Robots -- Engadget

MSR-H101 Hexapod kit lets you build your own nightmares

by Donald Melanson posted Nov 1st 2008 at 3:11AM

Robot builder Matt Denton apparently first built a one-off Hexapod robot for himself some time ago, but he's now taken things one big step further and is offering a kit of a similar bot to the general public through Micromagic Systems. In addition to being excessively creepy (just check out the video after the break), the MSR-101 Hexapod also looks to be relatively simple to get going straight out of the box, with it boasting a built-in HexEngine with plenty of pre-loaded settings, and built-in PS2 controller suppport, which'll let you parade your creation about without having to mess around with it too much beforehand. Of course, there's also plenty of room for more experienced robot builders to get their hands dirty, and Micromagic is more than happy to sell you a whole slew of optional add-ons for the kit. Those just looking to get started, however, can simply grab the base kit in their choice of black, red, or silver for an entirely reasonable €105, or roughly $168 -- just don't blame us if you never get a good night's sleep again.

[Thanks, David]

Update: It turns out that you do need slightly more than the base kit to get the bot up and walking -- namely, some extra servos and electronics detailed at the read link below -- so don't be too hasty with that order.

Continue reading MSR-H101 Hexapod kit lets you build your own nightmares

Vadersapien has little to do with Darth, much to do with a troubled childhood

by Paul Miller posted Oct 31st 2008 at 11:50PM

Our favorite robot-obsessed entity on these fine internets, RobotsRules, has put out a fairly disturbing video entitled "Vadersapien" as a purported followup to last year's "Elmosapien." What at first might be perceived as a harmless way to enjoy halloween with robots and bit of Vadery goodness quickly devolves into the dark exploration of a mind turned sour by the constant companionship of robots. We're positive [insert name of favorite sci-fi novelist] tried to warn us of this day, but there's really no preparing for a product of so much psychological disruption. It's after the break, of course.

Continue reading Vadersapien has little to do with Darth, much to do with a troubled childhood

Recon Scout gets new job at prison, isn't any fun to hang out with

by Laura June posted Oct 31st 2008 at 7:58AM

You may remember this little dumbell-looking Recon Scout drone we saw last year, when it had just been implemented in the military. If you'll recall, the robot selflessly allows itself to be thrown into wild and unpredictable situations deemed "too risky" for people, then transmits grainy video back to an Operator Control Unit. Well, it turns out that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was interested in this rugged bastion of self-sacrifice, too. They can apparently envision all kinds of nightmare scenarios where prisoners have weapons and no human wants any part of it -- which is why they've agreed to a rental contract where they get ten devices and developer ReconRobotics gets feedback from the Department in exchange. Seriously though, aren't there any jubilant tasks we could set this guy to? He's getting to be such a killjoy.

DARPA contract sets its sights on autonomous, gear carrying robots

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 29th 2008 at 3:26PM

Are you a defense contractor, or would you like to be? DARPA has put out a call for a "legged vehicle capable of maneuvering robustly and nimbly" (which might be military-speak for "prancing" -- we're not entirely sure). To get in on the action, your vehicle must be able to sense, negotiate and operate in complex terrain (rubble-strewn streets and such), follow a soldier through dynamic, cluttered environments, operate quietly, pack 400 pounds of equipment and bring enough fuel for 24 hours of operation. The Legged Squad Support System (it's been pointed out that this sounds a bit like the BigDog we saw a while back) would be required to do all of this autonomously as it follows a soldier up to 100 meters (328 feet) away. Piece of cake, right? If you're interested, hit the read link for the full announcement and be sure to get your proposal in by January 6, 2009. Video of the "classic" BigDog after the break.

