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Robot breakthrough brings fingertip feeling
The Australian ^ | 9/8/2006 | Lewis Smith

Posted on 09/08/2006 8:45:09 AM PDT by Dark Skies

The touch device has been created by researchers in America who used nanoparticles to sense the contours of a coin. It is accurate enough to detect the outline of Abraham Lincoln's face on a 1c coin and the letters TY in the word Liberty.

To make the sensor, the researchers built up a film consisting of alternate layers of gold and cadmium sulfide nanoparticles with a thin plastic sheet on top and glass below.

An object is placed on the plastic and an image sensor beneath the glass reads the changes in electrical current and electroluminescence caused within the nanoparticle layers. The strength of the changes in electric charge and electroluminescence depends on how much pressure is being used.

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Technical; US: Nebraska
KEYWORDS: electroluminescence; nanotech; nebraska; robot; roboticmedicine; robotics; roboticsurgury; science

1 posted on 09/08/2006 8:45:10 AM PDT by Dark Skies
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To: Dark Skies
If this turns out as reported, it is a MAJOR breakthrough for robotics and touch sensors in manufacturing.

Here's a link that gets into more detail regarding this work...

http://www.physorg.com/news69155876.html
2 posted on 09/08/2006 12:27:52 PM PDT by Dark Skies
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To: Dark Skies

At the movie theater: "Sorry, babe, that was my robotic arm. It's got a mind of its own."


3 posted on 09/08/2006 12:30:06 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Larry Lucido

And if you had the new stealth "cop a feel" sensor on your robotic arm...she would say, "what are you talking about, I didn't feel anything?"


4 posted on 09/08/2006 12:34:18 PM PDT by Dark Skies
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To: Dark Skies

LOL! I'm still waiting for "x-ray contact lenses."

This technology does look pretty cool, though.


5 posted on 09/08/2006 12:36:31 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Dark Skies

Just in time for my annual prostate exam.


6 posted on 09/08/2006 12:41:30 PM PDT by Old Professer (The critic writes with rapier pen, dips it twice, and writes again.)
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To: All

7 posted on 09/08/2006 12:47:04 PM PDT by Dark Skies
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To: AntiGuv

I thought this might be appropriate for your FutureTech ping list.


8 posted on 09/08/2006 12:53:23 PM PDT by Dark Skies
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