eNewsletter 8/13/2008
Last week, I had the privilege of leading a panel discussion on
robotics at the Worldwide Graphical System Design Conference held by
National Instruments in Austin, Texas. In the first few minutes, we
established the fact that there was no clear cut definition of the term
itself, and then proceeded to thoroughly address the topic that none of
us could precisely define
What we actually talked about — clearly and in well defined terms — was the coordinated application of torque and force tailored to command inputs and sensor feedback. In other words, we talked about motion system design as practiced today, and how it's being employed to automate all sorts of things from remote surgery to packing egg cartons at lightning speed. I think even Karel Capek, who wrote the 1920s sci-fi thriller, Rossum's Universal Robots, would have been impressed.
| Features |
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SkillsUSA, a national competition for mechatronics, robotics, and automation technology, has put its participants to the test this year. It asked for the best-constructed automation work program for use in typical factory robots. Christopher Venegas, a student in the competition, describes the experience and its focus on computer programming, as well as its requirement to justify each building strategy and decision.
Design engineering dream jobs
Do you love your job? We know some engineers who do. Check out these profile pieces on a few design engineers who love their day jobs and learn what makes them tick. Included are profiles on the creative souls behind some of the best companies in the world, such as Philips Medical Systems, The Boeing Company, and several others.
Robotic Hand Has Fishy Grip
A robotic hand, created by Intel researchers led by Josh Smith, uses a weak electrical field to sense the shape of objects. This ability, called electrolocation, is common in fish, but not humans. See how it works in this video.
| Products |
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The high-resolution LCD SmartSwitch and SmartDisplay programmable switches simplify user interaction with machines via a changeable graphical interface.
These programmable pushbutton switches and displays have RGB LED backlighting that obeys commands supplied via the SPI communications protocol. The devices feature a programmable and changeable 64 × 32-pixel LCD module with 64 backlit colors that display graphics, alphanumeric characters, or animated sequences, including four lines of text with up to 10 characters/line.
Both products incorporate bitmap display functions with a variable brightness backlight, in eight steps from dark to bright. A liquid-crystal display provides a wide viewing angle with high contrast and clarity. The SmartSwitch and SmartDisplay have a FSTN positive black-and-white LCD mode, with a LED backlight that generates 64 colors. Epoxy-sealed straight PC terminals prevent entry of solder flux and other contaminants. The switch has a 15.0 × 10.8-mm viewing area; the display has a 13.9 × 10.6-mm viewing area.
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NKK Switches
A new line of timing pulleys feature a configurable hub that suits any shaft hole and flange requirement. Shaft-hole dimensions and overall hub diameter can be configured in increments of 1 mm and hub-shoulder height in 0.5-mm increments.
The pulleys come in several aluminum grades with clear-anodize, electroless-nickel plating or hard-anodized surface treatment. Also available are 1045 carbon steel and low-carbon steel versions with black oxide or electroless-nickel plating.
Shaft holes can be specified with round, round-with-tap or round-with-key-groove hole and tap design. When required, setscrews are supplied. The pulleys, designed with integral flanges, come in various shapes and tooth counts; compatible belts are also available.
The company also offers timing-pulley-belt calculation software on its Web site.
More Information
Misumi USA Inc.
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