Microsoft-powered biped robot makes its debut

It's taken a little while, but it seems that the first robot based on Microsoft's Robotics Studio package is now available for sale, although it's far from a consumer bot. Running a hefty $5,345, the so-called "e-nuvo WALK" robot from Japan's ZMP (makers of the e-nuvo WHEEL, as well) measures 14 inches tall and is apparently intended primarily for research and education although, as you can see above, it also seems to be a strong candidate for the next RoboCup. According to the AP, those in Japan can place their orders for the robot now, but they'll have to wait until sometime in January before they actually gets their hands on one.

[Christian Martin @ Nov 29th 2007 5:19PM]

"It appears that you are trying to welcome your new overlords! Would you like help with that?"

* Yes
* No
* Sod Off

[jon @ Nov 29th 2007 5:34PM]

...at least its different

[Joe @ Nov 29th 2007 5:35PM]

I'll have to say, it's the cutest non-existing-upper-torso robot I've ever seen.

[Christian Martin @ Nov 29th 2007 5:39PM]

jon, et al:

I think you mistook that for a derogatory comment toward the subject of this article. Rather the opposite; I think it's pretty nifty, but for reasons I have yet to ascertain it reminded me of the Clippy parodies that circulated years back...

[superfresh @ Nov 29th 2007 6:31PM]

How disgusting...this robot does all its thinking below the belt.

[strider_mt2k @ Nov 29th 2007 9:58PM]

Well now that's just a waist.

[Anonymous @ Nov 29th 2007 5:31PM]

Now if they only combined it with Nintendo's Rob the Robot, they would have a complete android.

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 29th 2007 5:41PM]

I, for one, welcome our new blue-screenin', security patchin' plug-n-pray overlords.

[ethana2 @ Nov 30th 2007 2:03AM]

Yeah, I saw iRobot too.
..makes you do some serious thinking, you know?

Now I use Linux. There's no way in hades I'm trusting a peripheral set like that to software for which I don't have the source code.

[Baluki @ Nov 29th 2007 5:43PM]

How long until someone makes what they think is a clever Microsoft/crashing joke? Oooh, I'm going to sit here and reload the page over and over again. Fortunately, I won't have to wait long, because some people just can't pass up that tired old gag.

[Baluki @ Nov 29th 2007 5:44PM]

YES! The guy above me did it! Hooray!

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 29th 2007 5:55PM]

Happy to oblige :)

[Emceay @ Nov 29th 2007 7:25PM]

It's tired when people's Windows boxes stop crashing. The fragility is what makes it so timeless. And, after more than a decade of the same taunt, I wouldn't hold your breath that Microsoft might one day shed it's stigma. Especially with the red ring of death keeping things fresh.

[Lou @ Nov 30th 2007 8:07AM]

Look on the bright side, if they ever come to take over the world, they will be hackable or they will just crash, because any kind of intelligence (including the AI of those robots that WILL take over the world) can't make microsoft seamless.

[Eddie @ Nov 29th 2007 5:45PM]

I would be scared, if it wasn't Microsoft.

Sure, it's going to malfunction and try to destroy mankind, but it won't be effective until SP4.

What do you expect? Enslavers of mankind are resource hogs! Plus, there will be all those antitrust lawsuits about not allowing anything other than Microsoft branded murder software to be shipped with all their robots... We're free to live until at least 2020.

[ethana2 @ Nov 30th 2007 2:15AM]

Turn off nocturnal auto updates. Now instead of eating long documents you stayed up till 2 typing, it'll hold you hostage in your own home until the revolution is over, and kill you should you attempt to leave.

Keep a shotgun handy, in case you see it acting funny while the red light in its chest is on.

[Nico @ Nov 29th 2007 5:47PM]

It appears that the ball is approaching... lol
http://www.spymac.com/details/?2304955

[Nubaeus @ Nov 29th 2007 5:55PM]

Instead of Biofuel, we now have MS!

[Jongscx @ Nov 30th 2007 12:20AM]

better than bioshock... imagine a robotic Big Daddy breathing down your neck...

