Wednesday, 3 December 2008

Video: RepRap Rapid-Prototyping Robot Prints Shot Glasses

We’re seeing a lot of interesting 3D printing technologies come up lately. From Concrete-Jet Printers that can build entire houses, to the recent Mcor Matrix that builds 3D models from paper and glue. Well, now we have the RepRap, an open-source collaborative effort that uses plastic extrusion to model three-dimensional, leak-proof shot glasses.

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Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Video: Japanese Robot Eats Bikes For Breakfast

Each day in Tokyo, over 700,000 people ride their bikes to catch the morning train and this creates a problem. Where do you store all those bikes? Well, thanks to Japanese ingenuity and their skills in robotics, they’ve come up with a robot that quickly and efficiently parks them in underground storage facilities (see video below – in English).

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Tuesday, 29 July 2008

Video: Murata Boy Robot Can Ride A Bicycle Better Than You



Murata Boy, the talented robotic offspring of Murata Manufacturing has been captured on video doing his thing. He likes to go for rides on his bicycle and I must say, does so better than us mere mortals can manage. He can keep his balance at really low speeds and can even avoid obstacles in his path.


The boy robot has been fitted with a gyro sensor that can detect inclination and angular velocity. This information is fed to a computer that signals counter actions to restore balance. A sensor in his chest measures distance.


It is hoped that this technology could someday be used in disaster zones or on construction sites and have the ability to lift heavy loads.

I wonder how long it will be before he’s fitted with a Sat Nav unit and sent out to deliver your paper or pizza?



Sources:
Botropolis
LiveLeak
msnbc (2005)

Friday, 20 June 2008

Video: Hasbro’s AMP Robot Is The Unicycle King

To follow on from yesterday’s robo rock band The Trons, toymakers Hasbro and Sega unveiled their Automated Music Personality (AMP) robot which dances around and bobs its head while playing your music through built-in speakers.


The AMP-bot gets around on a wheeled platform that looks much like a unicycle which it controls with remarkable competence.


There are a pair of tweeters in its shoulders and a 5-inch mid-range speaker in its chest, providing a total output of 12 watts.

It requires only 6x D batteries plus 3x AAA batteries for the controller which will give you around 10 hours of playback and robo-dancing.

Apparently the price for this dancing bot will be as little as $500 in the U.S. and Japan.



Source:
Engadget
Press Release

Wednesday, 18 June 2008

The Trons: Robot Rock Band Release ‘SIster Robot’ Video

We’ve all noticed how robots seem to be becoming more and more musically talented – from Honda’s Asimo conducting an entire orchestra to Toyota’s stage band of robotic musicians. Now we have a real band. Introducing….The Trons!


The Trons are a four-piece band from New Zealand. The members include: Ham (rhythm guitar), Wiggy (lead guitar), Swamp (drums) and Fifi (keyboards).


The band will play the Ignition Fringe Festival in Hamilton Central, New Zealand on June 21st where they will perform some of their new repertoire.

For now we’ll have to make do with their current single and accompanying video below, “Sister Robot”.

Source:
Crave.CNET