Armwrestling Match of EAP Robotic Arm Against Human
Encyclopedia
The Armwrestling Match of EAP Robotic Arm Against Human (AMERAH) is a challenge posed by Yoseph Bar-Cohen
of the JPL in 1999. The initial challenge is to create a simple human-like robotic arm which, using electroactive polymers
(EAP) as artificial muscles, can beat a human
opponent (e.g., a high school
student) in an arm wrestling
match. The ultimate goal, however, is to create an arm using EAP as similar as possible to a human arm, which can beat any human in an arm wrestling competition. The competition aims to stimulate research in the field of electroactive polymers, as well as arouse interest both in the general public and among potential investors.
The first trial was held on March 7, 2005 at the International Society for Optical Engineering
's (SPIE) 2005 Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) conference in San Diego, California
. Three teams entered robotic contestants:
The human opponent was Panna Felsen, a straight-A high school student from the San Diego school district with an interest in robotics. She beat all three robotic contenders easily, one in just three seconds.
Yoseph Bar-Cohen
Yoseph Bar-Cohen is a physicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory who specializes in electroactive materials and ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation , and is responsible for the Nondestructive Evaluation and Advance Actuators lab at JPL. Dr...
of the JPL in 1999. The initial challenge is to create a simple human-like robotic arm which, using electroactive polymers
Electroactive polymers
Electroactive Polymers, or EAPs, are polymers that exhibit a change in size or shape when stimulated by an electric field. The most common applications of this type of material are in actuators and sensors. A typical characteristic property of an EAP is that they will undergo a large amount of...
(EAP) as artificial muscles, can beat a human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
opponent (e.g., a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
student) in an arm wrestling
Arm wrestling
Arm wrestling is a sport with two participants. Each participant places one arm on a surface with their elbows bent and touching the surface, and they grip each other's hand...
match. The ultimate goal, however, is to create an arm using EAP as similar as possible to a human arm, which can beat any human in an arm wrestling competition. The competition aims to stimulate research in the field of electroactive polymers, as well as arouse interest both in the general public and among potential investors.
The first trial was held on March 7, 2005 at the International Society for Optical Engineering
The International Society for Optical Engineering
SPIE, an international society for optics, photonics, and imaging engineering, advances an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light....
's (SPIE) 2005 Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) conference in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Three teams entered robotic contestants:
- Environmental Robots Incorporated, of Albuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
; - The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA), of DübendorfDübendorfDübendorf is a municipality in the district of Uster in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is a suburb of Zürich in Switzerland with a population of about 23,000 . It is the fourth largest city in the canton, after Zürich, Winterthur, and Uster.-History:Dübendorf is first mentioned in 946 as...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
; - A team of three undergraduate students from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
: Steven Deso, Stephen Ros, and Noah Papas, advised by John Cotton, an associate professor.
The human opponent was Panna Felsen, a straight-A high school student from the San Diego school district with an interest in robotics. She beat all three robotic contenders easily, one in just three seconds.
External links
- Conference
- The AMERAH page at JPL
- The SPIE Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices conference page
See also
- Electroactive polymersElectroactive polymersElectroactive Polymers, or EAPs, are polymers that exhibit a change in size or shape when stimulated by an electric field. The most common applications of this type of material are in actuators and sensors. A typical characteristic property of an EAP is that they will undergo a large amount of...