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World's first robot marathon gets off to a slow start, will likely stay that way
It might take them a good 92 hours longer than the fastest human runners, but a group of five pint-sized humanoids have officially embarked on the world's first full-length robot marathon. The Robo Mara Full, put on by Japanese robotics company Vstone, kicked off this week in Osaka, Japan, and will see the mechanized competitors through a 42 kilometer (26 mile) race, estimated to last several days. During the marathon, entrants will circle a 100-meter indoor track a total of 422 times with little help from their human coaches -- contact is only permitted during battery and servo replacement. Vstone's Robovie-PC led the pack at the outset, but with three days left to go, it's still any robot's game. You can check out a live feed of all the, uh, slow and furious action at the coverage link below, and get a full overview of the race, complete with embarrassing translation, by following the source link.
Robovie R3 all set to assist, freak out elderly and handicapped shoppers this November (video)
The Robovie R3 is the latest in a distinguished line of humanoid bots developed for the purposes of research, discovery, and (a tiny bit of) geeky fun. Following its predecessor's footsteps -- the R2 secured employment as a guide to lost shoppers -- the R3 will be making its mall debut in November of this year, where it'll assist people by carrying their shopping, providing information about nearby products, and holding their hand as it guides them through the crowds. Intended as a way to get elderly and handicapped people back out into the community, this is part of a viability study for the robot's usefulness, and if it finds success maybe its anime eyes and dalek form factor will find their way outside Japan as well. Video of the R3 after the break.
ATR and VStone debut 'life-sized' Robovie R3 humanoid robot
It's been less than a month since the iPod touch-based Robovie-mR2 rolled into our hearts, but the folks at ATR and Vstone have now already moved on to their next creation: the Robovie R3 humanoid robot. Designed primarily to aid in research involving the elderly or disabled, the R3 is apparently "life-sized," and packs 11 touch sensors throughout its body, along with a pair of USB cameras for eyes, two microphones and a speaker, an optional laser range finder, and a top speed of 2.5 kilometers per hour. It's also apparently reasonably adept at getting around, with it able to move omnidirectionally and overcome small changes in floor height, and able to lend a hand thanks to its "gripper hands." Of course, "research" is the operative word here, as this particular bot will only be made available to various institutions working with robots, and at the decidedly un-consumer-friendly price of ¥3,800,000 (or just over $41,000).
Video: Vstone's Robovie-PC robot gets Intel Atom inside, becomes world's most awesome computer
For a robo hobbyist, the process of developing a creation's custom programming can be a chore. Make a change on a computer, connect the bot, download the change, then set the little guy free and wait for him to fall over. When he does, tweak that custom programming, rinse, and repeat. The Robovie-PC from Vstone turns that on its head, with the robot itself becoming the computer. It has a 1.6GHz Atom Z530 processor, dual USB ports, a VGA connector, and even Wi-Fi. There's a 1.3 megapixel camera on its head, which shows a lot of potential in the remote control demonstration vid below. Since the robot is the computer, able to run Windows or Linux, advanced functionality should be much easier to achieve. We're envisioning a little security guard who uploads images directly to the internet, or who taunts cats and takes pictures of their reactions. Naturally, those taunts won't come cheap; the 15-inch tall bot will cost ¥399,999, or about $4,500. That's quite a premium when compared to the company's $540 Robovie-nano announced a few weeks ago, but we think you should go ahead and splurge. [Via Plastic Pals]
Video: Vstone's tiny Robovie-nano robot drives the lane, jumps, shoots, scores retail availability
There is certainly no shortage of humanoid robots conspiring to attack your savings, but few look to offer the combination of tiny size and amazing dexterity of the Robovie-nano, the little guy from Vstone who is now shipping to would-be Dr. Frankensteins. He's just 230mm tall (about nine inches) and weighs 575g (about a pound and a quarter), but looks to be at least as nimble as larger forebearers and is far cheaper than most, costing just ¥49,350 ($540) to start -- less than a set of those sweet robot hands we spotted last week. For that you won't get the optional "gripper shaft" mitts shown above, or the paintable Lexan bodywork he sports in the video after the break, but nobody ever said a robot needs clothes, right? %Gallery-73439% [Via Impress]
Vstone's Black Ox coming September to destroy your bank account
How much would you pay for a one and a half foot tall robot capable of bending your will with a simple glance? If you said ¥798,000 (about $7,400) then you're already under the control of Vstone's Black Ox. You'll have to hurry though. Of the 30 planned for manufacturing only 15 remain for pre-order. Must... Buy... Robot. [Via Akihabara News]
Japanese robot companies join forces to compete with South Korea
South Korea has already made its ambitious robot plans quite well known, and it now looks like a group of Japanese robot companies are doing their best to stay in the race, with them forming a consortium of sorts that they say will let them cooperate in the research, development and marketing of robots. Currently, that group includes Tokyo's ZMP, Nagoya's Business Design Laboratory, Vstone (makers of the Black Ox pictured above), and Tmsuk, each of which will apparently initially focus on "simple service robots" designed to keep watch on the elderly, pets, and children. They're not getting much more specific than that just yet, unfortunately, with one of the company's CEOs only going so far as to say that, "in ten years, robots may be able to help out around the house," but that he doesn't "necessarily know that robots should do everything."
