Gizmag: Robotics

Twendy-One ready to lend a robotic helping hand to the elderly

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:32:41 -0600

Japan, like many other countries, faces a rapidly aging population sparking concerns about how the elderly will be cared for in their twilight years. Japan being Japan has turned to robotics with researchers developing robots to assist the elderly with everything from exercise and independent living to shopping. Twendy-One is the latest robotic helper to join the fray designed to support aging people in their daily activities...

Tags: Aging, Dexterity, Japan, Robot

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Surrogate robots: more fact than fiction?

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:25:16 -0600

Gizmag recently took part in a virtual round table with futurist Dr James Canton and prosthetics expert Randall Alley to look at the role robots - particularly surrogate robots - will play in mankind’s future. The fascinating discussion ranged from the technology itself through to security issues and ethics surrounding the implementation of surrogate robots in our future societies. So when will you be able to send your robotic surrogate-self to the shop for a loaf of bread while you relax in front of the TV?..

Tags: Avatar, clone, Prosthesis, Robot, Robotics, Surrogate, Virtual Reality

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Snackbot serves up some human-robot interaction... and snacks

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 01:24:18 -0600

If you’re a student at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) who is left gasping for breath when forced to drag yourself away from your studies to get a snack, rejoice! A CMU team has created a robot that is designed to deliver snacks to you. But the appropriately named Snackbot is far more than a vending machine on wheels. It is designed to serve as a research platform for the study of long-term Human-Robot Interaction and packs a healthy helping of technological goodies, including a laser navigation system, sonar sensors and a stereo vision camera for eyes...

Tags: Autonomous, Behavior, Interactive, navigation, Research, Robot, Sensors, University

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Nothing gets past Robokeeper

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:13:54 -0600

At every live football game and in every pub around the world, someone exasperated fan watching the world game will yell: “even I could have beaten that goalie." But try beating this goal-keeper. He has the reflexes of a computerized cat. Cameras capture the ball and its movements and direct the ‘keeper to make an interception. If you can’t spear the ball into the top corners of the goal – you don’t have a chance. Apart from a skill developer, the Robokeeper is also a lot of fun. And he’s for hire...

Tags: Cameras, Fraunhofer, Robot, Soccer

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Nanotube-reinforced carbon fiber Piranha USV

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:47:16 -0600

ZPM’s nanotube-reinforced carbon fiber prepreg is normally associated with high performance composite power boats, but the use of such ultra-lightweight materials in an unmanned surface vessel (USV) makes sense. Built entirely of Arovex™, the newly announced 54-foot Piranha USV weighs only 8,000 lb, yet can carry a 15,000 lb payload 2,500 miles, making it suitable for missions as diverse as anti-piracy, search and rescue, submarine hunting, and harbor patrol with a range of armament options that includes stabilized machine guns, Mark 54 torpedoes, and over-the-horizon missiles. ..

Tags: Anti-piracy, Military, Piranha, Robotic, Unmanned, US Navy, USV

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DARPA advances LC3 quadruped robot program

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:11:12 -0600

Walking quadrupeds are being cast to play a major role in the rapidly unfolding age of robotics. The platform promises versatility far beyond that of wheeled-vehicles and will undoubtedly find applications in a wide variety of fields. Not surprisingly, the development of quadrupeds is being driven by the military and DARPA has recently boosted its efforts by awarding Boston Dynamics $32 million for the prototype phase of its Legged Squad Support System (LS3) program...

Tags: Boston Dynamics, DARPA, Military, Quadruped, Robot, Robotic, Robotics

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RealTouch - World’s first virtual sex device for men (NSFW)

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:01:42 -0600

Personal sex devices for women have been around for more than 100 years and, though they may not appear to have changed much, research used to create the ultimate device and technology embedded in them certainly has evolved. The taboo surrounding the use of women’s sexual stimulation “toys” has all but disappeared - discussion about products (and even their use) appears regularly on TV in sitcoms, movies and documentaries. But where are all the toys for men? Apart from old-style blow-up dolls – the butt of many jokes and attendee at many a bucks’ party – or the latest sex robot in Roxxxy, what else exists? The world's largest pornographic Video On Demand supplier, Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) has addressed this shortfall with the RealTouch – “the world’s first virtual sex device for men”...

Tags: Adult, Personal, Sex, Touch, Video, Virtual

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Willow Garage offers free robots to researchers

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:07:42 -0600

Imagine if every time someone wanted to develop a new piece of software, they first had to design and build a computer to run it. Not only would this greatly add to the time and expense required for software development, but it would also mean that all of us consumers would have to own multiple computers. Well, that’s what it’s like in the field of robotics. Because there is no robot-equivalent of the PC or Mac, every time someone wants a robot that can do something new, a new robot has to be built from scratch. Wouldn’t it be easier if there were one standard robotic platform, for which people just designed new hardware or software? Californian robotics company Willow Garage seems to think so, which is why they’re giving ten of their PR2 robots to deserving research organizations...

