Artificial cerebellum could improve robot motor skills
By Darren Murph 
posted May 29th 2007 4:35PM
posted May 29th 2007 4:35PM
Sure, modern robots can clean up after you, keep watch on the kids, and chase away unwanted intruders, but there's no denying that an unexpected gust or stray stack of Lego blocks can bring even the most sophisticated humanoid to its knees. To cure such clumsiness, researchers at the University of Granada are reportedly working with electronic engineers, physicists, and neuroscientists from a range of universities including Edinburgh, Israel and Paris as a part of the Sensopac project which aims at "reproducing an artificial cerebellum." The application of the cerebellum would allow androids to purportedly "carry out similar tasks as mammals and might help to treat cognitive diseases such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's." Apparently, the team is hoping to create an implantable device to "make movements and interaction with humans more natural" within two years, and while it's probably obvious, one of its primary uses would be in home-help robots who need to be agile whilst aiding the elderly.[Via BBC, image courtesy of Sensopac]
Awesome!
bad news....I like my robots drunk and stupid.
by "similar tasks to mammals", do you mean killing and slaughtering?
I sure hope so.
And... cue robot revolution
"one of its primary uses would be in home-help robots who need to be agile whilst aiding the elderly."
Why not just use it to turn the elderly INTO home-help robots who can help themselves?
They might also want to look into robot physiology as well. A hinged set of metal tubes can walk more smoothly than a Qrio. Google "passive dynamic walking" if you don't know what I'm talking about.
I for one welcome our artificial cerebellum overlords
Hmmm, I wonder how they're going to do this as we don't even understand how the cerebellum completes its task in the human brain...