Photos: Robots, lasers, action

El-E uses a custom-built omni-directional camera to see most of the room. After it detects a selection has been made with the laser pointer, the robot moves two cameras to look at the laser spot and triangulate its position in three-dimensional space.

Once it has reached an object, sensors in its hands will guide it on opening and closing its gripper until it has a firm hold, as pictured here.

The robot is able to detect the difference between a face, a table or the floor so it is able to carefully present an object to a person or place it on a table or the floor.

Photo credit: Georgia Institute of Technology