Chen Feng’s Post

With the end of the Fall 2023 semester, I am proud to note the completion of my group’s Senior Laboratory course’s (AME 441 aL) semester-long project, that of creating a micro-controlled hybrid actuated soft emotional robot, explicitly aimed at emotional support for our senior communities. Along with my teammates Sungmo Park, Ken Wong, and Daniel Azzam, our project, titled MAYA (Modern Android for Yesteryear’s Adult), was carried out in a very methodical manner, which consisted of a comprehensive emotional tracing study, a robust iterative manufacturing process, and a concentrated effort at mastering the emotional actuation and aesthetics of a realistic humanoid robot. Our project faced many complex and novel challenges, as our attempt at creating a humanoid soft robot is not a topic that has been tackled in recent memory with previous undergraduate USC Viterbi, AME-specific, Senior Project Laboratory cohorts. However, through the advice, insight, and encouragement of Dr. Inna Abramova, our Lab Manager Jeffrey Vargas, Lab Technician Usiel Ulloa, Machinist Alex Flores, student test subject Antonina Mintcheva, and our primary advisor Dr. AKSHAY POTNURU, our team was able to successfully actuate our six target emotions of joy, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust, in addition to recreating life-like movement through our rotating eye and neck mechanisms (as shown in the video below)!    Admittedly, our team has a plethora of ideas on how to continue to optimize MAYA’s current design, from integrating a voice command to a voice response system via AI API keys and esp32 microcontrollers, or even further refining the aesthetics of its current facial design. While these features would be great to showcase in future prototypes, our team hopes that MAYA's current prototype may be shown to future AME 441aL cohorts, so as to encourage further undergraduate interest into the multifaceted field of soft robotics and its many socially assistive modern-day applications. #softrobotics #usc #uscviterbi #mechanicalengineering Link to access more info on MAYA project: https://lnkd.in/gDGZXqcF

🤖 Exciting News from University of Southern Denmark's Summer Robotics Course! 🌞🔧 This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Robotics Course at the University of Southern Denmark, and I'm thrilled to share my experience with you all! 🤖🌟 Throughout the course, we delved into cutting-edge robotics techniques and hands-on projects. The main objective was implementing the RRT (Rapidly-Exploring Random Trees) motion planning algorithm as well as the potential fields algorithm to achieve autonomous navigation for a robot arm. Witnessing the robot arm maneuver and navigate through its environment autonomously was truly remarkable! 🤯 🖥️💡 We honed our skills using MATLAB to program and simulate our algorithms, giving us practical insights into the world of robotics software development. The process was both challenging and rewarding, as we tackled real-world scenarios and witnessed our code come to life in simulations. 🦾🌐 The robot arm we worked with, UR5, served as an ideal platform for learning and experimentation. Its versatility and precision allowed us to grasp the intricacies of robotics control and motion planning with greater depth. I'm immensely grateful for the guidance of our knowledgeable instructors and the collaborative spirit among fellow participants. This experience has not only expanded my understanding of robotics but has also provided a glimpse into the future of automation and technology. 🎓 If you're as intrigued by robotics as I am, I highly recommend exploring opportunities like these at the University of Southern Denmark. The summer course has been a transformative journey, and I can't wait to see where the world of robotics takes us next! 🌐🤖 #RoboticsCourse #USummerRobotics #AutonomousRobotics #LearningInnovation #MATLAB #UR5 #STEMEducation

A Georgia Tech Ph.D. student has created a new framework that enables a four-legged robot to perform increasingly complex tasks without relearning motions. Georgia Tech Ph.D. student Niranjan Kumar created the Cascaded Compositional Residual Learning (CCRL) framework, enabling a quadrupedal robot to perform increasingly complex tasks without relearning motions, mirroring human learning, showcased by the robot opening a heavy door using energy transfer, a remarkable achievement in robotics. Written by: Nathan Deen Image/video credits: Georgia Institute of Technology -------------------------------- Get your company on Wevolver. Learn how your company can publish on Wevolver and reach a new audience of professional engineers who leverage the platform to stay up-to-date and connect with the industry: https://wevlv.co/partners

