Robots Rule!

Take a sneak peek of a new robot exhibit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

DARRYL PEVETO

The tic-tac-toe-playing robot Baxter is one of the amazing machines you’ll meet at the Franklin Institute’s new Robot Revolution exhibition.

Bionic robots! Furry robots! Robots that can play soccer, ride a bike, and climb walls! You can see them all at a new exhibit called Robot Revolution, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The exhibit, which opened October 8, explores the capabilities of 40 amazing robots. Upon entering the exhibit, robots and humans alike were there to greet me. I even got to meet a robot named EMYS, who accurately mimicked my facial expressions as I saw the exhibit for the first time.

Larry Dubinski, CEO of the Franklin Institute, welcomed the visitors. “I promise you, you’ll have fun here!” he said. But he also stressed that the role of robots in our world goes beyond mere amusement.

“Robots are going to be a big part of kids’ lives,” Dubinski told TFK. “You see how they’re helping people already.”

John Beckham, a.k.a. the Robot Hunter, traveled the world hand-picking robots to display at the exhibit. “We want to inspire young, budding scientists,” he said to the visitors.

Beckham welcomed museumgoers with the help of Darwin, a small humanoid robot. “Hello, everyone. My name is Darwin. Clap please.” The visitors laughed and marveled at this amazing and funny robot. I was so excited to meet the rest of the technological wonders inside the exhibit.

Meet the ‘Bots

It wouldn’t be the Franklin Institute without hands-on activities galore. I got to challenge a robot named Baxter to a game of tick-tack-toe. Baxter used suction cups to grab slides with X’s on them, while I played the tiles with O’s. In the end, Baxter was victorious.

I also played the card game “21” with a robot named Yaskawa. Yaskawa used suction cups to handle the cards. He quickly dealt me into the game.

There was something new at every corner, including an impressive robot named “Cube Solver.” It solved a Rubik’s cube right before my eyes in a matter of seconds!

Visitors could pet Paro the Robot, a therapy ‘bot used in hospitals to help people with different types of disabilities. This furry robot, which resembles a baby seal, feels warm and reacts to human touch. It is supposed to have a relaxing effect on humans.

CHARLI, a complex humanoid robot that can run, kick and pass, was the size of an adult. Scientists expect these robots to be able to play, and win, a legitimate soccer game against humans by 2050!In another area of the exhibit, I saw robots playing soccer. Using a golf ball, these small robots could pass, steal and dribble the ball across the small playing field. It was an amazing sight to see.

During the day, busy technicians, or roboticists, worked around visitors, adjusting the robots and making repairs on the spot. Aspiring roboticists could give programming a try, just like the technicians, by controlling a small robot named Robotis Mini. This little automaton could do push ups, greet eager watchers, and even do a karate kick.

A Chat with a Robot Hunter

After seeing these unique robots, John Beckham, a.k.a. the Robot Hunter, welcomed me into the RoboGarage, a tech space within the exhibit, for a chat. He told me about the connection he has to these fascinating robots.

COURTESY THE GARDNER FAMILY

Kid Reporter Robert Gardner poses with the human-like robot CHARLI, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He said, “You may ask yourself, ‘Can humans and robots be friends?’ The answer is yes, we can.” In fact, some of the exhibit’s robots were made to simply act as companions, and some had even been programmed to show emotion.

While traveling the world looking for these robots, Beckham had a lot to keep in mind. “We were looking for all the basic aspects of robotics,” he said. “Vision, gripping, locomotion, robots that were smart.” He explained that these robots are some of the most complex robots in the world.

The robots aren’t just for show. Whether it’s in medicine, scientific research, or therapy, robots are changing the world for the better.

Thanks to Beckham’s work, visitors to the Franklin Institute can interact with all kinds of cool robots. They can challenge robots to games, marvel at amazing humanoids, cheer on robots as they play a soccer match, and much more.

“I think it’s great to expose people to what the reality of robotics is,” Beckham told TFK.

Do you feel we should be learning about robot in school? If so, what grade should kids start learning about robots?