Posts tagged Robot at Switched

Posts with tag robot

Tmsuk Shows Off Shopping Robot

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 13th 2008 at 3:26PM

Tmsuk is back with even more crazy humanoid antics, this time demonstrating a shopping robot that can be controlled from far, far away. The modified TMSUK-4 humanoid showcased in Kitakyushu, Japan was actually being controlled by an elderly lady in her home via an NTT DoCoMo video-capable cell phone.

Essentially, the technology enabled her to see through the eyes of the robot and presumably control its movements via the keypad. We are told that she was able to successfully browse the hat section and finally make a purchase, but who knows how many innocent bystanders were unknowingly mauled in the process. [Source: Data-Max Via Pink Tentacle]

Shadow Caddy Follows Your Every Move (and Swing)

by Tim Stevens, posted Jul 12th 2008 at 4:34PM

In golf, the helpful caddy is a rare site these days among amateur players, replaced typically by motorized golf carts or little three-wheeled rollers. But, driving around in a cart takes away something from the nature of the game, and dragging your bag behind you isn't all that much better than carrying it. If you're looking for another option -- and have oodles of cash to blow -- you might want to check out the Shadow Caddy, a robotic club carrier that follows you wherever you go.

It relies on a transceiver clipped onto the golfer's belt, locking on and tracking the wearer like a heat-seeking missile. As you walk about the course, it stays a few feet behind, stopping when you push a button on the nose so that you can make your putt without the thing cruising across your line. Presumably you're expected to remember to tap the same button before digging for your ball in the bunker, too, lest you want to dig your new robot out too. And, at about $6,000 each, you'll want to do your best to keep sand out of the thing. [Source: Mail Online]

Roomba Creator Working on Lawn-Mowing Robot?

by Ryan Block, posted Jul 7th 2008 at 2:29PM

Not that it's any surprise, but according to a patent filing (which we were unable to ourselves unearth from the abyss that is the USPTO), iRobot would appear to still be working on the "Mowba," or whatever the hell the lawn-cutting robot is that they were talking up years ago.

We're not sure you really need to pore over 80+ pages of sketches and drawings to get the idea though, especially since there are already a number of autonomous grass-cutting machines out there. [Source: Robot Stock News]

Sega's E.M.A. Robot Walks Like a Lady, Offers Up Smooches

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Jun 13th 2008 at 8:01AM

There's something that makes us a bit uncomfortable about a robot that sports a "glamorous body," walks like a lady, and offers up some serious snogging. Today, Sega announced the E.M.A. (Eternal, Maiden, Actualization) robot that sings, dances, and -- yes -- kisses. If you get close enough to E.M.A., she drops into love mode and, well, the rest is up to you, big guy. Interestingly, it looks an awful lot like Wowwee's Fembot, which was announced back at CES in January.

Set up with infrared sensors to avoid obstacles (and, seemingly, sense your desire for some love nubbins) and movable elbows, shoulders, waist, and knees, E.M.A. will run around $175 and hit store shelves on September 26. [Via CrunchGear]

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Fujitsu's NaviRobo Smells Beer, Tells You Where to Find More

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 5th 2008 at 5:16PM

It's been a few years since we checked in on Navirobo. Developed by Japanese-research-company iXs, the teddy-bear-shaped robot is now fully grown and has been fettered to Fujitsu and Kawasaki on a Japanese press tour.

The 'bot features an impressive bag of tricks, including an accelerometer ("ooo, it's bumpy"), light sensor ("don't forget to turn on the lights"), and voice guided navigation with the ability to point the way and describe nearby points of interest (read: honey pots). It'll even detect alcohol on your breath and presumably take a swipe at your jugular in just retribution.

See for yourself in videos posted after the break (click "continued").

Continue reading Fujitsu's NaviRobo Smells Beer, Tells You Where to Find More

WowWee's Tri-Bot Gets an Early Review

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 1st 2008 at 10:30AM

We got a chance to spend a bit of time with WowWee's Tri-Bot way back at CES earlier this year, but the folks at RobotsRule recently got a chance to put the bot through all its paces in advance of its summer release, and they've now churned out a fairly thorough review. On the whole, they seem to have been mightily impressed by the bot, and they think it'll appeal just as much to more DIY-minded folks as it will to kids, thanks in no small part to its unique wheel base and tilt sensor-equipped remote control.

On the downside, the bot's sensors were unable to detect anything on the floor below its chest, and it apparently had a tendency to occasionally topple over while trying to climb walls (the ten minutes of pre-recorded audio also seems like it could get tiring real fast). If that hasn't made up your mind, you can check out the review in video form after the break.

