(May 26, 2015) What
if handheld tools know what needs to be done and were even able to guide and
help inexperienced users to complete jobs that require skill? Researchers at
the University of Bristol have developed and started studying a novel concept
in robotics - intelligent handheld robots.
Historically, handheld tools have been blunt, unintelligent
instruments that are unaware of the context they operate in, are fully directed
by the user, and critically, lack any understanding about the task they are
performing.
Dr Walterio Mayol-Cuevas and PhD student, Austin
Gregg-Smith, from the University’s Department of Computer Science, have been
working in the design of robot prototypes as well as in understanding how best
to interact with a tool that “knows and acts”. In particular, they have been
involved with comparing tools with increasing levels of autonomy.