Learn a little more...with a link!
Video: PBS LearningMedia, Nova, Robot Race | Can these self-driving vehicles win a race with no human aboard?
Website Article: Smithsonian TT Junior, Would You Eat A Pizza Made By Robots? | Does food taste as good if made by automation?
Website Article: Science Buddies, Robotics Technician | In this automation industry career, robots need help from humans.
Read the script:
WE MIGHT NOT NEED TO LEARN TO DRIVE AT ALL. THAT'S BECAUSE AUTONOMOUS CARS ARE BEING DEVELOPED. AUTONOMOUS MEANS ABLE TO ACT ON ONE'S OWN. IN THIS CASE, THE CARS ARE BEING RUN BY COMPUTERS, WITHOUT THE NEED FOR HUMAN DIRECTION.
STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ARE ABLE TO CATCH A RIDE ON A DRIVERLESS VEHICLE THANKS TO COMPANY NAVYA. REPORTER EMILEE FANNON HAS MORE.
[EMILEE] THE FIRST EVER DRIVERLESS CAR HIT THE STREETS OF MADISON AND TOOK PASSENGERS FOR A SHUTTLE RIDE ABOVE OBSERVATORY DRIVE ON THE UW CAMPUS. THE UW IS LEADING THE INDUSTRY, BEING THE FIRST TO GET APPROVAL FOR THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAYS.
- HIGH AUTOMATION VEHICLE THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY STEERING WHEELS OR PEDALS, IT REALLY IS DRIVERLESS. SO THAT MEANS THAT IT'S GOING TO RESPOND BETTER TO ANYTHING THAT'S GETTING IN IT'S WAY.
[EMILEE] THE VEHICLE IS MANNED BY AN OPERATOR, CURRENT LAW DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO DRIVE WITHOUT ONE. AS TIME EVOLVES, EXPERTS SAY ONE DAY THESE WILL JUST BE FILLED WITH PASSENGERS.
- WELL SIMILARLY TO A PILOT OF AN AIRPLANE, THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM'S DOING ABOUT 99% OF THE FLYING ON AN AIRPLANE BUT IT MAKES US ALL FEEL BETTER KNOWING THAT THERE IS A HUMAN UPFRONT, JUST IN CASE.
- EXPERTS SAY THIS TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE PERFECT FOR COLLEGE CAMPUSES, EVEN WITH THE HEAVY FOOT TRAFFIC. IT ALSO WILL ALERT YOU IF YOU STAND HERE TOO LONG BY A SIMPLE HONK TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.
- [AARON] BECAUSE IT'S A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT, WE'VE GOT CARS, TRUCKS, BUSES, PEDESTRIANS, BUT IT'S NOT SO BUSY THAT IT'S REALLY STRETCHING THE LIMITATIONS OF THE VEHICLE.
[EMILEE] THE GOAL IS TO CONDUCT A TRIAL AND ERROR AND PUT PEOPLE'S MINDS AT EASE. SIMILAR DRIVERLESS VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED CRASHES AND SOME WINDING UP DEADLY.
- WE DID HAVE A LITTLE, NOT ACTUAL RUN-IN, BUT A BUS GOT CLOSE AND IT STOPPED FOR A SECOND, AND HE WAS ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL THEN AND BACK US UP AND RESTART. SO I FELT SAFE WHEN I WAS IN IT.
[RICK] THANKS EMILEE. AS YOU SAW, IN THIS DRIVERLESS SHUTTLE, IT'S STILL IMPORTANT FOR AN OPERATOR TO BE PAYING FULL ATTENTION TO WHERE THE CAR IS GOING. NOW LAST WEEK WE ASKED IN OUR POLL IF YOU HAD EVER BEEN IN THE CAR WITH A TEXTING DRIVER AND 70% OF YOU SAID YES. THAT'S A LITTLE SCARY. ONE DAY IF WE HAVE CARS THAT DON'T REQUIRE A DRIVER, TEXTING WILL BE A-OKAY, BUT FOR NOW, IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THE PHONES DOWN.