[Source: Robots Rule via Slash Gear]

Continue reading WowWee's Tri-Bot Gets an Early Review

You Are Obsolete: Robots Going Everywhere Man Has Gone Before -- And Beyond

by Will Safer, posted May 31st 2008 at 12:05PM

They tap into the brain. They roam Antarctica and the Martian landscape. They conduct orchestras. Yes, they even scale cliffs in the Grand Canyon.

They are robots.

Is this the first wave of a worldwide takeover? Well, no. But these mechanical beings of all shapes, sizes and complex capabilities have captured the attention of tech hounds across the globe and here at Switched headquarters, where we're happy enough with our Roomba.

Are you a monkey? Well, then, today's your lucky day, because now you can control a robot arm with your mind. We assume you want to peel that banana, but you'll just have to be satisfied with marshmallows, for now.

Are you a thrill-seeker or an explorer? Yes, there's a robot or three for you. On Tuesday, Panasonic sent the Evolta Robot up the side of a Grand Canyon cliff for seven hours to prove the might of its new long-lasting, high-power Evolta battery. From bottom to top, the robot traversed 1,740 feet, powered along by what Guiness now calls the longest-lasting alkaline battery in production. Six bucks buys you the battery, although for now, it is only available in Japan.

Maybe that's too much nature for you? Fine. Tackle just about any wall surface with SRI International's wall-climbing robot, which uses "electro-adhesion" to scale even dusty and dirty walls.

Need to explore the South Pole? In Atlanta, researchers at Georgia Tech have modified a children's snow mobile, creating the SnoMote, which they hope will skid around the icy expanse, gathering data and maybe occasionally doing figure eights in the pristine powder.

For those of you attuned to the finer things in life, may we suggest a concert conducted by robots? It's a must-see for any orchestra aficionado. Yo Yo Ma and company played along to the direction of a baton-wielding ASIMO on May 13. Check the video after the break.

Gallery: You Are Obsolete: Robots Are Everywhere

Continue reading You Are Obsolete: Robots Going Everywhere Man Has Gone Before -- And Beyond

Sony Rolly Finally Brings the Party Stateside

by Paul Miller, posted May 23rd 2008 at 4:12PM

Everybody's favorite dancing robot of questionable utility from Sony is finally making its way across that big wet thing that divides the fair lands of Japan and USA. The Rolly, in case you missed it, is tiny little wheeled bot that can blast some tunes out of its built-in speakers, move its cute little appendages to the music and spin around for that full-on dancing robot experience.

The bot comes with pre-choreographed songs ("Also Sprach Zarathustra," Avril Lavigne's "Girlfriend" and Earth Wind and Fire's "Boogie Wonderland" -- all particular favorites of the Engadget staff), or you can use the choreography software to generate a dance for own tunes, or even program the dance yourself. The 2GB bot comes in black or white, and is available now online or in Sony Style stores for $400. [Source: PR Newswire]

Flame is the World's Most Advanced -- and Dutch -- Walking Robot

by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted May 23rd 2008 at 1:01PM

Walking robots never cease to amaze, but "Flame" from TU Delft PhD student Daan Hobbelen is what we like to call a mega breakthrough. By mimicking the way that humans actually fall forward when walking, this robot comes insanely close to the real thing. Usually, walking robots are energy-hungry propositions, but this is the first that's both efficient and stable.

Inside Flame are seven motors and a balance "organ" loaded with stability algorithms. By measuring each step, the robot adjusts stance width, speed, and gait on the go. In the end, kids, we're looking at the world's most advanced and efficient walking robot. If you want to see this thing in action, head on over the read link where you can download a .wmv. [Source: Physorg]

Wall-Climbing Robot Scales Nearly Any Wall

by Nilay Patel, posted May 21st 2008 at 4:39PM

Most of the bots we've seen recently have either been targeted at performing human-like tasks or simply too adorable to actually fear, but SRI International's wall-climbing robot is doing its best to put some terror back in the bot game, using something called "electro-adhesion" to cling to nearly any building material and climb with surprising alacrity. Electro-adhesion is apparently relatively low-power, and SRI researchers say that the bots can even climb walls that are covered in dust or other debris. Interesting -- just don't give the thing any cameras or lasers, okay? Video after the break. [Source: Popular Mechanics]

Continue reading Wall-Climbing Robot Scales Nearly Any Wall

Robot Surgeon Successfully Removes Brain Tumor from Canadian

by Darren Murph, posted May 19th 2008 at 5:48PM

Though it's certainly not the first time a robotic surgeon has made news after joining the staff at a Canadian hospital, history has just been made in Calgary. Doctors (the human kind) were able to use remote controls, an imaging screen and the neuroArm in order to successfully remove a brain tumor from a 21-year old woman. Hailed as the first procedure of its kind, the team already has a line of patients waiting to receive similar surgeries, and the mechanical hand is being praised for its precise movements and delicate nature. Unfortunately for the arm, no pay raise (or extended vacation) is in sight.

