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Thursday, November 24, 2022
Robots that Can Feel Cloth Layers May One Day Help with Laundry
www.cmu.edu/news: New research from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (RI) can help robots feel layers of cloth rather than relying on computer vision tools to only see it. The work could allow robots to assist people with household tasks like folding laundry.
Until reading this article, I had not considered how difficult it would be for a robot to fold clothing and I also hadn’t considered how reliant we are on our tactile senses. I imagine that this article was put up because maybe in the future, this robot would be able to fold a pile of clothes. I envision that this won’t drastically change the entertainment industry and it will still be much cheaper for a theater to simply pay someone to hang out for the two extra hours it takes to do laundry and then fold it and put it away. An automated laundry machine system that goes all the way from dumping a load into a cue of loads, washing, drying, folding, and spitting out a nice little bag with everything neatly inside of it may not be very far away. The age old question is when will the technology price point get low enough that it’s cheaper to buy it than to pay people to do those tasks hourly.
I had no idea that this much thought and process would go into such a simple task like folding laundry. Since it just comes naturally to humans and we don't really think about it, I never really realized how hard it would be for robots to do. I think it is very cool that we are getting to a point with technology where we can teach robots to do daily tasks in the same way that humans do and I think that it's even cooler that Carnegie Mellon is one of the leaders with this groundbreaking new research and technology. I always knew that Carnegie Mellon was a leader in almost all of its fields but I don't get to hear much about what specifically is going on outside of the school of drama. Hearing about this research and development makes me realize just how much really goes on at this school.
Very cool! It's interesting watching robots gain a higher and higher sense of object recognition as well as the dexterity to act on that recognition. The fine tasks that we are able to make robots do these days are incredible, and the implications what this tech could do as far as personal freedoms for people with physical disabilities.
I do think that it is very funny that I can tell from the picture in the article that this arm sees using the same model of webcamera that I own. It's crazy that such a little camera can direct and guide such a fine and powerful piece of machinery. If we are able to make this tech smaller I could see applications for this in space, you may need to undergo less EVA missions using humans and just send out little drones with thrusters on them. The rate at which robotics and AI are advancing is wild.
I think it is hilarious that the selling point of this new technology – the beginnings of robotic tactile sensors – is that robots may be able to fold out laundry in the future. I mean yeah, this will certainly grab people’s attention, but I feel like this is the simplest and dullest of potential things that can be made with this technology. Having a functioning prototype of an electronic tactile sensor that can detect more than just pressure is huge! To humans, the sense of touch is such a normal thing that we hardly even consider when we use it. However, translating this into a manufactured sensor that can similarly collect and then process data is a huge undertaking. This seems like a situation where true analog computing would be necessary. Digital computing is certainly what has got technology where it is today, and there are pseudo-analog functions within digital computing, but I think to get this tactile sensing to close-to-human level, we would need to bring back and truly update and upgrade analog computing.
This looks super impressive to me. I definitely would find this very useful as a college student with no time to fold my laundry. But in all seriousness, this does seem to be a pretty big breakthrough to me as someone with no science background. I could see this being a sort of accessibility tool for people that need more assistance and it actually could be able to give people a hand and step in to help. I could see this becoming way more advanced and have more functionality besides just cloth specifically. I was also excited to see that this is a CMU article. It always amazes me how we do such advanced things in other departments that we never interact with in drama. At first I didn’t even realize it was a CMU article to begin with but it makes me excited to see what other students have been working on.
I hate folding laundry. It's my least favorite chore. I will pay any amount of money to not have to do my own laundry (that's a huge over exaggeration, but you know what I mean). With the constant discussion of the many things robots are capable of, I feel like it's easy for the public eye to forget the things robots are unable to do. I never realized how difficult it would be for robots to feel cloth fabric even though it makes perfect sense in retrospect. It's almost comforting to know that there are still somethings robots don't have over humans. That being said, robots do a great deal of good. To piggyback off of James' point above, when it comes to assisting those with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, robots are incredibly helpful. I would argue they've become a basic necessity for several in order to live with a sort of "normalcy" in today's world. They're also just cool. Like I said, I hate folding laundry.
This technology is really cool! I wouldn’t know where to start with making a robot understand what kind of fabric it’s holding nevertheless what type of garment or towel or which part or how many layers. I mean I don’t know how it would assist people in “household” tasks because unless that person who can’t fold their own laundry has enough money to own a robot to do that, that sounds mildly ridiculous. HOWEVER I do see the massive potential of this technology in the larger scheme of things with a robot having sensors in its “hands” to detect what it’s holding. In the world of textiles I could see this being useful in fiber related production factories where robots do a large portion of the labor. In other cases the fact robots are learning how to mimic human ability to sense and identify things through touch I’m sure if it advances enough one day will be used in a vast number of fields such as the medical, food, and space fields.
It is always nice to read about what the university is doing outside of the School of Drama every once in a while, and this article is honestly something both interesting and informative about technologies being developed here that could be used within the Drama world as well. It is so interesting to read about the specific sciences behind robotics design, especially when it comes to how an AI could theoretically be able to develop human senses through coding patterns and material usage. I find that overall the idea of having robots fold fabric, and considerably clothing as well, is something that I am not opposed to, but I am also not the biggest fan of either. One specific point people bring up is the idea that robots would be replacing hundreds of thousands of jobs, which is not inherently wrong, but also, somewhat close-minded to the idea that it could be majorly beneficial to small businesses and costume shops that could use extra help with organization and preparation.
