• Users Prefer Manual Operation of Robot Arm

    Updated: 2010-09-30 15:35:38
    It was a surprise to University of Central Florida researchers who improved sensors and software for a robot arm to help those with physical limitations. Just click a button and the arm would make a decision about an object's location and take care of all the nitty-gritty details of grabbing it and performing other tasks. But users thought that was too simple and boring. Apparently, users prefer the challenge of manual control over fully automatic mode for daily tasks as long as it's not too difficult or tedious. (Video)

  • RIC Android Robot Gallery

    Updated: 2010-09-30 14:16:38
    20100928-100928-RT-RIC-Android--033 Originally uploaded by Robots-Dreams. More photos from Tuesday's Google Developer Day 2010-Tokyo featuring the unveiling of the RIC Android robot.

  • Best Toys in 2010 for 9 Year Old Girls

    Updated: 2010-09-30 12:23:30
    Best Toys in 2010 for 9 Year Old Girls Best Vtech Toys for 9 Year Old Girls? Have you been looking for toys for 9 Year Old Girls? Locating toys for 9 Year Old Girls can be a piece of cake if you go into it with enough information as possible. Hunting down great Vtech [...]

  • Top Toys in 2010 for Thirteen Year Old Boys

    Updated: 2010-09-30 04:11:16
    2010 Top Hot Wheels Toys for 13 Year Old Boys? Finding toys for 13 Year Old Boys can be easier than you think if you go into it knowing what you want to buy. Every child is different, but here is a list of some of the most popular toys for 13 Year Old Boys [...]

  • Webcast Thurday Explores Prototyping Challenges

    Updated: 2010-09-29 21:09:01
    A 1-hour webcast Thursday, September 30 at 2:00PM ET will cover three big challenges developers face when prototyping robots including sensors and actuator integration, implementing autonomy, and deployment of deterministic control algorithms in embedded hardware. Presenters include Meghan Kerry and Todd Dobberstein of National Instruments.

  • Who is really operating the RIC Android robot?

    Updated: 2010-09-29 06:11:06
    At first we thought the human operator was controlling everything at the Google Developer Day yesterday, but on closer inspection we discovered that Android was in total control.

  • r2-d2 robot costume holds a dude and moves around

    Updated: 2010-09-29 00:17:04
    Not too long ago I mentioned that a dude had created the coolest Halloween costume ever and it was a life size power loader from Aliens the movie. That thing was epic and today we…

  • Upcoming Robot Arm from Invenscience

    Updated: 2010-09-28 20:24:12
    Invenscience is developing a new large scale robotic arm that will use their ridiculously powerful Torxis servo motors and a gripper developed for their previous Advanced Robotic Manipulator. There are not many details available yet, but we know the price will be below 4000 $ for the complete arm with control electronics and software. Having a large [...]

  • RIC Android Robot Unveiled (Video)

    Updated: 2010-09-28 02:30:14
    From the Google Developers Conference 2010 in Tokyo:

  • Tokyo HackerSpace Creates Akihabara Video Tour (Video)

    Updated: 2010-09-26 15:24:20
    Akiba and Patrick, with Tokyo HackerSpace, put together an amazing Akihabara guide to all their favorite sources for components, processors, kits, video games (including classic Nintendo gear at Super Potato) and even robots. They included 24 videos and write-ups, including Google maps and locations, in the series. We can't believe...

  • H2K2 Robot by Joseph Senior 10

    Updated: 2010-09-26 14:57:23
    Sometimes we run across a robot gone so incredibly wrong that it's actually very, very right. Source: DBSW.net Thanks to Stuart.

  • Next VEX Competition in Japan Set

    Updated: 2010-09-26 08:52:34
    ASIJ VEX-0051 Originally uploaded by Robots-Dreams. We just confirmed that the next international VEX competition in Japan is set for November 9, 2010 at the American School in Japan (ASIJ) campus just West of Tokyo. Last year's competition was intense with top competitors coming from several different countries around the...

  • Obama Invests in Robots

    Updated: 2010-09-24 20:07:10
    United States President Barack Obama announced as part of the President’s FY2012 Budget, the creation of  grants for Robotics Technology Development and Deployment. The funding will target companies developing service robots, drug discovery robots, and bomb disarming robots (under the DARPA supervision). It is good to see that major nations of the world are investing in a robotic future. Via [...]