HOW ABOUT TECHNOLOGY MAKING YOU A BETTER BURGER, TOO? AS CUSTOMERS IN A CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT ARE FINDING OUT, ROBOTS AREN'T JUST FOR HIGHTECH JOBS ANYMORE. RICH DEMURO SPENT THE DAY WITH FLIPPY, THE BURGERFLIPPING ROBOT.
[RICH] THE NEXT TIME YOU STEP INTO A FAST FOOD PLACE, YOU MIGHT BE SAYING, THIS WAS COOKED BY A ROBOT?
- IT WAS.
[RICH] FLIPPY IS A BRAND NEW BURGER FLIPPING ROBOT, NOW COOKING AT A CHAIN CALLED CALIBURGER, WHICH SERVES UP CALIFORNIA STYLE BURGERS AND FRIES.
- THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IS CONSISTENCY. SO GOING TO, ANYTIME YOU GO TO A CALIBURGER ANYWHERE YOU KNOW THAT THE PATTY WILL BE COOKED EXACTLY THE SAME.
[RICH] DEVELOPED BY MISO ROBOTICS, FIRST A LITTLE HUMAN HELP. A COWORKER PUTS PATTIES ON THE GRILL.
- THE KITCHEN OF THE FUTURE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PEOPLE IN IT BUT WE SEE THAT KITCHEN AS HAVING PEOPLE AND ROBOTS.
[RICH] THE ROBOT USES THERMAL IMAGING, 3D, AND CAMERA VISION TO SENSE WHEN TO FLIP AND REMOVE.
- IT DETECTS THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PATTY, THE SIZE OF THE PATTY, AND THE TEMPERATURE OF THE GRILL'S SURFACE.
[RICH] EACH BURGER HAS TO COOK FOR ABOUT 4 AND HALF MINUTES, FLIPPY ONLY HAS TO TURN THEM ONCE AND THE DEVICE LEARNS THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, BASICALLY THE MORE BURGERS FLIPPY FLIPS, THE SMARTER IT GETS. CHEESE AND TOPPINGS ARE ADDED BY A CO-WORKER. IN ADDITION TO CONSISTENCY AND SAFETY, CALIBURGER SAYS THE SYSTEM CAN CUTDOWN ON COSTS.
- IT'S NOT A FUN JOB, IT'S HOT, IT'S GREASY, IT'S DIRTY.
[RICH] LESS TURNOVER MEANS LESS TIME TRAINING NEW GRILL COOKS.
[RICK] THANKS RICH. CALIBURGER IS TESTING FLIPPY OUT IN JUST ONE STORE, BEFORE ADDING HIM TO ITS OTHER LOCATIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT RIGHT BECAUSE FLIPPY DOESN'T COME CHEAP. THE ROBOT COSTS ABOUT $60,000.
WELL ANOTHER PRICEY BOT IS BEING ROLLED OUT AT THE SMITHSONIAN MUSEUMS IN WASHINGTON D.C., IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW, THE SMITHSONIAN IS A SERIES OF NATIONAL MUSEUMS LOCATED IN THE CAPITOL CITY. THEY STORE ALL SORTS OF ARTIFACTS AND ART ABOUT OUR NATION'S HISTORY, AND THEY'RE FREE TO VISIT! SO IF YOU GET THE CHANCE TO GO YOU MIGHT JUST BE GREETED BY PEPPER, A NEW ROBO DOCENT. THE ROBOT CAN ANSWER COMMON QUESTIONS LIKE, WHERE ARE THE BATHROOMS, BUT PEPPER ALSO ADDS TO EACH EXHIBIT. FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE AFRICAN ART MUSEUM, PEPPER TEACHES SWAHILI.
SOFTBANK ROBOTICS DONATED 25 PEPPERS TO THE SMITHSONIAN, VALUED AT $25000 EACH. EXPENSIVE BUT STILL PRETTY COOL.