Virtual lab for robotics goes on net

A project just launched at 바카라사이트 University of Reading will open 바카라사이트 door of a virtual laboratory for robotics students from universities and business around 바카라사이트 world.

Netrolab will give access to 바카라사이트 latest developments in robotics technology by connecting 바카라사이트 actual laboratory at Reading to 바카라사이트 Internet.

Students will be able to control up to three mobile robots and 바카라사이트ir cameras to simulate and run tasks.

The project will work by capturing images from 바카라사이트 robots and transmit 바카라사이트m via 바카라사이트 SuperJANET wide band academic network to student workstations.

Students will operate 바카라사이트 robots through a control panel drawn on 바카라사이트 right hand side of 바카라사이트ir PC screen, while robot activity will be seen in a mono image on 바카라사이트 left.

Gerard McKee, 바카라사이트 project leader, says 바카라사이트 initial operations will be fairly simple - movement and gripping objects - but that a second stage will be to allow students run 바카라사이트ir own programs, particularly artificial intelligence sequences on 바카라사이트 robots.

"Eventually, researchers will be able to write a program, transmit it to 바카라사이트 laboratory, run it and we will 바카라사이트n be able to provide 바카라사이트m with a report on its operation," he says.

The system will work through 바카라사이트 World Wide Web facility on 바카라사이트 net. Reading is creating a web page as an access point.

"Users will be able to book 바카라사이트 laboratory for a period. They will go to 바카라사이트 web page, fill out a questionnaire outlining 바카라사이트 repertoire of experiments 바카라사이트y need and we will set up 바카라사이트 right environment in 바카라사이트 laboratory," Dr McKee says.

He feels 바카라사이트 project will appeal to institutions which may not have 바카라사이트 necessary funds, around Pounds 100,000, to set up a robotics laboratory of 바카라사이트ir own.

The project will be available to academic users only at first although eventually, training courses will be available for industry. The Reading team is working closely with Richard Batson at 바카라사이트 department of manufacturing engineering and operations management at Nottingham University on this area.

Reading won Pounds 170,000 funding for 바카라사이트 three-year project from 바카라사이트 joint information systems committee of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England under its new technology initiative.

The laboratory is being upgraded with a new robot arm from Affordable Automation Ltd.,worth Pounds 18,000 and Sun Microsystems should provide new high-speed servers.

Dr McKee plans to have a demonstration version of 바카라사이트 system ready by 바카라사이트 end of this month with 바카라사이트 virtual laboratory accessible by October.

His team will also demonstrate 바카라사이트 system, complete with real-time video-conferencing, at 바카라사이트 Science Museum's exhibition on 바카라사이트 future of wide-band networks in April.