Technabob » Robots

Robotic Fish Patrols Harbors for Pollution

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:00:39 +0000

Scientists and researchers are constantly looking for ways to monitor the pollution in harbors around the world. This week, scientists moved a special robotic fish from the lab to sea trials. The robot fish is going to be used to patrol harbors autonomously in the search for pollution. The goal is to reduce the time it takes to detect a pollutant in the harbor from weeks to seconds.

SHOAL’s robotic fish can also help with underwater security, diver monitoring, and search and rescue efforts. Each of the fish is about 5 feet long and has a fin on the back that moves back and forth to propel it just as a natural fish would move. Each of the robot fish costs $31,600(USD) and packs in numerous sensors to pick up common pollutants.

The fish are able to swim without any input and send data back to the shore station up to half a mile away. The fish use artificial intelligence software to avoid obstacles, map their location, and return to base when the battery packs run low. The battery packs are good for about eight hours per charge. The reason the robot is designed to look like a fish is so it will blend into the environment, and can also maintain a small turning radius.

[via MSNBC]

Robot Can Use the Microwave, Begun These Hot Pockets Wars Have

Conner Flynn — Sun, 20 May 2012 19:00:40 +0000

Robots can do all kinds of crazy things. They can save our lives in disaster situations, they can clean our homes, they can kill in wartime and now they can use microwaves. No, not as sensors or weapons. They can use the microwave to cook a meal. That they can’t eat. Yet.

This robot’s name is HERB, the Home Exploring Robot Butler. He comes from Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute. As part of his training to become a better home exploring robot butler, he has learned to use a microwave. Well, he can at least microwave frozen food.

With robots being able to microwave frozen foods, lazy people like me have absolutely nothing left to do for ourselves – other than to buy robots.

[via IEEE Spectrum]

Robot Bird Perches on a Human Hand

Conner Flynn — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:00:05 +0000

If a bird in hand is worth two in the bush, what is a robot bird in the hand worth? I have no idea, but this is a robotic bird that is not only capable of flight, but it can also land on a human hand. I guess falconry has just come into the 21st century.

This robot was developed by a team at the University of Illinois Aerospace Robotics and Control Laboratory. It is based on an articulated-wing-based concept for an agile robotic aircraft that is modeled after actual birds. The ability to perch on a hand is important because – as the team behind this bird point out, “…of all maneuvers executed by flapping wing aircraft in a gliding phase, a perched landing is arguably the most challenging.”

So now we have a robot bird that can perch on a hand. Are we in for a future full of Kings and Lords who practice falconry with robot versions as they laugh and proclaim it all to be jolly good? Well, not really. The ultimate goal for these robot birds is for surveillance.

[via Ubergizmo]

Clothbot Robot Climbs Pants with Ease

Technabob — Fri, 18 May 2012 00:35:20 +0000

We’ve seen some unusual robots around here over the years, but this is definitely one of my favorites in recent memory. This little guy is designed to be able to easily climb cloth surfaces.

The Clothbot was designed by a team from the Chinese Academy of Science, and it uses a special set of gripper wheels to help it ascend textiles. The tiny robot weighs just under 5 ounces, but is incredibly adept at handling the challenging surface of fabric. In the demo video below, we see Clothbot climbing a shirt, and then pair of pants:

Why, you may ask, would you need a robot that can climb your pants? Its creators think that the Clothbot could be the foundation for small robotic pets that could climb on us, or the slightly more ridiculous idea of a robotic cellphone which could saddle itself on your shoulder to free your hands – guess they never heard of a Bluetooth headset. They also suggest the idea of robotic “body inspection.” Um, no thanks. On the other hand, tiny robot pets that climb on us sound kind of fun – at least until Skynet gets a hold of them.

[via IEEE Spectrum]

T-800 Animatronic Terminator Bust Promises Not to Kill You

Conner Flynn — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:17 +0000

Terminator fans have seen their share of statues and busts, but I am willing to bet that they have never seen the likes of this T-800 bust. It doesn’t just sit there looking pretty. The eyes glow and it actually moves. It’s basically like having a real T-800 (from the shoulders up anyway,) except that it won’t kill you. I think.

This T-800 was created by Animatronics Works Japan and you won’t find a cooler robot head to display. The detail is amazing. Even the teeth were created based on images of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The whole thing is chrome plated using a “six-layer chrome plating” technique to reduce the signs of aging and degradation. It looks like the bidding for this thing starts at 900,000 yen (~$11,000 USD), though there are no bids yet. Does anyone care to guess how much it will sell for?

