Robotic Dinosaur Technology

Amber Taylor

Eastern Illinois University

June 6, 2013

Table of Contents:

I. Introduction

II. The Extinction of the Dinosaurs

III. Brief History of Paleontology

IV. Brief History of Robotics

V. “Troody”

VI. 3-D Printing in Robotic Technology

VII. Field Station: Dinosaur

VIII. Conclusion

Over 65 million years ago a variety of minuscule and enormous creatures once roamed

the earth, sky, and the depths of the oceans that we now inhabit today. For centuries the

dinosaurs have remained an elusive mystery, but scientists have been gaining a better

understanding of how they lived and died from the physical remains found across the world.

With continual advances in technology and ways to recreate the fossils, there are new and

exciting ways to replicate their likenesses through robotic technology. Robotic dinosaurs will

someday help the world better understand these elusive creatures of the past found through the

decades of extensive research and robotic design.

It is has become common knowledge that the dinosaurs no longer share the planet with

us. Small pieces of information about various dinosaurs are taught in primary schools around the

world since the first fossils had been found. According to “Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction”

(2013), The K/T extinction is best known for the death of the dinosaur species. This extinction is

also known as the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction because it marks the end of the

Cretaceous period and the beginning of the Paleocene epoch. A few dinosaurs that perished in

the extinction include, but are not limited to, Cerapod dinosaurs, Triceratops, and Sauropod

dinosaurs. There are two distinct theories that scientists believe may have caused such a massive

extinction.

The gradualist theory suggests that the dinosaurs are now extinct due to climate change.

At the end of the Cretaceous period, the climate was cooling and sea level also became reduced.

The change in sea level affected the habitats of marine animals. Additionally, the cooling of the

climate also interfered with the life processes of plant life, thus affecting the dinosaur species as

a whole. In contrast, the impact theory suggests there is evidence on the surface of the planet that

indicates that the impact of an asteroid caused the extinction. A mineral rare on earth, iridium,

has been found throughout the world. Iridium is more commonly found in meteorites and was

deposited at the end of the Cretaceous period which is why scientists believe the impact theory is

more probable. An impact large enough to cause this mass extinction would have triggered a

nuclear winter. According to Alan Robock (2009), “Nuclear winter is a term that describes the

climate effects of nuclear war. A nuclear explosion is like bringing a piece of the Sun to the

Earth’s surface for a fraction of a second” (n.p.). This event would cause excessive fires and loss

of many forms of life (Robock, 2009). Because humans were not present at the time of the

extinction, scientists can only explain so much with these theories. The gradualist and impact

theories are both excellent theories in explaining the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. However,

these theories do not explain why some animals survived (“Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction,

n.d., n.p.). There is a field of science dedicated to studying the fossil remains of the dinosaurs in

an effort to understand how they lived.

Paleontology is not only limited to studying the dinosaur species. Fossils of life forms

like animals and plant life are also researched in this scientific field (“Paleontology”, 2008, n.p.).

This field helps scientists better understand the creatures of the past that inhabited this earth and

comparisons to today’s species can be made.

The New World Encyclopedia states that:

The use of fossils in understanding the distant past has been extensive throughout

history and traces back to at least the sixth century B.C.E., when

Xenophanes of Colophon recognized that some fossil shells were remains

of shellfish, and used this to argue that what was now dry land was once under

the sea.

Science is based on largely on observation and experimentation, both of which are instrumental

in the field of paleontology. Through studying the earliest life forms on the planet, we better

understand why the planet is the way it is now and what the future could hold for us.

In 1859, Charles Darwin published the Origin of Species which brought about the theory

of evolution and the continual controversy that accompanies it. The first Archaeopteryx was

found in 1861 and possessed feathers and teeth. Because this animal had avian and reptilian

features, it grew an interest in finding links between primitive

species and ones that exist today (“Paleontology, n.d., n.p.). Many

scientists and civilians alike believe that there may be a link between

prehistoric creatures and the birds that exist today. These conclusions

are drawn from the similarities of the skeletons between avian

creatures and some species of dinosaurs. The principal Hadrosaurus skeleton was the first

dinosaur that contained enough remains to write a detailed description of the bones. This

occurred in 1858 and paleontology flourished from this point in history, because of the

expansion of society to the west coast of the United States.

The sciences of paleontology and geology are intertwined in the discovery of dinosaur

remains because the fossils are found in sedimentary rock, which has an obvious connection to

geology. Two advancements in the field of geology had an effect on paleontology during the

twentieth century. Geologists formed the theory of plate tectonics, which they believe

rationalizes the widely spread out dinosaur remains found across the world. It is believed the

various continents around the world were once joined into one large continent, where the

dinosaurs roamed freely. The plate tectonic theory describes how the singular continent

separated. The second advancement was the development of radiometric dating. This method

allowed paleontologists to determine how old the remains were (“Paleontology, n.d., n.p).

