RIBA the friendly robot nurse

It might look like a cross between a snowman and a badly-designed toy polar bear, but the nursing fraternity should appreciate this robot that can lift patients in and out of beds and wheelchairs on command, while at the same time saving nurses’ backs and improving patient care and safety.

RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance) is said to be the first robot that can lift up or set down a real human (up to 61kg/134lbs) from or to a bed or wheelchair. RIBA does this using a combination of its very strong human-like arms and by novel tactile guidance methods using high-accuracy tactile sensors. RIBA was developed by integrating RIKEN's control, sensor, and information processing and TRI's material and structural design technologies.

Robots like RIBA could prove themselves very worthy acquisitions when you consider the number of times patients in hospitals and care facilities are lifted and moved each day - no wonder many care-givers struggle with bad backs, injuries and exhaustion, not to mention the patients who suffer from poorly-executed moves. Then there are patients who can’t be moved often enough when nursing staff is limited.

First RI-MAN, now RIBA

RIBA is the second generation robot to emerge from RIKEN-TRI. The first model, named RI-MAN, had limited safety and performance functionality, but RIBA’s human-like arms equipped with high-precision tactile sensors and a body encased in a soft exterior of urethane foam, guarantees patient safety and comfort say its makers.

The nursing robot responds to operator's commands from the basic “hello", "goodbye" and “shake hands”, through to lifting up and down, and other more intricate moves. Motion is adjusted and suspended or resumed by touching on RIBA’s tactile sensors. Its base has omni-directional wheels so it can move in any direction.

RIBA has specially-created joint positions and link lengths designed for lifting up a human. It’s slim arms and joint structure have high rigidity and high output torque, while two cameras and two microphones allow it to follow an operator using visual and audio cues. When the operator is within its view, RIBA detects the position (direction and distance), and moves to the operator's front. RIBA also detects sound source direction.

The robot’s body is covered with soft materials and the elbow and waist joints are isolated, making RIKA safe for physical interactions with humans. This softness also contributes to patient comfort when they are being lifted. A teddy bear shape was deliberately used to put patients at ease and to give a friendly, non threatening, appearance.

Staff can control RIBA's motion by directly touching its tactile sensors. RIBA's makers say this is an intuitive control method because the contact position and force direction coincide with those of the desired motion. By pattern processing RIBA can detect the operator’s touch even when in the process of lifting a human.

Specifications:

• Height: 140cm/55in
• Weight: 180kg/400lbs (including battery)
• Payload:61kg/134lbs (tested value)
• Area tactile sensor with 128 sensing-elements (for each upper arm), 86 sensing-elements (for each forearm)
• Hand sensor with 4 sensing-elements (for each hand)
• Vision sensor: two cameras
• Auditory sensor: two microphones
• Operation time: one hour in standard use
• Actuator: DC motor
• Power: NiMH battery
• Base movement: Omni-directional with omni-wheels

The nursing-care assistant robot has been created by the Riken-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research (RTC), which was established as a joint collaboration project by RIKEN and Tokai Rubber Industries, Ltd (TRI). They believe robots like the RIBA should be able to alleviate much of the burden surrounding manual patient moves in hospitals and aged-care facilities.

RIBA is scheduled for release in the near future, but until then RIBA can be seen in action through a series of videos.

In a world coming to terms with an aging population, robots like RIBA are going to play an increasing part in patient care.

Iveco Electric Daily LCV prototype begins testing in Brazil

Iveco is showing a prototype of its new Electric Daily in Brazil, a vehicle destined to become the first zero emission light commercial vehicle produced in Latin America. The vehicle has regenerative braking, a range of 100km (65 miles) and a fully-laden top speed of 70kmh (43mph).

The project builds on Iveco’s long-running research and development of electric propulsion, which started with the development of the first Daily with pure electric drive in 1986. This new project is a collaboration between Iveco and Itaipu Binacional, an organization which manages the largest hydroelectric generating station in the world, on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. The production of the prototype will enable suitability testing to be carried out, looking specifically at the utilization of electrical energy for the transportation of goods and passengers. The project puts Iveco on target to become the pioneers of zero emission transportation in the Latin American market.

The prototype, based on a crew cab Daily 55C, is equipped with three sealed Zebra Z5 sodium, nickel and chloride batteries. These batteries do not produce gaseous emissions and are maintenance-free and totally recyclable.

