<p id="isPasted">At least some of you will remember The Jetsons.</p><p>The television series, created by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Inc., was a space-age version of The Flintstones (another Hanna-Barbera production). It originally aired in 1962-1963 with later episodes created in a reboot from 1985 to 1987.</p><p>But while Fred Flintstone drove a stone-age car (complete with stone wheels) that he powered by pushing his feet along the ground, George Jetson and his family lived in Orbit City, where Jetson commuted to his two-hour per week job via a flying car with a bubble top. And instead of having dinosaurs (including pterodactyls) help carry out tasks, The Jetsons live in a future where they’re surrounded by automated devices. You could think of their surroundings as the 1960s vision of the Smart Home.</p><p>And an integral part of that home? Well, that would be Rosey (later changed to ‘Rosie’) the robot.</p><p>Rosey was the family’s robotic maid. She carried out tasks that weren’t performed by the many other automatic conveniences that filled the Jetson’s home. She had two manipulator arms and an internally stored vacuum that be deployed on demand.</p><p>She was very useful around the house, carrying out tasks to save the family time.</p><p>And this story? Well, it’s about our own Rosie – which is also very space-age.</p><p><em>Below: A Rosie the robot publicity cel, signed by show creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. The cel was auctioned in 2018; <a href="https://comics.ha.com/itm/animation-art/presentation-cel/the-jetsons-rosie-the-robot-publicity-cel-hanna-barbera-1985-/a/7193-97570.s#" target="_blank">image by Heritage Auctions</a></em><em><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI4NDAzNDIwMTI1LVNjcmVlbnNob3QtMjAyNC0xMC0wMi1hdC0xLjUxLjIwLVBNLnBuZy53ZWJwIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Rosie the Robot"></em><br></p><h3 id="isPasted">The Rosie Story</h3><p>So. What is Rosie? We asked Head of R&amp;D Sales Luke Corbeth for a snapshot.</p><p>“Rosie is a dual arm mobile manipulation robot designed for pick and place in an industry 4.0 setting,” he says. In other words, it has two arms and manoeuvres on a wheeled platform, and is capable of moving objects from one location to another or even manipulating a single object with both end effectors.</p><p>And Rosie has a few tricks up her sleeve. Or, more accurately, sleeves.</p><p>“The actual robot is very unique because it has six mounting points for the arms. So you can mount the arms on top, high on the side or low on the side to access shelving of different heights. In fact,&nbsp;you could actually mount one arm directly on the top right, for example, and then mount the second one on the bottom left. So you could grab something from the top of the shelf and from the floor at the same time, which is kind of cool, right?”</p><p>Yes, indeed.</p><p>Rosie’s home is not with the Jetsons (she has no vacuum cleaner) but in a new lab that hasn’t yet been officially launched at <a href="https://www.polymtl.ca/futur/en" target="_blank">Polytechnique Montréal</a>. It’s called the Intelligent-Cyber Physical System Lab, or I-CPS. So we contacted <a href="https://www.polymtl.ca/expertises/en/birglen-lionel" target="_blank">Lionel Birglen</a>, a professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering. We wanted to learn more about what the lab does, what he does – and what plans he has for Rosie (which InDro built and shipped in 2023).</p><p>Dr. Birglen is a PhD Mechanical Engineer, with a specialisation in robotics. He’s particularly interested in – and an expert on – manipulators and end effectors and has designed and built them. He’s written two books, holds three patents, and is the author or contributing author of at least <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Lionel-Birglen-69852833" target="_blank">94 research papers</a>. He’s also – get this – been listed among the <a href="https://www.polymtl.ca/carrefour-actualite/en/news/50-polytechnique-montreal-researchers-among-top-2-most-cited-their-respective-fields" target="_blank">top two per cent&nbsp;most-cited scientists in the world</a> in his area of specialisation.</p><p>So it kinda goes without saying, but he’s a pretty big deal in this field.</p><p>Dr. Birglen has a deep interest in the role robotics will play in the future of industry. And, within that realm, he’s intensely interested in ensuring that robots, particularly those that will be sharing space with human beings on a factory or warehouse floor, will be safe.