  • Cyborgs to Colonize Space

    Updated: 2010-09-24 19:11:41
    Smithsonian Museum curator Roger Launius  among other scientist and historians, argue that humans will eventually need to colonize other planets in order to prevent extinction from a massive catastrophe, and since the Earth resources is likely not going to be sufficient for our increasing needs. According to Lanius, in order to adapt to the harsh conditions of life in other planets, humans will most likely need [...]

  • RobotShop Announces VIP Repair Services

    Updated: 2010-09-22 19:57:41
    RobotShop announced today important changes to the RobotShop Robot Hospital. RobotShop will now be offering their very unique repair services to customers that have purchased their robot at RobotShop only. Repair services will no longer be available for customers who buy their robots elsewhere whether it is under the manufacturer’s warranty or not. RobotShop will concentrate on [...]

  • Reciprocating Laser Cuts Deeper

    Updated: 2010-09-22 15:22:01
    Tinker/Grad Student extraordinaire Peter Jansen describes a simple/clever trick to use a low-power 1W laser diode to plow through thick material typically tackled by only larger systems. The technique involves moving the laser up/down on the Z-axis to focus the beam at different depths as it eats way material. Peter's test system is a 3-axis machine constructed of parts from old DVD burners and printers. While there, go ahead and dig through the RepRap site and learn about the wonderful world of DIY 3D printing.

  • Super Strong Walking Robot

    Updated: 2010-09-20 22:36:51
    The Core project, by fuRo, the Future Robotics Technology Center, consists of a very large biped robot that can carry up to 100 Kg. It is meant to be a human transportation vehicle but we can envision how it could become a three meter tall rampaging humanoid quite easily. The video below shows a walking test, note how [...]

  • Teleanesthesia Research Update

    Updated: 2010-09-20 16:29:25
    Researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine are looking at the next logical step for telesurgery - teleanesthesia. A da Vinci surgical robot is used to place nerve blocks guided by ultrasound imaging. So far, single and multiple catheter techniques have been successfully performed by a remote operator using the system. Telemedicine is ultimately expected to improve medical care access and quality around the world by reducing the geographic restraints that currently separates patients and care-givers.

  • Robot supports older people with communication

    Updated: 2010-09-19 19:01:08
    Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) want to equip the helper so that it makes easy to use even complex media. The goal: even if they are housebound, older people are to maintain their social contacts and prevent isolation and can train cognitive abilities. “Call my daughter!” Maybe the old man forgot the number [...]

  • Space robots are baptism of fire in space

    Updated: 2010-09-19 19:01:07
    The two developed at the Technical University of Vienna Space Robot Roby Space Junior I and II have passed its first test in space. The Sunday started by the Japanese Uchinoura Space Center rocket placed the two robots as planned. Their task was to get around on a strained inter-satellite network. “After what we know [...]

  • NANC -E , The robot nanny

    Updated: 2010-09-19 02:55:14
    After sleepless nights, days when all they do is change diapers and bottles to fill women tend to lose the trial. It was justifiable , I do not want to imagine the madness of a newborn little boy , with his Berreo , weeping, their dolorcillos in the belly that wreak havoc in the heart [...]

  • HRP-4 Unveiled

    Updated: 2010-09-17 19:00:31
    Kawada industries unveiled their next generation of humanoid robots.  The HRP-4 is leaner (much leaner), more flexible, and faster than its predecessors. The new robot is 1.5m (~5 feet) tall  and will sell for 300 000 $. Although this might seem expensive for the average robot enthusiast, it is actually a good price for universities and researchers. This is a step forward [...]

  • Giant Electromagnets Control a Tiny Surgery Robot

    Updated: 2010-09-15 20:43:18
    The Octomag, a giant but friendly electromagnets arrangement, is able to control a very small surgery robot with 5 DoF (degrees of freedom) in free space. This means that the tiny robot can be moved and rotated in free space in every possible way. It is capable of passing trough a needle and could be injected into a human eyeball, for instance, and operate completely untethered. The tiny robot can be controlled in [...]