Once the tests have been completed the Electric Daily is expected to enter production with Iveco at the same site where the Fiat Palio Electric is already produced. This builds on the partnership initiated in 2006 between Fiat Automoveis and Itaipu Binacional for the production of the first pure electric traction automobile in Brazil.

The first ten Electric Dailys manufactured in the production center of Foz do Iguaçu will be supplied to Itaipu Binacional and its associated companies. However, the project is also attracting significant interest among other large companies across both Brazil and Argentina. A second prototype based on a different configuration of the Daily is already scheduled for production by Iveco and Itaipu Binacional at the beginning of 2010.

Another global broadband offering from Verizon: the UMW190

Not even a month has passed since Verizon announced that it had partnered with the USA arm of China's ZTE to release of the AD3700 USB modem which offered users worldwide coverage from a single device. And now the company is at it again, declaring the forthcoming availability of the UMW190 USB modem, which does essentially the same job in a slightly smaller and cheaper form.

The stylish black UNW190 offers worldwide wireless broadband connectivity via a combination of Dual-Band CDMA 1xEV–DO Rev. A/Rev. 0: 800/1900MHz, Tri-Band UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA: 850/1900/2100MHz and Quad-Band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900MHz capabilities. It has a pre-installed 'Global Ready' SIM card, a visual two-color LED status indicator, two-way text messaging capabilities and promises simple plug and play installation and configuration. It also supports VPN and NDIS.

Like the AD 3700 it connects to your mobile device via swivel USB (which, when not in use, is hidden via a sliding cover), comes with access management software, will connect automatically and is compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista.

The UMW190 is smaller than the AD3700, measuring in at 2.8in x 1.4in x 0.6in and slightly lighter at 1.4oz. It's also a bit cheaper at USD$49.99 (after a USD$50 mail-in rebate when a new two-year contract is signed).

The device is available now online at the Verizon Wireless website and through the company's business sales channels, and will hit Verizon stores later in the month.

Not wishing to repeat myself but, like I commented in my overview of the AD3700, at face value the only advantage that the UMW190 appears to offer is the convenience of not having to locate wireless broadband as you arrive in whatever country you're traveling to.

Given that such connectivity can often be low-cost or even free in some areas of the world, it may be worth doing some research before jumping into a new two-year contract when purchasing this particular mobile broadband solution.

Oshkosh demonstrates TerraMax autonomous vehicle system

The ability of military vehicles to better protect occupants with modern designs and high-tech materials has become an increasing priority and UK firm Amsafe has already seen success with its Tarian armor plating in the U.S. Oshkosh Defense, part of the U.S. Marine Corp’s MRAP (Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected) program, is also heavily involved and a recently announced armor system took an alternative approach with an emphasis on mobility. Development of its new TerraMax vehicles seems almost flawless in its potential, however, at least in protecting the lives of the soldiers on board because, put simply, there aren’t any.

TerraMax, the latest in unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), was recently demonstrated by the Wisconsin-based company, a leading contributor to autonomous vehicle technology, at the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Fort Hood III Corps Robotics Rodeo in Texas. Two unique demonstrations illustrated current capabilities in robotic logistics convoy operations, advanced perception technology and human-assisted change detection by incorporating the latest in advanced robotic hardware and software.

As well as computer-controlled steering, acceleration, braking and transmission, a new laser scanner offers enhanced sensing abilities and 360° obstacle detection, as well as the ability to reduce the visual signature of the vehicle’s sensors so that it can better blend in with military fleets.

Oshkosh is currently working on improving occupants’ situational awareness by creating an immersive 3D display to render imagery from previously driven routes and combining it with real-time data to improve response times and aerial imagery.

ASUS EeeTop PC ET20/22 confirmed at last

If you need computing power but space is at a premium and you don't want to opt for a laptop or netbook, then an all-in-one PC might just be the answer you are looking for. After months of eager anticipation, Taiwan's ASUS has finally confirmed the technical specifications for its solution for the space-conscious non-mobile computer user - the EeeTop 20/22 series. They'll be super fast full HD graphics on a touchscreen 20in or 22in screen, a built-in webcam, wireless keyboard and mouse and the option of a Blu-ray player and even more squeezed into one classy chassis.

These new all-in-one's took their first tentative dip into the pool of IT media frenzy at this year's CeBit in Germany, which is billed as the world's largest IT trade fair. Frustratingly, there was a distinct lack of detail though and news since has been somewhat thin on the ground.

But now ASUS has made things official, releasing ET2002 and ET2002T, and ET2203 and ET2203T product details and technical specifications which confirm the improvements on earlier Eee Top models.

