Remarkable robots

 Extremely intelligent and ultra-precise, they can work for hours, allowing them to make heavy work bearable and even perform hazardous work for us. We are already using many robots now and others will soon be active. What types of robots will it be? You will know more by reading this file. We bet you will be surprised!

  food processor
 You do not like to cook, but you crave home-made sushi, macaroons or spaghetti from your grandmother? Simply touch the touchscreen, provided you have made room for the Moley Robotics Chef in your kitchen. This is a high-tech kitchen equipped with a robot whose arms are just above your stove. Extremely precise, it can for example put spaghetti in the water and cook for the ideal duration while preparing the sauce. Cook the chopped, add the tomatoes, spice up according to your taste, etc ... Moley can do everything, including setting the plates. More importantly, he learns extremely fast. For example, it has a recording mode. When preparing your favorite meal, Moley records all your movements, the ingredients you use and everything you need. And when you want to enjoy this dish later, Moley can prepare it for you. The icing on the cake: it tidies up the kitchen while you enjoy your dish. What more ? Moley was presented as a world premiere at the Hannover Fair and is expected to hit the market in 2018. No information has yet filtered as to its price, but it seems obvious that this robot will not be within the reach of all scholarships. It is also possible to go beyond the simple robot by buying a complete kitchen Moley. Its designers have been working there since 2014.

 hotel run by robots
The first fully robot-run hotel opened in Japan in the summer of 2015. Henn-na Hotel in Sasebo is owned by Huis Ten Bosch, a very Dutch-themed theme park. For the check-in, you have the choice between two robots: a Japanese-speaking humanoid or a robot-dino wearing a knot that speaks English. This property has not usurped its nickname Hotel Bizarre. Once registered, your luggage goes directly to your room on an automatic trolley. The key ? You do not need it. The door opens based on facial recognition. Inside, high-tech is everywhere. You manage the light with the voice and if you want to know the weather forecast, just ask and you immediately receive the answer in the manner of Siri. In the morning, at breakfast time, you meet the robot-concierge who prepares coffee, orange juice and rolls. The reactions on sites like Booking.com and Tripadvisor are for the most part enthusiastic. Are you planning a trip to Japan? Feel free to book at Henn-na Hotel. The rooms are spacious and the price of the night is rather reasonable. The indicative price is 7,000 yen (about 60 euros).

 picking strawberries
In Belgium too, robotics is very present. Take the example of the Louvainist technology company Octinion. She recently developed a robot able to pick strawberries from greenhouses. Three years of development were needed to achieve this result, but their work is literally paying off. This autonomous robot is equipped with a 3D printed arm with a soft rubber hand. The three cameras spot the ripe fruits and the arm then picks them before placing them in a plastic container with the tail. The finesse of this robot is particularly remarkable. Unlike his Japanese rival, the Octinion robot does not tear indeed the peduncle. The picking of a strawberry takes about three seconds, which puts it at the level of an experienced human picker. Strawberry producers from different countries are very enthusiastic. This robot does not need breaks and can even work at night. Moreover, he never claims holidays and the risk of burn-out is zero. Smaller producers, however, should continue to employ seasonal workers because of the price of such an investment: between 100,000 and 150,000 euros. For their part, the big producers are already dreaming of it. A prototype will be put into service at producers in Hoogstraten, Leuven, the United Kingdom and Portugal. CEO Tom Coen announces the arrival on the shelves of the first strawberries picked by a robot in 2018.

 ray scanners
Working in a supermarket, this involves regular refitting the shelves and it is not always easy. First, you have to identify the missing products before you get the right products from the stock to place them on the shelf. At Walmart, one of the largest chain stores in the United States, experimental robots take on these tasks. These stand-alone robots move around the store and scan inventory, spot missing labels, and misplaced products. During their patrol, they control everything. If a customer is in their path, they wait. Thanks to the image recognition technology, the robot "sees" at a glance if the number of products on the shelf is always sufficient. However, he can not yet reassort himself and sends a message to an employee who will fill the displays. The US chain does not currently plan to replace its employees with robots, but thanks to these smart scanners, staff has more time to serve customers.

