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The News -
Science
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Written by William Cox
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Monday, 20 November 2006 |
 Dr. Josh Bongard, a graduate of Cornell University, and now an assistant professor at University of Vermont, has created a robot that automatically determines and compensates for any damage done to its four legs. The research, which recently appeared in Science Magazine (abstract here) is especially applicable to robots that will be sent on long missions in space or to other planets.
A four-legged machine uses actuation-sensation relationships to indirectly infer its own structure, and it then uses this self-model to generate forward locomotion. When a leg part is removed, it adapts the self-models, leading to the generation of alternative gaits.
To demonstrate this ability, one of the robots legs is removed, and the robot then leans how to walk again with only three legs. The research was done for NASA and the Department of Energy.
Update: Here is a better article describing the robot. CNET has several good pictures of the robot.
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The News -
Latest News
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Written by William Cox
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Wednesday, 15 November 2006 |
Not being a TV watcher myself, I know very little about the show, but apparently the producers of ABC's 'Wife Swap' are looking for a robot loving family to be on the show in the near future. Melissa Rothschild, from the casting department, is on the lookout for a two parent family with at least one child over 5 years old to be rewarded $20,000 USD for being on the show.
The premise of "Wife Swap" is that one parent from each household swaps places for five days to experience how another family runs their lives. It is an incredible family experience and opportunity to both learn and teach different family values. The two married couples see themselves and their spouses in a whole new light.
Other hobbiests report seeing this request in related internet forums and usergroups. If you or someone you know is interested in being a robot loving posterchild for familial perfection, you can contact Melissa at
1 212 404 2444 or email her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
$20k can make a really nice robot. If you get on, let us know!
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The News -
Latest News
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Written by William Cox
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Monday, 13 November 2006 |
 It looks like everyone's favorite, under appreciated, robotics company, Evolution Robotics, has teamed up with a, "large appliance manufacturer" to create a competitor to iRobot's smash-hit Roomba. The main claim-to-fame of the new soon-to-be sucker'bot is that it will be 'smarter' than the Roomba and incorporate more sophisticated navigation technology, namely Evolution's NorthStar technology. The technology is already implemented in a vacuum robot from Sharper Image and a household robot from Yujin.
Unfortunately, Evolution and every other vacuum 'bot manufacturer out there seem to think that adding more features and smarts is going to get customers to purchase, but more importantly LOVE, their products. Anyone heard of the iPod? It's simple, clean, and efficient, and they're still the hands-down winner in the vicious fight between MP3 players.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that no vacuum robot will ever overturn the Roomba until they are easier, simpler, better looking, and more efficient than the Roomba. Customers don't want features, they want a product that they can love, and the longer the user manual, they less they love it.
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The News -
Hobbyiest
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Written by William Cox
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Sunday, 05 November 2006 |
 Kondo's latest RoboOne robot, KHR-2HV, is now available to non Japanese customers via the Japanese gadget exporter AudioCubes. RoboSavvy.com also sells the KHR-2HV kit, but it ships from Japan. The kit costs about $1000 and features several improvements over the original KHR-1.
The upgraded robot features more controls, gears, servos, and software, adding more tricks and skills to the memory. Designed with a well-balanced body with a bigger chest for a muscular look. With ultra light weight aluminum alloy frames for the body, Kondo KHR-2HV is faster and lighter for jumps.
The robot can also do cartwheels and backflips. He has 17 joints and comes with a NiMH battery. Both AudioCubes and RoboSavvy report that the battery capacity is 300mAh, but that seems ridiculously low to me.
[Via Engadget ]
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The News -
Household
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Written by William Cox
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Monday, 06 November 2006 |
 South Korean company Hanulkid recently announced the upcoming release of its new robot, 'Steamer' at the 2006 RoboWorld conference in Korea. The floor cleaning robot boasts the ability to both vacuum and steam mop floors. It also has a low noise level and comes with a remote control. It has 80W of cleaning power and runs for 2hrs on single battery charge.
The marketing material for the robot says it, "vacuums off dust after brushing, followed by mopping."
I guess they're trying to roll everyone's favorite Roomba and Scooba into one product. I'm not holding my breath for it to be successful ... maybe in Korea, but not here.
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