Search

How this automated bowling system — created for testing bowling balls, lanes, and related equipment — was engineered. EARL the Bowling Robot Can Reproduce Virtually Any Throw How this automated bowling system — created for testing bowling balls, lanes, and related equipment — was engineered. Edited by EE Staff Sports Nov 17, 2025 Games When the U.S. Bowling Congress (USBC), the national governing body for bowling, approached ARM Automation with a request to develop an automated bowling system capable of reproducing virtually any type of throwing style to a high degree of accuracy, the company’s creative wheels started turning. In their quest to build the ultimate testing platform for balls, lanes, and related equipment, the USBC had approached several different machine builders and had evaluated using many off-the-shelf robotic systems to no avail. What had to be done is for the ARM Automation team to break down the many different challenges presented and come up with a solution that met all of the performance criteria—within a strict budget. The team had to consider multiple elements in a bowling test, including different ball masses, ball grip orientations, spin, velocity, release point, and throw vector parameters. Any single bowl requires specification and execution of up to over a dozen variables all interacting at once. The Enhanced Automated Robot Launcher (EARL) is essentially a purpose-built seven-degree-of-freedom robot and tightly calibrated control system that allows for precision motion (± 2mm) and split second (± 1ms) timing accuracy. That’s what was ultimately required of the system to provide throwing a bowling ball at speeds up to 25 miles per hour time after time for test after test. All images courtesy of ARM Automation. Some of the key attributes of EARL include high robot tip speeds, high precision motion, fast spin speeds of unbalanced balls, and a simple touch-panel setup with flexible programmability. EARL is built for portability and rigidity. It’s mounted on air bearings, which double as vacuum chucks to secure the frame while throwing the ball. One of the key challenges of the project was the development of a suitable combination ball gripper/spindle/release mechanism. Each ball must be captured in a user-defined grip orientation (gripper spin axis relative to the ball’s rotationally non-homogenous coordinate frame) and clamped with significant pressure despite small variances in allowable ball size. To achieve required ball spin speeds of up to 900 rpm, a spindle motor system was incorporated into the scissor like gripper apparatus. Finally, in order to achieve precise release points while traveling at maximum arm speed, the gripper mechanism needed to open in a manner that imparted no adverse motion to the ball’s instantaneous trajectory and needed to do so in a very tight window of time, ±1 millisecond. This free-release grip solution required that the clamp forces on the ball be almost instantaneously reversed. To achieve this function, the ARM team of designers created a reversible scissor mechanism which once set closed was held in place by a multi-stage hair trigger release. Once set, the clamping cylinder loading was reversed, which attempted to open the mechanism. This allowed a fast-acting solenoid—combined with an accurate look-ahead control scheme—to release the spindle jaws at precisely the right moment and see that they swung wide and clear of the departing ball. EARL’s capabilities were so repeatable that it limited its own ability to bowl a perfect game. During an initial competition against a top professional bowler, EARL’s programmed perfect throw rubbed a dry streak on the oiled lane, which resulted in a progressively decreasing score. Tom Frenzel, USBC Senior Director of Equipment Specifications said, “Something I say about E.A.R.L. when I showcase him is: Due to the range of release variables E.A.R.L. can be adjusted with, it gives us a bowler for our research that can emulate any bowling style from the standard league bowler hobbyist all the way up to the top-level professionals by just pushing a few buttons. That allows us to study how our equipment specifications affect all levels of the sport.” Bonus video of EARL playing against Chris Barnes, 2007–2008 PBA Bowler of the Year: For more information, visit ARM Automation . Read more articles about creative technology in sports >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

Rushed and dangerous scenarios require equipment that's safe and reliable. Here's how the aerial ladders on firetrucks just got safer. Fire Trucks Get a Ladder Safety Upgrade Rushed and dangerous scenarios require equipment that's safe and reliable. Here's how the aerial ladders on firetrucks just got safer. Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff Nov 17, 2025 Amity Fire & Safety serves the Fire & Equipment industry by producing swivels, telescopic waterways, weldments, machined parts, and pins for extremely demanding applications. Their international customer base includes industry giants such as KME (Kovatch Mobile Equipment), Pierce Manufacturing, and Rosenbauer. Amity’s customers manufacture the fire trucks that are seen at local fire departments around the world. KME custom manufactures the broadest family of aerials in the fire service and incorporates IQAN E-Control™ (motion control system) in their trucks to ensure a high level of safety. Ladder base swivels allow for rotation of the aerial ladder while acting as a pass-through for water and continuous hydraulic and electrical circuits. The position of the aerial ladder on a fire truck needs to be monitored to reduce risk of injury and damage to equipment. Although Amity used limit switches to monitor whether the ladder was within certain degrees of rotation, the proximity switches still couldn’t monitor the accurate position of the ladder within that range. Safety swivel side and top