Swiss robotics researchers are currently testing a new line of robots that can, quite literally, read human minds. The semi-autonomous devices record brain activity and use the data to power their next movement.

According to ScienceNow, this is not the first example of brain-machine interface systems. The technology has previously been used to control cursors, prosthetics and smaller robots using the power of conscious thought. But biomedical engineer, Jose del Millan, is working on an entirely new approach to the technology.

Millan's chief goal is to develop brain-interface systems that do not require implanting chips in the body. This simpler, less-invasive strategy may have significant potential for the medical community. In particular, it may give paralyzed patients a new-found ability to communicate with others.

But before these revolutionary devices can transform industries, Millan is hard at work testing and honing the technology at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland. According to SmartPlanet, the research team is using a modified version of a commerically available robot called Robotino. The three-wheeled device is already capable of maneuvering in tight spaces and sensing obstacles with infrared sensors, but Millan and his colleagues have equipped it with telepresence capabilities.

A laptop running Skype over a wireless connection is mounted on top of the robot. This utility allows the human to see through the eyes of the robot as it makes its journey. But perhaps more importantly, it could allow bed-bound patient to communicate with other humans as their thoughts are communicated to the device through electrodes.

"This opens a new possibility for families," Millan told ScienceNow.

Paralyzed patients could potentially keep in touch with relatives at home using the robot as an intermediary. But first, researchers need to test the communication ranges that their technology supports.

According to ScienceNow, a recent six-week trial has generated impressive results. After weeks of hour-long training sessions with man and machine, several patients were able to maintain effective communication at a range of more than 60 miles. By the end of the study, they were also able to navigate the robot to targets around the laboratory for as long as 12 minutes.

As the technology matures, Millan is hoping to expand its application to tasks as complex as driving a car. Only time will tell, but this case is already intriguing and inspiring robotics engineers who could take the concept to previously unimaginable heights.

Robotics education has come a long way in recent years. The technology is no longer considered a luxury reserved solely for small, after-school clubs. These days, teachers are increasingly willing and able to brings robots into the classroom. This expanded audience is bringing renewed attention to the robotics industry and giving students a creative way to engage with science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

According to USA Today, much of the credit for this phenomenon can be attributed to several public sector initiatives. The importance of STEM education has been underscored in the halls of Congress and town halls across the country. Earlier this year, the National Research Council released a new report detailing a new educational framework that could fuel the progress of millions of students.

"Science, engineering and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life, and they hold the key to meeting many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges," the report stated. "Yet too few U.S. workers have strong backgrounds in these fields, and many lack even fundamental knowledge."

The framework is focused around the appreciation and application of fundamentally sound scientific and engineering practices. The program also prides itself on fostering the development of critical thinking such as observing cause and effect relationships. This theoretical knowledge will no doubt provide for a well-rounded education, but the inclusion of hands-on learning experiences has shown perhaps the most significant potential in recent years.

One unique success story is high school sophomore Kelly Carlson of Arizona. In a recent interview with AZCentral, Carlson opened up about her experience with robotics.

"It started out with me being interested in engineering," Carlson told the news source. "Through Mesa Public Schools, you can take engineering classes through Project Lead the Way, so I signed up for that for my freshman year."

Carlson's teacher soon introduced her to a local robotics competition, and within months they were developing their own team of students from around the district. After a few challenges during their early competitions, the team is looking forward to next semester's event schedule. But Carlson is looking even farther down the line and already has dreams of becoming an aerospace engineer.

Stories such as these are welcome news for robotics engineers as they can can rest assured that their industry will be placed in capable hands. By providing engaging and creative ways for students to learn valuable technical skills, a steady stream of robotic innovations are sure to continue in the coming decades.

California-based startup company, Willow Garage, has recently unveiled a new robotic creation that can chip in with chores around the house. The PR2 robot is still in the prototype stage, but the device is already capable of folding laundry, setting a table and baking a batch of cookies.

Although finding a convenient way to outsource mundane domestic responsibilities is a dream scenario for a number of people, the underlying technology for a robotic housekeeper has been slow to develop. Industry experts are following the Willow Garage process closely to see if innovations are arriving faster than previously assumed.

"The technology is much closer than most people think," Stanford professor Andrew Ng told the San Jose Mercury News. "We're not yet there, but I think that in less than a decade the technology will exist to have a useful household robot."

