Our favorite consumer robotics firm has just announced a new addition to their lineup, but unlike their other multi-thousand dollar offerings, Vstone's new build-it-yourself Robovie-i will retail for a very affordable $270 when the pre-order period begins in July. You may remember the Japanese company as manufacturing such humanoid bots as the soccer-playing
Manus-I and
Robovie-V, or the Gigantor-like
Tetsu-jin 28, although at less than 10% of the cost of its comrades, you can't expect the 2-foot tall Robovie-i to display the skills or freedom of movement found in other members of its family. In fact, a video of the new model-- which will come in your choice of red, white, blue, or gold -- shows that it does little more than wobble drunkenly back and forth in an amusing attempt at forward motion, although dumping two of them in a sumo ring together elicits a good 15 seconds worth of dizzying action (not exciting
ROBO-ONE-type action, mind you, but more like ho-hum Rock'em Sock'em Robot-esque action).
[Via
ployer]
posted May 19th 2006 9:00AM
Precisely. Do you get expensive technology for a tenth of the price or is this just what they would like you to think?
laaaame..
Where can you buy them? The article says for sale, but where?
One day, this company will make 12 foot mechs, and anyone that dissed it will get stomped on. Wait and see.
[To Number 5]
Kick Ass!
Meet the Robotubbies!
Silver/White: The serious one.
Red: The joker.
Yellow: The Wal-Mart greeter by day, "porn bot" by night one.
Blue: The don't F*ck with me one.
http://imaclanni.blogspot.com/blog/2005/02/robie-robotic-banker.html