[via Obvious Winner]

2012 Wall-E Toy Controlled by a 1983 Portable Computer

Conner Flynn — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:00:31 +0000

Old technology meets new technology here, and in this case they can actually interface very well despite their age difference. YouTuber Aliencurv modified an old 1983 TRS-80 portable computer with 20kb of memory to control a 2012 Wall-E robot. I hear ya. That’s crazy and pointless you say. I agree. And it’s still awesome.
With the easy addition of a Bluetooth module, it can intercept the TRS-80′s keyboard input and beam it somewhere else. After that, it just took a terminal program and some extra code to turn the keystrokes into information that Wall-E can use. With that in place, you have yourself a remote controlled robot.

That computer is almost 30 years old. If not for this mod, it would be a useless paperweight. It is proof that by thinking out of the box, we can use some of our old gadgets and rescue them from obsolescence, while doing some cool things.

[via Hack A Day via Geekosystem]

Russian Researchers Build Creepy Android to Make Humans “Immortal”

Conner Flynn — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:30 +0000

A Team of Russian researchers are thinking big, as in science fiction premise big, building a conceptual mind-transfer android. The ultimate goal is to help mankind achieve immortality by using humanoid robots and interstellar space travel to get away from this dangerous and overcrowded blue orb we call Earth.

The technology that they need to transfer our thoughts and souls to a robot doesn’t quite exist yet, but they have already managed to build at least one prototype capable of basic movements. What we have here is a torso of an android that will one day house a a computer capable of acting as a human proxy. Basically, the contents of your mind would be uploaded into this creepy android. The scariest thing about this android are the blinking lights that you can see behind it’s eyes.

The researchers say that it will all be possible by 2045. So, who will be first?

[via Plastic Pals via Engadget]

R2-D2 Rain Barrel Collects Water Without Swimming through the Dagobah Swamp

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:00:30 +0000

I live in an area where being green and recycling isn’t really a big thing. In fact, I lived here for 10 years before I knew we even had a recycling center. In some communities, though, the push to be green is much more substantial. Case in point – in Knoxville, Tennessee, each year they hold a contest for The Water Quality Forum where geeks and artists get to create rain barrels for the collection of rainwater.

The purpose of the rain barrel is to capture rainwater runoff to be used for outdoor irrigation instead of turning on the hose. That would probably be a very good thing to do in Texas, if we didn’t go months without getting any rain. What may be the coolest rain barrel in the history of rain barrels was created specifically for this contest… The R2-D2 rain barrel.

The rain barrel was primed and painted in full and accurate R2-D2 likeness by artist Curtis Glover. Better yet, the R2 barrel is up for auction with proceeds going to charity. While it can’t project holograms or hack into the Death Star’s security system, I think the R2-D2 barrel will still bring a pretty penny.

[via boingboing]

It Doesn’t Hate You, But This DIY Portal Turret Will Still Shoot You

Conner Flynn — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:00:53 +0000

Sure, we’ve seen the odd Portal turret here and there, but this one actually shoots. It was created by a Penn State University student for his Advanced Mechatronics class’ final project. Just like in the game, it tracks its victims using a camera and shoots at them.

Though in this case it just shoots Nerf bullets, so there is no way that you are getting hurt. You’ll notice that it has no frame, but he’s working on one. That will make it look more like the turrets we know and love.

You’ll also notice that it even talks in that weird creepy voice. It’s an awesome project and i can’t wait to see the frame when it is added.

[via Kotaku via Joystiq]

Japanese Robot Guy Creates an Amazing Transforming Car

Conner Flynn — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:03:06 +0000

Watch below as Kenji Ishida’s transforming car changes from a car to a fully working robot just like in the kids cartoons – with no help from Michael Bay’s effects team. We’re not quite sure if it is a Autobot or a Decepticon, but it is 100% awesome.

We’ve seen transforming cars before, but this one transforms smoothly and quickly when it switches modes between vehicle and humanoid. That’s because 22 high-quality servo motors allow precise control of the model as it moves. This ‘bot even throws punches and moves around as it readies for battle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pegy1ZjDO8I#!

The motion is a bit eerie (but awesome!) and makes you look to the sky to see if Skynet is orbiting above your house. This is the eighth revision of the Transformer robot, so it’s clear that Kenji has been working on perfecting it for years.

