Engineering Students Design Robot to Assist Girl without Limbs

Photo courtesy RTE News

By Priya Potapragada



A team of Trinity College Dublin researchers and engineering students have developed a prototype humanoid robot, Robbie, for Irish teenager Joanne O'Riordan who was born without limbs. Robbie was officially showcased to the United Nations funders last Friday.





O'Riordan, who was born with a rare condition known as Total Amelia, challenged international delegates at the International Telecommunication Union's ëGirls in ICT Day in New York for someone to build her a robot. Assistant Professor Kevin Kelly in the School of Engineering, Trinity, and his team built the robot with a head, arms, torso and one leg which uses two wheels to move around.





Robbie was presented to the Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union, UN agency for communication technologies, Dr. Hamadoun I. TourÈ, who donated 50,000 euros. He attending a meeting of the UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development where the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, pledged 50,000 euros toward the further development of the robot.





The robot's head is made from 3-D printed plastic, with an enclosed 8-inch LCD screen making up the face. The body consists of aluminum, carbon fiber and plastic, while inside are lithium-polymer batteries, computers, motors, gearboxes, sensors and communication hardware that act as the brain, muscles and nervous system of the robot.



When Robbie is in a kneeling position, it can interact easily with Joanne as her head is approximately the same height as the robot's head. This position also allows the robot to bend at the waist to pick up things without falling over. The robot can raise into a standing position where it is about the height and width of a 10-year-old child. An extendable arm on the end of which is a hand which is a balloon that can be inflated or deflated, allowing it to conform to and grip a wide range of object shapes, sizes and types. It can also pick up small objects like phones or pencils.





"Joanne's appearance at the UN conference really compelled me to get involved for two reasons. Firstly, by her presence alone she was inspiring young girls to consider technology or engineering as possible careers - something very dear to my heart, and that I've worked to encourage for many years now. And secondly, the research in autonomous robots and gripping technology that we were engaged in at Trinity seemed an ideal match for what Joanne was asking for. I got in touch with Joanne and her family and we began discussing how we could help," said Kelly. 





The research group built a prototype robot in three months which could carry out some of the actions Joanne wanted. Future versions could not only benefit Joanne but also others with a disability or the elderly.