Like the earlier EeeTop models (which sported a 15.6in 16:9 aspect screen with Intel's Atom N270, a 160GB SATAII drive), the new additions come in both standard and touchscreen versions but now there are two different screen sizes to choose from.

The ET2002 is the 20in model and is powered by an Intel Atom 330 Dual Core processor and NVIDIA ION chipset. The low power NVIDIA ION graphics card helps keep things compact yet high-def-powerful and with 2GB DDR2 memory, a 250GB or 320GB SATAII drive it'll be quick and spacious. The 511mm x 410mm x 53mm (20.1in x 16.1in x 2in) dimensions should see it fit into the snuggest nook and the 7.2kg weight (15.8lb) means changing locations shouldn't involve pulling any muscles.

The ET2203 is, unsurprisingly perhaps, the 22in model. An Intel Core 2 Duo processor T4300 or T6500 and Mobile Intel PM45 Express chipset provide its power base and an ATI Radeon HD 4570 graphics card (full HD 1080p) help the visuals flow smoothly. There's 4GB DDR2 memory and a choice of 320GB or very roomy 500GB SATAII drives. An SPDIF digital audio output gives improved external connection possibilities. Weighing in a little heavier at 8.9kg (19.6lb), its dimensions measure up at 548mm x 450mm x 48mm (21.5in x 17.7in x 1.8in).

The touchscreen version is identified by a 'T' after the model name, ET2002T for instance, and is ready and waiting for all that Windows 7 touchscreen interactivity can throw at it. In the case of the ET2203T buyers will also get the option of a Blu-ray optical drive.

As well as the specifications already given, all versions of the new models benefit from:

• Vista Home Premium (Windows 7 upgradable)
• Dual hi-fi speakers with SRS Premium Sound
• Built-in web cam, the EeeCam
• Super multi optical drive
• 16:9 aspect
• 802.11b/g/n wireless card and Ethernet LAN
• Digital microphone and standard headphone socket
• HDMI input
• 6 USB ports and 3-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/Memory Stick)
• wireless keyboard & mouse

There's a range of exclusive applications to make life just a little bit easier, too, which may help you get the most from the EeeTop range, including the quick access EeeBar, the image collecting FotoFun and the note leaving Eee Memo.

There's little doubt that ASUS found a winner in its range of Eee PC netbooks, the excellent Eee PC 1005HA being a number one best-seller according to a recent article in eZine. Will the combination of top tech with ease of use and elegance bring ASUS another market leader?

Well, numerous manufacturers have been doling out all-in-one desktop computers for a good while now - the first one I remember drooling over was from Sony's VAIOrange - and the momentum seems to be picking up pace of late. With HP,Acer,MSI shuttle and Sony all recently announcing new touchscreen all-in-one machines, ASUS just might find the competition very stiff indeed as the market becomes as overpopulated as that of the netbook.

Pricing and availability information is at best sketchy at the moment but the ET2002T can be seen with a price tag of €598,96 (about USD$854) on the French LDLC website. Elsewhere it's a case of wait and see.

Watch some tentative testing on the video below:

Newly-developed 'graphone' makes spintronic devices closer than ever

A team of researchers from the Virginia Commonwealth University, Peking University in Beijing, the Chinese Academy of Science, and Tohoku University in Japan has designed a new graphite-based magnetic nanomaterial that behaves as a semiconductor and could prove very important for ongoing research in the field of spintronics.

Spintronics, or magnetoelectronics, is an emerging technology that harnesses the spin of electrons along with their electrical charge to store and transfer information in digital form. Because the electronic spin is closely related to magnetism, techniques that attempt to manipulate these particles must present strong and highly controllable magnetic properties.

Graphene: a possible substitute for silicon?

First isolated by English and Russian researchers in 2004, graphene is a one-atom thick sheet of carbon atoms densely-packed in a honeycomb structure with unique mechanical and electronic characteristics.

Graphene has a breaking strength 200 times greater than steel, and has proven an excellent choice in manufacturing highly resistant carbon nanotubes, which have quickly become one of the central research areas in today's nanotechnology.

But graphene also shows excellent electrical properties that, like silicon, can be precisely controlled by adding trace concentrations of impurities. Such impurities form chemical bonds with the existing atomic structure and release electrically-charged particles — either negatively-charged electrons or positively-charged 'electronic holes' — that alter the conductivity of the material.

