Dec 17

ASUS says EeeBots are coming, inevitably running Android OS

Posted in: Android, AndroidOs, ASUS, education, Google, robot, Robots, Today's Chili

We’ve seen humanoid bots ranging from the cute to the downright insane with none of them ever coming close to commercial viability, but stick an Eee in front of their name and all bets are off. ASUS, the company that started the seemingly unlikely netbook revolution (sorry, FIC), is about to apply its golden touch to the field of consumer-friendly robotics. Intended to serve as an educational tool for young children to interact with, the EeeBot will be driven by a modified version of the aptly titled Android OS and ASUS is said to be hard at work developing a content and services ecosystem around the hardware. Teased technologies include voice, video and navigation abilities, but we’ll have to wait a while before we see any of it since production won’t begin for another two years.

ASUS says EeeBots are coming, inevitably running Android OS originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceYahoo! News  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 16

Neato’s XV-11 robot vacuum maps out your floor for efficiency, doesn’t ask for weekends off

Posted in: household, laser, robot, Today's Chili

Heads-up, Roomba — your worst nightmare just waltzed into this space we like to call “reality,” and it looks fully capable of giving your dirt sucking powers a run for their money. Neato Robotics, a Silicon Valley startup, has just come clean with its very first home service product: the XV-11 robotic vacuum cleaner. The device is the first to sport the company’s own Room Positioning System, which utilizes an array of sensors to “intelligently map the entire floor space to choose the most effective path to clean the whole room, avoiding most obstacles other robots can only detect by impact.” It’s engineered to be used daily, whisking away dirt as you mind your own business and take even the smallest things in life for granted. We’re told that it’ll be cleaning up debris at CES early next month, though consumers at large won’t be able to snag one until February when it hits shelves for $399. Video’s just past the break.

Gallery: Neato’s VX-11 robot vacuum maps out your floor for efficiency, doesn’t ask for weekends off

Continue reading Neato’s XV-11 robot vacuum maps out your floor for efficiency, doesn’t ask for weekends off

Neato’s XV-11 robot vacuum maps out your floor for efficiency, doesn’t ask for weekends off originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePR Newswire  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 16

LG RoboKing adds second camera, seeks to escape Roomba shadow

Posted in: LG, robot, Today's Chili

We know, we know — the original Roomba saves children from peril, plays real-life Pacman, and steals its owners’ hearts away, but let’s give LG’s refreshed autonomous robovac a chance, shall we? Now equipped with two cameras (claimed to be an industry first) and lowering operational noise to a more bearable 50dB, the RoboKing is back in town and pining for your attention. It’s more compact than its previous iteration, stretching up to only 90mm, and it’s also said to be 30 percent faster on the job. Nice gains, to be sure, but we’d still like to see how this machine handles before we’re convinced. Bonus video after the break.

Continue reading LG RoboKing adds second camera, seeks to escape Roomba shadow

LG RoboKing adds second camera, seeks to escape Roomba shadow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Akihabara News  |  sourceLG Korea  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 14

Actroids go on sale in Japan, John Isidore not impressed

Posted in: Japan, robot, Today's Chili
Alright, you already have a robot dancer, some robot housecats, and you even acquired a Roomba to protect your child from poisonous snakes — what’s next for your futuristic replicant menagerie? Starting in January 2010, the Japanese department store Sogo & Seibu will accept pre-orders for Actroid life-sized, animatronic female robots. Unlike some available models, these ones can’t walk (or do a two-step, for that matter) but they will sit still and smile politely — which might be all you really want in a robotic companion anyways. That’s OK, we’re not here to judge you. Quantities are extremely limited: only two will be sold, at a price of $225,000 each. Get a closer look after the break.

Update: One of our friends at Engadget Japanese has filled in a few more of the details: Apparently the robots will only be manufactured in the likeness of the purchaser, so if you were hoping that this would be a good way to get started on populating your own Hall of Presidents, it looks like you’re out of luck. Unless, of course, you happen to have a strong resemblance to Chester A. Arthur.

Continue reading Actroids go on sale in Japan, John Isidore not impressed

Actroids go on sale in Japan, John Isidore not impressed originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Plastic Pals  |  sourceMSN Japan  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 14

CoolerBot photographs nature, gets its power from it

Posted in: diy, homebrew, photography, robot, rugged, solar, solar power, SolarPower, Today's Chili, waterproof

If you’re into real life bunny wabbits and other such wildlife, but not a fan of the cold, wet and windy outdoors, what do you do? We’d say just boot up the console and shoot you some pixelated peoples, but Steve Norris’ idea might be just a tad more practical. He has authored the above mobile snap-station, which is equipped with an infrared video camera, a Nikon DSLR, and pairs of motors, 10Ah batteries, and solar panels. Power flows from the latter into the former to turn wildlife stalking into a pleasurable pastime for even the most indoorsy of folks. Video demonstration of the hardware after the break.

