Ask a pessimistic Israeli about the risk of revolution and he will nod gravely and mention the military, the Arabs or the extreme Right, depending on his views. Ask Prof. Tzvi Shiller, Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics (mechanical electronics) at the Ariel University Center, and his eyes will light up. Shiller foresees a revolution by an army of robots, and he thinks it's a good thing, too.
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Robotics has come a long way since the car assembly line robots of the 1980s. As a matter of fact, the chances are pretty good that a robot will eventually save your life, or that of someone dear to you. Very soon, according to Prof. Shiller, robots will be more prevalent in homes and also even carry out more advanced tasks than they do now in the areas of medicine, agriculture and Israeli defense. Israel is developing robots that will assist soldiers in patrolling borders, thus saving human lives.
Speaking on Israel National Radio in the above interview, Prof. Shiller stated that his department's classes are educating scientific leaders for a robotic revolution in Israel.
Prof. Shiller requires his students to come up with robot designs at the end of the term. They have developed robots to clean windows, toilets and tables. This, says Shiller, will ultimately lead to a more sanitary lifestyle.
The Israeli Conference on Robots (ICR), which was held recently, provided a forum for Israeli and foreign researchers and engineers from industry and academia to discuss and exchange ideas on contemporary topics in robotics and automation In addition, it was meant to encourage local and international collaborations, and foster a viable robotics industry in Israel.
The study and development of mechatronics is an ever expanding process and while robots come in all sizes, Prof. Shiller comments: "If you think small, nothing will happen".
The ICR website can be seen at http://www.icr2008.org.il.