According to “How are fossils found and excavated?”(2009), dinosaur remains are found in the

Mesozoic age of sedimentary rocks. Chance and research of areas allows scientists to determine

the best places to search for dinosaur remains. A lot of times remains are found accidently while

people not related to the research are performing other tasks. Jobaria, a Sauropod, was

discovered in Africa and the fossils were exposed from centuries of erosion.

When fossils have been located, they are removed separately or as a massive block.

These unearthed fossils are then placed in plaster jackets for protection. Once at the laboratory,

the fossils are photographed and carefully catalogued. According to Anna-Louise Taylor (2011),

dinosaur remains can oftentimes be found in the back rooms of museums without having to

perform an excavation. This is encouraging for scientists that wish to replicate these creatures

because they would not necessarily have to conduct field research to do so. Recent

breakthroughs in science have allowed scientists to create more accurate reproductions of

dinosaurs although no human has ever seen a living dinosaur. It has been documented that a

complete Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton has not yet been found but these dinosaurs are the center

of an exhibit in Los Angeles. A custom frame must be constructed to hold the massive amount of

weight of the T-Rex bones for the exhibit. This is the task assigned to Paul Zawisha for the

exhibit in California. With the bones weighing an estimated ton, this is a very tedious task. Steps

must be taken to ensure that the frame is solid enough to support the weight and will not buckle

underneath it.

Because humans have never seen a dinosaur, some aspects are up for interpretation.

Computer models are used to determine the gait and muscle movement of dinosaurs. Color is

another aspect that scientists attempt to represent as accurately as possible. Scientists often look

at current examples of animals and use those textures and colors in determining what best fits

each creature (Taylor, 2011, n.p.). These technologies have spurred an interest in scientists to

develop the fields of robotics and dinosaur robotics.

Humans have been creating automated machines for centuries in various cultures

worldwide. The Hero of Alexandria in ancient Greece documented the occurrence of mysterious

machines that moved. These automated machines were part of clocks, tools, and various other

parts of everyday life. During the Victorian age, the Industrial Revolution sparked a change of

focus in England. When the shift of focus from agriculture to more scientific matters occurred,

this helped to push towards the robotic revolution. Credit for the most basic mechanical

calculations can be credited to Charles Baggage more than 200 years ago. His research led to the

workings of computer science. The Industrial Revolution allowed for the development of

machines that factories began to use to increase productivity and the accuracy of products made

(“History of Robotic”, 2013). The term “robot” is a fairly new phrase in relation to the earliest

forms of this technology. According to “Robotics: A Brief History”, “…the first use of the word

“robot” occurred in a play about mechanical men that are built to work on factory assembly lines

and that rebel against their human masters (n.p.).” This play was titled Rossum’s Universal

Robots and written by Karl Capek in 1921. Another author first used the term robotics in one of

his written works.

Isaac Asimov coined the first use of the phrase “robotics” in his short story that portrayed

the machines as helpful to humans. Asimov also believed that all robots, his included, featured in

Science-Fiction works followed three “Laws of Robotics.” The first law discussed is that robots

cannot harm a human being in any

manner and the second explicitly states

that they must follow orders they receive from humans unless it goes against the first law. The

third and final law states that the robot must protect itself unless it conflicts with the first two

laws. The extensive collaboration of the sciences of paleontology and robotic technology has

allowed scientists to produce functioning robotic dinosaurs.

Peter Dilworth, a technical staff member at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT), was the man responsible for the first robotic dinosaur in the United States. Dilworth spent

five years working on the robot that would soon be named Troody, after the Troodon dinosaur it

was modeled after (Fackelmann, 2001, n.p.). One of Dilworth’s main goals in the project was to

spark a new interest of science in children and adults alike, and to also give them a unique way to

see the creatures first hand. The Troodon dinosaur was once a carnivorous creature that stood on

its two hind legs. Troodons existed roughly 75 million years ago during the late Cretaceous

period (Roach, 2003, n.p.). According to Fackelmann (2001), these dinosaurs also had massive

brains compared to other species at the time. The science of robotic dinosaurs does not only

benefit the interest in the field, it could produce substantial benefits for humans as well. When

more is understood about the movement of the robotic dinosaurs’ limbs and how fluid they can

make the robots’ movements, scientists can work to develop robotic limbs for those who are

disabled. But before this feat can be met, scientists must first perfect the movement of robotic

dinosaurs.

