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Modern Applications News, June, 2008

C-3P0's Great Grandfather

Robots have been integrated into industry for decades, but haven't been brought into homes as useful appliances yet. Work at the Shigeki Sugano Laboratory, at the Department of Modern Mechanical Engineering, in the School of Creative Science and Engineering, of the Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, may be bringing the day of the 'droids one step closer.

Twendy-One is a nearly-anthropomorphic human-symbiotic-robot designed to support human daily activities to fill the gap in labor in the care of members of aging societies in such chores as human safety assistance and manipulation.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The Twendy-One model robot has high-output actuators with the passive impedance mechanisms that let it manipulate objects with various shapes. It can adapt to human motion and support a human. The robot has the demonstrated ability to pick up a paper cup as well as assist a person out of bed and into a chair.

The robot, weighing in at 245 lb, stands almost 4' 10" has forearms that can support up to 75 lb, with shoulders and elbows with four degrees of freedom. The hands have four fingers with almost the same range as a human's. In the finger tip, a six-axis force sensor and distributed force sensors let the robot grasp objects both delicately and robustly.

It has 12 ultrasonic sensors and a six-axis force sensor to detect nearby objects and humans to keep people, and its environment, safe.

A four-minute demo video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeb3ZENkoc & feature=related

Ford is Exploring and Applying Nanotechnology

Ford scientists are embracing nanotechnology in developing paints, plastics, light metals, and catalysts that let Ford reduce vehicle weight and improve fuel economy without sacrificing quality.

Ford powertrains already are benefiting from the company's grasp of nanotechnology and mircomechanical properties. A Ford study, "Atoms to Engines," looked at the structure of cast aluminum alloys at near atomic levels. From this work, a detailed analysis of the structure/property/process relationship of the aluminum alloy engine blocks led to reduced engine weight and, in turn, increased fuel efficiency.

The technology has let the automaker pull 10 percent in structural performance out of Ford engines, which translates into weight and fuel economy savings.

Ford's European research lab in Aachen, Germany, is developing a thermally sprayed nano-coating that could replace the heavy cast iron liners that provide wear resistance in cylinder bores in aluminum block engines. This thin wear-resistant coating reduces weight and improves friction performance while delivering durability and reliability equal to traditional bore linings.

Nanotechnology also is being tapped by Ford scientists to help develop smarter solutions to energy storage issues for alternative power sources such as lithium-ion batteries and fuel cells.