German company Festo has demonstrated two new models of unique robots, in the best traditions of the brand are already ready to use in production. Robotic birds BionicSwifts, built by the Bionic Learning Network, a new ergonomic wing and ability to fly “blind”. Gadget BionicMobileAssistant, developed with the support of ETH Zurich, and at all has no analogues. It is an Autonomous arm on the chassis in the form of rotating in all directions globe.

Robo-bird BionicSwifts has a wingspan of 68 cm and a body length of 44.5 cm and weighs only 42 grams. In such a small and lightweight body established the mechanism of flapping wing control components, transmitter, brushless motor, two servos, battery and transmission. Carbon pens can be deployed to reduce air resistance when moving the wing up and interlock, forming a single plane when lowering the wing down, with the goal of saving energy.

Flying robot does not have its own navigation system, only transmitter, so that its movement controls the computer inside the building base, for example, the factory floor. Around the perimeter and at key objects placed in the beacon and the computer optimizes the route for the robot, focusing on their signals. This allows the use of robots in conditions of poor visibility, smoke, the presence inside the building of toxic gases or other hazardous factors. Robo-bird can work as a mobile inspector as part of an integrated security system and overflying the controlled area.

Robot BionicMobileAssistant thanks to a chassis with ball bearing can move in any direction on the plane, and the manipulator reproduces in details the structure and work of human hands. For example, the fingers have bones of steel, surrounded by a flexible pneumatic “muscles”, which is covered with synthetic fabric that performs the function of the skin. They are neat enough to pick up fragile objects, or to use a different tool in the workplace. BionicMobileAssistant was conceived as a service robot.


Source — Festo