US Navy Funded Project MacGyver Bot

Have you ever dream to be intelligence? Like escaping in a life threatening conditions? Use any materials, devices found in a nearby area and produce this as tools to defend your self in an instance? Maybe yes, but not that really capable of doing such thing. Well, it’s time to be amaze since US Navy is aiming to develop a robot that can solve problems, escape threats, by using any materials, devices that can be found in its nearby location.

The Robot has been named after the TV character MacGyver. This TV series MacGyver has been known since early 80’s the character portrays an intelligent person that can use anything he found in an area and use this as tools or defense against life threatening conditions. The US Navy funded this MacGyver Bot project, the only challenge that they have right now is to produce software that understands what objects are in order to figure out and how they can be utilized.

The MacGyver Bot project may cost at around $900,000 and this fund will be handed to robotics researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology to carry out the work. There goal is to develop a robot that behaves similarly as MacGyver, the well known television character way back 1980s who solved compound problems and escaped precarious circumstances by using objects and materials found at hand. This is stated by the project leader Prof. Mike Stillman.

Project MacGyver Bot Planned

Prof. Mike Stillman stated that before creating this ambitious machine they would first planned on how to create software that could potentially determined things on how could be done with it. And put this into complete robot actions. Examples mentioned were stacking boxes, climb over, building a bridge out of debris or climbing on a chair to grab objects out of reach. Software should be able to perform and combined such tasks if needed.

Once the software developed, the researchers are planning to test the code first onto Golem Krang a robot already produced by Prof. Stillman and will be conducted in his laboratory; this is to ensure that the software will be converted into actions. The researchers eventually visualize a situation where-in MacGyver Bot might be deployed to rescue trapped officers without needing to risk anyone else’s life.

The MacGyver Bot Criticism

Prof.Barbara Webb of University of Ediburgh’s School of Informatics - "said that for example vision alone is not enough to tell you if an object can support your weight or be used as a lever. You need to interact with it physically to understand its Physical possibilities".

Prof.Noel Sharkey of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at University of Sheffield – "commented also that this project MacGyver Bot is somehow is to draw on existing research into how animals use tools. Such as monkey will use a longer stick to reach an out of reach banana. A crow will bend a piece of wire to get a trapped food. I have seen this kind of work with robots, but it is very difficult project and like all research may not work as planned, but it is well worth the effort and will advance the field".