[Source: Times Colonist via Slashdot]

Swarm Robotics Project Further Ensures our Doom

by Darren Murph, posted May 18th 2008 at 2:04PM

Much to our dismay, this isn't the first swarm project that really makes us wonder how long humans will be running things on Planet Earth. MIT's own James McLurkin was recently down in Austin, Texas showing off a dozen or so of his hundred (is that even legal?) robots. The group was reportedly able to spread out, clump together, play follow the leader and circle the wagons, all of which were just ploys to distract us from seeing precisely how much they really know.

Each of the appropriately-titled SwarmBots featured eight AA batteries, a 1.1-watt speaker, behavior LEDs, a radio, camera and an IR communications system. For those curious, each one cost around $2,000 to build, but Mr. McLurkin suggested that these were a bargain compared to typical research bots. It's all about perspective, baby. [Source: Swarm Robotics via Futurismic]

CHRIS Project Aims to Put a Robot in the Kitchen

by Nilay Patel, posted May 17th 2008 at 10:11AM

We're not certain what's up with the sudden rash of news about EU- and EC-funded robotics research, but we're not going to turn down robotic kitchen assistance either, so say hello to the Cooperative Human Robot Interaction System (CHRIS) project, which aims to build a service robot capable of working safely with humans.

According to the researchers, the plan is to "to develop the rules we need to introduce this level of sophistication into service robots who are working closely with people," and to that end they've already built several prototypes and started testing specific scenarios, like how a bot should react to accidentally splashing a human worker with hot soup, or how to read facial expressions and tones of voice. That's fine by us -- we're pretty certain an army of deathbots can't do too much damage with soup -- but let's make sure we leave the chopping to the people, k? [Source: University of Bristol via Primidi]

Microtransat Robot Sailing Takes to the High Seas this Fall

by Ryan Block, posted May 12th 2008 at 3:02PM

Maybe our robo-challenges speak something to our respective histories: Americans have spent the last few years driving intelligent vehicles through vast expanses of desert, but over in Europe, scientists and technologists are preparing for this fall's Microtransat, wherein machines must sail across the Atlantic propelled only by wind and artificial intelligence. The race, intended as a public proof of concept for long-range autonomous sea-faring scientific vessels, should take the, um, roboats three months to complete.

[Source: World Robotic Sailing Championship 2008 via Piquepaille]

Humanoid Learns to Cook Breakfast, Fend for Himself

by Darren Murph, posted May 7th 2008 at 6:29PM

Never mind getting tesla coils to fix your supper, just hit the on switch on your own personal humanoid. Reportedly, the creature you see above has been loaded with learning algorithms that enable it to repeat actions that it learns. Wonder if anyone realized that this totally demented critter just learned to slice more than ham? Stay sharp, kids -- the video's after the break. [Source: YouTube via Hacked Gadgets]

Continue reading Humanoid Learns to Cook Breakfast, Fend for Himself

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Tmsuk Shows Off Shopping Robot

Shadow Caddy Follows Your Every Move (and Swing)

Roomba Creator Working on Lawn-Mowing Robot?

Sega's E.M.A. Robot Walks Like a Lady, Offers Up Smooches

Fujitsu's NaviRobo Smells Beer, Tells You Where to Find More

WowWee's Tri-Bot Gets an Early Review

You Are Obsolete: Robots Going Everywhere Man Has Gone Before -- And Beyond

Gallery: You Are Obsolete: Robots Are Everywhere

Sony Rolly Finally Brings the Party Stateside

Flame is the World's Most Advanced -- and Dutch -- Walking Robot

Wall-Climbing Robot Scales Nearly Any Wall

Robot Surgeon Successfully Removes Brain Tumor from Canadian

Swarm Robotics Project Further Ensures our Doom

CHRIS Project Aims to Put a Robot in the Kitchen

Microtransat Robot Sailing Takes to the High Seas this Fall

Humanoid Learns to Cook Breakfast, Fend for Himself

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