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May 25 • 2017
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Auto Gains
Israeli technology is
on the cutting edge.
SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
R
obots are handling more and
more tasks — some visible
to the end user. Behind the
scenes, robotic equipment selects and
retrieves thousands of online orders
from warehouse shelves.
Robots are mechanical devices
programmed to carry out complex
actions automatically, sometimes
directed by a nearby human controller
with a computer and, in other cases,
by internal, autonomous controls that
rely on complex sensors, electronics
and software to maneuver.
Auto companies have been leaders
in robotics use for vehicle manufac-
turing since they were first installed
on assembly lines during the 1960s.
Robotics in factories continues to
expand; large mechanical arms that
lift and carefully place parts on car
frames are common; more delicate
operations can be handled as well.
Now car companies are develop-
ing autonomous vehicles that may be
“driven” without active driver input.
Scientists at Israel’s Ben-Gurion
University (BGU) are part of the
rapidly expanding field of robot-
ics research — exploring how such
devices can improve transportation
but also advance medicine, security
and agriculture.
Robots can accomplish some repet-
itive assembly line tasks more effi-
ciently than workers. But this requires
the ability to handle and manipulate
components of varied sizes and
materials. A human being can quickly
determine an object’s shape and
general composition just by looking
at it and then adjust the hand’s grasp
accordingly. Robots must be designed
and programmed for this dexterity.
Amir Shapiro, Ph.D., of BGU’s
Department of Mechanical Engin-
eering, and his research team are
exploring expanded capabilities for
automotive robotic equipment.
“We focus on grasping, manipula-
tion and walking to develop assembly
capabilities into larger tasks that
robots can do,” he says. “For General
Motors, we are customizing what
robots can do on the production line
by finding all possible grasps for a spe-
cific object. We map them to create a
way to grasp all the parts and have a
patent for it.”
For an auto maker, the ability of
robotic equipment to grasp and
move multiple kinds of objects could
speed up production when car mod-
els change or other revisions are
needed. For example, GM might need
to respond to changing consumer
Oded Yechiel with the driverless golf cart
preferences. Individual production
lines with specifically programmed
robotic equipment would typically
be required for each model. However,
BGU engineers and scientists are
developing robotic devices that can
manipulate a broader range of object
sizes and types. These capabilities can
enhance efficiency on the production
line and lower production costs.
Grasping ability is critical for manu-
facturing robotic equipment. Shapiro
explains the dynamics of grasping
based on a continuum of frictionless
to frictional robotic fingertips. It’s
important to avoid slippage at the
point of contact but a design with too
much friction can cause jams, he says.
“Controls can be set for different
classes of objects with a different force
depending on their fragility. Fewer fin-
gers, but higher-quality grasping con-
tacts are needed for complex grasps.”
Think of tasks done by hand — some
are easier with just a few fingers, oth-
ers require all five digits.
Autonomous vehicles pose a differ-
ent set of challenges. Professor Hugo
Guterman, who heads BGU’s Paul
Ivanier Center for Robotics, and his
team have developed an autonomous
driving system for golf carts.
Robotically driven vehicles are
programmed for object recogni-
tion to avoid collisions. In addition,
Guterman explains, they require the
ability to sense a range of weather
conditions that may affect the appear-
ance of objects as well as road sur-
faces. He adds, “There is still a way to
go in computer vision.”
Test drives of the lab’s autono-
mous golf carts on the BGU campus
have been successful, and BGU has
received both American and Israeli
patents for the autonomous driving
system. Additional funds are being
sought for more advanced testing.
The advantages of autonomously
operated vehicles include safety, due
to reduced potential for driver error
— a major cause of accidents — as
well as accessibility for people who
can’t drive, such as handicapped and
elderly individuals.
BGU is a leader in robotic technolo-
gy from devices for search-and-rescue
missions to tiny medical robotic cam-
eras for internal imagining. Also, the
university has hosted international
robotics conferences, and student
teams have participated in interna-
tional robotics competitions. •
Shari Cohen participated in the annual American
Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Murray Fromson Journalism Fellowship.