 The medical robot
The medical sector is no exception concerning robots. They certainly do not have the appearance of humanoids, but they offer many advantages. In many operating theaters, surgeons are assisted by robots. At the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw hospital in Aalst, for example, Belgian urologist Alexandre Mottrie works with the Da Vinci robot. This doctor has little contact with his patient in the operating room. He still makes the incisions, but once the robot's arms are in place in the patient's abdomen, the surgeon takes place behind his workstation where levers allow him to work with great precision. The robot is equipped with three instruments that can be swapped extremely quickly. To direct his arms, the surgeon uses pedals. In this case, robotics has several advantages, the main one being to provide the surgeon with two arms and two additional eyes. According to many doctors, this high-flying technology is still in its infancy. In the next few years (no one knows exactly how fast progress is made), some standard operations could be fully automated. This may be a concern at first, but medical errors are drastically reduced in this way.

 Revalidation using a robot
You must follow a period of revalidation after an operation? A robot can help you there. The Jessa hospital in Herk-de-Stad was last year the first Belgian revalidation center to use a robot to supervise the rehabilitation of an arm. Called Armeo Power, this robot worth 180,000 euros is a Swiss invention. This device is intended for patients with neurological lesions following stroke or cerebral infarction. The robot takes the function of the arm in principle. Once the patient's arm or hand is controlled by the robot, the doctor can program the revalidation and the robot performs repetitive movements. Over time, the intensity increases, allowing faster rehabilitation. Thanks to this robot, the healing time can be reduced by one month. It allows the arm to get used to the new movements. The exercises are extremely varied, a video game is even integrated so that it remains captivating. Patients thus follow a pleasant and stimulating revalidation.

 guard robot
Robots can also be used for safety. In 2014, Microsoft was the first company to use the Knightscope K5 robot to protect its industrial estate in Silicon Valley. This heavy robot (it weighs 136 kilos) is 1 m 50 high and detects both noises and movements. In addition to the various cameras, it has very impressive features: it has a multitude of different sensors, is able to identify license plate numbers, identifies suspicious behavior and is equipped with four microphones. Thanks to its weather sensors, it can even warn of the risks of storms and heavy rains. An intruder is spotted? In addition to sounding a siren, it can also block the passage in narrow corridors. Today, Microsoft is no longer the only company to use K5 as a security guard and it patrols several US companies, schools and car parks. Another well-known surveillance robot, SAM (Secure Autonomous Mobile) is also connected to an alarm system. Today, SAM is present in several distribution companies and offices.

 A digital server
A robot can also be useful in cafes and restaurants. In Kunshan, China, a boss decided to replace all his servers with robots, especially because of the high cost of the catering staff. And it looks like a master stroke. This restaurant has become a real attraction. Two types of robots are in service. The former perform fixed tasks, while the others are mobile and move throughout the school. These friendly humanoids serve among other noodles, rice dishes, loempias and dumplings at the right table. You even meet some in the kitchen where they perform simple tasks such as mixing, beating or stirring. However, they still need the help of human cooks. The owner of the restaurant has kept 6 out of 20 employees at his service before. Some customers complain a little about the slow service. Children are indeed very attached to robots and want to cuddle them constantly.

 Robocop
Can we do even more crazy? In Dubai, the first tests of robot police officers are underway. These robocops are self-contained and can provide surveillance for busy places such as shopping malls, amusement parks and tourist attractions. The different cameras that are equipped with these robots agents are connected to the command center. In the future, they could even be equipped with facial recognition software. But these digital policemen can do more than just watch. They are equipped with a touch screen and are able to speak. Currently, they only speak English and Arabic, but Russian, Spanish, French and Chinese should follow. Although recently introduced, engineers are already working on the successor of this robot. This robocop 2.0 is expected to hit the market in two years. It will measure nearly 3 meters and can reach the speed of 80 km / h! The Dubai government believes deeply in these policemen of the future and by 2030, the police could count no less than 25% of metal agents.