8 comments:
Until reading this article, I had not considered how difficult it would be for a robot to fold clothing and I also hadn’t considered how reliant we are on our tactile senses. I imagine that this article was put up because maybe in the future, this robot would be able to fold a pile of clothes. I envision that this won’t drastically change the entertainment industry and it will still be much cheaper for a theater to simply pay someone to hang out for the two extra hours it takes to do laundry and then fold it and put it away. An automated laundry machine system that goes all the way from dumping a load into a cue of loads, washing, drying, folding, and spitting out a nice little bag with everything neatly inside of it may not be very far away. The age old question is when will the technology price point get low enough that it’s cheaper to buy it than to pay people to do those tasks hourly.
I had no idea that this much thought and process would go into such a simple task like folding laundry. Since it just comes naturally to humans and we don't really think about it, I never really realized how hard it would be for robots to do. I think it is very cool that we are getting to a point with technology where we can teach robots to do daily tasks in the same way that humans do and I think that it's even cooler that Carnegie Mellon is one of the leaders with this groundbreaking new research and technology. I always knew that Carnegie Mellon was a leader in almost all of its fields but I don't get to hear much about what specifically is going on outside of the school of drama. Hearing about this research and development makes me realize just how much really goes on at this school.
Very cool! It's interesting watching robots gain a higher and higher sense of object recognition as well as the dexterity to act on that recognition. The fine tasks that we are able to make robots do these days are incredible, and the implications what this tech could do as far as personal freedoms for people with physical disabilities.
I do think that it is very funny that I can tell from the picture in the article that this arm sees using the same model of webcamera that I own. It's crazy that such a little camera can direct and guide such a fine and powerful piece of machinery. If we are able to make this tech smaller I could see applications for this in space, you may need to undergo less EVA missions using humans and just send out little drones with thrusters on them. The rate at which robotics and AI are advancing is wild.
I think it is hilarious that the selling point of this new technology – the beginnings of robotic tactile sensors – is that robots may be able to fold out laundry in the future. I mean yeah, this will certainly grab people’s attention, but I feel like this is the simplest and dullest of potential things that can be made with this technology. Having a functioning prototype of an electronic tactile sensor that can detect more than just pressure is huge! To humans, the sense of touch is such a normal thing that we hardly even consider when we use it. However, translating this into a manufactured sensor that can similarly collect and then process data is a huge undertaking. This seems like a situation where true analog computing would be necessary. Digital computing is certainly what has got technology where it is today, and there are pseudo-analog functions within digital computing, but I think to get this tactile sensing to close-to-human level, we would need to bring back and truly update and upgrade analog computing.
This looks super impressive to me. I definitely would find this very useful as a college student with no time to fold my laundry. But in all seriousness, this does seem to be a pretty big breakthrough to me as someone with no science background. I could see this being a sort of accessibility tool for people that need more assistance and it actually could be able to give people a hand and step in to help. I could see this becoming way more advanced and have more functionality besides just cloth specifically. I was also excited to see that this is a CMU article. It always amazes me how we do such advanced things in other departments that we never interact with in drama. At first I didn’t even realize it was a CMU article to begin with but it makes me excited to see what other students have been working on.
I hate folding laundry. It's my least favorite chore. I will pay any amount of money to not have to do my own laundry (that's a huge over exaggeration, but you know what I mean). With the constant discussion of the many things robots are capable of, I feel like it's easy for the public eye to forget the things robots are unable to do. I never realized how difficult it would be for robots to feel cloth fabric even though it makes perfect sense in retrospect. It's almost comforting to know that there are still somethings robots don't have over humans. That being said, robots do a great deal of good. To piggyback off of James' point above, when it comes to assisting those with physical, mental, or learning disabilities, robots are incredibly helpful. I would argue they've become a basic necessity for several in order to live with a sort of "normalcy" in today's world. They're also just cool. Like I said, I hate folding laundry.
This technology is really cool! I wouldn’t know where to start with making a robot understand what kind of fabric it’s holding nevertheless what type of garment or towel or which part or how many layers. I mean I don’t know how it would assist people in “household” tasks because unless that person who can’t fold their own laundry has enough money to own a robot to do that, that sounds mildly ridiculous. HOWEVER I do see the massive potential of this technology in the larger scheme of things with a robot having sensors in its “hands” to detect what it’s holding. In the world of textiles I could see this being useful in fiber related production factories where robots do a large portion of the labor. In other cases the fact robots are learning how to mimic human ability to sense and identify things through touch I’m sure if it advances enough one day will be used in a vast number of fields such as the medical, food, and space fields.
It is always nice to read about what the university is doing outside of the School of Drama every once in a while, and this article is honestly something both interesting and informative about technologies being developed here that could be used within the Drama world as well. It is so interesting to read about the specific sciences behind robotics design, especially when it comes to how an AI could theoretically be able to develop human senses through coding patterns and material usage. I find that overall the idea of having robots fold fabric, and considerably clothing as well, is something that I am not opposed to, but I am also not the biggest fan of either. One specific point people bring up is the idea that robots would be replacing hundreds of thousands of jobs, which is not inherently wrong, but also, somewhat close-minded to the idea that it could be majorly beneficial to small businesses and costume shops that could use extra help with organization and preparation.
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