Posted 12.01.2009 at 5:54 pm
21 Comments
Not too hard, not too soft
All is Full of Love
Whether they are assisting the elderly, or simply popping human skulls like ripe fruit, robots aren't usually known for their light touch. And while this may be fine as long as they stay relegated to cleaning floors and assembling cars, as robots perform more tasks that put them in contact with human flesh, be it surgery or helping the blind, their touch sensitivity becomes increasingly important. Thankfully, researchers at the University of Ghent, Belgium, have solved the problem of delicate robot touch.
Unlike the mechanical sensors currently used to regulate robotic touching, the Belgian researchers used optical sensors to measure the feedback. Under the robot skin, they created a web of optical beams. Even the faintest break in those beams registers in the robot's computer brain, making the skin far more sensitive than mechanical sensors, which are prone to interfering with each other.
Robots like the da Vinci surgery station already register feedback from touch, but a coating of this optical sensor-laden skin could vastly enhance the sensitivity of the machine. Additionally, a range of Japanese robots designed to help the elderly could gain a lighter touch with their sensitive charges if equipped with the skin.
Really, any interaction between human flesh and robot surfaces could benefit from the more lifelike touch provided by this sensor array. And to answer the question you're all thinking but won't say: yes. But please, get your mind out of the gutter. This is a family site.
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Chris Cunningham + the last paragraph of this article = stuart fox now being my favorite popsci writer.
I'm a little turned on by the robots making out. Also one more step for eliminating the need for a female.
And one more step to the Terminator!
BOTH!!!!!
oh well most people here are adults or teens so if you put "The Question" here it wont matter
@boka somehow so am i
It would be a lot easier to eliminate males than females...
Just going out on a limb here but it looks like the robots are female. I guess in the future the women get rid of all the guys.
@itadekimasu. no you see only women robots because there are no man robots. why would a guy want a man bot? nvm dont answeer that...
Exactly bees.
You see two female robots because you are a pervert. Everyone else sees two robots with no gender that have been given the body shape of a woman with thousands of dollars of reconstructive surgery.
I'm ok with gay robots if they are female - and hot.
youtube.com/watch?v=J6LZt6-xDLU
WOW... I'm surprised the question still hasn't been posted.
Okay I'll post it then in a round about way. So this means Six from Tripping the Rift could become a reality?
Laced you toffee-nosed, malodorous gay combo breaking pigdog! You are the product of your fauthers overindulgence in sambucus wine and in a resulting laps of judgment having his way with Roborovski.
I was hoping to save my insult for someone asking the question properly but I guess you will have to do.
what question?
The question is can you have sex with the robots numbskull.
ah huh huh cool ah huh huh
Guys, this just means we are screwed if robots take over. one minute it's the time of your life, next it's being ripped apart in your bed. Not pleasant in my book. Though a bit kinky......
yeah, i'm pretty sure they're lesbian robots. why else would they have mammary-like protrusions on their chests. mmm... makes me think about those japanese actroids, or whatever they're called.
stop being such a buzz kill, oakspar.
Yes because who wouldn't enjoy having sex with a robot