Dec 12

EZ-Robot releases build-your-own kit, realistic Cylons due any time now (video)

Posted in: robot, robotics, Today's Chili, video
DJ Sures’ homemade Wall-E was the beginning of his project to bring personal robotics to the masses: thanks to his company, EZ-Robot. The startup sells kits that let you retrofit that Teddy Ruxpin doll in the garage into a fully-functioning killbot. $235 will buy you a wireless controller, ultrasonic distance sensor, wireless tracking camera, three standard servos, two continuous rotation servos, battery pack and software that’ll let you control the bot without having to learn to code. The software also includes vision tracking (facial, motion and color), speech recognition and the whole thing will even integrate with your Roomba — although we’re not sure how far you’ll get if you ask it for a sandwich.

Continue reading EZ-Robot releases build-your-own kit, realistic Cylons due any time now (video)

EZ-Robot releases build-your-own kit, realistic Cylons due any time now (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dec 12

Robots finally able to follow ‘make me a sandwich’ command (video)

Posted in: kinect, robot, Robots, rumor, Today's Chili, video
Sandwich Bot

Pancakes? No problem. Cookies? You got it! Sandwich? …is there a Subway near by? Why robots have such a hard time slapping meat and cheese on bread is beyond us, but we’re glad the crack team at the Technical University of Munich has finally figured out how to teach them. The dynamic duo of James and Rosie don’t exactly blaze through their task of making a sandwich and some popcorn, but at least they’re nice enough to toast the bread for your salami- and cheese-based chow. As usual, the moves here are not preprogrammed, the two bots make decisions on the fly based on a complex “reasoning” mechanism and data it can cull from a Kinect. Check out the videos below to watch two carefully construct a simple, layered lunch.

Continue reading Robots finally able to follow ‘make me a sandwich’ command (video)

Robots finally able to follow ‘make me a sandwich’ command (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Physorg, IEEE Spectrum  |  sourceTUM  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 12

Spherical hexapod robot walks like a crab, dances like the Bogle (video)

Posted in: robot, robotics, Today's Chili, video

Kåre Halvorsen (aka Zenta) is something of a genius in the robotic arts, as testified by the latest development in his long-running MorpHex project. By adding curved polycarbonate panels to its six feet and upper half, he’s given his creation the ability to curl up into a ball when it gets tired of scuttling. Alas, he hasn’t managed to make it roll around yet, or indeed fly, but the video after the break is still pretty amazing — and almost as hypnotic as that robotic worm we caught doing the limbo.

Continue reading Spherical hexapod robot walks like a crab, dances like the Bogle (video)

Spherical hexapod robot walks like a crab, dances like the Bogle (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 11:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Robot Dreams, The Verge  |  sourceHexapodrobot, Zenta  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 12

NASA looks to send landers to Europa in 2020, wants to break the ice

Posted in: camera, concept, NASA, research, robot, space, Today's Chili
There’s still a lot of mystery surrounding Jupiter’s moon Europa, but researchers at NASA seem fairly certain that there’s a watery ocean lurking beneath its icy exterior. Their theories may finally be put to the test later this decade, thanks to a concept mission crafted by astronomers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. According to Space.com, JPL researchers have come up with a plan that would send a pair of landers to Europa by 2026, in the hopes of finding out whether the rock has ever supported life forms. The endeavor certainly wouldn’t be easy, since Jupiter blankets its moon in heavy radiation, but researchers think they can mitigate these risks by sending in an extra lander as backup, and by keeping the mission short and sweet. Under the plan, each 700-pound robot would use a mass spectrometer, seismometers and a slew of cameras to search for any organic chemicals that may be lodged within the moon’s ice. Neither craft will sport a protective shield, so they’ll only stay around the planet for about seven days, so as to avoid any radiation damage. At this point, the mission is still in the concept phase, though the JPL is hoping to launch both landers by 2020. JPL researcher Kevin Hand was quick to point out, however, that this would be a “habitability mission,” and that NASA doesn’t expect to find any signs of current life on Europa. Lars von Trier was unavailable for comment.

NASA looks to send landers to Europa in 2020, wants to break the ice originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Slashdot  |  sourceSpace.com  | Email this | Comments

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Nov 01

Panasonic’s Evolta robot completes Ironman Triathlon, promptly rehydrates

Posted in: bike, Panasonic, robot, Robots, Sports, Today's Chili
The world is a happier place today, because a toy-sized robot has just completed a triathlon in Hawaii. After crawling out of the Grand Canyon and walking all the way from Tokyo to Kyoto, Panasonic’s Evolta has finally conquered that Ironman Triathlon — and it did so in impressive fashion. It all began on October 23rd, when the bite-sized bot and its AA rechargeable batteries embarked on the 230 kilometer (142.9 mile) race with the goal of finishing it within 168 hours. The Evolta ended up reaching this objective with time to spare, completing the run-bike-swim combo on October 30th, in just 166 hours and 56 minutes. The robot reportedly celebrated the achievement with a stiff erythropoietin cocktail. Re-live the magic after the break, in the full PR.

Continue reading Panasonic’s Evolta robot completes Ironman Triathlon, promptly rehydrates

Panasonic’s Evolta robot completes Ironman Triathlon, promptly rehydrates originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 31

Boston Dynamics PETMAN portends the pending robot apocalypse

Posted in: robot, RobotApocalypse, Robots, Today's Chili, video

If the sight of Boston Dynamics’ unstoppable Alpha Dog didn’t convince you of the coming robot apocalypse, then perhaps a glimpse of its bipedal relative, PETMAN, will. Last time we saw the two-legged bot, It was walking well enough, but it lacked the humanoid visage needed to infiltrate and overthrow. In the time since, however, PETMAN has gotten a more anatomically-correct body and some arms — giving it some push-up prowess to go with its jaunty gait. As the video below demonstrates, this robot isn’t a T1000 just yet, but is seems certain PETMAN and its progeny will be running and leaping over us meatbags on the way to the top of the evolutionary food chain soon enough. So our anthropomorphic replacements are on the way, but there’s no need for full-blown panic… yet.

