Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Bob Bicker, Dr Kevin Burn, Dr Zhongxu Hu, Abdouslam Bashir
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Humans have been practicing 'remote manipulation' for many centuries. Our early ancestors would have used sticks to manipulate food on an open hearth fire without getting themselves, or the food burnt, The blacksmith subsequently developed special tools, called tongs, to manipulate and heat the workpiece in the hot embers and during forging. However, the key developments in remote manipulation and handling took place in the middle of the last century during the pioneering days of the nuclear industry, once the extreme radiation hazards to humans became apparent. From relatively simple mechanical devices there now exist extremely sophisticated computer controlled tele-robotic systems and virtual environments that allow humans to plan and execute complex tasks that would otherwise be impossible to undertake because of the nature of the environment, or the extreme distances involved. Having chronicled the history of remote handling technology from its early development in the nuclear industry to state of the art tele-robotic systems, mention is also made of developments in other application areas, such as surgery, military, space and undersea exploration.
Author(s): Bicker R, Burn K, Hu ZX, Pongaen W, Bashir A
Editor(s): Ceccarelli, M.
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: International Symposium on History of Machines and Mechanisms
Year of Conference: 2004
Pages: 391-404
Publisher: Springer
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2204-2_30
DOI: 10.1007/1-4020-2204-2_30
Library holdings: Search Newcastle University Library for this item
ISBN: 9781402022036
