At the intersection of Computer Science and Engineering sits a field that, while crucial, and present across industry and society, is seldom showcased at Eton. On Tuesday 8 October, Dr Harin Sellahewa of the University of Buckingham presented a cutting-edge piece of robotics equipment called ‘Spot’ to a packed audience in School Hall. Having spent much of the evening performing in School Yard, Spot entered School Hall to rows upon rows of turned heads, with boys eager to meet the $70,000 robot dog, made famous for its exploration of Chernobyl among other missions.
Professor Sellahewa started his address with a crash-course in the broader world of robotics. He discussed how robots are in use in industries from manufacturing to healthcare and that their roles will only increase with the advent of machine learning. In order to understand, rather than simply to marvel at Spot, one has to first grasp the principles at play within the robot. Professor Sellahewa walked boys through these with discussions about how Spot moves, the reasons behind its unique four-legged system of propulsion, and how robots can choose their paths around obstacles with the help of computer vision. Finally, Professor Sellahewa discussed the potential use cases for Spot, referring to its role in collecting data from the reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where radiation levels are too high for humans. In the meantime, Spot lay docile at the back of the room, waiting to be called upon.
Soon enough, its time to shine came. Boys strained to get a better look as Spot began to manoeuvre up, and down stairs and across the stage while being controlled by Professor Sellahewa. Perhaps the most impressive part of the evening was when Spot managed to return to an upright position after having been tipped over. Professor Sellahewa invited members of the audience to take control of Spot, and it danced around the stage at the hands of the lucky individuals.
Master-in-Charge of the Computer Science Society, Mr Collins said, “Year 9 – Year 13 students were given a thorough introduction to undergraduate-level robotics and witnessed the cutting-edge of the discipline in Spot.”
We would like to thank Professor Sellahewa for sharing his insight into the fascinating world of robotics.
