IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 161

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING

Novel Techniques
toOur
Solve
Engineering
Makes
Life Better
Space-Exploration Problems
By Xiaorui Zhu and Jiaotou Lin
By Name name, affliation;
Name name, affliation;

T

his August, Zhu was invited to
be one of the judges at a Maker
Marathon Competition organized by Lei Feng, a Chinese
high-tech Internet media network
(www.leiphone.com), to encourage
young people to take utmost advantage
of engineering techniques to solve dayto-day problems (Figure 1).
The theme of this competition was
"Make Life Better." To my surprise, my
seven-year-old daughter insisted on
accompanying me to this event after
hearing a brief introduction. She was
very much excited to see the various
prototypes designed by the young participants on site in only one and a half
days. While the organizers provided the
necessary tools and parts, such as
three-dimensional printer kits, microchips, wires, resistors, etc., each team
had to propose an idea and realize it by
creating a prototype. The prototypes
were displayed and presented to the
audience and the judges. The judges
then rated each team. As I was judging
the prototypes, my daughter tried to
lobby me for the ones she favored, as
she could understand the details and
seemed to be interested in them. She
expressed interest in the competition
and was flooded with creative ideas
that would make our family's life easier.
Her ideas were really surprising.
I was even more surprised at seeing
only one female participant in the competition, Liting Liao. Liao was the leader
of a three-member team (Figure 2) and
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MRA.2013.2283187
Date of publication: 6 December 2013

Figure 1. Xiaorui Zhu presents the first-place award to Maker Marathon Competition
winners.

Figure 2. Liting Liao (center) and her teammates.

Figure 3. Liao (right) making her presentation
in the competition.

gave her team's presentation about its
prototype (Figure 3). The prototype was
a near-field communication (NFC)based voice reminder (Figure 4). Liao's
team programmed the target information to an NFC card. When the card
approached the reminder, the reminder
would read the information in the
voice. The daily life scenario was the
ability to read medicine instructions,
which can be difficult for many people,
especially those having weak vision or

DECEMBER 2013

*

IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE

*

161



http://www.leiphone.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - Cover1
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - Cover2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 1
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 2
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 4
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 5
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 6
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 7
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 8
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 9
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 10
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 11
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 12
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 13
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 14
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 15
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 16
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 17
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 18
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 19
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 20
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 21
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 22
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 23
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 24
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 25
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 26
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 27
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 28
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 29
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 30
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 31
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 32
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 33
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 34
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 35
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 36
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 37
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 38
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 39
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 40
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 41
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 42
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 43
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 44
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 45
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 46
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 47
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 48
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 49
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 50
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 51
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 52
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 53
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 54
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 55
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 56
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 57
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 58
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 59
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 60
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 61
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 62
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 63
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 64
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 65
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 66
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 67
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 68
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 69
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 70
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 71
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 72
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 73
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 74
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 75
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 76
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 77
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 78
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 79
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 80
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 81
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 82
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 83
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 84
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 85
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 86
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 87
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 88
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 89
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 90
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 91
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 92
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 93
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 94
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 95
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 96
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 97
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 98
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 99
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 100
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 101
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 102
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 103
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 104
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 105
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 106
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 107
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 108
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 109
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 110
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 111
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 112
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 113
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 114
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 115
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 116
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 117
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 118
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 119
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 120
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 121
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 122
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 123
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 124
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 125
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 126
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 127
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 128
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 129
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 130
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 131
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 132
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 133
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 134
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 135
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 136
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 137
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 138
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 139
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 140
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 141
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 142
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 143
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 144
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 145
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 146
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 147
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 148
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 149
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 150
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 151
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 152
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 153
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 154
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 155
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 156
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 157
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 158
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 159
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 160
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 161
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 162
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 163
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 164
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 165
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 166
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 167
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 168
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 169
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 170
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 171
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 172
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 173
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 174
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 175
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - 176
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - Cover3
IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine - December 2013 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_june2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_march2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_december2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/roboticsautomation_september2010
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com