Robotster

Japan Science and Technology Agency has unveiled an avant-garde child-sized robot with flexible joints and soft skin.

This 33 kilogram CB2 (Child-Robot with Biomimetic Body) is 1.3-meter-tall and comes packed with optical, auditory and tactile sensors.

It demonstrate the physical ability of a 1 or 2-year-old child and can turn over and stand up with support. It has 51 compressed air-powered actuators with 200 tactile sensors, implanted in its ‘skin’ and to develop strong relationship with humans it also reacts and make complete facial expressions with blinking eyes.

Thanks to Techeblog, who unveiled this Child-Robot with Biomimetic Body in action.

Via: Gizmodo

KornTech recently came up with the development of a one-meter tall robot known as Rogun, which is claimed to be capable of identifying faces, walk on two feet and keeps the owners on the alert to trespassers through mobile phone. Rogun’s main claim to robot identification is his facial identification via built-in cameras and “high-end face-tracking software,” and his capability of walking (a dexterity which humans take years to become skilled at). Proving once and for all that the Teletubbies were robots underneath their cuddly exteriors, Rogun is consisted with a 7-inch LCD in his stomach region for showing brainwashing material amusement for the children.

If adults don’t mind having a talk to Rogun’s middle region, his screen is also capable of routing via a video call thanks to built-in WiFi: Simply speak “Eh-Oh.” Owing to trans-lation problems with the original piece of writing, we’re not fully certain that this is an exact figure; however in so far as we are able to tell the Rogun is opting for $1m, each. A somewhat large amount to plop down on a security system, which can be put out of action with the help of a well-positioned push, however as with all technology, the price will fall, as things become more higher.

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The co-founder and chairman of iRobot , Helen Greiner doesn’t want to open her cards about expansion of their robotic family. iRobot is public corporation based in Burlington that designs robots for businesses, homes, and the military. iRobot became popular with its product Roomba, an autonomous home vacuum cleaner. Answering to questions in a game show, Greiner told that her company had two new consumer robots that are planned to be introduced before the holiday season. But she did not like to give much information about these robots. She said,

We are going to launch them from our Web space, and they are not floor-cleaning robots. They are different types of robots with mechanical features.

Actually iRobot wants us to keep guessing about their future product that’s why they have not lifted the veil of mystery surrounding the two new additions to the iRobot family.
We already know that the military has been using iRobot’s services in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. So how about having a robot that cooks our food, takes our dog out for a walk, waters our garden, are you listening Mrs Greiner?

Via

Imagine having a robot to do all your household chores while you sit and catch up on talk with your friends. Well iRobot of Roomba fame has announced that they will be launching their range of consumer robots very soon.

iRobot is well known for its range of cleaning robots. iRobot’s USP has always been their robots that are created to do dull, mundane, and even dangerous things like deactivating bombs. It is pretty much the market leader for a whole spectrum of robots right from cute, household cleaning robots and industrial-strength military robots.

Unlike iRobot’s earlier robots that were meant for cleaning, these new robots will be more like electronic pets. Actually, you can use them to look after your pets. They will be more like robot helpers. So you can give them the tasks that your kids or you don’t like to do. For instance feed the cat, or take out the garbage.

Helen Greiner, co-founder of iRobot clarified what these robots are all about,

“We are going to launch them from our Web space, and they are not floor-cleaning robots. They are different types of robots with mechanical features.”

What these features are Greiner has kept as a surprsise. But judging from iRobot’s previous robots, these are sure to be cute, affordable, and practical helpers that you would want to own.

It sure looks like the robot revolution is here to stay. Greiner says that the company plans to release the two new products in time for the holiday season.

Researchers of University of Washington have figured out a simple way to maintain networks of subterranean cables. They have developed a 4-feet-long robot that is in shape of a snake and is capable to detect an anomaly on an underground cable and send a message to human operator regarding the problem via Wi-Fi.

This robotic cable inspection system will find a great application in utility companies that can not depend on technicians that costs a lot. The first field tests took place in New Orleans in December 2006. But a commercial version should not be available before 2012.