[via Plastic Pals via Geek]

G.I.A. Interactive Robot Gives You Creepy Face Time

Conner Flynn — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:00:10 +0000

The G.I.A. (Gestural Interactive Automaton) is a robotic sculpture that was created by Daniel Jay Bertner. It is mounted on the wall and it is basically a projection sphere and a webcam attached to three servo-controlled articulating arms. A human face is projected onto the sphere, and that face that will watch your every move.

The face follows you around and changes its expression according to your reactions, creating interaction. Daniel wants to bridge the gap between man and machine through this process, which uses open source motion tracking and facial recognition software.

Think of it like those paintings where the eyes watch your every move and follow you. It’s like that, but better/creepier. You may very well have nightmares after you watch it watching you.

[via Engadget via Geeky-Gadgets]

ReWalk Robotic Exoskeletons Let Paraplegics Walk Again

Shane McGlaun — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:45:53 +0000

Being confined to a wheelchair due to some sort spinal cord injury can severely limit the ability for people to get around and do things on their own. A company called Argo Medical Technologies creates robotic exoskeletons called ReWalk that paraplegics can wear to allow them to walk at virtually the same speed as people that have use of their legs. The catch with these devices is that they are $85,000 each.

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in California received several of the ReWalk exoskeletons from a donor. The center is treating paraplegics using the ReWalk to enable the patients to walk around freely. Using the exoskeleton, a paraplegic woman was able to climb stairs, get out of the car, and go to the restroom without any assistance at a pace similar to that of your average person.

The downside to these exoskeletons at this point is that the FDA has only approved the exoskeleton to be used in a hospital setting. The developer of the ReWalk devices is hoping the FDA will approve the use of the systems in the home. One day, rather than being confined to a wheelchair, people who can’t use their legs will be able to devices like the ReWalk instead. The company who makes the exoskeletons also hopes to produce a version for quadriplegics in future.

[via KLTA]

R2-D2 Ballerina Costume: Artoo Tutu

Range — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 17:00:39 +0000

I have to say that this little R2-D2 ballerina outfit looks pretty cute, and it’s easy to recognize the original droid. It was designed by Leeloo who works as a designer for J!NX. It looks like an awesome Halloween costume or something you could wear to cosplay adventures. She calls it the Artoo Tutu.

The Artoo Tutu is definitely distinctive. The costume was handmade last year and she’s been prancing around in it ever since. I have to say that I quite like it – though I’d never be caught dead wearing it.

Anyway, if you managed to get the R2-D2 swimsuit, then you’ll probably go bonkers for the Artoo Tutu.

[via Dressed Like Machines]

LEGO Tachikoma Can Be Official, but It Needs More Than Eleven Individuals to Vote for It

Lambert Varias — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:30:18 +0000

Peer Kreuger put his motorized LEGO Tahickoma tank up on Cuusoo and needs your support for the powers that be to notice it. If you’re a Ghost in the Shell fan that should be all that you need to know, but in case you still need more motivation, here’s a look at the toy:

Still not impressed? What if I told you that it can wave its arms and move its head? No? What if I told you that it has wheels but can also walk? No? What if I show you all those things I just said?

Kreuger estimates that the toy will sell for $150-$200(USD) if it becomes a real product. That’s a big if; as per Cuusoo rules, gathering the required 10,000 votes is no guarantee that LEGO will make it a real product, just that they will consider the possibility. But a true Section 9 operative never gives up, so go to LEGO Cuusoo and vote for the Tachikoma – and tell your friends to do the same. I bet if LEGO includes a Laughing Man sticker with every toy it will sell like crazy.

[via The Brothers Brick]

SAR-400 Robot is Russia’s Answer to NASA’s Robonaut 2

Shane McGlaun — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 01:00:18 +0000

NASA and General Motors teamed up a while back to create a humanoid robot called Robonaut 2 or R2. R2 is now on the International Space Station where it will be used to conduct repairs and maintenance outside the space station. Russia has how unveiled a new robot called SAR-400, and hopes to send it to the ISS within a couple years as well.

The Russian robot has no legs, just like R2, and is designed to connect to a crane operated on the space station. SAR-400 would be remotely operated by the controller wearing a head mounted display, jacket, and gloves that would relay the movements directly to the robot’s body. One of the most interesting things is that the Russian robot has tactile feedback.

The gloves that operator wears will squeeze the hands to allow them to feel the tool the robot is using in their hand remotely. That same feedback sensation can also alert the operator if the robot’s hand becomes stuck while working outside the space station. I have to wonder if there’s some R2 tech in the SAR-400, given the similarities between the two robots.

