CATEGORY: Robotics

It’s safe to say that most robots are still pretty stupid. The future we planned with fully-autonomous robots on isn’t quite here yet. Most are still strictly human-controlled and/or have a one-track mind. Researchers in Gottingen, Germany have developed a six-legged arachnid robot which autonomously decides its own gait speed, depending on the terrain, using a system called “chaos control.” The scientists created the dextrous ‘bot by simplifying the complex processes that occur in the human brain as it performs... Continue reading

Which Star Wars character, with the exception of Chewbacca of course, could be referred to as adorable. Ewoks? Okay, fine. Star Wars might have its own wide variety of cuteness, but I think R2-D2 fits the bill pretty well too. Something about his dogged persistence and sensitive vulnerability really struck a chord with my heart strings. Which is why this R2-D2 Hoodie looks so damn adorable to me. I’d rock it, not only for the included geek cred, but because... Continue reading

Straight from the depths of hell, otherwise known as the Machine Perception Laboratory at UCSD, comes Diego-San, the freakishly big-headed one-year-old simulated robot. …Aside from joy, he’s bundled with a high resolution camera and 6-axis accelerometer. And while his coordination is limited to standing from a chair and holding a bottle, Diego-San’s face has 20 moving parts to convey emotion without speaking… Great, another sleepless night. Thanks science. Link (pdf) [via]

No, R2-D2 didn’t get stuck outside overnight on the planet Hoth. This snow droid was hand crafted by one clever winter-y geek. And lord knows this winter has already spilled a crap load of snowy art material in my neck of the woods. Maybe the next snowstorm we can see a Snow Vader? Link

Sort of like peeing in the snow after being exposed to a strong dose of radiation, these lined “lightdrawings” really glow. But unlike urine, these drawings don’t smell like last night’s asparagus. At least, we assume they don’t. The Lightdrawing Robot by German designer Nils Voelker creates lit photo designs by moving colored LED lights as a camera shoots a long-exposure shot, creating a drawn effect. There are artists who already do similar, if not totally better looking and more... Continue reading

This gutted UNICAT TerraCross all-terrain vehicle has been modified into a pretty slick living environment. An apartment on wheels. Sort of like an RV with attitude. While I’m not one for living on the road, I’m sure many of you who love to travel would all-but sell your soul for a mobile apartment like this. I’ll stick to my non-wheeled housing, thank you very much.

Japan’s University of Tsukuba maintains the trend of horrifying child bots with their new Yotaro baby simulator / stuffed bear thing, which aside from causing terror, is supposed to mimic the needs of a baby. The baby’s emotions display via an interactive screen. A water tank supplies realistic tears and an infrared camera picks up your every move, so don’t even try to beat the baby when the scientists aren’t looking.

So most of us would be all like “yippee” over the fact that bee populations have been steadily declining. Hooray! No more pretending to ignore them so they just leave us alone! No more running like a little girl! But see, losing bees could be bad… very bad. Pollination is crucial for the survival of all of our yummy crops. So these robotic bees might not only be less scary to those who happen to fall into shock if they’re... Continue reading

This unsuspecting ball of rodent doesn’t know it yet, but its days are numbered. In fact. its seconds are numbered. But somehow, I think he does knows. If it was ever possible to see a rodent give a look of self-awareness, I think this is it. He’s come to terms with his death. He plans on savoring every last morsel of cheese. Jake Easton created this “Better Moustrap,” a mousetrap which is… well, better than the old wooden jobies you’re... Continue reading

If you don’t think your neighbors would think too kindly of your having a live-in robot posing a wine rack, no worries. This Robot Wine Rack ships with an incognito mustache. Guests will wonder who your new debonair house guest is. Just tell them its your little secret. Of course, the mustache is purely optional, but why not? Lacking a mustache when there’s one available should be a crime. Link [via]