Opening the door to intelligent laboratory products

A generation of self-mobile laboratory products with the ability to see doors, knock and request entry could soon be upon us with the news that a robot has been developed at the University of the Basque Country to fulfil that task.

Basilio Sierra, leading the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group at the Computer Sciences Faculty of the university, explains that robots face numerous demands on their processing power.

These range from controlling their own motor and the movement that it produces to interpreting the information generated by their sensors - be it light, ultrasound or infra-red.

With the faculty recently undergoing a refurbishment that saw new door handles fitted, the team took the opportunity to teach their robot to recognise handles of different styles and types.

Their development could lead to laboratory products able to move around and request entry into different rooms as, while the robot cannot open doors itself, it knocks and asks to be let in.

Mr Sierra's interests range from robotics to medicinal applications of technology, along with data mining of all kinds and machine-based learning.