Tags: Design, Open Source, Open-source, Operating system, Research, Robot, Robotic, Robotics, Software, Stanford University, Technology

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Robonaut 2 ready to give astronauts a helping hand

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:21:32 -0600

NASA and General Motors have teamed up to build a new robot dexterous enough to use the same tools as humans, allowing them to work safely alongside humans on Earth or in space. The two organizations aim to develop the next generation of robots and robotic technologies that use leading edge control, sensor and vision technologies, to assist astronauts during hazardous space missions and help GM build safer cars and plants...

Tags: DARPA, General Motors, Humanoid, NASA, Robot, Robotic, Space

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Roxxxy the US$7,000 companion/sex robot (NSFW)

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:09:06 -0600

When it comes to technology, the sex industry is no laggard, and as robotics become more human-like in their appearance and abilities, US-based company TrueCompany is poised to launch Roxxxy – the world’s first "sex robot" that has many more capabilities than your average sex doll. Apart from having better defined physical features than previous dolls, Roxxxy has been programmed with her own personality and her manufacturers say she can listen, talk, carry on a conversation, feel your touch and respond to it, as well as move her private areas inside when she is being “utilized” to deliver an unforgettable erotic experience. There are even plans for a male version - Rocky the Robot...

Tags: Doll, Girlfriend, Robot, Robotics, Sex, Wireless

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HULC robotic exoskeleton to get fuel-cell Power Supply

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:40:31 -0600

HULC, the Lockheed Martin (LM) powered robotic exoskeleton is being extended in its range to support 72+ hour extended missions. LM is working with Protonex Technology Corporation to evaluate and develop fuel cell-based power solutions that can be carried by the HULC, while at the same time powering the exoskeleton and the soldier’s mission equipment during extended dismounted operations...

Tags: exoskeleton, Fuel Cell, Hulc, Lockheed Martin, Military, Mobility, Robot, Robotic, Wearable

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Robo Cafe: robot waiters make a restaurant a one-man operation

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:59:10 -0600

Back in the 70s, the robots were coming for our crappy manufacturing jobs. Now, it seems, they're coming for our crappy table service jobs. Korean company ITM Technology has developed a restaurant concept around a cute little robot that fulfills the role of a waiter - it takes orders from customers, either verbally or through a touch screen, then relays them to the kitchen, and brings the food out when it's ready. Robo Cafe eliminates ordering errors, reduces staffing costs dramatically for restaurant owners, and even brings the boss all the tips. It's probably not going to be nearly as interesting to Tiger Woods, though...

Tags: Kitchen, Robot, Robotics, Touch Screen

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D+ropop - the eager robotic mannequin

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:57:59 -0600

The unrelenting digitization of the commercial world has left few industries and professions untouched, with the latest robot from Japanese developer Eager looking set to make an impression on the world of modeling for the first time. Apart from being made almost entirely made of recycled corrugated cardboard and hence cheap to produce and eco-friendly, the D+ropop is incredibly elegant and will perform a host of new and existing modeling tasks very cost-effectively. At an all-up price of around USD$5500, the D+ropop will work 24/7, won’t throw tantrums, get involved in scandals and damage your brand, or be perpetually late...

Tags: D ropop, Eco-friendly, Irex, Mannequin, Robot, Robotic

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The serious truth behind the adorable PARO baby seal-bot

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:16:37 -0600

PARO is an animatronic baby seal companion robot designed by some very clever people with one simple purpose in mind - to make you love him. From everything we've seen, he's exceptionally talented at his job, melting the hardest hearts and bringing a big silly smile to everyone who meets him. But although he might be a wonderful toy, PARO's real purpose is to address a serious problem that's affecting Japan right now, and will soon spread across much of the Western world...

Tags: Animals, CES 2010, Japanese, Robot, Robotics

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Robovie II - the personal robotic shopper

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:37:08 -0600

For some elderly citizens the simple act of shopping can prove daunting and an assistant or carer may be required to help out. Aiming to help increasingly (if sometimes reluctantly) tech-savvy seniors, is Robovie II - a robotic assistant that takes a pre-transmitted shopping list and follows the customer around the store, carrying their goods while communicating and even offering suggestions. ..

Tags: Android, Care, Personal, Robot, Robotic, Senior, Sensors, Shopping, Wireless

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‘Motorized Knee’ gives runners a leg up

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:58:17 -0600

From the same place that brought you the Robot Suit HAL comes the “motorized knee.” Designed by researchers at Japan’s Tsukuba University the device supports the flex of the knee, which enables a runner to use 30 percent less muscle power compared to running unassisted. ..

Tags: Japan, Motor, Motorized, Robot, Running

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Get your own robotic doppelganger

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:30:08 -0600

Are you the kind of person that likes their own company? Maybe you're just a narcissist? Well Japanese department store operator Sogo & Seibu have just the thing for you. As part of a New Year’s promotional sale Sogo, Seibu, and Robinson’s department stores will offer people the chance to buy a humanoid robot custom-built to look, move and sound just like themselves...

