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| From an interview completed in March 2007 |
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  Students and staff members of the Adaptive Robotics Laboratory have been using the MODELA PRO MDX-500 since March of 2002. The Lab manufactures parts for robots that function independently, and the MDX-500 is used to both cut aluminum sheets into the correct shape and to process chemical wood into silicon part molds.
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The Adaptive Robotics Laboratory of Osaka University Graduate School of Engineering conducts research to create intelligent robots. The Lab studies the three elements of body, brain and environment as an interactive system. Based on this research, the Lab designs, manufactures, and experiments with a variety of robots that help us understand what really constitutes human intelligence. These include biped walking robots driven by pneumatic actuators; flexible robotic fingers structured like human fingers and complete with powerful sensing capabilities; and shared-attention robots that can learn to communicate with humans.
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(Associate Professor Koh Hosoda, interviewed in March 2007)
For robots that interact with the environment, it is difficult to accurately model the environment and establish the correct settings and conditions – unless you actually build the robot and verify this data first. In the past, we would prepare drawings of experimental parts and then process the materials at a factory on campus or through an outside supplier. However, this was a very time consuming process. Eventually, when our research budget permitted it, we installed a processing machine to be used right in our Lab.
The most important feature of the machine is its ability to cut aluminum and plastic materials, with an emphasis on aluminum. We found an MDX-15/20 on the Internet and went to the sales office for a processing demonstration. After the process was explained to us, we reviewed the materials supported and looked at the machine stability and power. We decided to introduce the MDX-500 into our environment.
Currently, aluminum sheets and chemical wood are the materials we process most often. We use chemical wood to create molds for silicon parts. Around the time the MDX-500 was installed, we started researching robotic fingers. When we cut out chemical wood to make molds, we found that the silicon came off very easily. The MDX-500 is very easy to operate and critical to our application. If we want to change the size or form, we can immediately make the parts we need and test them. We plan to try ABS and other types of plastics as well.
As we expected, the machine has simplified and shortened the research process. While we still work with an outside supplier to produce larger parts and large quantities of parts, the MDX has allowed us to create small parts in small quantities in house for immediate testing. We also enjoy more creative freedom and flexibility.
We introduced Craft Mill CAM software to support the MDX. This software works well with the MDX and is used in addition to MODELA Player which comes bundled with the MDX.
It is important for a lab like ours to have a tool like the MDX for 3D CAD. Our students are in their last (fourth) year of undergraduate studies. Those who advance to the master’s degree course will spend a total of only three years in our lab. During this short time, it is essential that we provide students with the tools they need to learn to design and manufacture the parts. Using the MDX system and a CAD program, inexperienced students can learn to manufacture a simple part in about one month.
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1. Manufacturing of silicon robotic fingers. |
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2. Examples of aluminum sheet processing. |
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