Researchers Are Developing Autonomous Vehicles to Repair Roads
By: Poondru Prithvinath Reddy
Tags: Autonomous Human Repair, Autonomous Vehicles, Driverless Cars, Autonomous Robotics, Autonomous Road Repair

We might one day conceive Autonomous Machines that repair Human Bodies.

Autonomous machines operate in complex and open-ended environments with high levels of independence and self-determination. They perceive, learn, reason and act with self-awareness and respond intelligently to unforeseen changes in the environment.

The technological advances in Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, 3D printing and rapid data processing lay the foundations for realizing fully autonomous machines.

The 21st century break open a new wave of autonomous systems. In 2002, the simple and innovative Roomba vacuum cleaner brought semi-autonomous systems to consumer living rooms, while the United States military announced plans for fully autonomous units, including a ‘robot army’ hailed for deployment in 2012. Commercially, consumer-oriented tech giants, such as Google and Amazon, also took up the autonomous robotics venture with plans for self-driving cars, autonomous-navigation delivery drones, and fully-mechanized warehouses, increasing relevance to daily life. Also some companies and countries are planning for Autonomous Trains, Self-Driving Planes, Fully Autonomous Highway Trucks, Autonomous Weapons, etc.

Driverless cars — the concept is to make car learn by itself and then being able to drive on its own with a capability of handling vehicle’s performance like a human in all possible conditions. The autonomous vehicle typically is a combination of sensors and actuators, sophisticated algorithms, and powerful processors to execute software. There are hundreds of such sensors and actuators which are situated in various parts of the vehicle, being driven by a highly sophisticated system. Today we see a lot of experiments being done on driverless cars and these efforts will definitely make the autonomous car on the road a reality in near future and the benefits will be huge. Not only it will save fuel, encourage efficient transportation and shared services, but will also help in saving many lives that are regularly lost in road accidents.

Robotiz3d’s ARRES model (Autonomous Road Repair System) — the broad goal of Robotiz3d Ltd is to use artificial intelligence and robotics to improve how issues such as cracks and potholes on roads are detected and then fixed. Potholes may be a thing of the past if researchers at Robotiz3d are able to roll out to a completely autonomous robot vehicle capable of patrolling, detecting and even fixing road fractures in the foreseeable future. The robot in development promises to navigate itself on roads in search of defects. The project, in partnership with University of Liverpool, could become a reality on roads at some point in 2021. By itself, the use of technology is fast being realized as an immediate and effective solution to ensure that roads remain in a flawless state to allow for a safe driving and journey experience.

In a similar manner, we can think of completely Autonomous Robot Machines that can repair human bodies and the broad idea is to use artificial intelligence, 3D printing, advanced sensors and robotics to improve how issues such as organ faults and diseases on human beings are detected and then fixed. Today, AI-controlled robots are well known for their roles in surgery, specifically the use of robots, computers and software to accurately manipulate surgical instruments through one or more small incisions and robots can also perform accurate surgery in tiny places. Further, research work on development of very small robots that work inside our bodies to find and cure diseases is progressing. The aim is to allow multiple robots to be controlled together, with each robot having a different number of legs, and since these legs can be made to vibrate and generate electricity, they can also potentially power on-board sensors. The use of Autonomous Robotic Machines in medicine could make medical procedures safer and less costly for patients. AI-controlled devices reduces the complications and errors that can occur during surgery or treatment and makes the hospital stay shorter. The Autonomous Machines may not be able to grow or transplant organs but could be made to fix defective organs.

The possibilities for AI-controlled autonomous machines in medicine are tempting and we hope this technology will soon translate into the real world.