The company remains in stealth mode, but investors are reportedly excited about the early success and sheer volume of robotics developers associated with the project.

"We're trying to build a personal robotics industry," Willow Garage CEO, Steve Cousins, told the news source. "We want to serve as a catalyst."

The firm is guided by the idea that a lack of standards has been a significant inhibitor for the industry. A lack of hardware and software compatibility often leads researchers to begin a new project from scratch with proprietary resources. This not only delays projects, it has also reduced the motivation for collaborative efforts.

But one of the largest obstacles still facing the company may be making the technology affordable for consumers. Early models of PR2 were priced at approximately $400,000, according to GizMag. In an effort to reduce costs, Willow Company recently decided to offer PR2 SE, a one-armed version of its predecessor with a $285,000 price tag.

To generate interest and support for the product, the company has decided to released two dozen PR2 models to commercial and academic research institutions. The company also plans to host community conference calls twice monthly and maintain a strong presence at industry events to encourage collaboration and constructive feedback processes.

If successful, this project may be much more important for robotics developers than consumers who ultimately own a PR2. Willow Garage's wider mission of open-source robotics technology and cross-team interaction may yield impressive creations that come to market much faster.

Humanoid robots have become stunningly realistic in recent years. Perhaps the final hurdle for developers to clear has been the creation of more intelligent robotic speech. But if recent robotics productions are any indication, that issue may soon become a problem of the past.

According to the Pasadena Star News, robots could soon be standing at the front of a classroom. Professor Ron Lee of Pasadena City College has developed a new device that may helping children learning English as a second language.

"It's a talking robot, so [students] are not afraid of asking anything," Lee told the news source. "A community college like PCC has many international students, and first they have to listen to English to communicate with their professors."

The on-screen "English Tutor" program may be as capable as a native speaker. The robot can correct spelling and grammatical errors while helping students build a more natural vocabulary. The device is also equipped with a deep knowledge bank and capable of carrying on 2,000 conversations regarding 25 different topics. The software can test a student's knowledge of geography or build their language skills with more personal conversations such as discussing marital status.

This interactive learning process is a two-way street, and students are not the only ones benefiting from the conversations. Professor Lee will be able to enhance the robot's capabilities over time.

"The robots are learning from their mistakes," Lee told the news outlet. "People are chatting with them, and I can see all the questions they asked."

Robotics developers are also debuting innovative devices that can carry on conversations without human input. According to Hot Hardware, a new line of "chatboxes" are capable of memorizing human phrases for use in future conversations. Cornell University researcher associated with the project are hoping the technology is advanced enough to actually convince unwitting humans that they are talking to another person.

That is exactly the challenge being posed to developers at the 2011 Loebner Prize Competition in Artificial Intelligence. The top prize for robotics teams capable of fooling two or more judges will be awarded a $100,000 grant over 20 years, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Cornell and Pasadena developers will comprise two of the four teams vying for the title in October.

Engineers are finding ways to apply robotics all over the galaxy these days. Last week, Robonaut 2, NASA's latest humanoid robot, was turned on for the first time at the International Space Station.

According to PC Magazine, the $2.5 million device is the first of its kind to be launched into space. Weighing more than 300 pounds and standing approximately three feet tall, R2 spent its first few days in operation undergoing a series of tests to ensure clear communication with ground controllers in Houston.

"Those electrons feel good! One small step for man, one giant leap for tinman kind," joked R2 from its dedicated Twitter account.

This sense of humor is just one of many human characteristics defining the robot. R2's torso contains its mainframe while more than 30 processors are embedded in its arms to control the movement of its joints. According to the BBC, the second-generation humanoid robot is also smaller, faster, more dexterous and capable of a deeper and wider range of sensing than its predecessor.

R2 will be essential for observing how humanoid robots operate in weightless environments, and NASA has big plans for the device. Its torso may eventually be attached to a motorized cart to help the bot navigate challenging terrain and assist astronauts on lunar and Martian spacewalks.

One of the biggest challenges for developers will be staying patient and not asking too much of R2 too early. The bot made its way to the ISS in February but was only recently unpacked and assembled. If operational testing continues to go well, R2 may be able to take on mundane chores such as reading velocity gauges early in 2012.