Image: Blogsforcompanies

Via: slashdot

The Robot Hall of Fame has been quite popular with its fictional bots but this year, the jury of 25 roboticists has chosen more real bots than fictional ones, including the LEGO Mindstorms (shown above), the NAVLAB 5, the Raibert Hopper, and Mr. Data . It was pretty expected to see Mindstorm and Data in the list but the jury also honored NAVLAB 5, a robotic Oldsmobile Silhouette for its journey from Pittsburgh to San Diego way back in 1995. The one-legged hopper named Raibert Hopper made to the final list for featuring the basic tech DNA that triggers all the multi-legged bots around us. It’s good to see the Robot Hall of fame giving more weightage to the real bots.

Via: Engadget

U.S researchers have reported a new advancement in robots that uses ‘guesswork’ to navigate through unknown surroundings.

Robots generally creates maps of areas that they have already explored to use the information in unknown environments and trials conducted in office and buildings reveals that robots were able to find their way around, as reported by New Scientist.

By using the technique called SLAM (simultaneous localisation and mapping) some mobile robots builds map of their unknown environment via various sensors that also keeps track of their current position but to explore vast area and to locate its position simultaneously the technique is actually sluggish.

Therefore, to heighten previous technique drawbacks a team from Purdue University, in Indiana, has developed a new approach. Now, with the help of the new approach robots creates a 2D map of the area that they explore and when they come across to an unknown area, they recall the data of their information to see if it seems similar to any areas that they have already explored.

According to Professor George Lee who carried out the research:

The robot gets to a new area and thinks: Have I seen these sorts of things before?’ Then it goes back and looks at its stored data.

It might then think:’Hey, this is very, very similar to something I’ve seen before, I don’t need to explore that room or corner.’ And this saves time for it to explore other areas.

This step-by-step problem solving procedure is made possible by using algorithm but there are still some limitations if we perform the same test in outdoor environment where the scenes are not so monotonous.

Via: Bbc

The Vecna Technologies Cambridge Research Lab (near Boston) is developing a new Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot (BEAR) that will be four times stronger than its predecessors.

This new version of robots with more skillful capabilities can easily lift wreckage of victims to carry them to a safe place and according to the needs they can easily crawl or stand up to accomplish their task.

The part of this project is also funded by the U.S. Army and this is for sure that in future these robots will definitely help army to rescue their injured soldiers from enemies’ circle.

via: Therawfeed

According to the Washington Post while demonstrating its land-mine detecting prototype robot, one of the world’s renowned roboticist Mark Tilden has came across with an interesting response by an Army Colonel who strictly condemned the demonstration.

This renowned roboticist who has also worked for NASA is well known for its Wowee Robosapien, RoboReptile and for many other robotic toy designs. But recently at Los Alamos National Laboratory where he is developing a five feet long stick-insect-like autonomous robot that steps on landmines to blow it and than smartly adapts so that it can move to another with its remaining legs until he is left with one leg.

Colonel was totally distressed by seeing the condition of a fully blown robot during demonstration that was crippling towards the next landmine and finally he ordered Tilden to stop the demonstration by claiming the demonstration as an inhumane act against robot.

Still we have to consider the fact that robots are not humans so the question of inhuman treatment does not arise. Moreover, if these robots are not made to do such kind of work then ultimately humans will have to suffer. We have to remember that robots are used in critical army operations that can never be completed without human loss, so it is much better to lose robots rather humans.

Via: Gizmag

The latest report from U.S unveils that U.S Army will soon test a six-wheeled, 20-foot remote controlled robot to analyze its functionality on rough grounds and by loading it with bulky fire machines and 1,900 pounds of equipments without troops.

This MULE(Multifunction Utility Logistics and Equipment machine) is especially designed to fly on a ‘Black Hawk’ and will carry two 7.62mm machine guns and two Javelin anti-tank missiles plus feed camera data from its on-board sensors.

MULE’s assistant program manager Backers like Major David Byers examines the machine as:

the equivalent of [a] weapon squad. You double the firepower without putting soldiers in harm’s way

According to Carnegie Mellon University researchers to make this machine strong is an easy job but to make this machine to function automatically, smartly and reliably is slightly complex.

Robots are actually designed to drove and navigate automatically therefore; MULE is also expected to follow the same technology by using an Autonomous Navigation System (ANS) whose algorithms can direct its own course.

It is also reportedly said that this two-and-a-half ton Multifunction Utility Logistics and Equipment (MULE) robotic vehicle will lead every light infantry of U.S armed forces in next ten to fifteen years.

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