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Boston Dynamics PETMAN portends the pending robot apocalypse originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 30

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: CR-V hybrid, Facebook’s server farm and robot costumes

Posted in: ev, green, robot, Today's Chili

The world of green tech presented us with some neat tricks and eco-treats this week from this plan to 3D print new shells for homeless hermit crabs to this handy LeafSnap app that helps you identify all different kinds of fall foliage to an energy-efficient UFO hotel room, which recently “landed” in the forests of Sweden. Speaking of spaceships, we also spotted this Star Trek Enterprise feeding system for babies (you’re never too young to live long and prosper) as well as plans for a massive nuclear-powered airport/airplane that could fly as many as 3,000 passengers through the sky, and Philips showed off its eerie and futuristic bacteria-powered lamps. In honor of All Hallow’s Eve, we rounded up the top six creepiest buildings of all time as well as six spooky churches made of bones. And just in case you missed the craziest Halloween story of the week, check these photos of a trio of ghastly zombies bursting out of the world’s largest pumpkin’s hell, er, shell.

On the green transportation front, we took the Honda CR-V hybrid for a spin and came across news that Tesla will reintroduce its sexy roadster in 2014. We also saw that GM is working on cars that could drop drivers off at their destinations and even park themselves, and the auto giant impressed us even further by joining Ford and Chrysler, who are working closely with engineering students from the University of Michigan Solar Car Team to create viable solar-powered cars for the future. But if you can’t wait that long, this Solarship is a blimp-like solar-powered airship that actually exists today.

In tech news, Facebook announced that they’ll be building a fancy new server farm in the Arctic. And speaking of cold weather, we also spotted where this clever Umbrella coat that has a handy umbrella instead of a hood – perfect for rainy fall days. A new study showing that TV is officially harmful to children under two confirmed some of our suspicions and we also saw news of a judge who ruled that cell phone warnings be blocked in San Francisco.

If you’re planning on dressing up for Halloween, don’t forget to enter our Green Halloween costume contest (or your kids in our Inhabitots costume contest) for some frightfully fabulous prizes. If you need some inspiration, we’ve got a slew of techie costume ideas you could cobble together from things you already own like this delightful iPhone getup or this homemade robot outfit.

Inhabitat’s Week in Green: CR-V hybrid, Facebook’s server farm and robot costumes originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 29

Olly: the web-connected robot that converts pings to odors

Posted in: robot, Robots, Today's Chili

What if there were a way to add smells to the things you see every single day on the internet? To some, just the thought of that there scenario would induce nausea. To others — primarily those who spend their days Googling various rose gardens around the globe — it just might be the extra dimension to surfing that they’ve been waiting for. If you happen to find yourself tucked into that second camp, we’d like to introduce you to Olly, the web-connected robot that’s capable of emitting smells based on inputs from the ‘net. The critter was dreamed up by Tim Pryde and the folks surrounding the Don-8r (Foundry, if you’re curious), and while there’s currently no way to purchase one, instructions are forthcoming to produce your own with a 3D printer. In fact, it’s recommended that users build a few, stack ’em up and connect different inputs (Twitter, Instagram, your mum’s vegetarian cooking blog) to each one. It’s the perfect cacophony… or the perfect disaster, depending on your browsing habits.

[Thanks, Tim]

Olly: the web-connected robot that converts pings to odors originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 29 Oct 2011 04:14:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceOlly, Foundry  | Email this | Comments

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Oct 28

New high-precision eye surgery robot helps doctors stay sharp

Posted in: medical, Medicine, robot, Today's Chili

A researcher at the Netherland’s Eindhoven University of Technology has invented a new type of eye surgery robot designed to steady the ophthalmologist’s hands and minimize error — always a good thing when it comes to having needles and knives near your peepers. Kind of like an Igor to a mad scientist, the robot is considered a “slave” to its “master” doctor, who controls the automaton’s arms using two joysticks. The doctor is still in charge of the cuts, but the technology makes sure the MD jabs that needle in at the exact same entry point each time without shaking to minimize ocular marring. Another notable feature is the robot’s ability to switch between tools quickly, ensuring that if this whole doctor thing doesn’t work out, it’ll at least have a job at Hibachi waiting. Jump past the break to check out the full PR.

Continue reading New high-precision eye surgery robot helps doctors stay sharp

New high-precision eye surgery robot helps doctors stay sharp originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo  |  sourceNetherlands University of Technology  | Email this | Comments

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Oct 27

Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video)

Posted in: mit, robot, RobotApocalypse, Robots, Today's Chili, video

Just in time for All Hallow’s Eve shenanigans, scientists at MIT’s DARPA and Boeing funded Chembots program have just introduced an uber creepy self-propelling robot quite capable of leading the robot apocalypse single-handedly. The automaton moves with the help of a pneumatic battery — a power source that utilizes a hydrogen peroxide catalyst to inflate a soft silicone pod, in turn forcing the bot forward. With electropermanent magnets to regulate built-in valves, all it takes is a small current to activate the bot, which can regulate just how much H202 it will employ for a completely solo and super creepy zombie-like C-walk. Jump past the break to check out the video… if you dare.

Continue reading Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video)

Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Ieee Spectrum  |  sourceMIT  | Email this | Comments

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