This machine looks like something out of a video game. This hybrid human-machine is powered by fluidic muscle actuators. This allows the rubber muscles to contract when inflated and extend when exhausted. Using this kind of system, it results in a more fluid and flexible machine. The fluidic muscle actuators also have another bonus. They eliminate friction and fatigue whereas other prototypes would fail at this test and would be scrapped. There are encoders around the hip that allows the human navigator to maneuver and adjust the speed of the machine. The use of this machine is easy to control. For example, when the operator would like his right leg, then the three alternate would lift at that command (See bottom picture). Once the machine is in motion, it is no longer applicable to ask whether the human or machine is in control as they become fully-integrated and move as one, which is truly amazing considering how far we have come from the Twilight days! When moving, the machine looks to have some limb-like and some wing-like motion to them.
After reading about this robot, it really does sound possible to create a machine that does exactly what we want it to do. Maybe in some time we will be able to create a full body machine (IronMan) and be able to control it with this kind of design. I believe, in the next twenty years these sort of discoveries will be common place to the average human and we might actually see some of these things on the battlefield in as early as thirty years.
With everything that it can do, I’m looking forward to seeing something improved. For example, having it much smaller and i casings. Although I’m sure this is the goal of the future, to make everything smaller, we still need to focus on making something that responds to everything we do. Be that hand movements, eye movements, leg movements or a twitch of a finger.
Just yesterday I was watching a show on the history channel and I saw that they now have helmets that have everything displayed on that. So, all you have to do is look to fire a missile and you have 360 degree radar and night vision. They don’t even have to look down at the control panel (that is now all touch screen) anymore. With a glimpse of the future, this kinds of things will be nothing more than a common thing to see on the news.
Via: Stelarc
