Small Robotic Roller Skates Could Replace Segway

Researchers in Japan are developing robotic roller skates as a new form of personal mobility.

Toshinobu Takei of Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) demonstrated his “Unit-type Micro-Mobility” device at the2009 International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo this week.

We haven’t seen too many gadgets like these, but what with the plethora of prototype personal vehicles like Honda’s U3-X unicycle in Japan lately, they aren’t surprising.

The prototype skates are actually mechatronic versions of” takeuma”, which are old-school bamboo stilts that kids used to play with in Japan before their lives were consumed by cell phones and video games.

The aluminum skates move automatically when the user leans forward, but the attached poles must also be grasped. Users can roll or step forward with them.

Each skate contains a wheel, three accelerometers, and gyroscopes, and weighs about 11 pounds, according to Takei, part of AIST’s Field Robotics Research Group.

Top speed is about 2.5 mph.

Takei said the skates are still in development, but added they are less bulky than a Segway.

Could they spark a new roller disco boom? Everyone would dance The Robot, of course.

Big Wind – Big Picture

I have been slowly working my way through the DOE’s Wind Power study targeting 20% of the projected US electrical capacity to be generated by wind power by the year 2030.  It’s 248 pages long.  You can view, download or print it at your pleasure.  No, I haven’t read the whole thing.  Based on the 40 pages I have gone through so far there are a number of really interesting things to consider.

The DOE estimates that it will require 100,000 wind turbines to be installed and connected to the grid in addition to the ones we already have running to achieve the stated goal.  That’s great news for GE and Siemens who are the leaders in wind turbine manufacturing.  And what about Energy Secretary Chu’s recent comment that “more than 50% of the turbine’s content is made in America” ?   Maybe not so comforting for the American worker.

Large multinational corporations do not have any implied loyalty to the country that they are incorporated in.  In fact, the bigger the company, the more adversarial the relationship can become.  Microsoft is sure feeling it with restraint of trade problems in the US and the EU.  We have watched US tax policy drive world renowned US corporations to move their assets and factories to other countries to improve their cost structure.  Ultimately benefiting others instead of the workers here in the US that helped build their respective companies.

In this situation, particularly if some financial analysts don’t look favorably on GE’s current situation, surely the upcoming wave of spending on wind power will serve to bolster the giant corporation’s position.  After all, we are talking about machines that sell for $2-6 Million  each.  Multiply that times 1000.  And that’s only a fraction of what will be required to hit the DOE target.  But an increase of cash flow of $2-6 Billion a year for the next twenty years sounds like a “wind fall” to me.

But that’s only a fraction of what is needed.  100,000 wind turbines over the next 23 years is 4347 units a year.  And where is the money for this going to come from?  A significant portion of it will be underwritten through investment tax credits, accelerated depreciation and direct subsidy.  That means that several billion dollars a year in taxes eliminated from the US Government’s revenue.  Revenues that will have to be made up elsewhere.

And please let’s not go into the number of barrels of imported oil thing again.  Almost none of the electricity generated in this country is  powered by oil, foreign or domestic.

But when did this get approved as domestic energy policy?  I know I sure didn’t get to vote on this plan.  Did you?

And I sure don’t remember when we made the three digit slip from millions of dollars being spent by the US Government to billions of dollars being spent by the US Government. 100,000 wind turbines at $2-6 million each is $200 to 600 billion dollars over the next 23 years.

I love clean technology.  It is absolutely the way to go.  But we’ve got to be smarter shoppers with tax payer money.  Pebble bed nuclear power is way cheaper and unplugging existing wells in the US will stop the flow of funds to terrorists and make the US energy independent in 1 to 2 years while putting huge numbers of people back to work.

Maybe sustainable energy isn’t so sustainable financially.

