Monday, April 6, 2015

ArtistOrganization Profile-Hongchen Zhang

Course: CTCH 110
Assignment: Organization Profile
Topic: Japanese Robot Can Perfectly Mimic A Human Handshake
Organization: Engineers at Osaka University
Student Name: Hongchen Zhang
Student ID: 200316701
Date: 2015/2/1

      A group of engineers at Osaka University have developed a robotic hand that can replicate the grip, texture and temperature of a human hand. According to the reports, we can be noticed that the device is actually made of silicone rubber and sponge to simulate human skin and muscle, so that it touched more like a human hand.  And a film heater is used to warm it up to body temperature so that when this hand contacts a human’s hand, you will not regard it a cold robot. This robot could be used to mimic a human handshake from a distance, it was amazing invention.
      Speaking of how supposed a bunch of college folks could invent such a creative technologic object, we have to introduce a little bit about the Osaka University.  This is the one of them most famous research-synthesized national university in Japan.  It was built in 1931, and was transformed originally from the former Osaka Empire University.  As an experienced old school that contained a profound history, as well as it located at the Japanese economic center and the Osaka of international openness, therefore makes it an extraordinary condition for developing towards the world.  This school’s reputation is second only to Kyoto University, which contains 10 faculties, 11 research sections, and 5 research institutes.  One of the most promising and influential faculties is the engineering department, many prize owners like The Nobel, Wolf and so on were from there. 
      Osaka University engineering department has the most powerful groups and instructors in the world.  They always offer students the best and most updated knowledge related to the contemporary technology.  Innovation and creativity are constantly the most important purpose they pursued.  Just like this robotic handshake show, no doubts it was a successful brand new attempt applying to the field of the creative technology. 
      This performance was taken place in March 2012, and the location was in Osaka National Exhibition Center.  The makers of this project are the engineer students and instructors at Osaka University.  The basic description of this performance was depicted as following.  A standing machine with a screen at the top toward audiences like an ATM and a robotic hand under the screen held out.  A male student image showed up on the screen, whose position just fit that hand so that it looked like his hand extended from the machine.  So the viewers who passed by could tried to hold that extended hand to do the hand shake.  There was an electronic sensor attached to the robotic hand, whenever a human hand gets close to it will make it rapidly calculate the dates to imitate the movements from the real handshake.  So in other words, how you shake this robotic hand and it will copy you and shake your hand in the same way.  For the robotic hand was made by silicone rubber, it felt more like a human skin; and inside was filled by sponge to create the sense of muscular elasticity.  Also the film heater were warming the hand up all the time to human body’s temperature, and all those elements combined together made nothing but a super real human hand.  That was why so many people could not help themselves to try to do handshakes with this robotic hand.  One of the audiences who said in the interview, it feels very gentle to you when you genteelly shake it, and it turned to be a little bit rude if you tried hold it tightly or roughly shake it, which was so interesting because it seemed like this robotic hand could feel you and copy you in some ways.  One of the performance introducer said, the main purpose for making up this object is to zoom in the distance between technology and mankind, as well as the sense of friendship between nature and machines.  He mentioned also that in order to make the hand more manlike for people to engage with, they adjusted its temperature to 37 degree, which was much higher than a normal guy’s hand’s temperature.  He said to do so was making the people who handshake with it feel more comfortable and trustful. 
      One of the creators who accepted the interview indicated that the inspiration for this object was from the movie Terminator 2.  There was a single arm in the movie that caused the human distinction.  However, what want to do is using the same idea, but the opposite meaning to present it.  Instead of destroying the world, why not using it to do something good to the world.  Handshake has been a typical sign of human civilization for centuries, if a robot knows how to do so, it probably would be a great beginning for introducing it to our world, the creator said.
      As we saw in the link, a robotic hand perhaps is not a big deal in today’s world, but the meaning behind it is huge and always good for us to think about.  If the creative technology is made to be better than the technology, then we need to make sure does it also benefit the advantage of not only convenient but also doing thing in the right way.     


Sources
Guru, DoctorWho.  “Japanese Robot Can Perfectly Mimic A Human Handshake”.  Sodahead website page. 2012

Unknown.    “Robot Designed To Give Human-Like Handshakes”.  Website page.  Geekologie.  2012

Jiansheng, Hu.  “Replace your right hand”.  Website page.  Chinese Research Stop. 2012

Webster, Andrew.  “Robonaut performs first human-robot handshake in spac”.  The Verge.  Website page.  2012

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