view. Images courtesy of Advanced Micro Controls, KME, and Amity Fire & Safety. Without knowing the absolute position of the aerial ladder, damage or injury can occur in several ways. Trucks could tip over when the ladder’s range of movement is exceeded. This could happen during a short jacking operation where a narrow jack spread is used to avoid obstacles such as parked cars. Damage can also occur when bringing the ladder to cradle position. When the ladder is brought back into the resting (cradle) position, misalignments can damage the cradle ears. On mid-mount ladders, pump panel damage can occur when the aerial ladder is brought below grade (too far down). Outrigger jacks fully extended. Images courtesy of Advanced Micro Controls, KME, and Amity Fire & Safety. Accurate Positioning By using an absolute analog DuraCoder®, Amity is able to acquire the accurate feedback they need. The DuraCoder recognizes where the ladder is within the 0–360 degree revolution without guesswork. When the ladder is at a low angle, the operator is now capable of automatically stopping rotation at a pre-set point known to eliminate risk of damage to the body of the truck and injury to firefighters during a rescue operation. When KME upgraded to their Parker IQAN™ (motion control system), they realized that the grey scale encoder they had initially specified would no longer meet their voltage output requirements. Additionally, an excessive amount of mathematical programming was required with the grey scale encoder; and together, Amity and KME set out to find a more efficient solution. “If we want to be successful, we have to get to that next level.” DuraCode® absolute encoder. Images courtesy of Advanced Micro Controls, KME, and Amity Fire & Safety. Signal Changes After reviewing all of their options, KME contacted Amity with the solution: an AMCI DuraCoder with integrated cable. The DuraCoder’s analog output signal eliminated much of the mathematical programming that was necessary with the grey code encoder. With the integrated cable, KME no longer needed to produce their own cable, simplifying wiring and installation, and ensuring the IP67 sealed rating. The DuraCoder is installed in an area of the truck that is exposed to water mist during firefighting, high pressure wash downs, and airborne contaminants from smoke and ash. AMCI’s DuraCoders are designed to provide consistent reliable feedback while preventing water and contaminant ingress. With the DuraCoder, KME’s IQAN “E-Zone™ system stops rotation or elevation of the ladder when the operator attempts to position the ladder in a pre-defined zone (cab avoidance, body avoidance, and short jack operation). This eliminates the possibility of cab or body damage and makes operation of the device on the short jack side of the vehicle safer, according to the KME product brochure. Amity’s concerns when selecting an encoder included its ability to withstand heavy shock and vibration caused by the truck’s engine, onboard generators, and road vibration. The DuraCoder is resolver based, meaning that it was designed to provide absolute position feedback without plastic disks or magnetic components, enabling it to withstand high levels of shock and vibration. Amity Swivel with AMCI DuraCoder. Images courtesy of Advanced Micro Controls, KME, and Amity Fire & Safety. The optional 5/8-inch stainless steel shaft boasts exceptional shaft loading, and the high shock and vibration rating provides reliability where most sensors fail. The IP67 rated product line comes standard with either a ¼-, 3/8-, or 5/8-inch stainless steel shaft and an oversized double row sealed bearing. Additionally, DuraCoder brand encoders are available in six different versions, including SSI, Digital, Analog, Incremental, DeviceNet, and Ethernet/IP. Amity was able to change out the original optical encoder for the AMCI DuraCoder quickly and easily. The units’ industry-standard mounting pattern made it easy to replace the existing encoders. While the standard lead time for the AMCI DuraCoder is three weeks or less, Amity could not wait that long. Because AMCI designs and manufactures their products in-house, they were able to expedite the process, sending the full shipment out within a few days. After an easy installation, Amity’s swivels were ready to be sent off to KME. For more information: Advanced Micro Controls Absolute DuraCoder Amity Fire & Safety Kovatch Mobile Equipment Read more about cars and trucks >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

The most powerful standalone telescope in the world uses modern miniature drives commonly used in industrial automation World's Largest Binoculars Allow Astronomers to Achieve Sharper Images The most powerful standalone telescope in the world uses modern miniature drives commonly used in industrial automation Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff Nov 3, 2025 Astronomers are particularly interested in setting sights on distant galactic systems, young double stars, and newborn suns. A definitive way to proceed with such goals includes the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) located on Mount Graham in Arizona. The telescope has a height of over 20 meters and weighs over 600 tons and is the shape of an outsized pair of binoculars. The LBT’s two reflectors each have a diameter of 8.4 meters, and together they make up an approximately 100 sq. meter dish for collecting light. In this way it can even collect the radiation from weakly illuminated objects at the limits of the universe being observed. The interaction of the two reflectors mounted 14.4 meters apart provides the telescope with a resolution that would correspond to that of a pair of binoculars having a diameter of 23 meters. Each reflector resembles a giant "honeycomb" made from borosilicate glass and weighs 15.6 ton. All photos courtesy of Faulhaber. The design of the telescope and its integrated optical