Robotic Fish Helps Understand Changes In Open Waters

The above video shows an interesting new type of fish—one with a mission. Despite its impressive life-like movements, it is actually a robot prototype that has been developed by scientists and researchers at the University of Essex, England. It is still being perfected at the London Aquarium, with a number of the expensive fish (each at a cost around US $30,000) expected to be released off a port in Northern Spain in 2011.

Its realistic motions are the result of its electro-active polymer fins, which react to the voltage that flows through them. The fish are also equipped with chemical sensors, allowing them to scan the waters and collect information that will help create a better understanding of the changes affecting the seas and oceans. One specific target will be measuring the amount and the source of pollution in the water, such as from oil and chemical spills, which do great damage to the ecosystem. The fish will send out this data though the wireless transmitters installed in their bodies.

What is interesting is that its highly authentic appearance comes with both its positive and negative sides. At a length of a foot and a half, it closely resembles the common carp which it is modeled after, albeit with brighter colors that can be used to distinguish it from real fish. The robot blends in well with the surroundings without disrupting the environment, but concerns were it might suffer the fate of real fish as well. Because of that, it was designed with a tracking system which allows it to stay away from commercial fishing boats and other human obstacles. The electromagnetic field around its body also keeps large predators, like sharks, at bay, so hopes are it will not be mistaken for prey.

Big Wind Machines

Recently I had occaision to discuss the merits of wind power with a colleague.  In particular there is a controversy between horizontal axis wind turbines, the giant propeller driven systems you see in advertisements, and vertical wind, which does not have much presence in the marketplace.  The premise is that horizontal systems can take advantage of the large swept area of the propeller blades to generate a great deal of force.  I’m not sure if this is supposed to imply that large swept areas intrinsically convert more kinetic energy from the wind into electricity.  And it is easy to conclude that this is the benefit of horizontal wind turbines.

Except that there is a fundamental mechatronic system at work.  The large propeller turns at low speeds, typically around 18 rpm on average, and there is a massive gearbox that is used to increase the speed of the output to turn a generator at high speed, which is typically where generators are most efficient.  The gear increaser has the effect of also increasing the amount of torque required at the input (propeller) by the gear ratio.  So if the gear increase is 100:1, then the propeller must be size 100 times larger in swept area in order to produce the needed torque to turn the generator.

This actually gets a bit worse since the mass, and it is very substantial, of the gear box itself represnts inertia that is resisting the turning of the blades.  And there is a generator rotor at the end of the gearbox whose mass (massive mass) is now resisting the turning of the propeller by the square of the ratio.  So if the ratio is 100:1, the inertia is increased by 10,000 times.  Even magnetic drag, or the residual attraction of the rotor to the stator, will get amplified in the same fashion, making it a significant force to contend with.

Add to this situaion a list of systems losses for overall fricitional loss of the bearings and gearbox, parasitic losses for steering and blade pitch adjustments.   Efficiency losses due to long distance transmission of power, that is a by-product of the remote sites that have favorable wind conditions.  It’s a pretty difficult situation to engineer.  And they keep proposing to build them bigger and bigger, hoping that the scale effect will overcome the problems.

All of the vertical wind systems I have seen so far are much smaller due to the fact that smaller rotors can turn at higher speed and power electric generators directly.  The flax axial generator is very popular in do-it-yourself designs that people are experimenting with in their back yards.

But vertical wind can also scale up.  And there are a few companies doing it.  With convertional wind power costing $2/watt, vertical systems could bring that price down very quickly and allow systems that can be installed close to the point of use or in offshore arrays where generation takes place almost 100% of the time.  Unlike the average 31% on the large land based systems.

Now that’s progress, 300% increase in energy generation at lower cost.  Hope it comes to market soon.

New, Brighter, Sharper LED Signage

STMicroelectronics recently announced a new series of highly accurate LED drivers with automatic power saving, enabling electronic signage such as road signs, advertising, stadium displays, battery or solar-powered signs and similar equipment to deliver better, high-resolution viewing by ensuring consistent brightness across the viewing area.

