Category: Science and Technology

Science and Technology

[Fox News] No humans needed here: How this robot builds walls all by itself

Have you ever wondered how much work goes into building a wall, especially one out of boulders? Building a wall out of boulders is no joke, which is why the robot “HEAP” was designed to help take the load off.

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HEAP stands for Hydraulic Excavator for an Autonomous Purpose, and it’s a 12-ton Menzi Muck M545 walking excavator modified by a team from the ETH Zurich Research Institute.

Among the modifications were a GNSS global positioning system, a chassis-mounted inertial measurement unit, a control module, LiDAR sensors, and its excavating arm.

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For its latest project, HEAP scanned a construction site, created a 3D map of it, and then recorded the locations of the multi-ton boulders.

From there, the robot lifted each boulder off the ground and used machine vision technology to estimate its weight and center of gravity, recording its three-dimensional shape.

An algorithm running on HEAP’s control module determined the best location for each boulder to build a stable 20-ft high, 213-ft long dry-stone wall. “Dry-stone” refers to a wall that is made only of stacked stones without any mortar between them.

HEAP proceeded to build such a wall, placing approximately 20 to 30 boulders per building session. According to the researchers, that’s about how many would be delivered in one load if outside rocks were being used.

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In fact, one of the main attributes of the experimental system is the fact that it allows locally sourced boulders or other building materials to be used, so energy doesn’t have to be wasted bringing them in from other locations.

A paper on the study was recently published in the journal Science Robotics.

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The researchers say that their project demonstrates the potential of autonomous robots to perform complex tasks in challenging environments, such as construction sites, where human workers may face safety risks or inefficiencies.

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They also claim that their system could be adapted to other types of materials, such as bricks, concrete blocks, or wood, and that it could be used for various purposes, such as building shelters, retaining walls, or artistic sculptures.

The researchers also hope that their project will inspire more collaboration between robotics and architecture and that it will open up new possibilities for creative design and engineering.

The wall and autonomously modeled landscape are part of a park in Oberglatt, Switzerland, which is located on the grounds of the Eberhard construction company. The company is using the park and ETH technologies to demonstrate the idea of designing, building, and using structures in a way that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency.

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HEAP is an impressive example of how robots can use their sensors, intelligence, and skills to accomplish tasks that would be difficult or impossible for humans. By building a wall out of boulders, HEAP shows that robots can not only work with standardized materials but also with natural and irregular ones and that they can create structures that are both functional and aesthetic.

What do you think of HEAP and its wall-building abilities? Do you think robots like HEAP will become more common in the future? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Science and Technology

[Fox News] School districts across the country are turning to AI for increased safety measures

School districts nationwide are looking for new ways to protect their staff and students. In Louisiana’s Iberville Parish, the district partnered with a software company to stop potential shootings before anyone gets hurt.

Superintendent of Iberville Parish School District Louis Voiron said the district has committed to installing ZeroEyes gun detection artificial intelligence software into the schools’ existing cameras.

“There’s no way with us having 800 cameras in our school district that one or two people can see what’s happening on every single camera in the district,” Voiron said.

Voiron said there have been instances of violence in the area and the district’s top priority is keeping its students and staff safe. He said the district is on schedule to have the system up and running in January.

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“Unfortunately in our area, we have had a couple shootings that have occurred on school campuses and near school campuses. And we took the approach to being more proactive,” Voiron said.

Co-Founder of ZeroEyes Sam Alaimo said if the software spots a possible gun, it alerts the company’s analytical team. The ZeroEyes staff is made up of former military and law enforcement personnel.

“The algorithm says, hey I think it’s a gun. It sends a still-frame image to our operating center. Our analyst looks at it and says if it is a gun, I am going to dispatch it,” Alaimo said.

The analyst can then immediately alert school staff and police, telling them what sort of gun was detected and its location. ZeroEyes staff are also trained to handle false alarms.

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“If we can tell very obviously it’s not a genuine threat, we do not dispatch the client. We’ll just give them a friendly phone call or an email saying, hey you want to be aware of a child with a Nerf gun that looks very much like the real thing is over here, you might want to take care of that,” Alaimo said.

Alaimo said the software, which does not store biometric data, is in more than 100 schools across 35 states.

In New Jersey, the Ocean City School District Interim Superintendent Scott McCartney said the software is active in the district.

McCartney said the software has never been used for an emergency, but has detected a water gun from a child. He said the system helps enhance existing security.

“One thing that seems to work consistently is getting students and faculty locked away and out of sight. So if we can do that 30 seconds, 40 seconds, a minute faster, that has great potential to keep people out of harm’s way,” McCartney said.

McCartney said software is becoming a larger conversation among other school districts in New Jersey.

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