Search result for Asimo

Search Results for asimo

Little Prince is Both Terrifying and Awesome

By Evan Selleck on Friday, Aug 28th 2009 No Comments

Science fiction is a means to realize the things of our imaginations, and put them to task in the real world. But let’s face it, if this keeps up, machines are going to take over the world. And, if they’re anything like the Little Prince here, they’ll look cute, terrifying, and shiny while doing it. This little piece was inspired by the Naked Sun, written by Isaac Asimov; R2-D2 from Star Wars; an egg; and insects. And while it’s obvious this thing looks like all of those at once, it gets even creepier.

Prince

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WowWee Tri-Bot reviewed: low cost, tilt-sensor fun

By Chris Davies on Friday, May 30th 2008 No Comments

When WowWee’s Tri-Bot launches this Summer, it’ll be one of the cheapest ways to get your hands on the nifty three-wheel omni-directional base from the company. With an expected price of $99, the robot may lack the (creepy) animated face of Mr Personality but it does have a tilt-sensor remote control that, in a manner similar to the Wiimote, can guide the robot around just by gesturing. Robotics-obsessive Robert Oschler has scored some pre-release time with the Tri-Bot, and you can check out his video review after the cut.

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Honda demo Walking Assist exoskeleton for elderly & disabled

By Chris Davies on Tuesday, Apr 22nd 2008 No Comments

We’ve seen exoskeleton suits designed to grant their wearers super-human strength, but they tend to look somewhat obvious. Fine if you’re an attention-seeking superhero, but less of a selling point if you’re an elderly person with mobility problems. Honda have thankfully come to the rescue, though, with their ‘Walking Assist Device‘; worn as a straightforward belt with thigh straps, the 2.8kg unit promises to lengthen a user’s natural stride by supplementing their own muscle power.

Honda Walking Assist Device

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Robo Hopper looks like ASIMO with helicopter attachment

By James Allan Brady on Sunday, Oct 21st 2007 No Comments

No really, it does. In fact, I like the idea, so get to work Honda.

robo hopper1

It comes pre-built and sits at 15.9cm tall. Its controlled by a 2.4GHz band controller that kind of resembles an Xbox (the original one) controller, but with just the two joysticks on it.

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Anybots Dextor catches himself falling

By Chris Davies on Thursday, Mar 8th 2007 No Comments

He might star in TV ads, but we all know ASIMO is a closet alcoholic; the press releases blaming an “inner ear infection” for his notorious mid-performance falls aren’t fooling anyone, Honda. And now he has competition, in the form of the sashaying Anybots Dextor, the world’s first dynamically balanced robot.

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A walking, talking, dancing, squalking robot man

By Chris Davies on Monday, Jan 22nd 2007 No Comments

My favourite sci-fi film for as long as I can remember is The Day The Earth Stood Still. What stands out particularly is the sight of guard-robot Gort, he of the impecable posture and few words, move from guarding the flying saucer to club the soldiers patrolling around it. Still, perhaps it would’ve been an even more interesting movie had Gort been able to speak (though not as much as C3PO, obviously) – quoting some Shakespeare perhaps while melting guns in the hands of soldiers. Klaatu should’ve spoken to the Botmag people.

Robonova speech mod

They’ve taken a Robonova kit and added the Quadravox QV306M1 sound chip, capable of storing up to four minutes of chopped-up audio and spitting it out on demand. Complex sentences (whether those be Homer Simpson-style “D’oh, my foot!” moments of Asimo stumbling or dark mutterings about taking over the world) can be built up using the PC software and docking station.

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Honda’s ASIMO Had A Few Drinks And Falls Again

By Trae McNeely on Friday, Dec 15th 2006 No Comments

Well, you all saw the recent fall of Honda’s ASIMO robot and you thought it was over; not so. I came across an older video of ASIMO and this time he made it up the stairs but didn’t quite make it downstairs in one piece. Honda’s Humanoid Robot is currently an overprice piece of machinery and technology that continues to make the audiences laugh. ASIMO’s job is to make us smile and ponder Honda’s greatness but it fails again in the featured video. The Humanoid cost an estimated $1 million to manufacture in addition to thousands more for maintenance. Lets not forget the repair cost when ASIMO trips over thick-air, which doesn’t exist.

ASIMO, which stands for Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, has an excellent track record versus the competition, but as technology progresses it seems to fall more and more. Honda boasts that ASIMO is a “glimpse into the future”, which sorta makes sense when you consider people will eventually fall and slip on ice or something they didn’t notice. We’re just following in ASIMO’s footsteps.

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Asimo’s cockiness gets the better of him

By Chris Davies on Monday, Dec 11th 2006 No Comments

Consider this a SlashGear public service announcement if you will. Robots, no matter how adept they consider themselves, should always look where they’re going when climbing stairs. Witness this embarrassing fall by Honda’s lauded Asimo, which ironically happened while he was boasting about the in-feet sensors that allow him to balance.

Thankfully the Honda nurses were quick with the screens, as the crumpled humanoid lay twitching gently on the floor still chunnering about his ability to strut with the best of them. Perhaps it’s time for Asimo to check into rehab? We can only assume that he’s on so many drugs that he doesn’t even realise he’s fallen. Rumours that as the stricken robot was stretchered back to the workshop he was heard deliriously muttering “I’m still a star!” are so far unconfirmed.

Asimo: ‘Help me, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’ [Pink Tentacle]

Home Automation gets its own laws

By Chris Davies on Tuesday, Oct 3rd 2006 No Comments

Okay, so they’re not exactly Isaac Asimov style laws – “thou shall not crush me with the electric curtains” – but Alex Chelmis’ article over at Automated Home is a great piece on the oft-forgotten core rule of home automation:

Eliminate or Simplify the Need for User Interaction

Home Automation control panel

He goes on to outline four other rules and the contexts in which they’re important, but from my own perspective it’s this first one that really hits home. It’s a fact of life that, when faced with the bells & whistles available from 21st Century whole-house specialists, getting overwhelmed to the point of brain destroying complexity is easily forgotten. Sometimes our own hunger for what is new and “cool” overrides our common sense about what we actually need. Anybody considering installing any reasonable level of home automation should really give Alex’s article a read.

Home Automation Laws [Automated Home]

Rude Robots get taught some manners

By Chris Davies on Sunday, Sep 17th 2006 No Comments

Scientists are often characterised as geeks lacking in even the most basic social skills, but someone over at New Scientist obviously thinks that robots should not be excused from minding their Ps & Qs.

Honda's Asimo

In fact, they suggest that all robots that come into contact with humans should have kansei, a Japanese term for emotional notions; intuitiveness, mood, sensitivity and feeling. That way, your electronic home help wouldn’t offer you a freshly cooked meal while you’re sleeping (probably exhausted from working all the hours in the day to buy batteries for him), nor start doing loud housework while you’re suffering from Linux-induced headaches.

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