[Via Wired]

Continue reading DARPA contract sets its sights on autonomous, gear carrying robots

Video: Jules the robot makes convincing argument to destroy humanity

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 29th 2008 at 7:43AM

Besides rarely showering, Robotic engineers and researchers also possess a peculiar sense of humor. Trip with us through the uncanny valley as we take a look at the animatronic head developed by David Hanson. Software, developed by the University of Bristol with some help by a professional animator, controls 34 tiny servo motors to mimic facial expressions picked up by Jules' camera. Watch Jules make an ecologically sound case to "destroy humanity" in the video after the break. Indeed, if only Maggie was still in power.

Continue reading Video: Jules the robot makes convincing argument to destroy humanity

The Assistant Robot cleans almost all that you soil

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 29th 2008 at 4:55AM

Sure, it looks like a friendly robot strapped to a mobile toilet, but this robo-maid developed by Tokyo University's Information and Robot Technology (IRT) center won't be assisting with the after birth of your Turducken food baby. Assistant Robot is domestic enough to do the laundry, sweep, and clean up the kitchen... but there are limits to what its 3D sensors will respond to. Its creators claim that it can recognize when there's more laundry to do and won't be distracted from completing its task by the roar of the crowd from the television. That gives men about 10 - 20 years to get their act together before this robot could conceivably go production. Hot domestic cleaning action in the video posted after the break.

Continue reading The Assistant Robot cleans almost all that you soil

Sony's Rolly learns the Bluetooth trick

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 28th 2008 at 4:27AM

Oh Rolly... we know you're an overpriced, 2GB dancing robot with convoluted controls and questionable sound quality. But dammit, your impractical, big-corporate ways have gnawed a soft-spot deep into the noxious cesspool we call a heart. Now this: Rolly model SEP-50BT with Bluetooth control from your cellphone or laptop. Shipping in Japan on November 21st for an expected ¥40,000 or about $427. Sold. Watch it all unfold in the video after the break.

[Via Impress]

Continue reading Sony's Rolly learns the Bluetooth trick

Toshiba's decade-old automated volleyball bot resurfaces: where's ours?

by Darren Murph posted Oct 26th 2008 at 5:13AM

If this here press releases didn't have a date of February 1997 on it, we'd swear this was some sort new fancy new development. Sure, robots have been playing sports for ages, but seeing this here creature revived begs the question: why don't we all have one or two of these laying around the house by now? The prototype seen in the video linked below can recognize spoken commands, react to incoming spheres, identify actions of nearby humans and spike volleyballs in your grille all day long. In all honesty, Tosh probably converted this into some sort of elderly assistant bot that didn't catch nearly as much press, but we're still holding onto a sliver of hope that this thing is just about ready for commercial release.

Read - Volleyball robot video
Read - Original volleyball robot press release

Husqvarna's solar-powered Automower headed to the US

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 23rd 2008 at 2:11PM

Husqvarna's plain old battery-powered Automowers have been available in the US for some time now, but it looks like the company's solar-powered hybrid model is now finally making the trip across the pond as well. From the looks of it, the model is the same one we caught sight of back in March, with the 22-pound mower promising to handle lawns up to half an acre in size and not emit a single emission whilst it does its business. As with the regular models, it'll also return to its base to speed up the charging process when it gets low on juice. Unfortunately, there's no word on a price or release date just yet, though we wouldn't expect it to sell for too much less (if any) than the £2,000 (or just over $3,000) it sold for in the UK. Husqvarna will apparently have more to say about that at the Green Industry and Equipment Expo that's now getting underway in Louisville, Kentucky.

[Via The Raw Feed]

EI-E: Now robots hope to put dogs out of work too

by Thomas Ricker posted Oct 23rd 2008 at 3:55AM

Nothing fulfills the need for companionship like the cold hard steel of a robot. The gentle whooshing of gears and servos floats misty lavender doughnuts of joy into the hearts of even the most severely disabled farmers. So we're stoked to see that researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have taken the best attributes of our canine helpers and applied them to the EI-E helper robot. Like a service dog trained to grab hold of a towel to manipulate doors and drawers, the domestic robot can navigate the complexities of your home decor and respond to laser pointed or voice-commands such as push, pull, and a variety of hot tugging actions. Drape that thing in a plush, doughboy suit and we'll be singing Ee i Ee i Oh! all the way home.

