MILWAUKEE -- Agriculture is among the last major industries to become digitized. It's doesn't come as a major surprise, seeing as how off-road, rural environments are more challenging than roadway systems or manufacturing floors. However, as the connectivity gap continues to close, there is tremendous opportunity to capture data that can ultimately lead to transformative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). "To put it as simply as possible, AI allows computer systems to complete tasks that are normally performed by humans," said Mark Kuehn, OEM sales manager for North America at Trimble. Given that definition, AI could mean everything from cognitive tasks like data analytics and forecasting to physical tasks like spraying weeds and picking produce.

German researchers are experimenting with an "artificial robot nervous system" to teach robots how to feel and react to pain, in what might be one of the saddest displays of robot bullying since Boston Dynamics' Atlas was pushed by a hockey stick. It may seem counter-intuitive at first, but we build robots to go into dangerous situations for us. Pain is a way to protect ourselves, so wouldn't it be beneficial to have something that doesn't have those limitations? Researchers from Leibniz University of Hannover believe that robots can also use these sensations as a form of protection. "Pain is a system that protects us," researcher Johannes Kuehn told Spectrum IEEE.

Robots are one step closer to being able to experience an essential human feeling: pain. Researchers in Germany are creating a "nervous system" that would mimic a pain response in robots, allowing them to quickly react and avoid harmful situations. "Pain is a system that protects us," researcher Johannes Kuehn told a conference of engineers last week. "When we evade from the source of pain, it helps us not get hurt." The researchers programmed their robot to experience a "hierarchy" of pain through a variety of stimuli, such as blunt force or heat. Depending on the threat, such as a harsh movement or intense heat, the robot is programmed to retract to the danger.

Science fiction is now science fact? Researchers narrow the gap between man and machine, developing a robot that can sense and react to pain. The technology is expected to improve interaction between machines and humans, especially in the industries. Two researchers at the Leibniz University of Hannover, Germany presented the project at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Stockholm, Sweden. One of the goals of the research was to provide machines with the ability to avoid damage to internal and external parts.

Robots are one step closer to being able to experience an essential human feeling: pain. Researchers in Germany are currently creating a "nervous system" that would mimic a pain response in robots, allowing them to quickly react and avoid harmful situations. "Pain is a system that protects us," researcher Johannes Kuehn told a conference of engineers last week. "When we evade from the source of pain, it helps us not get hurt." The researchers programmed their robot to experience a "hierarchy" of pain through a variety of different stimuli, such as blunt force or heat.