New rolling surveillance robot from Hitachi

It's not quite the most exciting robot we've seen recently, but Hitachi has a new surveillance bot in the works that rolls around obstacles and, um, surveys stuff with its camera. Yeah, not exactly your latest kickin'-a-pink-ball-humanoid, but at least this boringbot might actually serve a useful purpose.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2006 6:19PM]

Doesnt look too great to me...but if it works right I guess thats what really matters.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2006 6:47PM]

I for one welcome our new all-seeing obstacle-avoiding surveillance-bots.

As a trusted news personality, I can be useful in helping round up others to toil away in their underground re-education camps.

[simonsaid Posted Mar 7th 2006 7:03PM]

R2-D2!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2006 7:06PM]

um... great we'll have more security gaurds out of work, instead of sleeping on the job. I see a lucas film tie in soon. Then everyone would will want one. R2 is that you?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2006 7:35PM]

I could use one of these in my house. My dog would be barking all day!

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 7th 2006 8:00PM]

According to Hitachi's Japanese press release and newspaper articles here in Japan, the robot can follow a set course of guard rounds by itself and adds additional surveillance functionality by being able to pan & tilt to look under tables or over dividers. It in addition to the on-board camera, it has laser sensors that allow it to map its surroundings in 3D space and adjust for small positioning or perspective variations. They put out the press release this week since they are presenting a research paper on it at a technical conference here.

http://www.robots-dreams.com/2006/03/a_robot_straigh.html

The robot is still in the research/proof of concept stage, and they have no firm schedule to commercialize it.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2006 1:02AM]

Well, if it small enough, it can do wonders - if you know what I mean ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2006 6:29AM]

Is it me, or does it look like it has a miniaturized old-school Zilon (sp?) head?

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2006 10:48AM]

If you throw a coat over it, does it weave around saying "MY VIS-ION IS IM-PAIRED! I CAN-NOT SEE!!"

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2006 10:56AM]

MARVIN!

http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Marvin-Head-Knocker.jpg

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2006 11:03AM]

Thats pretty cool, I'd love to have one around my house, although I'd be very tempted to kick it like a soccer ball.

[(Unverified) Posted Mar 8th 2006 11:36AM]

robo-mashimiro?