systems provides scientists with a high level of flexibility when making their observations. That way they can use each of the reflectors independently of one another to view the same object, but also study different objects by tilting the viewing axes slightly or use both reflectors to observe the same object at maximum resolution. In order to achieve the unusually high definition, the rays of light reflected by each reflector are superimposed—brought to a state of interference. Consequently, the resolution is nearly ten times better than with conventional standalone telescopes. However, the requirement that has to be met to ensure the LBT works smoothly is that individual components made in the three partner countries—the US, Italy, and Germany—interact perfectly and under adverse conditions. After all, Mount Graham is approximately 3,300 meters high. The climate is characterized by temperatures below freezing, humidity of up to 90%, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Positioning unit for interference generation If a high-resolution image is to be created by the generation of interference, the optical assemblies attached to the two reflectors for bundling and superimposing the reflected light have to be positioned with an accuracy of 5 µm. For this purpose, the Feinmess company in Dresden (Germany) developed a three-axis positioning system that moves the appropriate optical system on the two reflectors of the LBT into the correct position. Horizontally, distances of up to 200mm have to be covered (longitudinal positioning), and vertically, for focusing purposes, there are distances of up to 50mm. At the same time the optical assembly has to be rotated through an angle of up to 36 degrees. In order to ensure the required positioning accuracy, the system has to operate with as little play as possible. That is why great importance is accorded to the drives on the spindles. In this case, the drive solutions included traditional bell-type armature motors with coreless rotor coil from FAULHABER. The small DC drives operate reliably even under hostile ambient conditions such as ambient temperatures between -30°C and +125°C. The devices are not affected by a high level of humidity (up to 98%) when specified appropriately. An important basic criterion for motor selection included instant, high torque starting for the DC motor after application of voltage, which ensures a direct response to control signals. The coreless copper coil allows an extremely lightweight motor design with a high efficiency of up to 80%. The motors used on all three spindles of the positioning system have a diameter of 26mm and are only 42mm long. At speeds of up to 6,000 rpm they provide a power output of 23.2 W. All photos courtesy of Faulhaber. A Compact Unit In the LBT application, the motors were combined with two-stage planetary gearheads with a ratio of 16:1. Flanged to the end of the motor, gearhead performance is extremely impressive, not only due to their compact design but also because of their steady running and durability. Gearhead backlash was factory optimized for use on the positioning system. Instead of the values of about 1 degree, customary on standard gearheads, these planetary gearheads have a backlash of only 12 angular minutes, measured at the output shaft. Knowing the actual position of the motors is an essential prerequisite for precision positioning. With the positioning systems employed on the LBT it is detected at each motor by an optical pulse encoder that generates 500 pulses per revolution. Using a metal disk, a transmitted-light system generates two phase quadrature output signals. The index pulse is synchronized with output B. For each of the three channels there are inverted complementary signals. The pulse encoder is fitted to the free end of the motor shaft and fixed with three screws. Supply voltage for the pulse encoder, the miniature DC motor, and the output signals are connected via a ribbon cable and a 10-pin connector. Since the drive units, comprised of the motor, gearhead, and pulse encoder, are extremely compact, they are easy to integrate into three-axis positioning systems. For more information: Faulhaber Miniature DC Motors Planetary Gearheads Feinmess Company Large Binocular Telescope Observatory Read about more cool applications >>> Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

MIT engineers recently developed a method to grow artificial muscle tissue that twitches and flexes in multiple coordinated directions.  Artificial Muscle Flexes in Multiple Directions MIT engineers recently developed a method to grow artificial muscle tissue that twitches and flexes in multiple coordinated directions. Edited by EE Staff Mini Story Dec 2, 2025 In recent years, scientists and engineers have looked to muscles as potential actuators for “biohybrid” robots that could squirm and wiggle through spaces where traditional machines cannot. For the most part, however, researchers have only been able to fabricate artificial muscle that pulls in one direction, limiting any robot’s range of motion. MIT engineers recently developed a method to grow artificial muscle tissue that twitches and flexes in multiple coordinated directions. MIT researchers fabricated an artificial iris using a new “stamping” approach they developed. First, they 3D-printed a small, handheld stamp patterned with microscopic grooves, each as small as a single cell. Then they pressed the stamp into a soft hydrogel and seeded the resulting grooves with real muscle cells. The cells grew along these grooves within the hydrogel, forming fibers. When the researchers stimulated the fibers, the muscle contracted in multiple directions, following the fibers’ orientation. “With the iris design, we believe we have demonstrated the first skeletal muscle-powered robot that generates force in more than one direction,” said Ritu Raman, the Eugene Bell Career Development Professor of Tissue Engineering in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Get all the details in this fascinating article written by Jennifer Chu for MIT News. You can find the entire piece here. *Image courtesy of the researchers. Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next

