Pioneering Robotics at RIT

Photo credit: Chris Langer

We live in a world where technology is constantly changing. At the forefront of this industrial metamorphosis is the field of robotics. RIT, in association with Mechanical Engineering clubs, gives students the opportunity to work hands-on in this field to progress the development of machines.

A student named Sylvan Hemingway took advantage of the opportunity to work in Mobile Robotics. In a course related project, Hemingway, along with fellow students, integrated various elements of motion detection to develop a mobile robot able to detect fire and extinguish the flames. Hemingway said that the project was a long ten weeks, filled with snags. Among the problems addressed by the young engineer was the availability of resources. Hemingway mentioned that pieces needed in the creation of his robot had to be ordered weeks in advance to complete his project in a timely fashion. He also had to test and retest the detector that identifies flame. This detector is a unique addition to the robot because it is able to distinguish flames from regular light. The ultimate goal of the project is to replace humans in a high risk situation such as fire fighting. Hemingway praises the Mechanical Engineering program because it promotes learning by experience and builds a cohesive team dynamic. When asked about the future of robotics, Hemingway asserted that the field is always progressing and although it may plateau, robotics is being integrated more and more into our daily lives.

Robotics also explores the prediction of threat and interpretation of data for analysts. A group of young engineers who gathered around their work like Greek philosophers pondering complex philosophy, worked tirelessly to explore these new fields. Mike Nusinov, Daniel Liu, Venkata Mudireddy, and Haitao Du all participate equally in their out-of-class project. Their research is focused on gathering information that comes out of nontraditional warfare and providing new and interpretive perspectives for analysts of the data. Their research can be used to predict future threats and can calculate environmental damages sustained from cyber alerts. One of their main concerns about the project is the unpredictability of threats and the lack of information on many of the newer problems facing the cyber world.

Project supervisor, Shanchieh Jay Yang, is enthusiastic about the project, "It is the ability to learn outside of the classroom that is the main point of this project.” Yang hopes to ultimately be able to transform experiences of threats into a machine process to predict future pressure and provide analysts with available solutions to new problems.