Dec 14 2005
Nature.com is reporting today that researchers from MIT have created a robotic snail capable of climbing vertical walls and traveling upside down across ceilings. The team, led by Anette Hosoi, developed the mechanical slug primarily to study the locomotive mechanisms of biological snails, although they believe the results of their research will eventually end up …
Dec 13 2005
Honda Motor Co. introduced the second-generation Asimo today. While walking and obstacle avoidance were considered highlights of the previous model, the new Asimo includes many advancements that science fiction has groomed us to expect from humanoid robots. The five-year old Asimo can now handle simple office tasks like greeting visitors and showing them to meeting …
Dec 10 2005
I’m finally getting through posting about the robots at IREX last week, but the one that is left on my list, the ROBOTIS Bioloid robot kit, may be of the most interest to amateur roboticists. There are several robot kits available these days, and they run the gamut from relatively simple and cheap to expensive …
Dec 09 2005
Although there have been many advances in machine vision, most relatively simple robots are still not able to maneuver around objects at high speeds because they are unable to quickly judge their distance from the objects. In order to tackle this problem researchers from Stanford University have developed a new algorithm that many said was …
Dec 08 2005
As part of their Centennial Challenge program to “stimulate innovation and competition in solar system exploration,” NASA has announced two new contests for private developers of space robotic vehicles. The Planetary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Challenge involves building a craft that can fly autonomously and navigate using only optical navigation technologies. The Telerobotic Construction Challenge is …
Dec 07 2005
Engadget is reporting that Japanese robot manufacturer ZMP is offering a stripped down version of their popular nuvo humanoid robot. Offered with education in mind, the e-nuvo consists of the legs from a nuvo and comes bundled with instructional material for a 12-week robotics course covering coordinate systems of link structure, motor driver circuits, processors …
Dec 07 2005
Although it won’t be available commercially until mid-summer 2006, the Manoi made its debut at IREX last week. Manufactured by KYOSHO Corporation in conjunction with Kondo Kagaku Co., Ltd., the Manoi consists of a Tomotaka Takahashi-designed outer skin on top of a Kondo KHR-1 skeleton. The Manoi is very similar in appearance to the other …
Dec 06 2005
The Plen is one of the few humanoid robots to come out of IREX that I had not previously heard of. Unfortunately I have not been able to dig up much information on it yet either. What I have learned is that is being developed by Systec Akazawa, a Japanese aircraft parts maker. It has …
Dec 04 2005
I must admit that I am having a hard time keeping up with all of the reports coming out of IREX. Even though I am falling behind, there are still a handful of robots in my backlog that I feel are worthy of mention, the first being the HOAP-3. Fujitsu has been developing the HOAP …
Dec 04 2005
There are still a bunch of robots from IREX to cover, but Engadget’s got a story today about one (very important) person that was not completely enamored with the nuvos, Kondos, and HOAPs on display in Tokyo last week. The Father of Robotics himself, Joseph Engelberger, was at the show and not particularly enthused with …