ECE Prof. Amit Trivedi received four grants in the last twelve months, focused on a variety of computer hardware tools and applications. Trivedi’s current work touches on physics, robotics, and machine learning. Learn more about his exciting work: https://shorturl.at/eiptL #UIC #UICEngineering #ElectricalEngineering #ComputerEngineering

Dear Robotics Practitioners, Students, and Enthusiasts, Seeking your inputs on an introductory graduate-level course on #Robotics that I will be teaching in the upcoming semester. In such a course, how important do you think it is to introduce practical tools and skills such as:  Physics-based simulation tools (e.g. MuJoCo, Gazebo, Issac Sim, etc.) ROS Computer Vision tools Robot Learning  Hardware selection, sensors, actuators and electronics Collaborating on github  etc. There are a number of such diverse practical skills that one needs to take learnings in a course to any reasonable robot implementation. This is both a challenge and an opportunity in teaching robotics. While projects in a course serve to bridge this gap, I feel the range of essential skills for a starting robot practitioner has grown rapidly over the years. Would love to hear your views.

👀 Are you looking for a way to seamlessly integrate new curriculum into your existing content? Look no further! We have planning documents specifically designed to help you implement our courses with ease. From Computer Science to Robotics & Engineering, we've got you covered! 💻🔧 #Education #ComputerScience #Engineering #CurriculumIntegration #TechInnovators

On Special for under £50! Unlocking STEM Potential with the Balboa 32U4 Balancing Robot Kit. The Balboa 32U4 Balancing Robot Kit is a dynamic tool for STEM education, marrying theory and hands-on experience. This post explores its features and educational advantages, emphasizing its role in cultivating essential skills for future technologists. Buy it here (Will need motors and wheels bought too)->https://lnkd.in/eRbWArg3 Key Features: Arduino Compatibility: Enables open-source programming for creative exploration. IMU Sensors: Teaches accelerometer and gyroscope principles crucial for balance. Motor Control: Offers insights into closed-loop feedback and PID control. Expandability: Modular design allows integration of additional sensors, encouraging experimentation. Educational Benefits: Hands-On Learning: Tangible experience reinforces theoretical knowledge. Interdisciplinary Understanding: Integrates electronics, programming, physics, and mathematics. Problem-Solving Skills: Encourages critical thinking and troubleshooting. Future Tech Preparation: Provides a glimpse into robotics' potential in diverse industries. #STEMEducation #RoboticsKit #Balboa32U4 #TechnologyInEducation #HandsOnLearning #ProgrammingSkills #InnovationInSTEM #FutureTech #ProblemSolving #Arduino #STEMCurriculum #RoboticsInEducation #BalancingRobot #LearningThroughPlay

For everyone interested in Robotics , following Akshet Patel 🤖 is your one-stop solution for traversing the right path in the right time frame. Please go check out his recent posts and follow him! He posts some really amazing stuffs ✨✨

Chur 📅 2024-06-06: Once again, students from the Institute of Photonics and Robotics at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons presented their results as part of the Mobile Robotics Project 2 🤖. The innovative and creative solutions of the budding engineers amazed the visitors 😮. In the projects presented, the students demonstrated their skills in the design, programming, and control of robots with 3D image processing 🖥️📐. The variety of topics was large and included autonomously driving robots that can perform complex tasks 🚗🤖. For example, one highlight was the "Wall-i" project, which was developed by a group of students 🌟. The robot, whose appearance is reminiscent of the well-known Disney-Pixar character 🎥, uses sensors to perceive its environment, thus being able to navigate autonomously 🌍🔍. The works presented show the high level of education at the FH Graubünden in the field of robotics 📚🏫. In the degree programmes, students acquire not only sound theoretical knowledge 🧠, but also practical skills that make them sought-after on the job market 💼🚀. #fhgr #MobileRobotics #Photonics