</p><p>And – he emphasises – he doesn’t trust simulations for important work like this.</p><p>“Because simulations lie. They lie all the time,” he says. “You have to understand that reality is infinitely more complex than anything you can have in simulation – so actual experiments are absolutely essential to me. They are essential to my work,&nbsp;to my understanding of what robotic manipulation is.”</p><p>“I believe in math, but I know that reality is different.&nbsp;It’s more complex, more complicated, and includes so many un-modelled phenomena.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Rosie's Journey</h3><p>Dr. Birglen knew he wanted a new robot for use in the new lab (which we’ll get to shortly). And he knew he wanted a robot with two manipulator arms.</p><p>“Dual-arm robots are, in my opinion, the future for industry applications,” he says.</p><p>And while humanoid bipeds grab a lot of attention, they’re far more complex (and expensive) than wheeled robots. Plus, he says, most factory applications take place on a single level and don’t require climbing stairs.</p><p>“From a factory perspective, a wheeled platform makes a lot of sense because typically in factories you don’t have, say, five levels connected by stairs.”</p><p>So he knew he wanted an autonomous, wheeled, dual-arm robot. And he started, initially, to think of a company other than InDro for the build.</p><p>“I came across InDro almost by accident,” he explains. “<a href="https://www.polymtl.ca/expertises/en/beltrame-giovanni" target="_blank">Giovanni Beltrame</a> told me about you because he has purchased many, many robots from you. He said: ‘Those guys can build and assemble the robot for you. They’re close and they do a great job.’ So that’s how I came in contact with you.” (We’ve written previously about the amazing work Dr. Beltrame is working on involving robots and space. You can find that <a href="https://indrorobotics.ca/robots-on-earth-help-prepare-for-research-on-the-moon/" target="_blank">here.</a>)</p><p>And so, after a number of calls with Luke Corbeth and the engineering team to settle on design and performance parameters, work on Rosie began.</p><p><em>Below: Technologist Tirth Gajera (‘T’) puts the finishing touches on Rosie in 2023</em><em><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzI4NDAzNDY1MDg1LURTQzAxNTE4LXNjYWxlZC5qcGcud2VicCIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="InDro's Roșie the Robot"></em><br></p><h3 id="isPasted">The Lab</h3><p>Polytechnique Montréal’s&nbsp;Intelligent-Cyber Physical System Lab (I-CPS) is set up as a highly connected Industry 4.0 factory. Faculty from four different departments – computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering and mechanical engineering (Dr. Birglen) – are involved with the lab. Interns and students, under supervision, also work in the facility.</p><p>“So we have four&nbsp;departments involved in this lab and the idea is to build a small scale factory of the future, meaning that everything is connected. We are building a mini-factory inside this lab,” he says.</p><p>So think of cameras that can track objects on shelves – and people and robots within the environment. Think of smart tools like a CNC machine, which will eventually be operated by Rosie. And, perhaps just as important as the connectivity within the lab, is connectivity to other research institutes in Quebec, including <a href="https://www.ulaval.ca/en" target="_blank">Université Laval</a>, <a href="https://www.usherbrooke.ca/about/" target="_blank">Université de Sherbrooke</a> and <a href="https://www.etsmtl.ca/en" target="_blank">École de Technologié Supérieure</a> (ÉTS). All of those institutes are working with similar mini-factories, and they’re all connected. There’s even a relationship (and connectivity) with manipulator manufacturer <a href="https://www.kinovarobotics.com/" target="_blank">Kinova</a>. Funding came via a significant grant from the <a href="https://www.innovation.ca/" target="_blank">Canada Foundation for Innovation</a>, or CFI.</p><p>“So think of our lab as like one node of this network of mini-factories around Quebec,” explains Dr. Birglen. That connectivity of all components is still a work-in-progress, but “ultimately the goal is that there is a cyber-connection between these different mini-factories, these different laboratories around Quebec, so that one part of one node can work in collaboration with another node in realtime.”