ANNIVERSARY Join us in celebrating our 75th Anniversary! This stand alone collectible edition will encompass all aspects of our community over the last 75 years. CALL NOW! 44 May 25 • 2017 jn For more information regarding advertising opportunities Keith Farber 248.351.5107 kfarber@renmedia.us eretz 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.