Hasta La Gadget!

The world of robotics has yet another member join their ranks, and this one, known as the Samsung Smart Tango vacuum cleaner robot will help mop up whatever dirt or debris around your home even when you are not around. Robotic vacuum cleaners are definitely not new, as they have been around for a fair number of years already, but it is nice to see companies like Samsung make and introduce improvements to existing models. The Samsung Smart Tango will feature more abilities compared to current robotic vacuum cleaners, and Samsung hopes that it will be the blueprint for housekeeping robots down the road, similar to the kind that you watch in science fiction movies. The thing is, will it ever arrive at R2-D2 like status? (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung NaviBot S robotic vacuum cleaner announced, Samsung TangoView robotic vacuum cleaner,

We have certainly seen how technology has come a long way in helping change the way we interact with devices. Take the mobile phone for example – what was originally a small display with alphanumeric, physical keys have translated to a full touchscreen display without any physical keyboard in sight. The rules of interaction have definitely changed, and Microsoft believes a future that sees folks twitch their fingers or arms in order to control a computer, game console or mobile device. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Google perform evasive maneuvers to avoid US smartphone import ban, Microsoft high-performance touchscreen technology patent filed,

You know something, the Japanese sure have a knack of coming up with the weirdest naming conventions for their products, making one feel as though he or she were living in a manga society. The EDV-01 is a good example, if I did not know any better, I might have thought that it hailed from some form of Macross-like universe. Actually, the EDV-01 is a Disaster Response Unit that was specially developed by Daiwa Lease and announced to the world in January 2011. Basically, the EDV-01 Disaster Response Unit will offer two people the ability to live comfortably for around one month, without getting cut off from basic (modern) necessities including water, electricity and communication equipment.

Just in case there is a real wide scale emergency, relief organizations are able to deliver this international standard size shipping container via air, sea or land, which can be used right after installation on the spot. As for the outer wall of the container, it can be raised in around 260 seconds to create a two-storey structure. The living space will be on the second floor, while the kitchen, bath and toilet are located on the first floor.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Japan’s EDV-01 perfect for Fallout fans, Japanese village relies on solar power to get their juice on,

The LG Lightwave Oven is controllable using your iPhone. This smart over enables you to control the cooking time and temperature via an iPhone app. The LG Lightwave Oven also functions as a microwave or a grill. Using the LG Lightwave Oven, you can easily cook meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The LG Lightwave Oven is currently available in South Korea for 849,000 Won (around $746). [Pocket-lint]

By far the greatest challenge for robots with legs is staying upright when the going gets rough. A team at the University of Pennsylvania’s Kod*lab has a hunch that we don’t need extra smarts to make that happen — just an extra appendage. The upgraded X-RHex Lite (XRL) carries a tail that will swing in the right direction to keep the robot upright if it’s caught out by a fall, much like a cat. That’s impressive for a nearly 18-pound robot (the previous Tailbot was 0.4 pounds), but we’re pretty sure no feline has six springy legs; the XRL can crash to the ground and still get back up like it ain’t no thing, which gives it a fudge factor others don’t have. We don’t know if the hexapod critter will lead to more than further experiments. If there are fewer stuck rovers on future exploration missions, though, we’ll know who to thank.

Continue reading X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video)

Filed under: Robots, Science

X-RHex Lite robot grows a tail, always lands on its feet (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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