The brightness of an LED is closely related to the drive current, usually supplied by a separate driver chip. As each new generation of LEDs produces greater brightness at lower drive current, overall efficiency is increasing but so, too, is the need for more accurate current control. This control is essential to prevent excessively bright or dark areas from damaging the visual effectiveness of signs and screens, which can employ tens of thousands of individual LEDs.

To provide the enhanced current control designers need, ST has introduced a family of driver chips capable of supplying 16 LED channels with driving capabilities of 3mA to 40mA and bit-to-bit accuracy within ±1%. This accuracy is superior in tolerance to alternative drivers providing comparable drive current. In addition, as a large display may require several thousand drivers, ST’s new devices also provides excellent current matching from chip to chip (±2%) to further enhance visual performance.

The new LED drivers are theSTP16CPP05, STP16CPPS05, STP16DPP05, and STP16DPPS05. In addition to their enhanced current accuracy, they also provide optional features including ST-patented automatic power saving, as well as built-in LED error detection. Available variants allow designers to specify either or both of these value-added features, in a choice of four industry-standard package options.

The patented automatic power saving allows the drivers to turn off independently when no LED drive data is provided. This function delivers two benefits: software design is simplified as no power-save algorithm is required; and power savings are increased as the drivers turn off more quickly than is generally possible under software control.

Error detection helps to improve maintenance and boost productivity for signage operators. If an LED in the display fails, ST’s LED drivers can detect either of the two possible failure modes (short circuit or open circuit) and communicate the failure to a central point. With this information, the system could be programmed to inform field maintenance crews of the necessary replacement parts in advance. In applications such as road signage, where reliability is critical, this feature can enable faults to be repaired quickly and efficiently.

Chips, Chips, Chips

Semiconductor manufacturing is still a little bit like magic.  It’s hard to imagine packing millions of transistor into tiny spaces and creating  cellphones, computers, flat screen television, digital cameras, CD players and so forth.  And the industry keeps pumping out the innovations.

And there are so many technologies, all focused on solving application problems but balancing the economics of development cost and manufacturing scalability.  Where would the Oui or iPhone be without accelerometers that are really inexpensive?  Fax machines without G3 communications chips,  or $49 printers without stepping motor chips and ink jet controls?  All benefits of high volume economy of scale.

Industrial control systems have generally required chip technology, but in numbers of chips considered too small to merit custom designed solutions.  But the Rockwell Control Logix concept breaks the partitioning of applications by applying the same control processor to all kinds of control equipment, variable frequency drives, programmable controllers, HMI’s, you name it.

Is there an ultimate chip?  A chip solution that does everything?  Not really.  But the wizards of the microcircuitry world keep coming up with new architectures.  New approaches to existing applications that offer price or performance attributes that will hopefully trigger lots of new designs that result in breakthrough products.

Recent trade press is buzzing about a new processor that combines the logic solving capability of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) with ARM (Advanced Risc Machines).

FPGA excels in the ability solve logic, and has scaled up to massive numbers of gates and tremendous processor speeds to solve enormously complex applications.  Even applications requiring real time operation like motor control can be solved through FPGA with proper attention to detail.   Applications that were considered impossible a few years ago are now within the range of these processors.

But using gate arrays may not be the most efficient way to do motor control.  Hard real time motor control requires a great deal of analog processing to monitor conditions in the real world (like voltage and current) and the ability to respond to dynamic changes through complex programming and mathematical models.  Much easier for ARM processors with super efficient instruction sets and single cycle multiplication and division.  In some designs 16 channels of high resolution A to D converters and direct PWM capabilities.

So combining the two technologies seems like the ideal solution for a huge range of industrial control applications.  And if you get it all in one processor, wouldn’t that be great?

I  can’t wait to see what new product developments take place in the next few years with this kind of processing power available.

Power Supplies Target Medical Applications

A new digitally controlled 300W TDK-Lambda power supply, designed specifically for medical applications, is now available from RS Components.

