Hasta La Gadget!

A Japanese company called Suidobashi Heavy Industries recently revealed its 13-foot mech robot named Kuratas. Kuratas is the brainchild of artist Kogoro Kurata and robotics researcher Wataru Yoshizaki. Kuratas can be controlled in three ways – either through a controller, a master slave, or an iPhone. The robot runs on an operating system called V-Sido and it is outfitted with a launcher and a twin Gatling gun. To operate the robot’s heavy artillery, the user only needs to smile to fire 6,000 bullets per minute.

Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? Apparently while we have pretty much covered almost every robot around, Kuratas appears to be a concept to us for now. But I have to say that the robot looks very surreal and realistic, judging from the video above. The Kuratas mech robot was recently showcased at the Wonder Festival in Chiba, Tokyo. Suidobashi Heavy Industries is reportedly planning to mass produce Kuratas in the future, but I reckon that you take that with a grain of salt in hand.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Affetto infant robot is one terror inducing hugger, Water strider-like robot jumps on water,

You remember Suidobashi Heavy Industries, don’t you? The company previously created a 12.5ft tall mech prototype, that was partially controlled using Microsoft’s Kinect sensor. It wasn’t quite ready back in April, but the company showed off a completed version of the Kuratas recently in Japan. On top of that, Suidobashi has created a video detailing how to use the Kuratas, which you’ll be able to purchase down the line for a cool $1.3 million.

Part informative and part tongue-in-cheek, the video takes you around the mech, detailing the various functions as well as how to operate it. The mech features a motor-controlled cockpit, opened from the outside and inside with small buttons. Once the pilot is safely inside, the robot is controlled using a combination of physical and motion controls, plus a touchscreen. It can also be operated remotely using a master slave device.

The Kuratas will have a top speed of around 6 mph when mobile movement is fully functional, and the pilot can adjust the height of the robot to achieve the best vantage point. It runs on a diesel engine too, so keeping it on the road shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Bear in mind though that the video does make liberal use of CGI as the Kuratas takes to the streets.

The Kuratas features several weapons as well. The first is the LOHAS launcher, which shoots water-filled bottles at enemies with high speed. Suidobashi notes that it’s designed to be an “eco-friendly” solution, to be used more for demonstration rather than actual combat. The twin gatling guns, meanwhile, can shoot out 6000 BBs per minute, activated when the pilot smiles, with facial tracking helping the Kuratas to stay locked on the target.

[via Twitter, The Verge]

Kuratas mech brings us one million dollar step closer to Gundam is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

US intelligence agencies were just as obsessed with drone spying 40 years ago as they are nowadays — only then, it was pipe-smoking entomologists and watchmakers who were in charge of building prototypes. Back in the ’70s, the CIA needed some kind of miniature flyer to deliver an audio bug, and after considering (and rejecting) a faux bumblebee, decided that a robotic dragonfly would be the best option. The wee UAV used a “miniature fluidic oscillator” as a motor and was propelled by a small amount of gas. It was somehow guided by a laser beam, which served double-duty as the “datalink for the audio sensor payload,” according to the CIA Museum. Unfortunately, the insect-based mech proved too difficult to control, especially with any degree of wind, and was eventually scuppered — all that’s left of the now-declassified project is in the video after the break.

Continue reading CIA dragonfly drone almost beat modern UAVs by 40 years, was swatted (video)

Filed under: Robots, Science

CIA dragonfly drone almost beat modern UAVs by 40 years, was swatted (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 08:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I would suppose that another hugger which will certainly make most grown men wet their pants would be the Facehugger from the Alien movie franchise, and here we are with a real life hugger – albeit not one that has acid blood, coming in the form of the Affetto infant robot. Hailing from Osaka University, the Affetto infant robot might seem cute at first, but it actually isn’t all that cut out to be – as those who check it out might get creeped out . Sure, Affetto is able to hug you like a real baby (although it will not smell like one), it now comes completely fitted with the relevant limbs, which makes it far more advanced than what it was 1.5 years ago, where back then it was nothing but a robotic face. Being fitted with new limbs, not to mention coming draped in a grey hoodie, among the improvements made to the Affetto infant robot include 20 pneumatic actuators which will help him move his arms, neck, and spine freely.

Right now, this project would fall under the umbrella of “cognitive developmental robotics,” which will involve the field of robotics to study human development. The main point would see the interplay between caregivers and developing babies. According to Osaka University laboratory’s site, Affetto can be seen “interacting with the environment and people nearby is an important factor in development. In order to create the same conditions as with a real child, we’re developing a child robot that’s the same size, with a soft body, rich facial expressions, and small hands.”

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Water strider-like robot jumps on water, Mantabot travels through the seas without much effort,

I have failed you. I have failed us all. Last year Matty Collector offered a Club Lion Force subscription, which entitled customers to receive action figures of the Voltron Lions together with their pilots. And yes, when all the Lions are complete…

That is a 23″ Voltron robot, and this is where I fail you. I didn’t spot this offering soon enough, and unfortunately the Club Lion Force subscription is sold out. Fortunately Matty Collector also made each Lion available for individual purchase. Unfortunately three of the Lions – the Green, Yellow and Red – are already sold out. Fortunately there are units being sold on eBay. Unfortunately they’re more expensive there. Enough. I’ve taken your heart through enough punishment. It’s time for your brain to explode:

The replay killed me. As I said, there’s still a chance for you to form feet and legs and the right arm if you head to eBay. The last two lions, the Blue and the Black, will be available from Matty Collector this August and October, respectively.

[via Doobybrain]