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We know how you feel. Sure, telerobotics has changed your life for the better, allowing to interact with people as if you’re really there, coasting through the halls of an institution of higher learning, dropping knowledge on anyone within shouting distance. But something’s missing. You aren’t happy, you aren’t free. MeBot, developed at MIT’s Personal Robotics Group and prepped for presentation at the Human-Robot Interaction conference in Osaka, Japan, looks to solve this. It adds movement to the equation, hoisting an OQO aloft for a head and adding in gesticulating arms to the equation. The idea is to allow the teleoperator to be more engaged through “head” and “arm” movements, with the arms being moved by handheld controls, and the head movement created by tracking the face of the operator. We could obviously conceive of a more elaborate representation, but the off the shelf components like the OQO brain seem worthy of commendation. Check out some video of the bot in action after the break.

Continue reading MIT’s MeBot makes telerobotics fun again

MIT’s MeBot makes telerobotics fun again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Life became duller ever since FedEx took away our last annoying little robot, so we got our hands on a new but less chatty plastic companion — say hi to Robonica’s Roboni-i programmable robot. Since its last Engadget appearance we’ve seen a drastic price drop from the original $299.95 to $159.95 at Hammacher Schlemmer, but the robot is no less awesome — those unique wheels alone deliver plenty of coolness already, not to mention the bunch of peculiar accessories in the box for games and even interaction with other fellow Roboni-is. Read on to find out if this bot’s a keeper.

Continue reading Robonica Roboni-i programmable robot toy review

Robonica Roboni-i programmable robot toy review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Proto-2 humanoid robot auditions for Thunderbirds 2.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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What does a superpowered Transformer do in his spare time — you know, when he’s not too busy starring in some of the worst written pieces of escapist cinema? Well, for one Taiwanese fella, there’s nothing Optimus Prime likes doing more than supporting a bamboo stick used for hanging washed clothes. Seriously, the dude spent $1,600 on scrap metal, built a 14-foot model of his son’s favorite mech superhero, and now has it serving as a spectacularly ornamental pivot for his washing. Classy. Oh, and video after the break.

Richard Lai: [pumps up hydraulics] “Why hello there, cute little red car…”
Tim: “Autobots, spin cycle!”
Thomas: “Transformers: Revenge of the Snuggle Bear.”
Darren: “Man, it’s chilly out today. Wait — these aren’t my threads! RAWWRRRR!”
Paul: “Oh, sure, Shia said he’ll be ‘right back.’ I hate that kid.”
Josh F.: “Do these windows make me look fat?”
Laura: “Get Michael Bay on the phone. Immediately.”
Joanna: “Mommm, bathroom!”
Chris: “After nine years, Johnny 5 finally admits that he’d been juicing.”
Joe: “There’s not much more to this than meets the eye… sadly.”
Don: “You think this is impressive? Wait until you see Voltron mowing my lawn.”
Josh T.: “I need something to do until Transformers 3 rolls around. This cocaine isn’t going to buy itself.”

Continue reading Caption contest: Optimus Prime moonlights as clothes dryer

Caption contest: Optimus Prime moonlights as clothes dryer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen KIST’s Marhu robot tooling around here before, but now they’re showing off the latest models, the Mahru-Z (with some help from Mahru-M), in some super useful scenarios. Mahru-Z and M have been successfully demonstrating their service abilities by carrying cups of tea, and retrieving toast from toasters and delivering it as well. The Z-version bot is a bit shorter than previous iterations, and also sports different, more dextrous arms. He stands about 4 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 122 pounds. Both bots are networked and use 3D object recognition in their task completion. Overall, the improvements to the Mahru bots are iterative, but it sure is great to hear that one day we’ll have someone to bring our breakfast to us in bed. Video is after the break.

Continue reading KIST Mahru-Z waits on you very, very slowly

KIST Mahru-Z waits on you very, very slowly originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve got no idea how this nugget of glorious mechanized boogie snuck past us — we’ll blame it on the horror we experienced while watching Doka Harumi’s robot dance routine. Another entrant in that same Japanese robo-dance contest, this red-blazered drone brings the pain, the funk, and all necessary accessories to rock your world. We’re not kidding — if you don’t like this, you don’t like technology. Skip past the break for not one, but two doses of that mind-altering video action.

Continue reading Manoi Go break-dancing robot blows our minds

Manoi Go break-dancing robot blows our minds originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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