With a 4kVAC reinforced input to output isolation and other specifications such as an output-to-ground isolation of 1500VAC, the EFE300M meets the rigorous international safety standards of IEC 60601-1 for medical equipment, making it suitable for use in B and BF type medical applications. Regulated DC outputs of 12V or 24VDC are standard and other voltages can be provided.

With a 3-inch x 6-inch footprint with less than a 1U profile (1.6-inch max), the EFE300M can be incorporated easily into designs where space is limited so end equipment can be smaller and cooler. Other features such as a redundant operation capability and a high current standby output make the EFE300M equally suitable for high integrity applications including broadcast, instrumentation, routers, servers and security networks, as well as, ATE, factory automation and mechatronics, says the company.

www.electropages.com

ARMY Robots Need Little to No Help

According to ArmyTimes.com, the Army plans within 18 months to field robots that will do some tasks without direct human control, such as finding explosives and transporting equipment.

The robots will turn corners, clear dangerous areas, capture images with a “persistent stare” and beam them back, and follow convoys without being tele-operated as they are now.

A manager in the Army’s robotic systems project office said there is a push toward increased intelligence and autonomy. The intent is to build intelligent behavior and semi-autonomous or automatic controls.

Robots that can clear caves and roads or deal with explosive ordnance will be able to operate alongside infantry units, move their mechanical arms and beam back images from forward locations without needing specific human direction.

These small, semi-autonomous robots also will be able to help to locate targets with sensors that behave independently of human controls.

Also, robotic trucks will be programmed to follow other trucks without needing human drivers, freeing up soldiers to perform other duties such as watching for roadside threats.

They could have these kinds of capabilities within 18 months, such as semi-autonomous route-clearance platforms and robotic leader-follower convoys.

These are at a pretty advanced state of technological readiness and are getting safety certification to ensure they are safe for the war fighters. The systems that the Army produces increase the stand-off distance between the war fighters and harm.

Among the semi-autonomous robots slated for deployment are those that can perform more explosive ordnance disposal missions.

The plans to field these robots are emerging in response to a series of urgent battlefield requests from the Army’s III Corps.

Five operational needs statements from III Corps all ask for “an element of semi-autonomy — persistent stare, route clearance, convoy logistics and concept of a robotic wingman.”

www.ArmyTimes.com

Defining Green Jobs

The American Solar Energy Society (ASEA) reported a staggering forecast of “37 million jobs resulting from Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the US by 2030″.  That’s pretty exciting stuff.  In fact, the numbers are so big, I had to get a closer look.  37 Million new jobs would certainly fix things in this, or any, economy.

I know from having lived in Colorado that there is a lot going on there because there are 300 sunny days a year, so it’s a great place for solar power projects.  Many businesses like the Whole Foods company and other large retailers have projects going on and the Federal Center is putting in major solar power arrays to reduce their electrical demand .  The National Renewable Energy Labs are in Golden Colorado, near Denver, and they have huge campuses with thousands of people working on all sorts of energy related topics.  Public Service, the local power company has major wind farm projects going on in the state.   And there are major wind testing facilities that have recently sprung up to support the wind industry in Colorado.

So as part of measuring the impact of Renerwable Energy and Energy Efficiency activities, the report from the American Solar Energy Society focuses quite a bit on the local Colorado situation.  I have heard that Colorado claims to have 10,000 new jobs in the renewable energy arena.  There is a long way to go to get from 10,000 jobs to 37 million.  More importantly, the report states that  5600 of those jobs are at NREL and other government or non-profit organization, like ASEA.  I don’t think you can count jobs that are paid for with taxes, they don’t produce revenue.

The methodology of the report includes under it’s definition of Renewable Energy category of business; wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass (ethanol, biodiesel, biomass power), fuel cells and hydrogen.   That’s pretty broad by itself.