Tags: Humanoid, Japan, Japanese, Robot, Robotic, Robotics

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SWAT BOT has trouble-makers in its sights

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:27:28 -0600

The SWAT BOT is what you get when you cross a paintball gun and pepper spray with a remote-controlled RV whose parents were a laptop computer and the Road Runner. Designed for law enforcement situations like riot control, hostage scenarios, building security, bomb threats or other hostile or covert situations, this all-aluminum, lithium polymer battery powered unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) is equipped with a 100-round magazine, wireless barrel-cam and can fire paint and pepper balls or hardened rubber rounds up to 250ft at a rate of 20 shots per second as well as travel at speeds in excess of 50mph...

Tags: Ball, Law Enforcement, Paint, Paintball, Pepper, Robot, Robotic, Weapon

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REX - robotic beast of burden hits the market

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:57:20 -0600

The military potential of robotics has long been one of the primary driving forces in the funding of research and development in the field. Aerial UAVs transformed armed conflict so dramatically that a new wave of robotic military capabilities are being readied for the battlefield in the hope of providing a similar competitive edge. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) recently began showing a battery-powered robotic beast of burden which can carry up to 200 kilograms, run three days without a recharge, and follow and respond to the voice commands of its master. Though designed for use on the battlefield, REX has myriad commercial applications in agriculture, manufacturing, and beyond...

Tags: Agriculture, Airbus, Autonomous, Boston Dynamics, Communications, DARPA, exoskeleton, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI), Lockheed Martin, Military, Raytheon, Robot

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Robotic librarians employed at British Library’s new storage facility

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:40:53 -0600

Although digital storage devices that cram more and more information into smaller and smaller packages continue to be developed, unfortunately the same can't be said for those trusty old analogue data storage devices known as books. However, the British Library’s Boston Spa site in West Yorkshire has used new technology of a different sort in the form of seven robotic cranes that will be used to retrieve items in its new Additional Storage Building (ASB) that will eventually house approximately seven million items from the UK national collection...

Tags: Book, British, Building, Robot, Robotic, Storage

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Nao - a robot that sees, speaks, reacts to touch and surfs the web

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:55:45 -0600

The versatile humanoid robot Nao caught Gizmag's attention at the 2009 International Robot Exhibition (iREX 2009). What Nao lacks in size, he makes up for in features and capabilities. Nao can see (via two cameras), will react to touch, can surf the Web and can interact with other Naos. He can speak (in English or French, so far) by reading out any file stored locally in his storage space or captured from a website RSS flow. The bot is fitted with an accelerometer and gyrometer so he won't fall down, he's also equipped with two pairs of ultra-sound senders/receivers on his torso that give feedback on several echoes so Nao is aware of obstacles close by and can avoid them...

Tags: Robot, Robotics, Vision, Wi-fi

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Innovative anchor takes inspiration from the Ferrari of underwater diggers

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:33:54 -0600

Researchers at MIT have taken inspiration from the simple razor clam to design a “smart” anchor that burrows through the ocean floor. The so-called RoboClam could prove useful as tethers for small robotic submarines that are routinely repositioned to monitor variables such as currents and temperatures. The device can burrow into the seabed, be directed to a specific location and can also operate in reverse, making them easier to recover. ..

Tags: Design, MIT, Robot, Robotic, Underwater

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Retrofit kit allows cars to drive themselves

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:32:56 -0600

Let’s say you want to go for a ride in your car, but you don’t feel like driving it. Or perhaps you want to drive your car, but you don’t want to go for a ride in it. These two seemingly contradictory scenarios are probably not what Kairos Autonomi had in mind when it developed the Pronto4 Agnostic Autonomy System. The Pronto4 is a drive-by-wire system that when installed in a vehicle, provides self-driving capability as well as remote control. The system is “agnostic” because it is a retrofit kit that the manufacturer claims can be installed in any steering-wheel based vehicle...

Tags: Autonomous, DARPA, GPS, Remote Control, Unmanned

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More robotic fish spawned to monitor water quality

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:32:31 -0600

Although fish numbers are in decline in oceans all around the globe, the same can’t be said for their robotic brethren. Like the “Robotuna” from MIT and the robots developed by a team at the University of Essex, the latest robotic fish from Michigan State University also take inspiration from nature. The aim is to give researchers more precise data on aquatic conditions and provide a deeper understanding of critical water supplies and habitats... and hopefully help improve the outlook for fish of the biological variety...

Tags: Environmental, Monitoring, motion, Prototype, Robot, Robotic, Swimming, Underwater, Water

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I am what I am, I’m Popeye the audio-visual robot

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:12:12 -0600

The ease with which human beings make sense of their environment through a range of sensory signals belies the complex processing involved. Approaches to give robots the same purposeful perception we take for granted have typically involved studying visual and auditory processes independently. By combining data from both sound and vision European researchers have developed technology that could facilitate robotic understanding and responses to human behavior and even conversations, bringing us closer to a future where humanoid robots can act as guides, mix with people, or use perception to infer appropriate actions...

Tags: Audio, Humanoid, Perception, Research, Robot, Robotic, Vision

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