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“A new interactive design tool developed by Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute enables both novices and experts to build customized legged or wheeled robots using 3-D-printed components and off-the-shelf actuators. Using a familiar drag-and-drop interface, individuals can choose from a library of components and place them into the design. The tool suggests components that are compatible with each other, offers potential placements of actuators and can automatically generate structural components to connect those actuators. Once the design is complete, the tool provides a physical simulation environment to test the robot before fabricating it, enabling users to iteratively adjust the design to achieve a desired look or motion. “The process of creating new robotic systems today is notoriously challenging, time-consuming and resource-intensive,” said Stelian Coros, assistant professor of robotics. “In the not-so-distant future, however, robots will be part of the fabric of daily life and more people - not just roboticists — will want to customize robots. This type of interactive design tool would make this possible for just about anybody.” Robotics Ph.D. student Ruta Desai presented a report on the design tool she developed with Coros and master’s degree student Ye Yuan on May 30 at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Singapore. Coros’ team designed a number of robots with the tool and verified its feasibility by fabricating two - a wheeled robot with a manipulator arm that can hold a pen for drawing, and a four-legged “puppy” robot that can walk forward or sideways.”

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