</p><p>Plus, of course, a lot of learnings will take place within the individual labs themselves.</p><p>“We want to bring collaborative robots to work in tandem with humans,” he says. “We want our robots to safely move around people, we want robots to help people. And we also want robots to learn how to work from people.”</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Safety, Safety, Safety</h3><p>As mentioned earlier, there’s a huge emphasis on safety. And while there are international safety standards for collaborative robots, even a ‘safe’ cobot can pose a threat.</p><p>“All the collaborative robots that you have currently on the market more or less follow this technical standard and they are more or less safe, but they’re still dangerous,” explains Dr. Birglen. “And the classical example that we’ve all heard, and which is true, is that if a safe cobot has a knife in its hand and is moving around – it is very dangerous.”</p><p>So safety in the lab(s) is paramount – and that means safety at multiple levels. There must be safety:</p><ul><li>At the task level; you must not have tasks that could endanger people</li><li>Safety at the control level</li><li>Safety in terms of collision detection, mitigation, obstacle avoidance</li><li>Safety at the data security level</li></ul><p>Plus – and this really interests Dr. Birglen – you must ensure safety with any additional mechanical innovations that are introduced.</p><p>“What you develop, any mechanical system you develop, must be as much as possible intrinsically safe. And actually that’s one of the topics I’m currently working on is to develop end effectors and tooling that is intrinsically safe.”</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:7186438904722472960" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>A LinkedIn post from Luke Corbeth shows Rosie, using both arms, inside the I-CPS lab</em></a></p><h3><br></h3><h3 id="isPasted">The Future&nbsp;</h3><p>And why is research like this so important? What difference will it make to have robots and humans working safely together, with safe manipulators and end effectors that might even be able to, for example, lift an object in concert with a human being? And why the focus on interconnectedness between all of these facilities?</p><p>Well, there’s obviously the value of the research itself – which will lead to greater efficiencies, improved manipulators, gripping technologies, new algorithms and AI enhancements – as well as enhanced safety down the road. But there’s a much bigger picture, says Dr. Birglen, especially if you can get your head around thinking about the future from a global perspective.</p><p>China, he says, is no longer a developing nation. The days when the words “Made in China” meant poor quality are – with rare exceptions – gone. The country is, in fact, highly developed – and working at breakneck speed when it comes to innovation and adoption of robotics at scale. A revolution is underway that has massive implications for competitive advantage that simply cannot be ignored. So the research at &nbsp;I-CPS is not merely important from an academic perspective, it’s strategic when viewed through a global economic lens.</p><p>“We as a country – meaning Canada – are in competition with other countries for manufacturing, for producing goods and services.&nbsp;China is a developed country and it is very, very, very good in robotics,” he states. “You know how in the past&nbsp;we saw China as producing low quality goods, low quality robots? That’s over, man. That’s finished.”</p><p>And?</p><p>“If they are investing in robotics like mad and we are not, we’re going to be a leftover –&nbsp;Canada is going to sink as a rich country. If you want to produce wealth in the 21st Century, you need robots, you need automation, you need integration. In short, you need to be the leader of the pack or you’re going to be eaten.”</p><p>It’s a stark warning – and it’s true.</p><p>I step outside as author and state this having lived in China back when it <em>was</em> still a developing country in the late 1980s – and having returned several times since then. The transformation has been nothing short of astonishing. How, you might ask, did it achieve all this?