62684 news 1289472786 1475896066 Cody, a robot with compliant arms and a specialized "bath mitt" end effector developed by the Healthcare Robotics Laboratory (PI: Charlie Kemp) has demonstrated capabilities that could be used for automated bed baths. This could potentially be useful for individuals unable to perform functions of personal hygiene for themselves.  A human operator can direct Cody to areas of skin that need to be cleaner. Cody uses a camera and a laser range finder to gather data, and then autonomously performs the cleaning function. The Robot has also been programmed for safety precautions, such as joints that are made with low stiffness to soften potential accidental impact, control methods that exert adequate pressure (well below the threshold to cause damage), and finally a "stop" button to shut off movement.  This work was reported at the 2010 IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots (IROS) held in Taipei, Taiwan last month, and is a step forward in the use of robots in the healthcare arena.

Links to Media Coverage: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/25998/?ref=rss http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-11/robot-bathes-human-just... http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2010/11/a_robotic_car_wash_for_bedridd... http://www.gizmag.com/spong-bath-assistant-robot/16894/ http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20022305-1.html http://www.hizook.com/blog/2010/11/04/georgia-techs-cody-robot-performs-...]]> 2010-11-04T00:00:00-04:00 Lalita Kaligotla

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