This makes graphene apt for a number of applications in electronics, and particularly in integrated circuitry where, because of this and a number of other unique characteristics, it has the potential to become an excellent substitute for silicon.

Graphone, a carbon sheet with a twist

As explained above, in order for spintronics to fully flourish, there needs to be a way to precisely manipulate the spin of electrons. Because magnetism and electronic spin are so closely related, using a magnetic material is perhaps the most natural way of addressing the issue.

An international team recently designed a material that adds magnetism to the properties of graphene while retaining its structural integrity and most of its electrical properties. The so-called 'graphone' is therefore a very strong candidate for future applications in spintronics.

"The new material we are predicting, graphone, makes graphene magnetic simply by controlling the amount of hydrogen coverage — basically, how much hydrogen is put on graphene. It avoids previous difficulties associated with the synthesis of magnetic graphene," distinguished professor Puru Jena, who was part of the team, explained.

This approach is in fact quite different from other graphene nanostructures such as one-dimensional nanoribbons and two-dimensional nanoholes, where zigzag edges are necessary for magnetism, as explained in a paper written by the group and published in the latest edition of the journal Nano Letters.

The research was founded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, The National Science Foundation and by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Samsung HZ25W 12.5MP camera with 24x Mega-Zoom

Recent developments in the digital camera market have given amateur photographers that require a decent optical zoom some reasonably priced point-and-shoot alternatives. Following announcements earlier this year by Kodak and Olympus, Samsung has released its own model - the HZ25W, a 12.5MP, 24x optical zoom camera that sports the most powerful lens ever offered on a Samsung compact digital model.

The integrated Schneider-Kreuznach lens has a 26mm wide-angle focal length and in addition to taking photos can record 720p HD video using the high definition H.264 codec. Other noteworthy features include optical and digital image stabilization to help manage the zoom-length without a tripod, full manual shooting for those who require additional control, and advanced auto-shooting which analyzes the current environment to choose between 11 optimized presets for the best possible image.

Photos can be cataloged and browsed easily with the Smart Album tool using criteria such as date and time taken, color tone and media type and additional features such as face recognition, face detection, blink detection and Samsung’s ‘Beauty Shot’ make this one of the most advanced point-and-shoots on the market.

Reid Sullivan, vice president of audio/video and digital imaging marketing at Samsung America emphasizes the approachable yet powerful nature of the HZ25W.

“Photographers of all skill levels are going to be drawn to the HZ25W’s features” he says. “The versatility of the lens gives any user, whether you’re a soccer mom on the sidelines or an enthusiast looking to create a stunning image, the ability to be prepared for just about any shooting scenario. Serious shooters will gravitate toward the HZ25W’s aperture and shutter priority modes as well as full manual control and RAW support. For the entry-level shooter, Samsung’s Smart Auto takes simplicity to a new level, ensuring a great shot every time without having to be concerned about camera settings.”

Available from October 2009, the Samsung HZ25W is priced at USD$399.99.

Altec Lansing MIX - digital boombox with multi music input

Get one of these and become the life of the party, that seems to be the message from Altec Lansing with the launch of its new MIX (iMT800) digital boombox for party-goers and ‘unofficial DJ’s’. The MIX lets users connect three music players at once through its inputs – a 30-pin dock connector for the iPhone and iPod and also two front-facing 3.5mm jacks. No more plugging and unplugging devices during songs or arguments over whose music is on next. The unit has a built-in subwoofer, a seven-band graphic equalizer, FM radio and heavy-duty carry handles to enable you to take the MIX from party to party. There’s also a remote control with clip-on carabiner.

The MIX delivers boombox sound through specially engineered horn-loaded tweeters and mid-range drivers. The 5.25” side-firing subwoofer and 5.25” tuned passive radiator pump out the bass, which is further enhanced with XdB technology for extra heavy punch, while the digital seven-band graphic equalizer allows music lovers to quickly tailor the sound to their preferred taste. MIX runs on AC or gives 30 hours of play time on eight D-cell batteries.

Designed with iPod and iPhone in mind, MIX is cleverly engineered to be immune to GSM signals, and won’t pick up those annoying intermittent noises emitted by the iPhone or other mobile devices. The music pauses and resumes play before and after taking a voice call without ever switching the iPhone to airplane mode.