</p><p>The answer has its genesis with former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. who led the country from 1978 to 1989. He didn’t merely open the door to reform; he created policies that began sending waves of students from what had been a xenophobic country abroad to study. There was an emphasis on careers that could help modernise the nation, including all aspects of engineering, aerospace, construction, transportation, architecture, etc. That’s where all this began.</p><p>Thankfully (and with credit to federal funding agencies like CFI), there are projects like I-CPS underway – and academics like Dr. Lionel Birglen with the vision to push the needle safely forward.</p><p><em>Below: “Baxter” – the original dual-arm robot. Baxter is still at Polytechnique Montréal, but Rosie is the mobile future. Photo by Luke Corbeth</em><em><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1728403885667-Image-22.jpeg.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Baxter"></em><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1728403913708-Rosie.png.webp" style="width: 100%px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Rosie Details"></p><h3 id="isPasted">InDro's Take&nbsp;</h3><p>We’re obviously pleased Polytechnique Montréal selected InDro to build Rosie. And we’re particularly pleased to see that she’s being deployed at I-CPS, as part of an integrated and networked research project that has such potentially profound implications for the future.</p><p>“I believe Dr. Birglen is correct in his assessment of the importance of robotics and automation in the future,” says InDro Robotics Founder and CEO Philip Reece. “And when you throw innovations with drones and even autonomous Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles capable of carrying large cargo loads and passengers into the mix, we are actually heading into a Jetsons-like future,” he adds.</p><p>“I think there’s a growing understanding of the implications of this kind of future from not only the private sector, but also federal regulators and funding agencies. At InDro our mission will always focus on continued innovation. Sometimes those innovations are our own inventions, but a key piece of the puzzle is R&amp;D work carried out by academics like Lionel Birglen. We’re confident that Rosie’s arms are in the right hands.”</p><p>Interested in learning more about a custom robotics solution? Feel free to <a href="https://indrorobotics.ca/connectwithanexpert/" target="_blank">contact us here</a>.</p>

Rosie is a dual arm mobile manipulation robot designed for pick and place in an industry 4.0 setting.

Dual Manipulator Rosie The Robot Used for Industry 4.0 Research

<section data-element_type="section" data-id="b1bb106" data-particle-mobile-disabled="false" data-particle_enable="false" id="isPasted"><div data-element_type="column" data-id="7e74a99"><div data-element_type="widget" data-id="ffce9c5" data-widget_type="text-editor.default"><p>Connectivity is possibly the most important decision you will make. Without the right connectivity, at the best quality and price for your specific requirements, any IoT project is unlikely to ever get beyond the initial planning stages.</p><h2><strong>5 key IoT connectivity considerations:</strong></h2><h3><strong>1. The location, power, and bandwidth payoff</strong></h3><p>If you haven&rsquo;t realized it already, you will soon. IoT projects are all about negotiating requirements and payoffs to find the right balance for your service. Your use case will determine in which location you need your connectivity to function, how long you need your devices&rsquo; power supply to last, and whether you need low latency real-time updates, or less frequent, less speedy updates. Combined, this offers a roadmap when making a decision on the type of connectivity you will need.</p><h3><strong>2. Ease of network deployment</strong></h3><p>Successful IoT solutions must &nbsp;be integrated with existing technologies and infrastructure rather than attempting to build something entirely new from scratch. There is no value to either the end-user or the business in creating something that is more complex, more expensive and will take longer to deploy. And no one benefits if your IoT applications and devices are operating in a vacuum, &ldquo;talking&rdquo; only to each other. The challenge is how to streamline the deployment of devices, and the process for the transfer of data and connectivity to the rest of your operations. Plug-and-play IoT connectivity offers a simple way to do this, reducing both the cost and complexity of any IoT deployment. Legacy OT and IT systems need to be looped in, and your connectivity choice must take this into account.