Cybernetics and automation

Citation

Rudall, B.H. (1999), "Cybernetics and automation", Kybernetes, Vol. 28 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/k.1999.06728eaa.009

Cybernetics and automation

Keywords Automation, Cybernetics, Research, Technological developments

Abstract Reports and surveys are given of selected current research and development in systems and cybernetics. They include: Language interface, Automated automobile, Innovative space technology, Software reliability and safety, Automatic analysis of handwritten documents, High-tech musical instruments, Biological motors, Interplay between smell and the mind, Cybernetics and automation.

Cybernetics and automation

Robotic aircraft crosses the North Atlantic

A report in the Newsletter of the Australian Robotics and Automation Association (No. 57, p. 10, 1998) describes the flight of an Australian Robotic aircraft across the North Atlantic Ocean. The flight took place on 21 August 1998 and the small robotic aircraft, was built by the Melbourne company Environmental Systems and Services Pty Limited. The flight, the report says, has made aviation history by becoming the first robotic aircraft to traverse the North Atlantic Ocean.

The 13kg aircraft, named "Laima" flew autonomously from St John's, Newfoundland, Canada, to South Uist in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, a distance of 3,200km. The non-stop flight took 26 hours. The robot aircraft has a 3m wingspan and maintained its approved flight path and time table by adjusting its course in accordance with data received by its on-board computer from the GPS satellite guidance system. The communication equipment installed in Laima maintained radio contact with ground stations during the aircraft's take-off and landing. It is reported that fewer than six litres of aviation fuel were used in the journey.

The robot craft Laima cost some $42,000 and was developed with the collaboration of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology with the aim of demonstrating the feasibility of using low-cost robotic aircraft to collect atmospheric data over ocean basins for use in weather forecasting. The equipment installed on the aircraft was programmed to collect the required data at designated times.

Collecting such data is an expensive process. Currently weather balloons, or conventional manned aircraft are used. Financial support for the flight in which several US organisations assisted, was provided by the US Office of Naval Research.

New definition of a robot

What is a robot? Definitions have abounded over the years and some uncertainty has always tinged the statistics presented to inform us of the current robot population and future trends. It is almost as if the world's politicians have got hold of the figures and put an appropriate gloss on them. It does, of course, suit some countries to have one definition but not others. It is very tempting if a government is facing an election to choose the most favourable.

Now the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and the United Nations have published their latest annual report of the international robot market place[1]. This year, however, the report has a new title which reflects the IFR's decision to provide statistics of service robots as well as manipulating industrial robots.

The IFR's preliminary definition of a service robot;however,may not please all its supporters. It says that a service robot is: "a robot which operates semi-or fully autonomously to perform services useful to the well being of humans and equipment, excluding manufacturing operations". It has already been questioned by some bodies as lacking in precision. It has been suggested, for example, that some robots used in non-manufacturing industries can be counted as both service robots and as manipulating industrial robots.

Using this definition the report estimates that the total stock of operational manipulating industrial robots reached 711,500 in 1997 (stock at beginning of 1998), a growth of 6 per cent from 1996. Some 84,900 robots were considered to have been installed in 1997. Some robot associations consider the statistics to be only approximate and perhaps correct to within several thousands in the case of the world stock of service robots.

Note

1. 1.

   World Robotics 1998 - Statistics, Market Analysis Forecasts, Case Studies and Profitability of Robot Investment (Sales Number GV.E. 98.0.25 from the UN, Price US$ 120) Sales and Marketing Section, United Nations, Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland. Tel: (+41 22) 917 26 06/26 12/26 13; Fax: (+41 22) 9170027; e-mail: unpubli@unog.ch

   Editor's note: a summary of the statistics and conclusions will be included in later issues of the journal because of their importance to researchers and developers in systems and cybernetics.

B.H. Rudall

Norbert Wiener Institute and University of Wales (UK)