RobotDog
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Researchers train robot dog to pick itself back up after a fall
Researchers have taught a robot dog to overcome one of the toughest challenges for a four-legged droid: how to get back up after a fall. In a paper published in the Science Robotics journal, its Swiss creators describe how they trained a neural network in a computer simulation to make the ultimate guard bot. Then they went and kicked the canine around in real life (because that's what researchers do) to see if their technique worked. It did: the robot's digital training regimen made it 25 times faster, more resilient, and able to adapt to any given environment, according to the team.
Sony Aibo first impressions: old robot dog, new tricks
Sony revived its robodog series late last year, offering a limited first run of next-generation Aibos for keen Japanese fans. Despite a killer $1,800 price-tag, the company apparently sold plenty, and those preordered Aibos are finally on their way to their new owners. Finally, the company has brought the new robotic pet over to Vegas for the week from Japan, and while I could coo in Aibo's general direction, unfortunately, no petting was allowed. Regardless, it was disarmingly cute.
Japan's latest robot is a puppy that sniffs out stinky feet
The Japanese take body odor very seriously. So much so, in fact, that companies in Japan host seminars on "smell harassment." Impeccable hygiene also extends to the home, where people are expected to take off their shoes upon entering. Naturally, the tech-savvy nation has come up with a number of modern applications for funky-smelling folk. There's an app that tells you if your armpits kick. A female robot that checks for halitosis. And soon, you'll even be able to buy a robotic puppy that smells your feet.
Hasbro's cute new robo-dog teaches coding on the sly
Toy makers are coming up with more and more ways to encourage children to learn STEM skills, and Hasbro is trying to do that in a somewhat futuristic way. The company is releasing a $120 robotic dog toy called Proto Max as part of its FurReal Friends line of animatronic pets that children can customize via an app. To be clear, you'll be tweaking this robo-dog's behavior and character, not the colors of its eyes or fur or the shape of its nose or face. That initially sounded a bit too much like pet Westworld to me, but after a brief demonstration, I was persuaded to quiet my internal ethics police.
ICYMI: Drunk dogbot and VR music machine
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: An Osaka University robotics lab produced a dog robot that can run six miles per hour while being the most uncoordinated robot you've seen (that works), and the Soundstage app lets users set up a recording studio to rock out with a VR headset on. The Sunday breakfast machine is worth seeing, as is the winning entry in Amazon's robot Picking Challenge. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Poochi the robot dog can talk with your 3DS (and play rock-paper-scissors)
You can count on Japan to perpetually push the idea of robot pets -- and some of us are okay with that. Poochi is the latest effort from Sega Toys, and it can interact with with a downloadable app / mini-game on Nintendo's 3DS. This particular robot pet series has been on sale in Japan (and the US) for several years, but this is a notable evolution: the blue and pink pet substitutes communicate with 3DSes wirelessly, translating yips and barks into, well, Japanese. It sings (the way a cartoon robot dog should), and can even play rock-paper-scissors with you if you're feeling particularly lonely. Courtesy of the 3DS connection, there's several more mini-games and even a Nintendogs-ish interaction screen -- which is kind of confusing when the dog's right in front of you in real life. Poochi has sensors on its back, nose and tail, and there's handy color indicators on its face to indicate how it's feeling. The robot (and companion app) launches today, priced at 6,000 yen -- around $58. We've added the (surprisingly intense) TV ad after the break. We're still waiting on an alpha-male version.
i-SODOG robot unveiled, dares you to resist its LED-puppy dog eyes
Takara Tomy's i-SODOG might not be as intimidating as other robotic quadrupeds, but it sure is a charmer. Freshly unveiled at the Tokyo International Toy Show, the puppy comes laden with touch sensors, 15 custom servos and a microphone, letting its master command it with up to 50 unique voice cues. The mechanical mutt's mind packs some basic artificial intelligence as well, allowing it to learn and modify its behavior based on the user's commands. If the pup flunks out of digital dog training, however, its owner can always assume control directly with the i-SODOG iOS / Android app or from a dedicated controller. Fido's chasing a Spring 2013 release for 31,500 yen ($400), but there's no word on a release outside of Japan. In the meantime, a video of the plastic pooch in action awaits you after the break.
Japanese robot pet powered by iPhone
Robotic pets are kind of kid stuff here in the US, but they're a big deal over in Japan, and here's one that takes advantage of the iPhone's popularity. The Smartpet is a robotic dog that "borrows" the iPhone as head unit. The body is mechanical, of course, but the head uses the iPhone's touchscreen (and even the camera) to control the dog's movement. Not only does the touchscreen show over 100 different facial animations for the virtual pet, but apparently the included app will also learn to recognize your face and voice, and will recognize gesture movements through the iPhone's camera. There's no word on availability for North America yet, and this one may not make it over here at all. It will be available on April 24 in Japan, for around $80.