&nbsp;<strong>&nbsp;</strong></p></div></div></section><section data-element_type="section" data-id="b0402c5" data-particle-mobile-disabled="false" data-particle_enable="false"><div data-element_type="column" data-id="5b3122fa"><div data-element_type="widget" data-id="41ecac30" data-widget_type="image.default"><img data-fr-image-pasted="true" width="800" height="356" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/monogoto-5-IoT-consedrations-for-IoT-projects-scaled-1-1024x456.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/monogoto-5-IoT-consedrations-for-IoT-projects-scaled-1-1024x456.jpg 1024w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/monogoto-5-IoT-consedrations-for-IoT-projects-scaled-1-300x134.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/monogoto-5-IoT-consedrations-for-IoT-projects-scaled-1-768x342.jpg 768w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/monogoto-5-IoT-consedrations-for-IoT-projects-scaled-1-1536x684.jpg 1536w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/monogoto-5-IoT-consedrations-for-IoT-projects-scaled-1-2048x912.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"></div><div data-element_type="widget" data-id="54e36838" data-widget_type="text-editor.default"><h3><strong>3. An IoT solution with scale and breadth</strong></h3><p>An IoT solution is unlikely to be static. Over time, you may add devices, design new applications or take advantage of technology upgrades. Your choice of connectivity needs to be able to scale to adjust to the changing scope of your projects.&nbsp;</p><p>This may seem difficult because every IoT service has slightly different requirements, but there is likely to be enough commonality between them to deploy a single connectivity service. To work, two things need to be in place. First, your chosen connectivity service has to scale effortlessly so that newly added endpoints don&rsquo;t affect overall service levels. Second, your connectivity platform should be built for the broad needs of the IoT industry so that it caters for a variety of applications, sensors, modules, and controllers, as well as varied protocols, networks, and connectivity types.</p><h3><strong>4. No fuss global coverage</strong></h3><p>Anyone who has traveled with a mobile phone knows that getting genuinely global data roaming can be hard. For IoT to be truly global, any attempt to DIY global, or even regional or national cellular coverage will add complexity and create additional opportunities for connectivity drops. Instead, bypass setting up, managing and troubleshooting a host of mobile network operator (MNO) relationships by connecting to a single connectivity platform that has already taken care of all this. &nbsp;You get quality of service, faster response times, and integrated connectivity in each location. And don&rsquo;t forget to look for a user-friendly management platform that offers full visibility of all your IoT applications, wherever they are in the world.</p><h3><strong>5. Upholding security and data privacy</strong></h3><p>The wireless portion of an IoT network can be a significant security risk. It needs to be adequately secured and, if managed by others (e.g. MNO), you need complete transparency and visibility to understand to/from where your IoT device is transmitting/receiving data. Without this, you are vulnerable to attacks or data leaks and are offering malicious actors a convenient entry point into your wider enterprise network.</p><p>With comprehensive self service functionality you are able to see what is happening, track data, block irrelevant IPs and allow only trusted IPs, and create a VPN to ensure a secure data transfer tunnel between your devices and your cloud platform.&nbsp;</p><p>Planning and future proofing will ultimately ensure the success of your next IoT project and connectivity is at the center of this. Find the right IoT connectivity partner and you&rsquo;ll be on your way to a long-term, scalable and successful project.</p></div></div></section>

As IoT evolves, projects are shifting from being experimental and exploratory to business critical. This makes them more complex, ensures they receive more scrutiny and, inevitably, increases the opportunities for things to go wrong. This is even more true when you consider that IoT devices and solutions have a long shelf life, making long-term success only possible if you’re properly planning and building today for the unknown factors in the future. 

