As part of their minor in Robotics, eight student teams from TU Delft have each developed their own robot. From this came, among others, a robot that makes cheese, a boat that can autonomously complete a race course with obstacles and a mechanical bartender. All the new robots will be on display during the minor's demo day on Thursday 18 January 2018.
Each year, the demo day is a regular part of the minor Robotics, an educational programme in which student teams from different fields of study spend five months working on a robot, with all the challenges involved. This year, eight different teams are working on a robot. During the demo day on 18 January, the teams will present the results of their efforts.
Problem solving
The student teams make the robots at the behest of a customer, such as a company or a hospital. In many cases, therefore, the robots solve a particular problem. The 'Kroboot', for example, arose from an assignment from the Delfland Water Board to clean up duckweed in Delfland's waters. Duckweed deprives life below the water surface of sunlight, causing plants and fish to die and the water to stink.
These are the robots on display during the demo day on 18 January 2018:
Roboboat (Trident)
Client: Damen Shipyards
This autonomous boat, christened Trident, is to compete in the 2018 Roboboat Competition in Florida, USA. The team's goal is to create a boat that can sail autonomously and also perform actions on its own. For example, the boat should be able to dock and moor, avoid obstacles and pass gates as quickly as possible. The project contributes to the future development of fully functional autonomous boats.
Ball robot (Fizzy)
Customers: TU Delft / Rehabilitation Fund & Princess Máxima Centre for Paediatric Oncology
Fizzy is a robotic ball that encourages children with cancer to move more. If the child moves towards Fizzy, it rolls away. If the child picks up Fizzy, it vibrates. If the child strokes the ball, it grunts or purrs. And if Fizzy gets too little attention? Then he starts shaking. Fizzy thus acts as a friend and playmate for sick children, making the days they have to spend in hospital just a bit more fun.
Pipe gripping robot (PaCbot)
Client: Huisman Equipment B.V.
Huisman Equipment B.V., among other things, builds equipment to lay down pipes on the bottom of the ocean. To do so, the company developed a clamping mechanism consisting of several 'pads'. These pads slowly lower the pipes to the bottom. But because the thickness of the pipes to be deposited varies, the pads, which weigh 40 kg each, have to be changed regularly. This is now done manually at the port, which costs a lot of time and money. The Pad-Changing robot (PaCbot) is to do this work offshore and autonomously.
Host robot (IONA)
Client: Science Centre Delft
If you soon enter the Science Centre in Delft, you will be greeted in the hall by IONA. IONA is a host robot that informs visitors about the building, but also, for example, about the weather forecast and traffic jams visitors can expect on their way back. IONA also takes orders from guests, which can then be processed by bartender robot Barrie (see below). IONA will make a futuristic impression, on children and adults alike.
Bartender robot (Barrie)
Client: Science Centre Delft
The coffee corner of Science Centre Delft, which serves as a gateway to TU Delft's projects for the general public, is not exactly innovative. Barrie is to change that. This robotic bartender offers visitors a drink or snack, but more importantly, a fun, interactive experience when ordering these refreshments. Barrie works with sensors, a hologram, animations and a fully automated dispensing system. And he also communicates with IONA, the Science Centre's host robot.
Cheese-making robot (Moonlander)
Customer: Lely
The work of a small cheese farmer can be automated to a large extent. And that is exactly the purpose of Moonlander. This robot will make and transport cheeses completely autonomously.
Straw cleaning robot (Kroboot)
Customers: TOPDelft / Hoogheemraadschap Delfland
Duckweed is a big problem in Delfland. Because it prevents sunlight from entering the water, it disturbs flora and fauna, leading to odour nuisance. Removing duckweed is labour-intensive and therefore expensive, but the duckweed boat offers a solution. The autonomously sailing boat prevents duckweed from growing into a large green mass by sucking up and destroying the duckweed at an early stage.
Rose-picking robot (Roselia)
Customers: Berg Roses Nederland B.V. and Porta Nova Rozenkwekerijen B.V.
To pick roses, you need just short of an academic education. It takes as many as 250 days for a layman to be trained in the art of rose picking, and most pickers leave the greenhouse after three or four years. Why the training takes so long? Because it is difficult to tell when a rose is ripe for harvesting. The rose-picking robot has learned through a neural network to recognise which roses are ready to be picked, and shows this to the pickers.
A minor is a coherent package of subjects that allows students to deepen and broaden their knowledge in addition to their main field of study. The aim of the minor in Robotics is to teach students to work on a robot, on assignment from a client and in a complex, multidisciplinary environment. Students must apply for a place in this popular minor. Before the start of the minor, they can indicate which assignments they prefer. Based on this, they will be assigned to a team.
Interested parties are welcome to come and admire the robots.
Date and time: Thursday 18 January 2018, 15:00 - 17:00.
Location: Science Centre Delft, Mijnbouwstraat 120, 2628 RX Delft.
Source + photo: TU Delft