In NASA’s Artemis campaign, Orion is the only spacecraft capable of taking humans from Earth to lunar orbit. Docking is a dance between precision and timing. The Autonomous Choreography Behind Docking Orion In NASA’s Artemis campaign, Orion is the only spacecraft capable of taking humans from Earth to lunar orbit. Docking is a dance between precision and timing. Edited by EE Staff Cool Stuff Mar 9, 2026 Orion’s unique design allows it to seamlessly maneuver and perform safe and precise docking with different types of spacecraft, such as SpaceX’s Starship human landing system, Blue Origin’s lander, or even other vehicles if needed, including habitats and propulsion systems. This capability is crucial for enabling the transportation of crew and cargo between different spacecraft, as well as for facilitating the assembly and servicing of spacecraft in deep space. Images courtesy of Lockheed Martin. According to Harvey Mamich, Orion guidance navigation and control manager at Lockheed Martin, “Docking is like a choreographed dance of timing to make everything work. If Orion or the other vehicle drifts from its position, Orion has to readjust based on a variety of information, figure out where both vehicles are located, and conduct thruster burns to get back in the right spot. Everything must work together seamlessly and autonomously.” The activity of a spacecraft approaching, interacting, and connecting to another spacecraft is known as Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD), and Lockheed Martin is working with NASA to develop and test the latest RPOD generation for Orion. Images courtesy of Lockheed Martin. RPOD systems are used on an array of spacecraft and incorporate a combination of sensors, cameras, and computers to guide the vehicle into the correct docking position. Software and hardware components work together to provide real-time data on the spacecraft's position, velocity, and attitude. Orion’s RPOD systems utilize Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology, which generates high-resolution maps of the docking environment. This enables the system to navigate the spacecraft with greater precision and accuracy. LiDAR provides the position information of the target vehicle, and as Orion goes through the entire docking procedure from a far distance out down to the two vehicles touching, LiDAR provides locational data while making continual automatic corrections to ensure the two spacecraft are docked perfectly. Where earlier docking systems relied on manual operation with limited automation, Orion's RPOD system incorporates LiDAR targeting retroreflectors to enable automated docking with a high degree of precision. The automated docking process—controlled by the LiDAR and resident software in the system—drives the thrusters to maneuver the Orion into place. For safety, an optional manual override can be activated by crew members if necessary. Images courtesy of Lockheed Martin. Testing Using Drones and Robots Testing and simulation of Orion's RPOD system were recently conducted at Lockheed Martin’s Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC) in Denver—a testing facility where engineers can replicate the operational conditions of space—as well as at large open-field ranges at Lockheed Martin’s Santa Cruz, CA facility. Engineers at Lockheed Martin plan for different scenarios that Orion and the Artemis crew will encounter during a variety of missions, then use these facilities to put the RPOD system through a rigorous test regiment. For example, custom-built drones outfitted with 3D-printed parts simulated the separation distance of multiple target reflectors—think moving targets at a shooting range—near a docking port. Orion’s RPOD LiDAR system was deployed in a fixed trailer on the coast, tracking the motion of the moving drones out over the Pacific Ocean. The drones were flown in a variety of approach paths toward the trailer, ranging from 10 meters to further than one kilometer, at varying speeds and angles similar to how Orion would approach another spacecraft. This enabled the team to simulate rendezvous approach tracking, holds, and unexpected conditions. The second part of the RPOD testing incorporated the cameras and was performed at the SOSC using its large 50-foot-tall robot running along a 180-foot-long track. These tests were designed to fine tune the limits of the system’s performance and to evaluate its ability to maintain accuracy down to centimeters in distance. The LiDAR’s field of view is typically narrower at close range, which makes it more sensitive to misalignment. Orion is poised to undertake a series of critical missions in support of NASA’s Artemis program. The spacecraft is scheduled to play a key role in the Artemis III mission, slated for launch in 2027, which will dock with the lander while in orbit around the Earth. This sets up a mission to land astronauts on the surface of the Moon in 2028. With the Moon in its sights and Mars in the near future, Orion—carrying humans and docking with a variety of vehicles—will be a critical element of NASA’s Moon to Mars efforts. This just in: NASA recently announced that it is increasing the cadence of missions under the Artemis program to achieve the national objective of returning American astronauts to the Moon and establishing an enduring presence. This includes standardizing vehicle configuration, adding an additional mission in 2027, and undertaking at least one surface landing every year thereafter. For information: Lockheed Martin Human Landing System Artemis Missions NASA’s latest news Previous Facebook LinkedIn Copy link Next