The robotics market is only 1/3rd the size of the scented-candle market! Shocking - but true. Nothing against scented candles, but aren't robots supposed to be the quintessential icon of productivity? Fortunately for engineers, what is holding back the robot-arm market is insufficient technology, not insufficient market demand. Robot arms today, for example, are not portable. Instead, real commercial robot arms are tethered to a huge power-supply box and significant (often 3-phase) power demands. Also, real commercial robot arms can crush you (for a reason that may surprise you), which is why the RIA (Robot Industries Association) requires barriers between people and robots. Please come help us break some RIA rules and take the risk of touching, feeling, and interacting with a real commercial robot arm that is the first ever approved by the US FDA for active, physical, haptic human contact.

In August 2007, Worcester Polytechnic Institute inaugurated the first undergraduate program in Robotics Engineering in the United States. WPI has been involved in robotics projects for many years, including all 17 years of the FIRST competition. What did it take to create this first-of-its-kind Robotics program? How does one get different academic departments to cooperate on such an enterprise? Prof. Michael Ciaraldi will discuss the details of the RBE program and how it was developed. Accompanying the talk will be live demonstrations of WPI robots and videos of them in action.

Schools throughout the industrialized world are building new gymnasiums populated with materials, equipment and pedagogical strategies that enhance excitement and passion through participation in engineering and robot design competitions. To best prepare students and teachers for these emerging technical sports, it is necessary to provide them with access to robust training equipment and effective engineering exercises.

There has been, of late, an educational convergence leading to the development of primary, secondary and post secondary academic activities in which success is predicated on technological acumen. Design expertise, the use of scientific inquiry, communications skills and a practical understanding of electronic and mechanical systems coupled with basic physical science and mathematics knowledge, are popularly recognized skill sets equivalent to running, jumping catching and throwing.

Designing and building robots is a particularly efficient method of developing creative technical skill sets. Robot workouts are a great way to focus passion, purpose and the pursuit of deeper technical understanding necessary to create innovative solutions to authentic problems.

Michael's company, GEARS Educational Systems designs and builds technological strength training equipment, textural resources and strategic partnerships designed to support the engineering gymnasiums that populate the jr high schools, high schools, colleges and universities throughout the industrialized world.

The focus for the discussion will be: Robotic and technical sports can drive commercial markets, The essential qualities of technical and engineering strength training equipment and, How might the equipment, competitions and educational strategies be optimized?

Many engineers quickly become frustrated with new environmental guidelines such as RoHS and the tradeoff between quality and sustainability that they cause. Come learn the advantages and disadvantages of electronics environmental policies from an industry perspective as Todd MacFadden presents his experiences with the Bose Corp.

Almost all robots have been designed to have the highest possible mechanical impedance, i.e. to be as stiff as possible, and thus reject position or velocity disturbances to the maximum extent possible. In EE terms, this stiffness is equivalent to driving loads with pure voltage sources. But just as there has been increased interest in EE circuits that control current, there is a growing movement in the robotics field in systems that have lower mechanical impedance, i.e. that are softer. This is important, because animals (including humans) generally have low mechanical impedance as they interact with a high mechanical impedance world.

This talk will review the history of high and low mechanical impedance robots, introduce actuators that make lower impedance robots possible, and discuss the capability and advantages for future robots that actively modulate their mechanical impedance. Along the way, we will look at electric motors as bidirectional transducers, and show how this view is used at Olin in our early engineering education program.

The Olin Library has arranged for a unique event on Olin's campus. A representative from IEEE will be visiting Olin to talk about the research tools available to the student body offered by IEEE. These tools can be used for more than just research... Come and discover the variety of ways you can leverage these tools to their fullest.

Since the early 1990's MEMS devices have targeted the safety restraint/air bag systems for automotive based applications. The Micromachined Products Division at Analog Devices is a market leader in applications that demand extreme quality and reliability. Over the past several years MEMS technology has begun the migration into mainstream consumer/commercial applications. This presentation will give an overview of the variety of applications utilizing MEMS inertial sensors throughout industry in 2006.

Everyone is invited, regardless of major or membership status. We will be talking about an upcoming presentation by Analog Devices, what we want to do for this year, and electing new leadership. If you aren't a member, we'll talk about benefits, and you can decide if you want to join. You can join during the meeting, if you wish.