Hardware Podcasts

Episode Nine: Robot Talk Live — Robots into the Wild

Robot Talk · 25 Jun 2021 · 59m · Episode 9

AI in practice: one real use of AI described

What this episode covers

Sophie Armanini of TU Munich and Imperial College London discusses bio-inspired aerial and aquatic robots, while Ben Scott-Robinson of Small Robot Company explains his team of autonomous farming robots (Tom, Dick, and Harry) designed for regenerative agriculture. Matthew Ryan Tucker from the University of Bristol details using a Boston Dynamics Spot robot for radiation mapping in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The panel explores the challenges of deploying robots in wild, unpredictable environments, including weather, wildlife, and regulatory hurdles.

AI in practice

Where this conversation describes AI being used to build or deliver a product. Part of the AI in practice tracker.

Engineering & simulationBoston Dynamics Spot robot60 times that's contamination

The team used simulations to determine that legged robots could pick up 60 times more radiation contamination than wheeled robots, leading to the deployment of Spot for mapping in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

“So we did a lot of simulations and found that walking robots could pick up around 60 times that's contamination, which means that something like spot with a very small footprint is excellent for this kind of radiation mapping. And also the benefit is you can just cover its feet and little kind of socks. And then when you're done, you throw the socks in the bin and the robots as good as new.”

Matt Ryan Tucker · Hear it at 15:14

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
TU Munich, Imperial College London, Small Robot Company, University of Bristol, Starship, Mana, Foundations for Farming
Products
Tom, Dick, Harry, Wilma, Boston Dynamics Spot
Also
Sophie Armanini, Ben Scott-Robinson, Matthew Ryan Tucker, Chernobyl

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