Robot - SlashGear

‘Robot’ Stories

Ecobot-III Food-Consuming Robot project inventors receive PR boost

Chris Burns, Feb 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

Over in the Bristol Robotics Laboratory there's a robot that's capable of not only running on organic matter it consumes, but of pooping out the waste as well. This robot has been created in the never-ending quest to create a robot that's able to sustain itself, of course, and may well be the next step to a human poo-powered robo-maid if they don't gain a conscience before they learn to clean our houses. As it stands now, the "Ecobot-III" can consume masses of its own food and water from its environment, including human feces if you let it, and "craps" out what it can't use into its own litter tray.. Read The Full Story

DARPA begins testing LS3 robot pack mule

Rue Liu, Feb 8th 2012 Discuss [0]

DARPA has begun real world testing of a quadruped robot that can traverse all sorts of terrain and act as a pack mule for soldiers. This semi-autonomous robot is called Legged Squad Support System (LS3) and is developed from Boston Dynamic's Big Dog and Alpha Dog robots. The agency has released the first field test video of the LS3 navigating an outdoor terrain. Read The Full Story

DARPA Crowdsourced UAVForce robots begin to fly

Chris Burns, Feb 7th 2012 Discuss [0]

There's a project going on at the moment with DARPA in which teams are asked to create their own unmanned aerial vehicles, and it's time for proof-of-flight time in the field. The first robot in this group of groups that's being tipped as the leader at the moment is the GremLion UAV from the National University of Singapore. This little monster is a four-wheeled machine with a pod that opens up and deploys propellers that allow it to lift straight up off the ground and land precisely as it jumps. Read The Full Story

Nano Quadrotor robot swarm video is mesmerizing, terrifying

Chris Davies, Feb 1st 2012 Discuss [0]

If you fear the rise of intelligent, collaborative robots swarming together and gathering human prey for the battery tanks, look away now: the Nano Quadrotors have taken to the skies and they're terrifyingly adept. The handiwork of researchers in the GRASP Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, the latest-gen Quadrotors can not only handle being tossed, inverted or generally batted around without crashing, but fly in formation. Read The Full Story

Danger, Will Robinson! B9 Robot voice Dick Tufeld dies

Chris Davies, Jan 27th 2012 Discuss [0]

"Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!" Sad news this week as it's confirmed that the second-half of the famous B9 Robot from classic sci-fi series Lost In Space, voice actor Dick Tufeld, died at the weekend. Known for providing the distinctive authoritative voice of the B9 as it helped the Robinson family - and the dastardly Dr. Zachary Smith - as they explore deep space. Read The Full Story

Dancing Bieber-bot a six-figure spectacle

Chris Davies, Jan 18th 2012 Discuss [0]

Pop fop Justin Bieber's show-stopping CES 2012 appearance is believed to have cost toy manufacturer Tosy a six-figure sum, according to insiders, meaning the firm will have to sell plenty of $200 robots just to cover the singer's fee. Exact details of the Tosy deal have not been revealed, but Bieber apparently pocketed more than $100k for the brief appearance alongside the mRobo Ultra Robot, The Daily was told. Read The Full Story

U.S. Navy making Android, iOS app-controlled RoboCopter drones

Rue Liu, Jan 13th 2012 Discuss [0]

The military, as we've come to expect, is continuing to tinker with developing drones that can be controlled by Android and iOS apps. This time, the U.S. Navy is announcing a new $98 million project that will develop unmanned helicopters for the Marines. But unlike other drones, these will be completely autonomous meaning they will not need human operators for take off and landing. Read The Full Story

Justin Bieber unveils TOSY mRobo dancing robot at CES 2012

Rue Liu, Jan 12th 2012 Discuss [3]

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber was on hand at CES 2012 to unveil a dancing robot developed by Vietnamese electronics company TOSY Robotics. The Transformer-inspired robot, dubbed the mRobo Ultra Bass, is essentially a portable speaker that sprouts limbs and a head before it starts dancing to the beat. Read The Full Story

Karotz smart rabbit robot uses Facebook

Chris Davies, Jan 10th 2012 Discuss [0]

"What the US needs is a social-network aware robotic rabbit." If you've ever found yourself muttering those words, then the Violet Karotz smart rabbit is probably for you (or maybe medication); the third-gen Nabaztag, a web-connected voice recognition robotic desk rabbit, is finally crossing the Atlantic to the US. Read The Full Story

Rebound Rumble pushes robotics development with will.i.am and Bill Clinton

Chris Davies, Jan 8th 2012 Discuss [2]

Robots playing basketball, with former US presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with will.i.am and Segway inventor Dean Kamen in the audience, sounds like the setup to a bizarre South Park joke, but it's actually the kick-off of Rebound Rumble. A brand new game designed to encourage robotic development, Rebound Rumble sets two alliances - each consisting of three independently controlled 'bots - against each other to score points through a cluster of basketball hoops. Read The Full Story

DIY Robot Avatar pets cat through Kinect and Wiimote power

Chris Davies, Jan 3rd 2012 Discuss [0]

Take one Nao robot, a Kinect sensor bar, a couple of Wiimotes, a treadmill and a head-mounted display - oh, and a patient cat - and you can do what software engineer Taylor Veltrop has achieved: use a remote robotic avatar to pet your kitty. In a new video demo, Veltrop shows how he can remotely control the 21-inch tall robot, walk it around his kitchen, grab a brush and groom his cat. Read The Full Story

Jell-O Pudding machine shamelessly denies kids a treat

Shane McGlaun, Dec 21st 2011 Discuss [6]

Jell-O has a new pudding machine that won't serve kids. Why it won't serve kids is unknown. We can assume that no one under adult height is allowed to partake the puddiny goodness that is Jell-O pudding. The machine is automated and has an eye on it that looks like the CBS logo to me. Read The Full Story