Features

• Specially-engineered horn-loaded silk dome tweeters
• Two custom-designed drivers
• XdB bass-enhanced side-firing subwoofer and tuned passive radiator
• Drivers, enclosure and electronics are balanced for optimum sound
• Digital FM radio with telescopic antenna and four station presets
• AC or battery-powered (up to 30 hours of play with eight D batteries)
• Dual AUX IN 3.5mm front-facing jacks
• Clip-on remote
• Music Pause – automatically pauses music when a call is received on the iPhone
• Interference free – design is immune to mobile phone interference, eliminating the need to switch to airplane mode
• LCD display – track, artist, album and station display
• Customizable seven band EQ
• Universal dock for iPhone and iPod – Recharges while it plays your tunes

The Altec lansing MIX (iMT800) is available now for USD$299.95.

Hands on: Nokia's N900 Internet tablet may be their best 'phone' ever

Based upon their previous N-Series Internet tablets, the N900 is a Linux based device with a large 800x480 display, but adds a quad-band 3G radio where previous products have been limited to WiFi only for communications. There's also full support for Exchange syncing, and a customized version of the Mozilla browser used in the desktop version of Firefox. With a slide-out 3 row qwerty keyboard and a large screen this device is ideal for corporate e-mail, and does a credible job of displaying formatted e-mail as well as a full weeks worth of calendar entries at a time.

After spending a few minutes using the device, we were left thinking this was what we were hoping for when Nokia announced the N97. In nearly all ways this device is designed to satisfy the needs of the 'power user'.

We're eagerly awaiting a test device with final software so we can put it through it's paces and write a full report.

Attached is Nokia's press release detailing the platform:

Maemo 5 injects speed and power into mobile computing

The new Nokia N900: Computer-grade performance in a handset

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today marked the next phase in the evolution of Maemo software with the new Nokia N900. Taking its cues from the world of desktop computing, the open source, Linux-based Maemo software delivers a PC-like experience on a handset-sized device.

The Nokia N900 has evolved from Nokia’s previous generation of Internet Tablets and broadens the choice for technology enthusiasts who appreciate the ability to multitask and browse the internet like they would on their desktop computer.

Running on the new Maemo 5 software, the Nokia N900 empowers users to have dozens of application windows open and running simultaneously while taking full advantage of the cellular features, touch screen and QWERTY keyboard.

“With Linux software, Mozilla-based browser technology and now also with cellular connectivity, the Nokia N900 delivers a powerful mobile experience,” says Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Markets, Nokia. “The Nokia N900 shows where we are going with Maemo and we’ll continue to work with the community to push the software forward. What we have with Maemo is something that is fusing the power of the computer, the internet and the mobile phone, and it is great to see that it is evolving in exciting ways.”

Designed for computer-grade performance in a compact size, Maemo complements Nokia’s other software platforms, such as Symbian, which powers Nokia’s smartphones.

“Just as Nokia continues to expand and diversify its device portfolio, so it is deploying multiple platforms to allow it to serve different purposes and address different markets. While we have seen continued growth in Symbian as a smartphone platform, Maemo enables Nokia to deliver new mobile computing experiences based on open-source technology that has strong ties with desktop platforms,” says Jonathan Arber, Senior Research Analyst in Consumer Mobile at IDC.

More multitasking with Maemo

The Nokia N900 packs a powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor, up to 1GB of application memory and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration. The result is PC-like multitasking, allowing many applications to run simultaneously. Switching between applications is simple, as all running content is constantly available through the dashboard. The panoramic homescreen can be fully personalized with favorite shortcuts, widgets and applications.

To make web browsing more enjoyable, the Nokia N900 features a high-resolution WVGA touch screen and fast internet connectivity with 10/2 HSPA and WLAN. Thanks to the browser powered by Mozilla technology, websites look the way they would on any computer. Online videos and interactive applications are vivid with full Adobe Flash™ 9.4 support. Maemo software updates happen automatically over the internet.

Messaging on the N900 is easy and convenient thanks to the full physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Setting up email happens with only a few touches and the Nokia Messaging service mobilizes up to 10 personal email accounts. Text message or IM exchanges with friends are shown in one view and all conversations are organized as separate windows.

The Nokia N900 has 32GB of storage, which is expandable up to 48GB via a microSD card. For photography, the Maemo software and the N900 come with a new tag cloud user interface that will help users get the most out of the 5MP camera and Carl Zeiss optics. The Nokia N900 will be available in select markets from October 2009 with an estimated retail price of EUR 500 excluding sales taxes and subsidies. The Nokia N900 will be displayed at Nokia World, Stuttgart, on September 2.