5 IoT Connectivity Considerations for Successful IoT Projects

<h3 id="isPasted"><style type="text/css" id="isPasted"></style><style type="text/css"></style><span data-sheets-formula="=PROPER(R[-1]C[0])" data-sheets-userformat='{"2":320,"9":2,"11":3}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"What Is The Definition Of A ‘Degree Of Freedom’ (In The Context Of Robotic Arms)?"}'>What is the Definition of a &lsquo;Degree of Freedom&rsquo; (In the context of Robotic Arms)?</span></h3><p>A &lsquo;Degree of Freedom&rsquo; (DoF) as it relates to robotic arms, is an independent joint that can provide freedom of movement of the manipulator, either in a rotational or translational (linear) sense. For every geometric axis that a joint can rotate around or extend along, this is counted as a Single Degree of Freedom.&nbsp;</p><p>In theory, there are quite a few types of joints that provide varying numbers of degrees of freedom in terms of rotation and translation (see the chart below). In practice, however, most robotic arms will be made up of a series of joints that provide one degree of freedom. The two most common joints are:</p><p><strong>Revolute Joint:</strong> Providing one degree of rotational freedom</p><p><strong>Prismatic Joint:&nbsp;</strong>Providing one degree of linear freedom</p><p>As such, robotic arms are often described in terms of how many total DoF they have. E.g. <a href="https://blueprintlab.com/products/manipulators/reach-bravo/" target="_blank">the Bravo 7</a> is a 6 Degree of Freedom robotic arm (Why not call it the Bravo 6? See the next section of this article). Of course, there are a <a href="https://www.nist.gov/blogs/manufacturing-innovation-blog/4-types-robots-every-manufacturer-should-know" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">variety of different types of robotic arms</a> across different industries, ranging from one degree of freedom (sometimes called an &lsquo;axis&rsquo;) to over seven.</p><p><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 768px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1649929821040-kinematic-pairs.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner"><em id="isPasted">Chart Credit: Cavacece, Massimo &amp; Vita, L.. (2005). On the Computation of degrees-of-freedom: A Didactic Perspective. 10.1115/DETC2005-84109.</em>&nbsp;</span></span></span></p><p id="isPasted">Knowing and defining the Degrees of Freedom (along with other key parameters) allow for modeling the robotic system and implementation of AI algorithms to autonomously control the manipulator arm.</p><p>Learn more about <a href="https://blueprintlab.com/blog/top-uses-for-underwater-manipulators/" target="_blank">Top Uses of Underwater ROV Manipulators</a>.</p><h3><style type="text/css" id="isPasted"></style><style type="text/css"></style><span data-sheets-formula="=PROPER(R[-1]C[0])" data-sheets-userformat='{"2":320,"9":2,"11":3}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"What Do We Mean When We Talk About The Number Of ‘Functions’ Of A Robotic Arm?"}'>What do we mean when we talk about the Number of &lsquo;Functions&rsquo; of a Robotic Arm?</span> </h3><p>Sometimes a &lsquo;Degree of freedom&rsquo; is coopted to be used for a function that does not result in &lsquo;freedom&rsquo;. In other words, it does not move the position or orientation of the end-effector/gripper/tool/sensor (the part of the robot that &lsquo;does stuff&rsquo;). For <a href="https://blueprintlab.com/products/manipulators/" target="_blank">Blueprint Lab manipulators</a>, we usually have a set of jaws at the end of the robotic arm. To open or close the jaws of the robotic arm, we use a prismatic actuator (a fancy word for a motor and gear set &ndash; a single joint).&nbsp;</p><p>We define the reference point as a floating location in between the jaws of the manipulator. As the manipulator moves, it is this location that is being updated in terms of the &lsquo;position&rsquo; of the end-effector. If you want to grab something at position (x,y,z) with orientation (a,b,c), it is this position that is optimised in the<a href="https://robotacademy.net.au/masterclass/inverse-kinematics-and-robot-motion/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;inverse kinematics algorithm</a>.</p><p>Because of this, the movement of the linear actuator to open and close the manipulator&rsquo;s gripper does not change the reference point and thus it is not providing a &lsquo;degree-of-freedom.&nbsp;</p><p>In this scenario, the prismatic actuator is providing a &lsquo;function&rsquo; but not a &lsquo;degree of freedom&rsquo;. As such, we may define a manipulator as having a different number of DoF and Functions; for example, the Bravo 7 is a 7-Function, 6 DoF manipulator, with one function being the open/close of the jaws.&nbsp;</p><p>Why is all this important? One of the main things people are interested in when solving a complex robotic manipulator problem is the DoF and Functions. These two distinct pieces of terminology help to shortcut conversations and make sure everyone is talking on the same page!</p><p><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1649929989018-Article-Imagery-Infographic-01-2-2048x1152.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></p>

One of the main things people are interested in when solving a complex robotic manipulator problem is the DoF and Functions. These two distinct pieces of terminology help to shortcut conversations and make sure everyone is talking on the same page!

