Robots have rapidly evolved from being a fringe phenomenon to becoming an integral part of our lives. Today, almost every car made on our planet has some or the other input from a robot during the production phase. The same can be said for consumer electronics and food processing. Why, we even have movies made on robots. So, while the world is going green in a bid to save us from ending up like dinosaurs, how can robots be left behind? Today, we look at 10 robots that are definitively the future of robotics, albeit in a clean, green way.
OSP Robot
We kick off with a robot concept currently under development. This robot, called the OSP, is designed to contain nasty oil spills that play havoc with the delicate marine ecosystem. The OSP is propelled by solar power and it works in tandem with other OSPs to form a chain around the oil spill, thus containing it. Thus, giving the human crews the vital time before they can move in to clean up the mess. The OSPs which sense direction through GPS can be launched both by air and sea, thus making them very versatile.
Green Robotic Glider
Here is another robot which glides across the oceans of the world monitoring climate change. The Slocum is a robot developed by scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and the Webb Research Corporation. This robot uses a very unique propulsion system by harnessing the heat differences of the ocean. Using the principle of thermal stratification, this robot can travel for thousands of miles without requiring any fuel. Now, how cool would it be if this technology made it to ships?
WatCleaner
Now, let us move on the rivers of the world. Rivers often form the backbone of civilization across the world. This makes them very vulnerable to the ill-effects of high pollution and exploitation. Fortunately for the rivers, a knight in shining armor is just around the corner in the form of the WatCleaner robot. This robot trawls across rivers cleaning them up by absorbing waste and disintegrating it. And don’t you worry, this contraption is smart enough to leave the aquatic beings alone.
TubeBot
Leaky water pipes are a huge mess. More so, if they are a buried network of pipes, deep under the sprawling cities. With billions of liters of water lost every day across the world, a solution to this problem was very necessary. Yet again, modern robotics has come as the savior with Kaunsthochschule Berlin developing the TubeBot. Using the water currents to power itself, this robot traverses the vast water pipe network checking it for leaks. Using an ultrasonic detector, the TubeBot detects leaks and sends information to a control room. Terrific, we say.
DustCart
After robots doing their bit to keep the waters clean, we have one that does the dirty job on the land. The DustCart aims to do that that by collecting and segregating garbage. What’s more, it can go door to door playing garbage man and can be summoned by a cellphone. Very cool. To top it all off, it can also act as a mobile pollution monitor by monitoring atmospheric pollution levels. While the Wall-E DustCart may excite the Italians in Peccioli, it is sure to leave a few disgruntled garbage collectors in its wake.
ECO-POD
After garbage collectors, we have farmer robots. The Eco-Pod is a robot concept from Boston architects Howeler + Yoon and Los Angeles digital designers Squared Design Lab. This concept aims to grow algae on pods placed strategically on unfinished buildings. A robotic arm powered by the micro algae plays farmer, by continually rearranging the pods for optimum growth of the algae. Later, the algae will be used to produce bio-fuel. Move over, green thumbs, it is the age of the green robotic arm.
Rope Climber
Windmills are great to look at and a great source of clean energy. On the other hand, maintaining them is a nightmare that few of us would be willing to do. Help arrives in the form of the rope climbing robot. This robot will climb up windmills and carry out all the necessary maintenance. In addition, it is also equipped with an ultraviolet detection system that detects minute damages which a human eye will miss. The windmill maintenance crews will be a relieved lot.
RoboMower
Mowing lawns is back-breaking work. How about some outsourcing? We aren’t talking about a gardener here, but a solar-powered robot. Husqvarna has come up with this unique piece of lawn mowing kit that will annoy your gardener, scare little kids and put a big smile on your face. Wicked cool, isn’t it? Speaking of which, the lawn mower can mow up to 2300 square meters of grass and navigate obstacles on its own. Its price however, is as wicked as it’s looks. Your pocket will be $4000 lighter.
Robot Box
Even the Alaskan huskies may face unemployment in the near future. That is, if this robot boxconcept takes off. The US army has developed this robot box which can carry a payload of 70 kilos across the ice sheets of Antartica. What’s more, it can also lug around scientists on a sled attached to it. Solar power provides the propulsion and this makes the robot box a very clean, green alternative to the huskies. Animal rights activists will be overjoyed to hear this.
COM-BAT
The US Army always comes out with contraptions straight out of Star Wars. Or is it the other way around? Nevertheless, take a look at this COM-BAT. The COM-BAT is a six-inch spy plane that has been developed by the folks at University of Michigan, on the back of a $10 million grant from the US Army. This contraption uses the sun, wind and even vibrations to propel itself across the skies mimicking a bat. Once in air, the COM-BAT will send vital visual and chemical data. Though still a concept, the COM-BAT for sure holds immense potential.
