Omaha Think Tank, Inc.

  The Dexter Project is our next generation telerobotics offering.  Using a Dexter, a person with a dangerous job can work in absolute safety.  This is accomplished by placing a robot in the hazardous environment, while operating it from a safe distance through a computer network.  Wearing only a display visor and a pair of gloves, an operator can see, hear, and use both hands at the Dexter's location. Dexter differs from other telerobotics products in that the hardware and controls are designed for natural interaction.  To understand what we mean, watch these videos of an operator's hand controlling a Dexter's hand, and our virtual operator controlling a Dexter's head:
 
 

Dexter Hand MPG Movie Dexter Hand High Res (15 Meg)

Dexter Visor MPG Movie

A Dexter is a person's hands, eyes, and ears at the remote site.  The person operating the Dexter works at the site as if actually there.  They are effectively immersed in the Dexter's environment without being there.  There are no joysticks and no special suits to wear.  Operating a Dexter requires only a visor and a pair of gloves.

We see the best uses of the Dexter in applications where people can work a safe distance from the hazards they would otherwise encounter.  Saving lives and preventing injuries on the job are the goals of this project. There are many large application areas, including:

Bomb Disposal/Disarming
Mine Sweeping
Hazardous Materials Handling
Telemedical Services
Consequence Management
Rural Specialization Services
Nuclear Site Maintenance
OSHA Identified Industrial Injury Prevention
Lifestyle Enablement
Physical Teleconferencing

This research was privately funded, and is now ready for an appropriate vehicle providing responsible development and commercialization. To date, we have not found any US government program capable of utilizing new technology that was created through independent research such as this, until it is an off-the-shelf product.