Read -- Video
Read -- Article

PlantBot takes your flora in search of sun (and fun!)

by Tim Stevens posted Oct 21st 2008 at 10:09AM

You try and you try to keep your plants well-watered and situated in the brightest spot you can find, but that darned sun has an annoying tendency to move and leave your urban foliage wilting. You could try leaving them in the window, or switching to creepy robotic flowers, or you could just replace your pots with PlantBot, a four-legged contraption designed to seek out the sun and plunk your plant right where it needs to be. Designed by The Play Coalition, a group of people who "love to design things that are often functional but usually just fun," it looks like something out of a woodworking-themed anime, tickling our geeky natures while exuding that undeniable aesthetic of a well-made piece of furniture -- even if not delivering quite the same level of usefulness. Alas, there's no video available of this in action, but we do have an animation of it shambling across the room waiting for you just below.

[Via MAKE]

Continue reading PlantBot takes your flora in search of sun (and fun!)

CAFERO robot waiter serves coffee, does nothing for your loneliness

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Oct 20th 2008 at 3:31PM

If Yujin Robot has its way, cafes the world over will someday replace their waitstaff with robots like CAFERO (shown above at Robot World 2008 in Seoul). Details are scarce, but apparently the automaton takes orders on a touch screen and fills them with the help of a human operator (though it's only a matter of time before the carbon-based barista is obsolete). Robot waitresses don't flirt and they don't ask for tips: does CAFERO represent food service utopia or a chilling vision of the future? Only time will tell.

[Via Hallyu Tech]

A closer look at Elbot's Turing test conversation

by Darren Murph posted Oct 19th 2008 at 7:59AM

Earlier this week, Elbot made a fairly impressive showing (comparatively speaking, at least) when fooling three judges into thinking it was human; had it fooled one more on the dozen deep panel, it would have successful passed the famed Turing test. Auntie Beeb now has a report on what exactly Elbot said when asked a litany of questions away from the competition, and there's also a video with the related experts dissecting its performance. To be totally honest, its responses weren't too far from being completely passable as ones from a tired, potentially inebriated Earthling (in our humble opinion), but we'll leave the final determination to you. Touch the read link for a one-on-one with ones and zeros.

Researchers create wirelessly-powered robot swarm

by Donald Melanson posted Oct 17th 2008 at 12:50PM

Wireless power has come a long way from Nikola Tesla's early ruminations on the matter, and it looks like some researchers from Duke and Georgia Tech are now taking the idea to its logical, robot-powering conclusion. While their setup (thankfully) isn't yet able to power robots beyond the confines of the Q L-C resonator-equipped table, it does appear to work remarkably well in that limited proof-of-concept, with five bots each equipped with a non-resonant pickup coil able to follow a path around the table, or simply sit still to recharge their batteries. They were even able to power an LED light with the system for good measure. Natually, they eventually hope to expand the system to power larger swarms of robots and do away with the need for batteries altogether. Yeah, that's a good idea. Head on past the break for a video.

Continue reading Researchers create wirelessly-powered robot swarm

Elmo Live! gets stripped of his dignity, red fur

by Darren Murph posted Oct 16th 2008 at 6:09PM

Heads-up: this post contains graphics unsuitable for viewing by not-yet-hardened 6 year olds. Now that you've read that (and hopefully shielded your youngin's innocent eyes from the image above), we're here to tell you that the unspeakable (though inevitable) has occurred. Yes, friends, dear Elmo Live!, which probably won't be seen selling for MSRP until January of 2009, has been splayed. Torn down. Stripped of every ounce of animality he had. All so that you could see what really makes this bizarre critter tick. You can tap the read link for more, but trust us, the worst is already staring you in the face.