  • Tandy Trower Launches Hoaloha Robotics

    Updated: 2010-09-14 16:58:24
    Tandy Trower, the 57 years old retired Microsoft employee and creator of the Microsoft Robotic Studio, launched a new Seattle-based start-up called Hoaloha Robotics. The main goal is to produce a unified programming environment and robotic interface (à la ROS) in order to commercialise affordable “socially assistive robots” (as they put it). Mr. Trower intends to develop elder care robots in [...]

  • Willow Garage PR2 Robots Hit the Market

    Updated: 2010-09-13 17:24:09
    All the news that's fit to assimilate Home Blogs Events Robots Humans Projects About Account Willow Garage PR2 Robots Hit the Market Posted 13 Sep 2010 at 16:24 UTC by steve When we first reported on the Willow Garage PR2 robot , it was just a prototype . Earlier this year , Willow Garage started their beta program which gave eleven lucky organizations two year access to PR2 robots in exchange for furthering work on open source robotics software . Now we've received word from Willow Garage that the PR2 is officially for sale to anyone who wants it . This is not a toy or hobby robot , of course , so don't expect a small price tag . The full retail price is 400,000 per unit . However , if your organization can demonstrate a proven track record in developing open source software and making

  • 5 Amazing Robots That Go To War

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:59:14
    It is becoming increasingly common for countries to now deploy autonomous robotic solidiers to conduct their modern day wars. Today we take a look at 5 types of robots that are helping eliminate the need of a man for the act of war. Skynet can't be too far away? 1. ...

  • Towel Folding Robot

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:59:13
    Researchers at UC Berkeley used Willow Garage's PR2 robot to fold towels. The UCB programming used some innovative visual scanning techniques, allowing the PR2 to pick up a towel, find its corners, and fold it on a table perfectly. According to the paper presented at the 2010 ICRA (PDF), the ...

  • What Robots Can Do: Writing & Drawing

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:59:11
    [vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/5538289[/vimeo] The Arneis robot arm is equipped with a marker pen, to perform writing and drawing actions.  It can produce several thousand portraits a day (it's not all about clean tech entrepreneurs) and share it's creations with the audience (as seen in the video above). The robot receive input from a camera eye and ...

  • 5 Robotic Home Makers For Lazy People

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:59:07
    The washing-up is piling up in the kitchen, you are too tired to get up and make dinner or even just grab a beer - do not fear! Those crazy Robots from Japan are here. They will take care of your cooking needs, supply you with drinks and even wake ...

  • First Official Transformer 2 Pictures in the Wild

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:59:04
      Looking Good! Soundwave, Devastator & Jetfire are all confirmed to be in Transformers 2.

  • The Day the Earth Stood Still

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:59:00
    Even though I can't wait to see the new The Day the Earth Stood Still and see the updated Gort terrorize us with his planet love, the film will be overshadowed by the lameness of: Keanu Reeves. No matter how many microbots Gort becomes, his shiny metal coolness will still be ...

  • Tokyo Toy Show 2007

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:57
    The Tokyo toy show is in full swing and we are not there .......aarggh! [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av0p8AEITCo&NR=1[/youtube] The i-sobot @ 2.28 looks like it is going to be a big deal when released (hype?). The one shown in the video is the standard edition which is available any day now ($258). There ...

  • Japanese Android - Goodbye Manual Labour!

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:53
    [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfQ8kCgp__c&eurl=[/youtube] Meet HRP-3 Promet Mk-II from Kawada Industries. A robot which will eventually replace many manual jobs performed by humans today. On the market for a cool $3 million he can handle rain, slippery surface, use tools. The math doesn't ad up but still would be very cool to ...

  • Robot Culture in Japan

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:49
    Great video on Robot Culture in Japan by TokyoEye. Info on where to buy your robot kits in Tokyo and where to meet up with other robot otaku enthusiasts. Also features quite possibly the coolest arcade robot game you have ever seen. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT4UdQ5k-Ek&eurl=[/youtube]

  • Real Gear Transformers

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:45
    Hasbro are releasing a series of toy electronics that turn into robots known as the 'The Real Gear Transfomers' ala Soundwave style as a tie in with the Transformer Movie (release date July 4th). Some real world functionality wouldn't have gone a miss ie: the camera turning ...