Troody weighs only 10 pounds and stands 18 inches tall. From the tip of Troody’s nose

to the tip of the tail is almost 4 feet long. The most difficult challenge the Dilworth faced was to

give Troody a gait that was identical to the actual Troodon dinosaurs. Unfortunately, robots are

not always able to perform the fluid movements that a living body can create. To achieve this

feat, Dilworth did away with the characteristic stiff joints of robots and implemented springy

ones instead. Dilworth stated, “Our robots use force control to walk more smoothly” (Roach,

2003, n.p.). Force control consists of sensors that can detect the change of elevation underneath

the springs in the joints. There is a certain point it reaches before the sensors indicate that it has

taken a step and this gives it a more realistic walk. A small, yet sophisticated computer chip was

inserted into her chest that enabled Troody to interpret signals from the various sensors located

all over her body. This system functions similarly to the human nervous system, with the

computer chip functioning as the brain. The “brain” was then connected to a network of sensors

and wires located all over its body. Although most of Troody’s walking is controlled by the

onboard computer, an operator still sends general commands using a

handheld joystick (Roach, 2003, n.p.). The computer controls many, if

not the majority, of Troody’s movements through complicated

computer processing. Troody also possesses a vestibular system,

which is similar to an inner ear of a human. This system is used to gain balance to stand and then

walk (“MIT lab creates robotic dinosaur”, 2001, n.p.). Most people would assume that building

the initial robotic dinosaur would be the most difficult task in the project because of all the

intricacies and systems that must run consecutively, but it was not.

Dilworth spent one year trying to get Troody to stand on her robotic legs and feet that

contain a combined 16 electric motors. Troody was able to step from side to side the year after

that and the next achievement took much longer to complete. It took an additional three years for

Dilworth to have Troody stand on only one leg. After five years of trial and error, Troody finally

took her first steps to the delight of Dilworth because it is much more difficult to get a robot to

balance on two legs. Troody is on display at the Boston Museum of Science for the public to

view (Fackelmann, 2001, n.p.). As far as the advancement in this technology goes, the robotic

dinosaurs after Troody should be able to complete far more complicated tasks than just walking

in a straight line. Dilworth predicts that that future robotic dinosaurs should be able to turn more

smoothly, walk more briskly, and maybe even jog (“MIT lab creates robotic dinosaur”, 2001,

n.p.). Just last year, advancement at a university in the United States made a discovery that will

pave the way for new advancements in robotic dinosaurs.

A new advancement in 3-D printing has allowed researchers at Drexel University in

Pennsylvania to create accurate models of dinosaur bones. Researcher Dr. Kenneth Lacovara

creates 3-D images of dinosaur remains so that scientists can better understand the skeletal

structure of the dinosaurs and their movements. Once the bones have been scanned, researchers

can then study them and manipulate them if there is damage to create a virtual casting of the

bone. A 3-D printer creates physical objects based on the digital design created by researchers.

This process builds very thin layers of resin or similar material onto itself in the form of the

desired object. Lacovara claims in a few hours a six-inch model dinosaur bone can be created

using this method. There are several beneficial ways 3-D printing can assist paleontologists in

creating full-scale models and robotic designs. It is much easier to create replicas true to size

because there is no need to undergo the traditional casting process of the bones. Additionally,

small models can easily be created for understanding how the dinosaurs moved and for

educational purposes. Because much is still speculative on how the dinosaurs actually moved,

Lacovara and his team are working together to create robotic models of dinosaurs and studying

artificial muscles and tendons to figure out more about their muscle movements. Lacovara

predicted that his team would have a working robotic dinosaur limb by the end of 2012, though it

seems unlikely that it has happened (“ROBOTIC DINOSAURS ON THE WAY FOR NEXT-

GEN PALEONTOLOGY AT DREXEL”, 2012, n.p.). Although the idea of fully functioning

dinosaurs seems like a distant dream, it has become actuality in a small town in New Jersey.

In recent years, dinosaurs have become alive again in New Jersey. Not alive in the sense

that they are breathing, but robotically alive in the form of life size robotic dinosaurs. According

to Amy Kupernisky (2012), Guy Gsell has brought to life his fascination of dinosaurs in the form

of the theme park Field Station: Dinosaurs, this park houses dozens of various dinosaur species.

Gsell boasts the park’s slogan as being: “9 minutes from Manhattan, 90 million years back in

time.” Although this park is not the only one to feature robotic dinosaurs, it is unique because he

chose to have the dinosaurs in a natural setting outside so that people can better understand their

scale and what they would have looked like in real life. Andy Hall, the project’s art director,

constructed a dig site so that patrons can have a glance at how these creatures are found. To

make the dinosaurs move was the responsibility of Matthew Fisher and he claims that each

dinosaur is unique and possesses their own set of behaviors. The T-Rex at the park is the only

dinosaur that will actually interact with visitors in real time. It will carry this out through the

processes of facial recognition and sensors (Kupernisky, 2012, n.p.). The near future

implications of this technology could someday be the norm worldwide. Researchers across the

country, as well as the globe, are finding new innovations daily in robotic design.

With the continual advancements in robotic dinosaur technologies, people worldwide

may very well become used to seeing robotic dinosaurs in the future. The implications of this

type of research will not only benefit the understanding of dinosaurs and their movement, it will

also lead to many breakthroughs that will help human kind as well. Robotic limbs for disabled

persons will be created and these robots can be used for education purposes as well. Students

could study up close a “real” dinosaur instead of seeing a flat picture on a textbook page. The

future will be a thrilling place when this technology is perfected, because we would be able to

walk the Earth with beings that existed over 65 million years ago for the first time ever.

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