'Degrees of Freedom' vs 'Functions' of a Robotic Arm

<p id="isPasted">RE2 Robotics marked its 20th year in business this week with the launch of its newest robotic arm, the <a href="https://www.resquared.com/re2sapien" target="_blank">RE2 Sapien™ 6M</a>. The milestone marks two successful decades of innovation and growth for the company in the robotics industry.&nbsp;</p><p>Originally founded on July 20, 2001 as a defense subcontractor to Carnegie Mellon University by alumni Jorgen Pedersen, the company incubated at the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Today, anchored in Pittsburgh’s Robotics Row, the RE2 campus encompasses two buildings on a city block in Lawrenceville and includes space for indoor, outdoor, and underwater testing of robotic systems.&nbsp;</p><p>The RE2 Sapien 6M robotic arm is currently being used in several active robotics initiatives for RE2’s <a href="https://www.resquared.com/industries" target="_blank">commercial and defense customers</a> who require a mobile outdoor-rated arm able to perform complex tasks. Specific applications include aviation maintenance, solar field construction, and aerial work across multiple industries.&nbsp;</p><p>“We are incredibly proud of the success we have achieved over the past 20 years here in Pittsburgh,” said Pedersen, president and CEO. “From day one, we have been focused on creating technology that helps humans to do their jobs safely and efficiently, and we remain dedicated to that mission today. We look forward to more innovation in the years ahead, as we continue to focus on developing intelligent robotic technologies that enhance worker safety and productivity.”</p><p>The 6M model of the RE2 Sapien line of robotic arms includes embedded intelligence, integrated arm control, an unprecedented strength-to-weight ratio, and a sleek hardware design that can withstand extreme temperatures and environmental conditions. The arm has six degrees of freedom, including continuous wrist and elbow roll joints, which enable precise manipulation and placement of objects.&nbsp;</p><p>“It is exciting to see how RE2’s technology has evolved from unmanned ground vehicles and teleoperation to the creation of truly intelligent mobile manipulation systems, such as the RE2 Sapien 6M,” said Keith Gunnett, chief technology officer and one of the company’s original employees. “While there are still applications that require direct teleoperation, our talented engineering teams are developing supervised autonomous systems that are powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence.”</p><p>Compatible with the company’s autonomy solutions, RE2 DetectTM and RE2 IntellectTM, the RE2 Sapien 6M enables autonomous mobile manipulation in both structured and unstructured environments. For applications that still require human intellect to perform a complicated task, the RE2 Sapien 6M arm can be teleoperated with the RE2 Imitative ControllerTM, an intuitive human-robot control interface that enables remote control capabilities.&nbsp;</p><p>“Our goal is to develop human-like robotic arm solutions that improve operational efficiencies, worker safety, and overall productivity for our customers. The RE2 Sapien 6M robotic arm is a leap-ahead technology that will support our customers’ complex applications across multiple markets,” said Pedersen.&nbsp;</p><p><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1627054934231-RE2-Robotics-AnniversaryTimeline-TW.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"></p><p>Since its founding, RE2 has shipped more than 650 robotic arms to customers worldwide and received $3.75 million in investment. To date, the company has created robotic systems for more than 100 customers and received more than $75 million in funding from the Department of Defense.</p><p>RE2 now has more than 85 employees, several of whom have been with the company since its early days as a start-up. Pedersen continued, “We have come a long way since our days as an engineering services lifestyle company. I look forward to seeing what the next decade brings for the amazing team at RE2 Robotics.”</p><p>Click <a href="https://www.resquared.com/blog/re2-sapien-6m-and-20years" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for more information.</p>

RE2 Sapien 6M features an unprecedented strength-to-weight ratio.