"Just like a crew member has to kind of acclimate themselves to zero gravity, our robot has to do a very similar things and learn how it needs to move," project manager Nicolaus Radford told the Daily Mail.

The joint creation of NASA and General Motors has taken more than 15 years to construct, but it may be well worth the investment. Although the bot is not expected to replace human astronauts any time in the near future, it may be a valuable companion capable of undertaking difficult or dangerous aeronautical tasks. And as is often the case within the quickly evolving field of robotics, Robonaut 2 may hold the potential for uses developers could never have anticipated.

Quality reconnaissance can be the difference between life and death on the battlefield. With that in mind, military officials are always searching for new ways to keep troops safe while gathering critical information in dangerous combat zones. As a result, military technologists around the world have been exploring the potential of taking humans out of the equation and deploying robots for fact-finding missions behind enemy lines.

At the recent Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International conference in Washington, D.C., a new line of "throwable" robots garnered attention from technology enthusiasts and government officials alike. These portable and durable devices will soon be deployed in hostile territory to protect their human counterparts.

According to Popular Science, tactical robots have gained traction in the military in the past decade due to their impressive versatility. However, many of these devices have a tendency to be cumbersome, overly complex and prone to malfunction. Soldiers have been requesting smaller, more intuitive robots for several years, and manufacturers have finally delivered.

Approximately 2,000 Recon Scout Throwbot systems are currently being used by forces around the world, according to AtoZRobotics. The device weighs only 1.2 pounds and can be tossed more than 100 feet when necessary. Once it lands, it can orient itself and respond to commands within five seconds.

"One time we dropped it out of a helicopter," designers told Popular Science. "The worst that happened was that one wheel was slightly damaged, so it wanted to drive a little wobbly. But it still rolled."

Soldiers have been able to carry the small robots on their person during patrols and toss them over walls and into second-story windows, according to the news source. The devices are then navigated via handheld Xbox-like controllers that have been quickly mastered by the rising generation of young troops.

A separate device, the Dragon Runner 10, is also a popular attraction at the convention. Popular Science reporters observed one demonstration in which the device rolled over rocks and sand to uncover wires leading to mock-explosive devices. This 11 pound robotic device is cannot be tossed around as causally as the Throwbot, but soldiers can still use them to see what's around the corner in close-quarter scenarios.

When tasked with finding answers to challenging real-world problems, robotics experts have once again stepped up to the plate. This new wave of portable reconnaissance robots is exactly what modern militaries need to gain a critical competitive advantage.

The robotics industry seems to be getting the attention it deserves as new audiences continue to learn about the versatile technology everyday. Consumers and business professionals alike are discovering that robots are no longer meant solely for science fiction movies – they are now being put to use in a variety of real-world applications. But to build upon past success and bring new innovations to the field, a new generation of engineers will be needed to push the limits of technology. As a result, several higher education institutions have identified this emerging need and debuted academic programs specifically geared toward future robot engineers.

One such school is Lawrence Technological University, located in Southfield, Michigan. Beginning this fall, students will be able to enroll in a new bachelor's degree program in robotics engineering. This unique program is already attracting attention from robot hobbyists and technology professionals.

Edward Dolar, a 35 year-old computer programmer, has been looking for a way to pursue his study of robotics beyond the scope of the courses offered at a local community college.

"I happened to check Lawrence and the robotic engineering program popped up," Dolar told the Detroit News. "It had everything I wanted to pursue. I wanted to be more involved in engineering."

According to the university website, the curriculum will be divided into three main areas. Students will receive a well-rounded education in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science. School officials believe this balanced program will leave graduates well-positioned to find rewarding opportunities in the field.

"Robotics has grown to be a primary engineering field in its own right, and with the growing demand for qualified robotics engineers in the related careers, this interdisciplinary degree ensures graduates are provided the tools for success," program director, Giscard Kfoury, told the Oakland Press.

The Detroit-area school is also stressing the importance of robotics in the automotive industry, a field that has long defined the local economy. Manufacturers are already looking to the advanced technology to help open new markets and keep pace with production demands, and these local automotive plants may eventually serve as a valuable source of student internships.

The establishment of this unique degree is an important step forward for the industry. By providing an avenue for interested students and developing a relevant, standardized curriculum, schools such as Lawrence Technical University are ensuring the future of the robotics industry.