  • Robots working in the medical field – 16th Annual Seminar robotics

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:30
    Kogakuin University, Seminar organized by the 16th Robotics Society of Japan , “Medical Robotics and entered a practical stage,” was held. Organizers said this Hitachi Momoi Yasuyuki. In recent years, “da Vinci” ( Intuitive Surgical rice ) and “ROBODOC” actually begin to use in the treatment of surgical robots and, finally entering a stage of [...]

  • Medical robots explore blood vessels

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:29
    Bristol – A U-boat, equipped with a camera and sensors rushes through the bloodstream. Tiny should be to penetrate even the most remote branches of the cardiovascular system. For this idea of intelligent medical robots, the bioengineers inspire the world for years. They hope so, the imaging methods in medicine a step further advance. Now James [...]

  • The Robot Calibrator is a measurement system

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:28
    The Robot Calibrator is a measurement system that includes three string-encoders mounted to a metal base plate and used to measure the position of a robot in three space. Combining the three string ends and attaching them to a robot arm provides an inexpensive and relatively accurate position sensor with respect to the calibrator base. [...]

  • Gigantor by Daniel Roganti

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:28
    This is the second of my Bipedal robots. Pinocchio is my first and Giantor is my second. The construction for the Biped robots are based mostly on materials supplied by PLASTRUCT. Although some parts, such as the Torso and feet came elsewhere. The Torso is from a plastic toy pail I found in Toys R [...]

  • Performance Metrics and Test Arenas for Autonomous Mobile Robots

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:27
    Reproducible and widely known challenges can help evolving fields by providing reference problems with measures of performance which allow researchers to compare implementations, communicate results, and leverage each other’s work. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed the Reference Test Arenas for Autonomous Mobile Robots to focus research efforts, provide direction, and accelerate [...]

  • DARPA Mobile Autonomous Robot Software

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:26
    NIST is developing metrics, measures, data, and analysis methods to quantitatively evaluate component technologies and integration strategies in order to accelerate the development of intelligent behaviors in unmanned vehicle systems. Our main thrust areas are the following: 1. Task Analysis for Driving Task decomposition and path planning methods and algorithms Real/Virtual worlds for on-road driving Road map for autonomous on-road [...]

  • How to Locate Coupon Codes for Deals on the Web for every Boutique

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:22
    Buying on the net is a great way to make a purchase at a fraction of the price. I bet you can’t count the number of times you have gone to the screen where you checkout and seen a box requesting if you have a coupon code? A majority of people will see [...]

  • Find Monster Savings While Buying on the World Wide Web

    Updated: 2010-09-09 03:58:18
    Getting things on the web is a great way to make a purchase at super savings. I bet you can’t count the number of times you have gone to the checkout screen and view a box requesting if you have a coupon code? A majority of people will see that box and wish [...]

  • Robots: Programmable Matter

    Updated: 2010-09-07 17:23:41
    : All the news that's fit to assimilate Home Blogs Events Robots Humans Projects About Account Robots : Programmable Matter Posted 7 Sep 2010 at 16:23 UTC by mwaibel The latest episode of the Robots Podcast looks at the following scenario : Imagine being able to throw a hand-full of smart matter in a tank full of liquid and then pulling out a ready-to-use wrench once the matter has assembled This is the vision of this episode's guests Michael Tolley and Jonas Neubert from the Computational Synthesis Laboratory run by Hod Lipson at Cornell University NY . Tolley and Neubert give an introduction into Programmable Matter and then present their research on stochastic assembly of matter in fluid , including both simulation see video above and real-world implementation . Read on or tune in Robot

  • Modelers Make Gundam from Runners

    Updated: 2010-09-03 15:20:53
    You know those little plastic tree-like structures left over when you're done building a model? They're called runners - part of the injection molding process and basically a waste. For most products, the factory recycles runners as the parts are detached, but for models they are left on to make live easier for the builder. Well, some folks over at ummmm....a place in Japan, took a boat-load of these runners and made a 3-meter tall Gundam. Check it out! And the video.

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