NSK developing Kinect-laced robotic guide dog for the blind (video)
Have you ever looked at a robotic dog, scratched your head and thought, "Why?" Well, NSK has just responded with a pretty valid "Because." Turns out, the Japanese manufacturer is working on a new mechanized canine that could one day serve as a guide dog for the blind. The company's latest prototype builds on the work of the University of Electro-Communications (UEC), which unveiled its first model, the NR001, in 2005, followed by an updated version (NR002) in 2007. With this third iteration, unveiled late last month, NSK and UEC have added a Microsoft Kinect sensor, which allows it to more easily identify and navigate obstacles or stairs. The quadrupedal beast can also scamper up and down steps with more grace than its predecessors, which moved more like arthropods than actual dogs. The bot's paws have also been equipped with obstacle-avoiding bumper sensors, and researchers are working on incorporating voice commands, as well. NSK says its guide dog could eventually feature GPS capabilities to provide more accurate directions for the blind and visually impaired, though it'll probably be a while before it hits the pavement; the company hopes to commercialize the dogbot by 2020. Trot past the break to see the pup in action, in a pair of demo videos.
Activision and Sega show off Wappy Dog dogbot / Nintendo DS game at Toy Fair 2011
Toy Fair 2011 isn't quite as big a deal as say, CES or MWC, but it still has its fair share of nifty plaything gadgets. One jewel of the show is Sega's Wappy Dog toy that interfaces with Activision's Nintendo DS title of the same name. In what amounts to the logical evolutionary conclusion of the artist formerly known as Tamagotchi, Wappy Dog allows folks to communicate with their digital pets not only via the DS, but also by playing with and training their pooch's robotic doppelgänger. After playing with DS Wappy, the game automatically syncs up with the toy bot to keep it from developing multiple personality disorder. Though currently a prototype, the toy can dance (hopefully with a little more flava than its iDog cousin), whine, and bark in response to your child's interactions, and is slated for a release this fall at an unknown price point. No need to thank us for finding your next family pet.
WowWee's Wrex the Dawg reviewed: puts real canines to shame
Unless you've specifically been lookin' out, you may have very well forgotten about WowWee's crazed robotic dog that was uncaged at CES. After lasting through its first few days of training (which we'll call a review for our purposes), we're led to believe that this pup is "the silliest robot you'll ever love." Reviewers weren't shy in calling it like it saw it, as Wrex was hailed as "absolutely terrible at being a dog and even worse at being a robot." Of course, it's fairly easy to see this bugger was meant to provide comedic relief and not sophisticated companionship, so those pointers aren't exactly negative. Overall, Wrex is almost guaranteed to make you chuckle on a daily basis, and if you don't believe that, just check out the video waiting after the break.[Via MAKE]
Is AIBO returning from the dead?
You heard that right, folks. Supposedly, AIBO is back... with a vengeance. According to rumors, the feisty-but-killed robo-dog from Sony is making a comeback with a new paintjob and whole slew of fresh features. First and foremost, the re-upped model will be tailored to interface wirelessly with your PSP and PS3, will have a built in headcam which utilizes a motion sensor and facial recognition, and can stream its POV video over WiFi to your system. In addition, you'll apparently get to remotely trigger the bot with your handheld and control its movements, plus you can set it to "guard" your house (though we're pretty sure most enterprising burglars will just turn the little dude on its side if provoked). Of course, right now this is speculation -- Stuff Magazine's piece on the subject (above) gives the rumored bot a 53-percent chance of becoming a reality -- but there certainly seems to be some meat behind these murmurs. C'mon Sony -- the pup deserves a second chance.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nokia decapitates tablet puppy, upgrades to N800
We're not sure if the new OS or upgraded features actually give it anymore bite, but Nokia's adorable little tablet puppy has on first glance been beheaded and rebuilt with an N800 for a noggin. Actually, after an exhaustive investigation by the Humane Society, it was determined that the 770-based pup was not in fact harmed in some sort of perverse head-swapping operation, but is instead frolicking happily among retired AIBOs and broken Dirt Dogs at the robot hospital. Next up for the family is an N810-crowned model, whose QWERTY grille is sure to make other robot dogs cower in fear. Keep reading to catch a video of this precocious little fellow in action...[Image courtesy of Crave]
Robot "dog" crosses obstacles, lacks head
To be honest, we're not sure if Boston Dynamics decision to not include a head on its so-called "LittleDog" makes the bot more or less creepy, but it sure is pretty darn impressive either way. It's claim to fame, and the result of $1.5 million in funding from DARPA, is its ability to cross harsh terrain with relative ease, relying on an array of sensors that measure joint angles, body orientation, and foot/ground contact. As you can see in the video after the break, the whole system appears to work remarkably well, with the bot only encountering a few minor hiccups during its rock-climbing adventure. No word on any future plans for the bot just yet, but with DARPA behind it, we're guessing it'll be attracting some slightly different owners than its robot canine companions.[Via SlashGear]Update: We overlooked this at first, but it turns out LittleDog isn't Boston Dynamics' first foray into headless robot dogs, with the company's BigDog also able to climb hills, and carry a 120 pound load to boot.
