09-22-2008

Robots on History Channel

Set your DVRs and TIVOs  for 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25, or midnight, Friday, Sept. 26, when the History Channel rolls out “The Works—Robots,” the finale of a new documentary series hosted by Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute alumnus Daniel Wilson.

In addition to highlighting the university, the program features Chris Urmson, director of technology for Tartan Racing and Boss, the Chevy Tahoe that won the DARPA Urban Grand Challenge last November; senior systems scientist Omead Amidi and his autonomous helicopters; Robotics Institute Associate Professor Howie Choset and his snakebots; Robotics Institute Ph.D. student Marek Michalowoski with the dancing Keepon robot; and Metin Sitti, associate professor of mechanical engineering, demonstrating a nanobot so small it can sit on top of a dime.

Social robots Grace and Tank, fathered by Robotics Institute Research Professor Reid Simmons, make cameo appearances along with Gyrover, a wheeled robot developed by Robotics Institute Project Scientist Ben Brown.

Anne Watzman