Video: Vstone's Tichno hates children, slower than Jens Lehmann
If that kid looks a tad uncomfortable, it's because he just schooled Vstone's new Tichno robot on the pitch. Hard not to, really. Although the four-and-a-quarter foot tall / 26-kg (57-pound) Tichno features 2- and 3-axis accelerometers, an aluminum / carbon frame covered in an ABS resin, and the same control board as the Robovie-X, it's slow, like old-man slow. However, with a price of just ¥10,000,000 (almost $100,000), we guess you get what you pay for. Video after the break.
KumoTek rolls out KT-X humanoid robot kits
Vstone's various humanoid robots have already made their presence known in Japan, and it looks like they're now finally making their way over here with a little help from the folks at Texas-based KumoTek. They've just announced their new line of KT-X series bots (seemingly identical to Vstone's Robovie-X), including the 13-motor KT-X Lite, the 17-motor KT-X, and the 20-motor KT-X Gladiator, all of which are apparently aimed at the educational market and range in price from $990 to $1,490. Like its Vstone counterpart, the KT-X measures about 13 inches tall, and is able to be controlled with a standard PS2 wireless controller, although it apparently comes with the added educational benefit of KumoTek's Robot P.E.T.S. (Robots Promoting Education Through Science) educational system, which the company hopes will help set students off into a career in robotics or mechanical engineering.[Via I4U News]
Video: Vstone's Black Ox -- welcome to your destruction Gigantor
Finally, after a scourge of sissy, beer serving robots we meet our maker. Vstone's Black Ox stands more than 7,000 feet tall and brings a Tokyo-sized lust for human meat sacks. Gigantor, you never had a chance. Ok, ok, he's only a foot and a half from the floor but those 20 movable axis points and fierce fighting skills should deliver hours of entertaining torment for your pet, kids, or pet kids. Check the video after the break while we wait for an official price and release date.[Via Impress]
Robovie-X is coming to get you
Remember the cock fighter we peeped back in August? He's far more deadly than we had imagined and now up for pre-order in Japan. At least his Robovie-X underpinnings are. The 13.5-inch / 2.86-pound bot manufactured by JR Robotics should start shipping in February for a pre-order price of ¥94,500 (about $856). This robot features the impressive pliability of his lessor RB2000 brother while including new voice response sensors and weaponry. In fact, the two can share parts in a mutant servo mashup only a mother robot could love. Oh did we mention this one can track targets and then blast it with missiles? Gulp, see for yourself in the video after the break. [Via Impress]
Make's coverage of RoboGames 2006
Having already blown our entire travel budget attending CES, E3, and various other important events in sunny locations, we weren't able to scrape together the funds to hit up this year's annual RoboGames festival in San Francisco, but luckily Make magazine/blog has filled in the void by providing some excellent coverage. Formerly known as the ROBOlympics, the event has grown to over 20 categories and demonstrations, covering some of the same territory we saw at the Eastern Canadian Robot Games -- such as sumo wrestling, fire-fighting, and line-following -- but also throwing in a little RoboCup-style soccer football, a new 3-on-3 hockey tournament, and even a trio of so called Tetsujin events in which otherwise unathletic individuals sport hydraulic mech suits which enable them to perform amazing feats of speed, strength, and dexterity. Besides sponsoring a display table among the likes of Lego and NASA, Make also has its Media Maker Bre Pettis filing daily videocasts and flickr photosets from the scene, featuring such Engadget faves as Vstone's Robovie-M, Kondo's KHR-1, and HiTec's Robonova as well as several other non-competitive models like Mark Sherman's snakebot and a rig that can play and seemingly defeat children at Connect Four. You can follow the links below to get a feel for all the action, and stay tuned to Make because Day 3 coverage is only starting to trickle in.Read- RoboGames siteRead- Make @ RoboGamesRead- RoboGames Day 1Read- RoboGames Day 2
Vstone goes affordable with Robovie-i
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]
