A laser technology which could help humans control robots has been developed by a team of researchers from Georgia Tech Center for Health-care Robotics. The technique was demonstrated by Hay Nguyen, a research student who gave instructions to EL-E (robot’s name) and the robot followed the orders.

EL-E was unveiled at a conference in Amsterdam and it will be tested in medicine this summer. The designers tried to make it entertaining as the robot says some cool phrases when he completes his quests, but he doesn’t interact in any other with humans, he is doing only what you point him with a laser. After you give the instructions to grab an object, EL-E grabs it and he looks for a human face in order to hand over the object.

The developers say that the robot successfully completes its tasks in 90 percent of the times, therefore it could be helpful in medicine. The tests that will be made in the summer consist of patients with degenerative diseases and the purpose will be to “give these folks at least a level of independence”. The work of Georgia Tech has impressed many other scientists which are excited by the prospect of these helping robots.

EL-E is so good because he has at its disposal many sensors, cameras and lasers. This robot technology is only at the beginning as the scientists say that in the future they will be able to perform other tasks like light switching and to open doors. The maximum weight that EL-E can carry around is about 1.2 pounds.

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