We are moving full steam ahead into the twenty-first century, yet many folks feel we are woefully lacking in all the promised future gadgetry. Take a gander at sci-fi stories from the 50s and you will see an imagined future full of flying cars, casinos on the moon and lots and lots of robots. Modern science has certainly provided us with plenty of advancements in the field of communication — look no further than the expansion of the Internet for proof of that. But we still need more robots!
Robotic science has been around as long as there has been science. There are plenty of children’s toys that could be considered as rudimentary forms of remote controlled robots but beyond moving forwards and backwards, you’re not getting a lot of artificial intelligence with them. Many manufacturing assembly lines have incorporated some form of robotic engineering. Yes, quite a few workers have been replaced by robotic arms, but we’re a long way from an all “Terminator” workforce.
One area where robotic engineering is making amazing advancements is in the prosthetic limb department. It’s a sad fact that increases in lost limbs due to the recent wars have also increased the need to develop better prosthetic arms and legs. But at least the new technology can be deemed a success. Beyond the bionic type of artificial limbs, engineers have also developed a pair of robotic legs that can actually help paraplegics get out of their wheelchair and walk around.
A New Zealand based company has designed the Rex. This is an exoskeleton that is fitted over the legs of a person who has lost the use of those limbs. Think Robocop. The Rex allows the person to get out of their wheelchair on their own, walk about, climb stairs and it even helps with blood circulation. Fans of the show ‘Glee’ got the first look at the Rex on the Christmas episode this past year.