pic: TechTigers experience surgical robot

[AustinSchuh]

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

Intuitive Surgical (the guys that make that bot) sponsor the team I used to work with, 114. It was cool to go to their labs and play with the system every now and then.

They sponsor us too. Intuitive Surgical rocks! If you have a chance to get close to one of these bots, look at the geometry of it and how they deal with their cables. It is quite impressive. And look at how they actuate the grippers.

This year and last year when we were at their annual open house, my brother had fun with the machine. Last year, he shot the rubber bands in the little demo device and a piece of paper with the robot. This year, he convinced the engineers to lend him a pencil, and wrote with it using the bot. Writing is quite hard because there is no force feedback to let you know when you are pushing down on the paper too hard and about to break the graphite, or not touching it at all.

http://picasaweb.google.com/971.FIRS...30622517716050
http://picasaweb.google.com/971.FIRS...26892226971970