[via PlasticPals]

Death from Above: Quadcopter Modified to Carry Machine Gun

Conner Flynn — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:00:28 +0000

You probably already know the FPSRussia YouTube channel from their many videos of carnage showing a nice Russian-sounding guy using different weapons. His latest video may be the best yet. In this one, he isn’t even holding a weapon. Instead, a remote-controlled quadcopter named “Charlene” is doing the shooting.

There aren’t many details on this quadrotor, but we know that it’s a prototype unit that was either modified from a standard quadcopter or actually a work in progress for use by the military. There’s a camera in front and underneath is a deadly machine gun. That said, there’s plenty of suspicion that this thing is a fake, and just a promotion for the next Call of Duty game.

Charlene is controlled using a tablet with the view configured to also act as a target reticule for the gun. It seems to have great accuracy. All I can say is, it’s a good thing we don’t see this thing in our skies. It would be the last thing we see.[via Geek]

Robotic Octopus Creeps into Our Lives

Conner Flynn — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:30:00 +0000

The octopus is capable of some incredible movements because they have large brains, fine motor control, and almost no bones to hinder them. So it makes sense that researchers would want a robo-octopus to study. That’s what the Octopus Project is about – a bunch of oversized kids playing in the bathtub with their new toy.

It’s a European project intent on “investigating and understanding the principles that give rise to the octopus sensory-motor capabilities and incorporating them in new design approaches,” so this roboctopus with eight soft tentacles will help them learn all of the finer details.

The big tentacles in front of the cephalopod are actuated by a shape-memory alloy that changes length when heated, without the aid of servos or anything else. The other six arms are silicone with a steel cable inside. The cable is attached to a series of other nylon cables. By manipulating those nylon cables, the tentacle can wiggle and even grip things. Hopefully not human throats.

The seas of the future are looking like a dangerous place. I raise a toast to our new robo-tentacled overlords and laugh at them since I am sticking to solid ground. Let them eat the sailors.

[via IEEE Spectrum]

Robot Prison Guard Being Tested, Swears It’s Not Preparing to Enslave Humanity

Lambert Varias — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:00:53 +0000

While it isn’t quite as bad-ass as Alex Murphy, South Korea’s robot prison guard promises to uphold its prime directives: watch over prisoners and snitch to their human colleagues if needed.

As you can see the prototype looks far more serious than the smiley-faced concept, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t care about its ward. Supposedly it can gauge the prisoners’ emotional state and record their normal habits so that it can watch out for errant behavior such as suicidal tendencies. Hopefully it won’t reprimand folks for being too happy.

The robot is also equipped with a camera and a two-way audio system so the human guards can ~~taunt~~ ~~be bribed by~~ talk to prisoners remotely. The robot can also be controlled via an app, which is both a user-friendly feature and a horrible security risk.

I wonder if they’re going to install weapons or defense mechanisms to the final version.

[via CBS News via Walyou]

R2-D2 Turntable Perfect for R2-DJ2 or C-3PDisco

Technabob — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 18:38:55 +0000

Got an old turntable lying around? Why not geek it up and give it a new look like these guys did with their awesome R2-D2 inspired turntable mod.

I don’t know why, but I always pictured C-3PO working in a disco, spinning records, and I think this would have been his turntable of choice. R2′s technical components were done by Tex Nasty from Remix Turntable Lab and the paint and art was done by Ed Hubbs of Full Blown Kustoms using a classic Technics 1200 turntable as a starting point. Here it is in action, doing what droids do best – playing flat vinyl discs.

I love how the spinning metal platter looks like R2′s turning head when it rotates. Too bad you can’t see it when there’s a record on there. Guess you need to dig up some of those rare see-through records for the full-on droid effect.

[via Nerd Approved via Obvious Winner]

LEGO Eva Gundam: Mech This Official

Lambert Varias — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:30:05 +0000

Have you ever wondered what the offspring of the Unit 01 Evangelion and the RX-78 Gundam would look like? Wonder no more. Here’s a sick LEGO amalgam made by MOCpages member Gyuta K., fusing two of the most famous mecha to make one bad ass machine.

As you can see, the Eva Gundam takes his color scheme and overall parts design from its dad, while he got her mom’s lanky frame and bad posture, not to mention her short temper, i.e. a Berserk mode.

Here’s Gyuta K. showing off some of the parts of his creation (you can skip to 0:17 if you want, the first part is just a slideshow):

Pilot your browser and head to Gyuta K.’s gallery on MOCpages for more pictures. Which robot mashups would you like to see?

[via Tomopop]