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Robot created to work in care facilities
Tokyo (UPI) Sep 2, 2009 Japanese scientists say they've built a robot designed to cope with the world's aging population by assisting staff and patients at care facilities. Researchers at the Riken Center for Developmental Biology in Tokyo and Japan's Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd. named the robot Riba -- Robot for Interactive Body Assistance. The scientists said Ribia makes use of the latest in sensor, control, information processing, mechanical and materials technology to become the first of its kind capable of safely lifting and moving a human patient of up to 134 pounds from a bed to a wheelchair and back. Riken said the robot uses "human-like arms equipped with high-precision tactile sensors and a body encased in a soft exterior of urethane foam" in a design that "guarantees patient safety and comfort." "As one part of a larger strategy to pursue advances in robot technology for care-giving support, the successful development of Riba marks a critical step toward tackling the problems of an aging society," Riken said in a statement. "The Riken-TRI Collaborative Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research, where Riba was developed, envisions bringing robots like Riba to market in the near future." Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Japan robotics experts unveil sci-fi wheelchairTokyo (AFP) Aug 26, 2009 Robotics and medical experts in Japan on Wednesday unveiled the prototype of a new hi-tech electric wheelchair that resembles a scooter and promises greater mobility. Users ride astride the four-wheeled Rodem -- rather than sitting in it, as in a conventional wheelchair -- steer it with a joystick and hold onto motorbike-style handles while the knees and chest rest on cushions. ... read more |
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