RE2 Sapien 6M Designed for Outdoor Mobile Applications

RE2 Robotics Marks its 20th Anniversary with Launch of a New Robotic Arm

<p><strong>SITUATION&nbsp;</strong><br>Numerous industries rely on commercial divers to conduct underwater maintenance and repair tasks, including the maintenance and inspection of offshore oil rigs and pipelines, and the construction and repair of bridges, piers, and dams. With two-thirds of the earth’s surface covered in water, the commercial diving industry is a high-demand profession—and it is also one of the most hazardous for workers. Therefore, there is great potential for robotic systems to enhance worker productivity and safety, and to assist in the exploration of oceans and waterways.</p><p><strong>PROBLEM</strong><br>The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) classifies commercial diving as a high-risk occupation, reporting that the industry has a “very high rate” of fatality and injury. Commercial divers often need to use machinery, tools, or materials that can expose them to hazards such as electrocution, burns, explosions, respiratory distress, or drowning. These risks are exacerbated by the need to work for extended periods of time in water with low visibility, constrained environments, or frigid temperatures. In addition, the extended exploration or inspection of marine objects is limited to the amount of time that divers can safely remain underwater, including the time it takes for divers to descend and resurface to rest and replenish their air tanks. Due to the strenuous nature of the work, commercial diving also has a high turnover rate— skilled divers typically don’t work past the age of 45, requiring younger, less experienced divers to be trained on a regular basis.</p><p><strong>SOLUTION</strong><br>Originally engineered for the U.S. Navy to operate in harsh marine environments, RE2 has developed a dual-arm, highly dexterous, electronically driven manipulation system designed for deep ocean use. <a href="https://www.resquared.com/underwater" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RE2 Sapien Sea Class™</a> dual-arm system featuring two 6-degree-of-freedom arms that easily integrate with numerous remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and are used in a variety of industry applications. RE2’s electric, energy-saving system frees up subsea vehicle power to allow cameras and sensors to interrogate the environment for extended periods of time. In addition, the system’s lightweight, compact design allows for a smaller footprint in constricted environments, allowing it to dexterously operate in precarious areas that are difficult, if not impossible for more traditional underwater systems to access. The RE2 Sapien Sea Class provides near human performance at human scale.</p><p></p><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 300px;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1622222899209-Copy+of+ExploringNewDepths-FB+%281%29.png" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">RE2 Sapien(TM) Sea Class can reach depths of more than 300 meters.</span></span></span><p class="fr-img-space-wrap2">The system’s neutral buoyancy ensures that it stays controllable when performing a variety of inspection and repair tasks, even at depth. When both arms are used, the second arm provides stability in less-than-ideal conditions, such as in fast-moving currents; the system’s high degree of dexterity allows one arm to be used to perform a task while the other arm is used to secure the system to an object. To allow for extended subsea interactions, the closed, sealed design of RE2 Sapien Sea Class™ also features a multi-level corrosion management system, which includes the use of sacrificial anodes and anodized joints, providing a very rugged and reliable solution with minimal maintenance. Using a robotic system for underwater inspection and maintenance tasks can also allow older, skilled divers to stay on the job longer, as they may be able to transition to a topside role and use their experience to guide operations, whether through teleoperation or autonomously via RE2’s computer-vision and machine-learning algorithms, <a href="https://www.resquared.com/products" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RE2 Detect™</a> and <a href="https://www.resquared.com/products" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RE2 Intellect™</a>.&nbsp;</p></div><p></p><hr><p>How can RE2 Robotics help your team improve worker safety through robotics? Contact us today at <a href="mailto:underwater@resquared.com">underwater@resquared.com</a>.&nbsp;</p>