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 29th 2007 5:57PM]

... Mr. Gates

[St. Stephen @ Nov 29th 2007 6:04PM]

is that thing run off a eee pc? looks like one of them running it in the background!

[White_Pheonix @ Nov 29th 2007 9:08PM]

Nope; there's too much space on either side of the keyboard. Perhaps an as yet undisclosed Eee PC with a larger screen, but that's probably a bit too much to hope for (well ... in the next few months, anyways).

[Randavance @ Nov 29th 2007 6:08PM]

two arms and a head away from the day the term "blue screen of death" will be forever historically redefined.

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 29th 2007 6:20PM]

It will be awhile. They don't have the drivers for the head and arms.

[ben @ Nov 29th 2007 7:23PM]

Well, they did work under XP. We should have a patch in four or five months.

[ethana2 @ Nov 30th 2007 2:19AM]

...Oh yay! Some dude called 'RMS' says he wrote drivers for kernel 2.6x

..wait for iiit...

[Matt @ Nov 29th 2007 6:18PM]

hahaha, it looks like an urbanmech!

Just need to solder on a ridiculous pop gun on the side and we will have an almost perfect replica.

This kids, is why you don't use microsoft, your robot will never properly attach its torso and will walk around like a idiot.

They probably mean to expand it in the future when they have further tested the stability and movement.

[Jongscx @ Nov 29th 2007 6:39PM]

Wow... nobody has made the "Well, does it crash as much as Windows" comment yet.. impressive!

[Mark @ Nov 29th 2007 7:13PM]

Hate to disappoint, but see Mickey Jones' post.

[ethana2 @ Nov 30th 2007 2:20AM]

It looks like your brain's english parser is broken...

Try lojban ;)

[enzo @ Nov 29th 2007 7:12PM]

Well I hope them legs can run... run from me and mah shotgun in the Robot War!

[Sparky @ Nov 29th 2007 7:54PM]

Looks like an incomplete copy of someone else's work (Asimo or Qrio).
Yay Microsoft !!!

[Sparky @ Nov 29th 2007 7:56PM]

Yeah, but can it sing or say hello ?
It's not half the robot I am !!!

Signed
Sparky the Aibo

[Zeus the God @ Nov 29th 2007 8:23PM]

In case all you tards haven't noticed, this is about the software of it all, not the robot itself- though I only have Engadget to blame with that off title.

All the other robots you see here on Engadget aren't like this- they're remote controlled. This on the other hand, is controlled by a computer or pre-defined actions from the computer. Either way, this is a step toward full blown robots that don't suck.

[amiga_tone @ Nov 29th 2007 8:58PM]

I wonder if the instruction set leaves it asking for confirmation and a password each time it tries to do something?

[js @ Nov 29th 2007 9:27PM]

int main ()

{
cout

[Michael L. @ Nov 29th 2007 11:06PM]

Fatal errors:
Error: Undefined symbol 'cout'
Error: Statement missing ;
Error: Compound statement missing }

[jackalope @ Nov 29th 2007 10:56PM]

They should at least give him three fingers so he can press his own Ctrl + Alt + Del buttons.

[elephant with stress disorder @ Nov 30th 2007 4:29AM]

"it seems that the first robot based on Microsoft's Robotics Studio package is now available for sale"
Nope!
All of thesecompanies do have off-the-shelves robots available.
It is true that it is still far from consumer bots though...

[Major Malfunction @ Nov 30th 2007 9:53AM]

Sooo... instead of a BSOD, we get a BPoD. (Blue Puddle of Death)

[Hotwings @ Nov 30th 2007 3:10PM]

Where's the rest of it? To me, all it looks like are legs and a stomach. I can only imagine how many times it had to crash and reboot.

[Rick @ Nov 30th 2007 7:11PM]

So Microsoft is selling robotic legs that have the propensity to crash?

[Quest @ Dec 1st 2007 8:23AM]

I guess we'll have to wait for SP1 to get the chest and arms, perhaps SP2 will include the head?