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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Elevator operating robot janitor goes on sale in Japan]]></title><link>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/elevator-operating-robot-janitor-goes-on-sale-in-japan/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/elevator-operating-robot-janitor-goes-on-sale-in-japan/</guid><comments>http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/elevator-operating-robot-janitor-goes-on-sale-in-japan/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<img hspace="4" border="1" align="left" vspace="4" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2009/12/091201-subarubot-03.jpg" />In one year alone we've seen robots shaking things up in such far-flung fields as <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/16/japans-hrp-4c-fashion-model-robot-unveiled-already-harassed/">fashion</a> and <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/11/30/doka-harumis-robot-dance-routine-fills-us-with-shame-for-humani/">interpretive dance</a>. That said, our concerns are generally more prosaic -- that's why we're most excited by the industrial strength autonomous sweepers developed by the likes of Fuji Heavy Industries, Sumitomo, and Subaru. Like <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/">last year's model</a>, their latest sweeps the floor, picks up the trash, is able to operate modded elevators, and comes equipped with laser sensors for avoiding obstacles and may even be outfitted with a camera. In addition, this new guy has slimmed down to about half the size (better for slipping into tight corners) and sports a twenty-four volt battery that gets about 2.5 hours per charge. The best news, however, is that it's finally for sale! It should hit the streets of Japan by the end of next year for a price somewhere in the $35,000 to $46,000 range. We'll take two. [Warning: PDF source link]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/elevator-operating-robot-janitor-goes-on-sale-in-japan/">Elevator operating robot janitor goes on sale in Japan</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.engadget.com">Engadget</a> on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:03:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/elevator-operating-robot-janitor-goes-on-sale-in-japan/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/forward/19260288/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/02/elevator-operating-robot-janitor-goes-on-sale-in-japan/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>cleaner</category><category>cleaning</category><category>floor</category><category>fuji</category><category>japan</category><category>meti</category><category>office</category><category>office building</category><category>officebuilding</category><category>reibi</category><category>subaru</category><category>Sumitomo</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Joseph L. Flatley]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:03:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Floor-cleaning robot in Japanese office building can ride the elevator, leave early]]></title><link>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/</guid><comments>http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div align="center"> </div>
<div align="center"><a href="http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20081204/162358/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/12/floorcleaningrobot12-5-08.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<div align="left">It might not look like much, but this little... er, big guy is a robot recently developed and employed by Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd and Sumitomo Corporation in Osaka City, Japan to <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/23/readybot-cleans-a-living-room-our-hearts-continue-to-flutter/">clean their floors</a>. Now we've seen plenty of service robots that <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/20/samsungs-hauzen-cleaning-robot-keeps-floors-homeowners-happy/">love to clean</a>, some even <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/24/figla-robot-cleans-up-indoors-and-out/">professionally</a>, but this one, operated by Reibi, is especially full-featured. Based on a robot developed in Tokyo in 2001, the updated version has laser sensors for detecting and avoiding obstacles. It's also been outfitted with light transmission devices which allow it to communicate with the elevators (also modified), so that it can travel between floors all on its own. As an icing on this deliciously fastidious cake, the robot can be equipped with cameras that record its entire shift, just to make sure its not falling asleep on the job. Should it ever miss a crumb on the floor or something, we also assume that it can fire itself, head out for a drinking binge, and spiral into an inevitable, lonely depression. </div>
</div><p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.engadget.com/category/robots/" rel="tag">Robots</a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/">Floor-cleaning robot in Japanese office building can ride the elevator, leave early</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.engadget.com">Engadget</a> on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:32:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20081204/162358/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/forward/1392437/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/12/05/floor-cleaning-robot-in-japanese-office-building-can-ride-the-el/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>cleaner</category><category>cleaning</category><category>floor</category><category>japan</category><category>meti</category><category>office</category><category>office building</category><category>OfficeBuilding</category><category>reibi</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Laura June]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:32:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Japan's METI Robot Award 2008 winners announced]]></title><link>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/japans-meti-robot-award-2008-winners-announced/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/japans-meti-robot-award-2008-winners-announced/</guid><comments>http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/japans-meti-robot-award-2008-winners-announced/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div align="center"><a href="http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20081125/161726/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/11/bender_rodriguez.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<div align="left">The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (or <a href="http://www.engadget.com/tag/METI/">METI</a>) in Japan has announced eight 'Robot Award 2008' winners from 65 applicants. Nabbing the prize for industrial robots were Denso Wave Inc. with their XR-G small assembly conveyance robot, which was released for commercial use in April, 2008 and is sold to automobile and electronics factories. Also awarded a prize was Yaskawa Electric Corp's Motoman-CDL3000D, an "LCD glass substrate handling robot" -- apparently the fastest and most precise one in the world. There were six other prize-winners, including an automatic page-turning robot called Book Time and one that transplants rice. Also in attendance but walking home empty-handed was a robot that does nothing but sleep, as well as one which responds "you look great in that!" every time you ask for feedback about your outfit.<br /></div>
</div><p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.engadget.com/category/robots/" rel="tag">Robots</a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/japans-meti-robot-award-2008-winners-announced/">Japan's METI Robot Award 2008 winners announced</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.engadget.com">Engadget</a> on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:11:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20081125/161726/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/japans-meti-robot-award-2008-winners-announced/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/forward/1382660/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/25/japans-meti-robot-award-2008-winners-announced/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>denso wave</category><category>DensoWave</category><category>expire-images2008-12-25</category><category>japan</category><category>meti</category><category>motoman-cdl3000d</category><category>robot award 2008</category><category>robot awards</category><category>RobotAward2008</category><category>RobotAwards</category><category>robots</category><category>xr-g</category><category>yaskawa</category><category>yaskawa electric</category><category>YaskawaElectric</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Laura June]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:11:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Japan's 2007 Robot of the Year goes to...]]></title><link>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/japans-2007-robot-of-the-year-goes-to/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/japans-2007-robot-of-the-year-goes-to/</guid><comments>http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/japans-2007-robot-of-the-year-goes-to/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<div align="center"><a href="http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/12/2007-robot-of-the-year/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2007/12/robotaward_06.jpg" /></a><br /></div>
Putin. Ok, actually another stoic, semi-autonomous critter is the winner of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) 2007 Robot of the Year award. The grand prize goes to the work-horse, industrial robot from Fanuc Ltd. called M-430iA. The multi-axis, greaseless (read: sanitary) robot is part of a food and pharmaceutical handling system. Unlike your unemployed uncle with his GED, this bot can work non-stop, 24 hours a day, accurately picking up 120 items per minute as they roll down a conveyor belt. Other winners are the <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/31/miuro-the-robotic-ipod-dock/">dancing Miuro</a> in the small- to medium-sized venture category and Matsushita's blood-toting <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/20/matsushita-electric-works-intros-blood-toting-hospi-robot/">HOSPI</a> bot. The latter apparently winning due to its unique position to assimilate the human race. Hey, anyone else smell polonium?<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.engadget.com/category/robots/" rel="tag">Robots</a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/japans-2007-robot-of-the-year-goes-to/">Japan's 2007 Robot of the Year goes to...</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.engadget.com">Engadget</a> on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:27:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.pinktentacle.com/2007/12/2007-robot-of-the-year/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/japans-2007-robot-of-the-year-goes-to/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/forward/1067503/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/20/japans-2007-robot-of-the-year-goes-to/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>2007 robot of the year</category><category>2007RobotOfTheYear</category><category>fanuc</category><category>hospi</category><category>japan</category><category>m-430i</category><category>meti</category><category>miuro</category><category>robot</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Ricker]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2007 05:27:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
