13 Oct 2011

Robotic Assistant

From Our Changing World, 9:06 pm on 13 October 2011

Robot group lowres

The fuel robot and friends, from left to right, Andrew Lewis, Chris Hann, Julian Pipe, Kirstin Middelkoop, Jermin Tiu, Duncan Scott and Samuel Sanson. Photo: RNZ/V Meduna.

A group of University of Canterbury mechatronics students and their supervisor Chris Hann, have designed a prototype for a robot that can refuel a car at the push of a button, allowing drivers to control everything from inside their car.

There have been some trials of automated fuel pumps in Europe, but this six-jointed industrial robotic arm can be fitted to an existing pump.

This video was produced by the group to demonstrate how the robot goes about its job.