This was the real showstopper at tonight’s pre-show CES event. Let’s face it, it’s pretty hard to compete with a giant, hovering remote-control toy–particularly when the remote is an iPhone. (The device is still in prototype mode, so the actual control being used at the show wasn’t an iPhone.)
When it’s complete, however, users will be able to view video streamed live from two cameras on the device. An augmented reality mode will add obstacles to the video, turning it into something of a real life video game in your backyard. Pretty neat. Parrot is even set to release an SDK for the device, so people can build their own apps around the AR.Drone.
Check out two videos of the device in action, after the jump.
Our enthusiasm for this particular walking robot is unfortunately a bit dampened by a lack of video, or any evidence of actual walking, but both of those are promised to be forthcoming, and the bot still has enough going for it to distinguish itself in the meantime. Proudly made in the USA by Futurebots, this so-called ATOM-7x robot is actually powered by not one but two Atom processors (a dual-core Atom 330 and an Atom 230), which themselves power two separate systems running Windows XP and Windows 7. Those, paired with slew of sensors, gyros and accelerometers, promises to give the bot a whole range of humanoid capabilities, including an advanced stereo vision system that its creators say will let it “take on real world problems.” Complete details are otherwise still a bit light, but the bot can apparently operate autonomously in addition to being used as a telepresence robot, and it unsurprisingly wasn’t cheap or easy to build (“2 mortgages and lots of sweat”). We’ll be sure to keep an eye out for any sightings of this one in action.
We’ve always wanted a really solid humanoid robot of our very own. Remo, a hobby bot recently released in Japan — who boasts two arms and legs and seems to be about the size of a Good Guy doll — could perfectly fit that bill. He’s got pressure sensors in his feet to help out his balance, two sensors in his “eye” section (with two color CCD cameras for image processing), and Bluetooth connectivity for communication with your PC. He also comes with the expressive faceplate you see in the photo — which should definitely keep your nieces and nephews from trying to touch him, anyway. Remo is available in Japan now, but something of this quality is, as you may have guessed, not cheap: he’ll run you ¥399,999 (about $4,400).
We’ve seen these miniature robots dance and wrestle aplenty, so it’s only a matter of time before they pick up weapons and murder us all for crafting their bulky looks and squeaky servos. Fortunately for now, this Takara Tomy i-SOBOT seems to be content enough with demolishing just balloons and polystyrene foam blocks, courtesy of its owner who blessed the bot with a range of “handmade” firearms and edged weapons. Don’t be so quick to laugh, though — that mini mini Gatling gun may be pointed squarely at your face one day. Until then, keep smiling and enjoy the video after the break.
This is not the first time we’ve heard about a robotic hummingbird, but they’re still a rare enough species to warrant our attention. Japanese researchers at Chiba University near Tokyo have developed a new bot which behaves much like the quick-winged bird, which is controlled by an infrared sensor. The little birdie weighs in at less than an ounce and can fly in a figure eight, moving up, down, left and right. Next steps for its development — which the researchers say will arrive by 2011 — include the ability for it to hover mid-air, and have a small camera attached to it. Ultimately, its creators see the robot (which has cost around 2 million dollars to develop) being able to help search for people in dangerous situations, such as destroyed buildings, or aiding in the search for criminals. We haven’t gotten a look at the little guy yet (the above photo is merely to whet your imagination), but we anxiously await its arrival.
Judging by the comparative explosion of robo vacuum releases this month, you might think 2010 is all set to be the year of the automated floor sanitizer. Augmenting that impression is ASUS, who has now made its heavyweight presence known with the newly announced ECleaner, to be released under the AGAiT brand. This new bot comes with a UV light for disinfection, a fragrance slot, the usual photo sensor to prevent it from falling off a cliff, and naturally a remote control for the hands-on househusband. The biggest attraction though — beyond that killer paintjob — is likely to be the $150 price tag, which significantly undercuts most of what’s out on the market right now. Video of the little spherical hipster lies after the break.
The world needs humanoids, and Fuji Soft is heeding that call. It just unveiled its new humanoid line at the ever-popular All Japan Robot Tournament, and while the robot doesn’t have a model name yet, one of the delightful personalities pictured above is named Sakura-Chan and both seem pretty keen on a bit of robo-Sumo. The mobility and capabilities of the bots seems pretty standard, with an LED visor for facial expressions, speech recognition and a camera for taking in this odd carbon-based world it finds itself in. What’s more interesting is the Robovie-style off-the-shelf parts inside: Atom CPU, Ubuntu OS and WiFi, all of which are compatible with the Eclipse development environment. The robot should be hitting the streets (of Japan) in early 2010 for a supposedly competitive price. Video is after the break.
The robotic vacuum cleaners is heating up with yet another Roomba-clone, this time from Asus.
Asus, better known fits Eee netbook PCs, is set to introduce the ECleaner robot in China and Taiwan at the end of the month. The robot will be offered by Asus’s subsidiary AGAiT Technology, says The Taiwan Economic News.
It is the second automated vacuum cleaner to debut this month. Last week, Neato Robotics, a Silicon Valley-based startup launched the Neato vacuum cleaner priced at $400.
Since iRobot introduced the first Roomba automated vacuum cleaner in 2002, it has sold more than 3 million units and the gadget has become a hit among geek heads looking for a quick fix to a tiresome chore. But surprisingly, the Roomba didn’t spawn too many competitors–till now.
Asus’ ECleaner is Roomba-like in its shape and form factor but it has a few nice upgrades. The ECleaner includes a 6000-hour UV light for disinfecting the floor, a slot for spreading fragrance and a remote control that fits neatly on top of the vacuum, says Robot Stock News.
Though details are scarce, from Asus’s video, the ECleaner seems to work more like the Roomba in its cleaning, though it has a few pre-programmed patterns. The Roomba uses a randomized algorithm to clean a room, which has led to complaints that it doesn’t always cover an area completely. The Neato has a laser mapping technology that creates an outline of the room and its objects so the robot can move in a systemic back and forth pattern to cover a cleaning surface.
As with the Roomba and Neato, the ECleaner has a photo sensor to detect stairs and avoid falling down. The ECleaner also returns to its battery charge base automatically when it is done with its task or if the battery needs to be recharged.
Asus’ innovation lies not in its ability to offer cutting-edge features but to launch products at prices that make it accessible to a much larger audience. The ECleaner is priced at around $150 (NT$5000), much cheaper than the Neato and competitive with the Roomba.
We really can’t get enough of these humanoid robots. Researchers collaborating from the Nippon Institute of Technology, Harada Vehicle Design, ZMP and ZNUG Design have just taken the wraps off another addition to the crew. The newest version of the e-NUVO walk bot stands about 4 feet tall, making it roughly the size of an elementary school aged child, and will be incorporated into classes to teach children about humanoid robots in a hands-on environment. We’ll admit that after seeing a video of the bot in action (it’s after the break), we’re pretty jealous of those school children.
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