Continue reading CoolerBot photographs nature, gets its power from it

CoolerBot photographs nature, gets its power from it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Digg, ecofriend  |  sourceNorris Labs  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 12

Tetra the micromouse needs no cheese, completes maze in under five seconds (video)

Posted in: contest, mouse, robot, Robots, Today's Chili
Lab rats beware — there’s a new turbo-charged robotic cousin of yours on the block. This little autonomous fellow, Tetra, has just wowed micromouse hobbyists with a 4.766-second finish time in a maze (which had to be mapped by the micromouse first) in a recent demonstration, beating the previous All Japan Micromouse contest record by a big margin of 1.6 seconds. Sadly, Tetra wasn’t the winner of this year’s contest as it failed to complete the final Expert Class event — probably something to do with the lighting conditions which affected its tracking. We can still admire Tetra’s awesomeness in the video after the break though, followed by some thoughts from a few micromouse experts.

Continue reading Tetra the micromouse needs no cheese, completes maze in under five seconds (video)

Tetra the micromouse needs no cheese, completes maze in under five seconds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo  |  sourceRobots Dreams  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 11

Nao performs Star Wars homage, scores mad geek cred

Posted in: Japan, robot, Robots, Star Wars, Today's Chili

While we’re still busy thinking up legitimate uses for a humanoid robot, Aldebaran Robotics keeps finding newer and zanier ways to play with its Nao. The latest is a pre-programmed Star Wars routine that should have all you aging loyalists positively moist with glee, and even includes a terrific R2D2 impersonation that is not to be missed. Past the break, you shall find it. Oh, and as to real world uses, there are further videos of Nao reading out your emails and doing balancing acts, which may be found at the source link.

Continue reading Nao performs Star Wars homage, scores mad geek cred

Nao performs Star Wars homage, scores mad geek cred originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Plastic Pals  |  sourceImpress  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 10

Rutgers’ underwater roboglider crosses the Atlantic, claims to be on business trip

Posted in: Environment, robot, Today's Chili, usa

The so-called Scarlet Knight robot has this week completed a 225-day journey from the shores of New Jersey to the sandy beaches of Baiona in Spain — fittingly the same port Christopher Columbus returned to after his first visit to the Americas — aided only by a battery, ocean currents and its innate intelligence. Built by Rutgers University, the youthful robotic trailblazer performed a number of data gathering tasks as it went along, furnishing climate change researchers with more info on temperature levels, water salination and currents within the Atlantic Ocean. Now that it has been handed back to the US, the machine will be put up on display in the Smithsonian, so if you want a peek at the future of globetrotting that’ll be the place to go.

Rutgers’ underwater roboglider crosses the Atlantic, claims to be on business trip originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourcePhysOrg  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 08

UK man builds life-sized Dalek, furthers intergalactic evil

Posted in: diy, hack, mod, remote control, RemoteControl, robot, Today's Chili
Sci-fi fandom and the DIY ethic go hand in hand — and for evidence, you need only look at the large number of Star Trek and Star Wars-themed projects we’ve seen in this space over the years. Still, few of them have achieved the scope of the full-sized Dalek that Rob Bosher built for about £700 (roughly $1,140). Powered by an electric wheelchair and constructed mostly from wood, this guy can be piloted via remote control and even features working lights, a moving eye (a reconstituted magic eight ball) and a voice modulator for the creepy, alien order to “exterminate.” When not trying to slowly (very slowly) populate the earth with a robot army bent on universal conquest and destruction, Bosher hopes to use his project to make money for regional charities.

Continue reading UK man builds life-sized Dalek, furthers intergalactic evil

UK man builds life-sized Dalek, furthers intergalactic evil originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink GizmoWatch  |  sourceChronicleLive  | Email this | Comments

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Dec 04

Creepy robotic heads serenade your wallet from deep inside the uncanny valley

Posted in: robot, Robots, Today's Chili

No, it’s not the Boyz II Men reunion tour, these are three other singing robots manufactured into a performing trio. The animatronic heads from artist Nathaniel Mellor are part of a $75,000 art piece on sale at Art Basel Miami Beach 2009. The artificial faces are controlled by servos which in turn are controlled by a computer. The uncontrolled fear you’ll feel when watching the video is, however, completely natural.

Continue reading Creepy robotic heads serenade your wallet from deep inside the uncanny valley

Creepy robotic heads serenade your wallet from deep inside the uncanny valley originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceYouTube  | Email this | Comments

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