the Program Booklet - IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology ...

��AFRON "10 Dollar Robot" Robot Design Challenge
Dr. Ken Goldberg, UC Berkeley
The goal of the AFrican RObotics Network (AFRON)
"10 Dollar Robot" Design Challenge, which ran from
15 June to 15 September 2012, was to design a new
class of affordable robots for learning (especially in
primary and secondary schools). The winners were
recently announced in three categories: tethered,
traditional (roaming), and all-in-one (self-contained). This talk will review
AFRON and provide more details on the design challenge and winning
entries.
��Robotics and Automation Applications in Developing Countries
Mr. Satish Babu, Director, International Centre for Free
and Open Source Software (ICFOSS)
Robotics and Automation are generally considered as
more useful in the context of Developed Countries
compared to Developing Countries, largely on account
of parameters such as complexity, cost and existence of
alternatives. However, there are emerging areas of
civilian uses where R & A could add value, even in
Developing Countries. Considering the need to conserve energy, water,
nutrients and labor, automated farming practices such as "hi-tech farming"
and precision agriculture, both greenhouse-based as well as farm-based, are
gaining currency, even in Developing Countries such as India. There is a
requirement for automated harvesting and processing systems for a variety of
crops ranging from grain to apples to coconuts. Automated systems for
municipal solid waste management and hospital waste management
including drain-clearing robots have become important from the safety
perspective. Home automation from several perspectives-energy reductions,
labor saving, surveillance, and monitoring (of children, elderly) is also
increasingly gaining attention. The next few years are expected to witness a
significant expansion in R & A applications in Developing Countries as well.
��Autonomous Delivery: Segways, Google car, fixed wing and multi-copters,
Dr. Mike North, Founder/Chair, Reallocate
In this talk Dr. North discusses some of the challenges
in autonomous delivery ranging from delivering pizzas
using an autonomous Segway and Prius. He'll also look
at a couple different flying drones, including a fixed
wing electric plane and quad-copters and octa-copter at
this year’s burning man event.
2012 GHTC Page 75