Australian Centre for Robotic Vision. Robots are coming, whether people are ready or not. Robotics and computer vision h
Australian Centre for Robotic Vision Robots are coming, whether people are ready or not. Robotics and computer vision have teetered on the cusp of achieving their potential for more than 50 years but to date, technologies have fallen short of our imagination — advanced machines in movies far surpass the abilities of modern robots. We believe this is because robots do not perceive or adapt to their environment as they are without the capability of sight. Thanks to accelerating advances in sensors and actuators, computation and machine-to-machine communication robots are gaining the ability to adapt to their surroundings, making it possible to deploy them safely alongside workers. Advanced robotics is predicted to be one of the top 10 disruptive technologies over the next ten years (Disruptive Technologies, McKinsey Global Institute, 2013). Robotic vision is the key enabling technology that will allow robotics to transform labour-intensive industries, disrupt stagnant markets, and ensure robots become a ubiquitous feature of the modern world. The Robotic Vision Centre is an unincorporated collaborative venture with funding of $25.6m over seven years to pursue an ambitious research agenda tackling the critical and complex challenge of applying robotics in the real world. $19m in public funding has been contributed from the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence program. We are using cameras and advanced computer vision techniques to create robots that see and understand their environment, which can work safely with people, and meet the challenges of the future. The goal of our Centre is to undertake the science, and create the technologies, that will allow this next generation of robots to see: using cameras and advanced computer vision techniques to understand their environment, adapt to change and be able to cooperate effortlessly with human co-workers. The Centre has been operating for almost 18 months and is the largest of its kind in the world. The tour will showcase a variety of robots that showcase the application of vision to robotics. Starting at The Cube the tour will be lead by the Centre’s Chief Operating Officer Dr Sue Keay. It will include a peek at several robots built at QUT including the COTSbot (a crown of thorns starfish killing robot), the Agbot (a robot for broad acre agriculture) and will finish with a tour of the Centres new home at QUT where a number of robotic technologies will be on display.
