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European scientists have integrated robotics, video, and various sensor and display technologies to transport someone into a geographically distant meeting room under the auspices of the Beaming through augmented media for natural networked gatherings (Beaming) project. The European Union-funded effort utilizes immersive virtual reality technologies in which a robotic avatar functions as the meeting participant's eyes, ears, and mouth. The participant wears a head-mounted display and is connected to sensors, enabling them to receive the avatar's video and audio feeds in three dimensions. The two-way connection also enables the participant's movements and responses to be mimicked by the robot.

I thought this was interesting following our discussion about Sherry Turkle yesterday. Robots assessing "risky behavior?" A South Korean prison will begin a month-long trial to see if robots make good prison guards. (Image Credit: Asian Forum For Corrections) The BBC reports that a jail in Pohang, South Korea, will soon begin a one-month trial of three new robots, which will be there in a support capacity to monitor for "abnormal behavior."

An appealing way for students and researchers in the STEM fields to work together and solve a problem- robots that play soccer better than humans?

How soon will robots become yet another part of the educational technology arsenal? Seems like people have talked about using robots forever (Roomba!), but they are starting to come over the horizon (drones, Mars probes, autonomous cars). Perhaps soon into the classroom?

Interesting study on how human beings interact with robots and how to make robots 'friendly' to humans.

Interesting article on robot-teachers in Korea. Let's say there are two scenarios: 1. Creating a technology that competes with non-consumption, and 2. Creating a technology that competes with human labor Does the nature of one's advocacy change? Should it? What if it isn't your job that is on the line? What if it is indeed your job? Does this think about you you frame your discourse surrounding such an emerging technology?

Apparently even robots are hard up for work.

To what extent can robots substitute for human mentors and therapists?

Per our discussion about Sherry Turkle's work, here is an article she co-authored on interactive robots in nursing homes.

An interesting study on how children may learn better by 'teaching' robots

robotics to teach engineering

The future is coming closer :-)

Study with 350 children, ages 8-12, from Australia, France, Germany, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, suggests that Robots may inspire new learning and creativity possibilities.

Moving in the other direction of Virtual Reality, this inventor has come up with a machine or 'robot' that actually renders digital designs/artifacts into solid, 3-dimensional objects. Surprisingly the machine is pretty cheap and is sold as a kit that the user has to build on his own before turning a photoshop image of his long lost dog Booger into a 4x4x6 hard plastic idol to wear around neck. I jest, but from a 'learning from the whole' perspective, the entire process could be really engaging and educational.

Robotic billiards table set up. Allows users to play through computer controls and allows players using a physical cue to see visual hints about ball trajectories.

An example of what some people are doing to experiment with robotics (first half of video) and augmented reality (second half).

Stanford's acclaimed d. school inspired 50 teams of graduate students to pitch projects at Aspen Ideas Festival. Spark Truck, one of the winners is a "mobile maker lab" that brings simple tech to help inspire kids to become creators.

Here are just a few topics that we will cover… 1. Brain-machine interfaces to control computers, exoskeletons, robots, and other devices with thought alone; 2. Mind-reading devices that will project the conscious contents of one's brain onto a screen as if it was a movie; 3. Devices to enhance intellectual ability and to increase concentration; 4. Devices to enhance creativity and insight; 5. Mechanisms to upload the mind to a machine, thus preserving it from bodily decay and bodily death.