AR.Drone gets Urbi open source robot interface drivers, tracks a red rubber ball like nobody’s business (video)

Just when we thought that Parrot’s iPhone-controlled airship couldn’t be any more of a blast, a gentleman named Psykokwak (yes, really) has been hard at work on an implementation of the URBI (Universal Robot Body Interface) for the AR.Drone. And what’s more, he’s gone and written a twenty-five line script that lets the thing to pick out — and shadow — a red rubber ball. Pretty awesome, right? You’ll need an AR.Drone of course, as well as a computer (clients are available for PC, Linux, and Mac), the interface of your choice (joystick, keyboard, whatever) and of course — for the current demonstration — a red rubber ball. For the technical nitty gritty, check out the links below. But before you do make sure you peep the demonstration video after the break.

Continue reading AR.Drone gets Urbi open source robot interface drivers, tracks a red rubber ball like nobody’s business (video)

AR.Drone gets Urbi open source robot interface drivers, tracks a red rubber ball like nobody’s business (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceUrbi Forge, Psykokwak  | Email this | Comments

MantaroBot telepresence robot works via Skype, offends our aesthetic sensibilities

We don’t see much in this space from Mantaro, an engineering and development company that usually works on things like network management systems and switches for telecoms. That’s why we were pleasantly surprised when the company announced an affordable telepresence robot. How affordable, you ask? Well, in a marketplace where these things can easily cost well over ten grand, MantaroBot can be yours for a cut-rate $3,500. Unfortunately, in a marketplace where these things can easily cost over ten grand, MantaroBot also looks like it cost a cut-rate $3,500. But you know what? Sometimes one must choose function over form. And what you get here is pretty straightforward: the remote operator steers the robot and communicates using a Skype plug-in (PC only) that also allows 180 degree panning and tilting of the onboard HD camera. This bad boy also features infrared sensors for obstacle detection, communication link monitoring (if you go offline, MantaroBot stops in its place) and more. Available now. PR after the break.

Continue reading MantaroBot telepresence robot works via Skype, offends our aesthetic sensibilities

MantaroBot telepresence robot works via Skype, offends our aesthetic sensibilities originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceMantaro  | Email this | Comments

ReWalk exoskeleton on sale in January, for a price you can’t afford

We’ve had our eyes on Argo Medical Technologies’ ReWalk for a couple years, ever since the exoskeleton walked into view with a gait (and a sound) eerily reminiscent of RoboCop’s. The device weighs seven pounds and features two leg braces with motorized joints and motion sensors, a harness, and a backpack for holding the computer that controls the device and a battery that should last a good three-and-a-half hours. In addition to giving paraplegics the ability to walk, this bad boy can be used to treat the health complications of those who cannot walk on their own, including digestive, cardiovascular, and circulatory issues. After clinical trials in the US and Israel, the device is due to go on sale to rehab centers worldwide this January. The cost for one will be in the $100,000 mark.

ReWalk exoskeleton on sale in January, for a price you can’t afford originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 18:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDailyTech  | Email this | Comments

Pentax K-r receives a rainbow paintjob, 35mm prime lens for limited edition kit

Do not adjust your browsers, that really is a Pentax product adorned with a generous helping of the three primary colors and a mech‘s head attached to its flash hotshoe. Why? In response to customer demand, of course. It’d seem people were so enamored with the way the K-x got abused restyled that they wanted more of that Korejanai magic, and Pentax is kindly obliging them with a limited run of 100 “robotized” K-r sets. The internal specs are unchanged from the original, but you do get a new 35mm prime lens with a wide F2.4 aperture to play with. Pre-orders costing ¥99,800 ($1,187) will start on December 24th for a delivery in early January. Yup, just in time for you to be the coolest blogger at CES.

Pentax K-r receives a rainbow paintjob, 35mm prime lens for limited edition kit originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 07:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akihabara News  |  sourcePentax  | Email this | Comments

Wheeme massage robot asks where it hurts to drive away the pain

Former Israeli electronics and defense engineers wouldn’t be the first group of people we’d peg to leap into the robot massager biz, but that’s exactly who’s behind the Wheeme from DreamBots inc. According to the firm’s about page, the Wheeme was developed to meet “the increasing demand for smart products that offer the natural feeling of caressing, relaxation, falling asleep and even just tickling.” True to those goals, the device works by moving slowly across a person’s body to provide a gentle massage using its soft silicone rubber “fingerettes” (a.k.a wheels). Special tilt sensor technology ensures it won’t fall off or lose grip while motoring either — making the Wheeme a master at its trade — at least for customers lying down. Officially this rover will start shipping in the spring of 2011, but pre-ordering the device which costs $49 plus shipping will guarantee you don’t miss out on any of the drive by goodness. To view the Wheeme going to work while narrowly avoiding crashes, check out the embedded video after the break.

