Robotics

Remember the hit toy the Furby? It was the first successfully domestically-aimed robot that sold well because all the kids just had to have it. But, just like the Tickle-Me Elmo or any other Christmas time fad, it died off and everyone forgot about it. That is, until David Cranmer skinned a few of them and turned them into a ...

If I was a hacker of any sort, I’d probably get a lot of credit for picking such a cool fucking name like LockWasher. That aside, LockWasher is a guy who makes all kinds of cool doo-dads. A jack of all trades, if you will. Found on MAKE, these robots are made from various bits of junk, electronic, scrap metal ...

Since spy robots are all the rage these days, Britain’s Ministry of Defence is holding their “Grand Challenge” in England this weekend. Several teams of engineers are taking part in the event, which is dedicated to developing new military technology. The winner of the challenge will receive lucrative government weapons contracts. Devices being tested at the Grand Challenge must be ...

The Opto-Isolator asks the question: “What if art could view us?” This strange installation was on display at the Bitforms Gallery in NYC stirring all kinds of emotions as it mimicked the human eye. It’ll focus on any one person staring at it for too long. In addition, it’ll follow the person viewing it as well as blink along to ...

In The Matrix, robots are self-aware of their existence. This is a bad thing as it eventually leads to the enslavement of mankind. The idea of a human brain inside a robot is intriguing for anyone whose ever wanted to put their brain in a robot body to become an Adrian Barbobot. Scientists are getting closer to that vision, having ...

I recently bought a new pair of sunglasses and didn’t need these cheap $6 Walgreens sunglasses I bought in Florida a year ago. With some time on my hands, I quickly modded them to resemble the pair Arnie wore in the classic action flick, The Terminator. This mod can most likely be done without solder, but we’re going to make ...

National Guardsmen who pilot Army Predator drones are suffering symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. Predator pilots launch missile attacks remotely from bases in Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Southern California. They work in front of video screens in air conditioned trailers and go home to their families every night, but the pilots and their commanders say they are experiencing PTSD ...

Your cellphone doesn’t quite have the power the PSP has, though it’s trying. The Seiko Epson Corp are pushing the future of cellphone software forward with their 3-D display for mobile phones. With about 500 PPI of resolution, this 3D display is a sight to see with no 3-D glasses needed: “[It’s] one of the world’s highest resolutions of direct-view-type ...

Mountain Dew’s Action Sports Tour is headed our way and Nike really wants to make peoples’ jaws drop. For their campaign, they hired the ad/design firm Hub Strategy who worked on this armor-plated war truck, turning it into a mobile extreme sport HQ. But, what makes this monstrous truck so extreme? It’s not the skateboard ramp on the back or ...

Have you been to Coney Island lately? It’s the prime spot for carny games and funnel cake. Now, it’s got even more appeal, with robots acting out the infamous torture technique of waterboarding. It’ll have you running in terror as if you’re being chased by a creepy old man bot. Artist Steve Powers opened the �Waterboard Thrill Ride� on West ...