Then the Energy Efficiency businesses include; appliance, HVAC, insulation, automobile and other.  So on a statistical basis some of the appliance and HVAC businesses, which already exist, get counted for a certain amount of head count and revenue generated because portions of their product sales focus on energy efficiency.  Wow!  That means you can count a small percentage of almost everything else.  Personally, I don’t consider guys putting insulation into your home part of the emerging green economy.  But the folks at ASES do.

And jobs that are federal, state or local government that are related to renewable energy are counted as well.  Non-profits, trade associations, foundations, consultants, investment, and other related positions are all in the count if they are related to Renewable Energy or Energy Efficiency.

So there is a huge gap between estimating the “impact” of the green economy and job creation based on the green economy.  Looking at the report from ASEA, they are clearly not the same thing.  If 56% of measured jobs in Revewable Energy in Colorado are in the government and non-manufacturing roles, then the claims for job creation can not be more that 4400.  And the size of the “green” job creation opportunity is significantly lower than the announcement would lead you to believe.

Worse still for the US economy, one of the dominant suppliers in wind power is Siemens, which means that a lot of the sales generated here, translates to revenue for Europe.  In the solar cell market Japan, Germany and China supply the majority of the market and several foreign suppliers have operations in the US.

We sure hear a lot about how the green economy is going save our economy.  I think some of the messages are exaggerated and taken out of their proper context.  The analysis needs to be based in terms of what we can really expect in Growth.

Motors are Strategic Technology

The 2007 Department of Commerce Census data is just now being released (how’s that for government efficiency?) and the good news is that the sector of the economy that manufactures electric motors and generators, a lot of which is used in industry for motion control applications, was up over 2002.  The increase in total revenue was a whopping $12.37 Bil over $9.08 Bil 2007/2002.  A couple of strange statistics show up in employment figures, total employees declined by 10,872 jobs, a full 20% based on the 2002 employment levels.

So we can register some gains prior to the slowdown in 2008, but there’s a catch.  We have traded in 20% of our employment for about 30% growth in the market over the five year period.  Those two facts cannot be resolved except by the fact that foreign suppliers have established operations in the US and are shipping products into the US for sale.  And we continue to lose manufacturing based employment.

On a happier note, average salaries increased by about $6500 per employee, so the news is not all bad.  And for those keeping score on health care costs, the industry paid an average of $4520. per employee for medical care.

But electric motors are used for all kinds of things.  Putting your favorite beer into a bottle and onto a truck requires millions of dollars of mechatronic equipment to get the job done at the rate of 1-2 million bottles a day.  You wouldn’t believe how much equipment goes into making frozen pizzas.  Missile guidance and a lot of military applications like targeting required high performance motors.  Disk drives are a huge user of brushless dc spindle motors.

And in order to make motors you have to have copper wire, steel laminations and magnets.  Copper wire and lamination grade steel have become much more expensive in the last few years while Neodymium magnets have declined steadily in cost at the rate of about 7% per year.  This has created a very strange situation where conventional AC motors with small high performance permanent magnets in the rotor have become more cost effective than their standard counterparts.  This is a set of circumstances that no one in the industry expected.  It was assumed that Neodymium magnets would always be expensive.

And the really high strength “exotic” materials are.  But there is this new middle ground where the costs have crossed over.  And high volume appliance manufacturers are jumping on the new platform of price and performance.

In an unrelated event, General Motors, who has been having financial problems for a while, sold it’s Magnequench business unit off to a Chinese owner.  Magnequench held some of the basic Patents for Neodymium magnets and was the largest and only producer of magnet grade Neodymium alloys in North America.

So where does that put us?  There are no US companies that can make motor grade Neodymium magnets.  Yes, the Magnequench factory is still in Indiana.  And I doubt there going anywhere anytime soon.  But still.  Every disk drive motor, every brushless servo, every high performance appliance motor will be using more parts made by Chines and not American companies.

Certainly GM did what it needed to do, but the sale of a US company to a foreign entity normally requires review by Commerce.  If you heard something about this, please let me know.

It’s time for some new ideas in the motor industry.