Continue reading Wheeme massage robot asks where it hurts to drive away the pain

Wheeme massage robot asks where it hurts to drive away the pain originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 02:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Spectrum.ieee.org, Engadget German  |  sourceDreambots.com  | Email this | Comments

8-inch robot wreaks havoc on Denver commuters, Cylon war narrowly averted

The Capricans in Denver, Colorado should can consider themselves blessed by the Gods. An 8-inch tall Centurion was spotted near Coors Field park, prompting one citizen to notify the police. You probably know what happened next: adjacent 20th street was closed causing rush hour traffic to pile up, and two hours later, after being unable to determine at the time if it was safe, the bomb squad remotely detonated the little Centurion. Move along, nothing to see here. It’s not like they walk among us in human form or anything. Yet.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

8-inch robot wreaks havoc on Denver commuters, Cylon war narrowly averted originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Talay Robot will document your tweet, give it a soundtrack, Twitvid the results (video)

Tweet a message @talayrobot and something magical happens. An ST Robotics arm whirs to life inside Sony Music’s London HQ and starts transcribing your words of wisdom unto a glamorously lit whiteboard — in the finest handwriting font its designers could find! Best part is that the whole thing gets filmed and the video is sent back to you within a matter of minutes, equipped with an audio clip from Sony’s Talay Riley. Yes, it’s a promotional stunt, but it’s also undeniably one of the coolest intersections of robotics and social networking we’ve yet seen. Skip past the break for some video examples or get tweeting and create your own.

Continue reading Talay Robot will document your tweet, give it a soundtrack, Twitvid the results (video)

Talay Robot will document your tweet, give it a soundtrack, Twitvid the results (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 05:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  source@talayrobot (Twitter)  | Email this | Comments

Neato XV-11 robot vacuum gets its very own open source LIDAR hack

There’s nothing like a little bounty to light a fire under a group of open source fanatics, is there? We saw this principle applied recently when Adafruit offered up cold, hard cash for an Open Source Kinect driver, and now one enterprising reader over at robotbox.net has gone and hacked the LIDAR unit on a Neato XV-11 robot vacuum — and won $401 for the effort. What’s this mean to you? Well, the gentleman (who goes by the nom de hack Hash79) can now read data sent from the optical ranging hardware on the vacuum to a PC. There has been a pretty enthusiastic group of hackers surrounding the device for a while now and now with a little hard work (and a $399 autonomous robot vacuum) you too can have a 360 degree scanning LIDAR with one degree accuracy and a 10Hz refresh rate. Pretty sweet, right? Video after the break.

Continue reading Neato XV-11 robot vacuum gets its very own open source LIDAR hack

Neato XV-11 robot vacuum gets its very own open source LIDAR hack originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Gift: Stuffed Android

Android Meet Android.jpg

Given the mobile OS’s rapid increase in market share, it
seems a pretty safe bet that you’ve got at least one Android users on your
shopping list this year. This Android Plush Robot from Think Geek is quite
possibly the most adorable tie-in you can buy them this holiday season–and best
of all, it’s on sale.

The stuffed robot features posable arms and legs, and is guaranteed
“three laws safe” (i.e. it won’t hurt you and will generally obey orders). The
Android Plush Robot will run you $9.99 (marked down from $12.99), and is
compatible will all of the major carriers and your love (though you’ll have to teach it what that emotion means).

Meka, UT Austin researchers show off ‘sociable’ Dreamer robot head

The folks at UT Austin’s HCR Laboratory have been working on a Meka humanoid robot for some time now, but they’ve only just recently added one pretty significant component to it: a head. This so-called “Dreamer” isn’t just your ordinary robot head, though — described by the researchers as a “sociable humanoid head,” the head is modeled on anime and comic characters, and promises to establish an “organic link to its biological counterpart, creating feelings of quasi-affinity in response to gestures and synthetic emotions.” In other words, it’s impressive enough to hold your attention while you interact with it, and it may very well creep you out a little. Head on past the break to check it out in action.

Continue reading Meka, UT Austin researchers show off ‘sociable’ Dreamer robot head

Meka, UT Austin researchers show off ‘sociable’ Dreamer robot head originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Nov 2010 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceHCR Laboratory  | Email this | Comments