Bandai's NetTansor: the WiFi webcam on wheels

We loves us a good robot 'round here especially when dubbed the "net tongue sir," the hotly anticipated followup to the "net tongue vogue." Ok, ok, it's just the machine translation acting up again, but from the looks of it, Bandai is set to literally rollout the NetTansor WiFi webcam on wheels starting December 16th for ¥50,000 (about $421). This 802.11b/g bot features bidirectional voice communication and a triptych of forward facing sensors with image recognition to avoid smashing into things for up to 2.5-hours of voyeuristic mayhem. However, at 290-mm/11.4-inches high and 980-grams/2.2-pounds in chub, he's not the sneakiest bot in the world. Now please, as always, keep this and all robots away from your man-parts.

[Via Impress]

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2006 1:29PM]

I, for one, welcome our new hotly anticipated, WiFi webcam'd, wheeled, 802.11b/g, bidirectional sensored, voyeuristic, sneaky, robotic overlords.

[jeffb Posted Oct 19th 2006 1:42PM]

right out of the Jetsons.

[uclatommy Posted Oct 19th 2006 2:07PM]

Awesome! my only question: Can it tilt its head up?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2006 2:14PM]

it doesnt look like it can tilt its whole head up...but it does look like it can move its eye to look up.

[TheConstruct Posted Oct 19th 2006 4:11PM]

I want somthing like this that uses the DS as an interface

[poet Posted Oct 19th 2006 7:03PM]

Yeah, the NDS as a controller would rock.

Too bad those arms look like they are just for shows.
Anyway, this is a childhood dream come true. At least half the way ;)

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2006 10:12PM]

I wonder if we'll be able to interface to this one? Looks like most of the vision computation may be done on a PC via the wireless link. Not a bad package for the price. Hope we can hook up our vision software with this one ... or perhaps challenge an ER1 to a dual??

STeven.
http://www.roborealm.com/

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 16th 2006 8:12PM]

1. I'm a Mac only guy. Is the screen shot a browser or special software.
2. I want to run this thing in Seattle while I'm on the beach in St. Thomas. Possible?
3. Power life and docking station?
4. Are those arms moveable or just stupid waste of plastic?
Nice price if it actually works. Noting that Linksys sells a stationary webcam
for $200+