable of working alongside humans. For GM, R2 would be used to test car safety and develop safer manufacturing plants. GM hopes to integrate robots with human workers. NASA would use R2 as a helper—or stand-in—for humans on space missions. [*See more photos* in an image gallery<http://content.zdnet.com/2346-9595_22-390068.html> ] A video of what R2 can do shows the robot writing in cursive and lifting a 20lb weight. The robot uses bleeding edge control, sensor and vision technologies. <http://i.bnet.com/blogs/nasa_gm_robotic_coworker_01.jpg>The collaboration included engineers and scientists from both NASA and GM. The two parties worked together through a Space Act Agreement with NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The two parties say R2 can do more work beyond previous generation humanoid machines (GM<http://media.gm.com/content/media/us/en/news/news_detail.brand_gm.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2010/Feb/0204_nasa>, NASA <http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/robonaut.html>statements). As for the background of R2, NASA has some experience with robot technology. The original Robonaut was developed in collaboration between the Johnson Space Center and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency 10 years ago. *Source*: Meet R2: Your robotic coworker courtesy of NASA, GM<http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/meet-r2-your-robotic-coworker-courtesy-of-nasa-gm/3890/?tag=shell;main> -- Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity! Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
