i-sobot
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i-SOBOT goes haywire with stash of weapons, instills fear in mere mortals
We've seen these miniature robots dance and wrestle aplenty, so it's only a matter of time before they pick up weapons and murder us all for crafting their bulky looks and squeaky servos. Fortunately for now, this Takara Tomy i-SOBOT seems to be content enough with demolishing just balloons and polystyrene foam blocks, courtesy of its owner who blessed the bot with a range of "handmade" firearms and edged weapons. Don't be so quick to laugh, though -- that mini mini Gatling gun may be pointed squarely at your face one day. Until then, keep smiling and enjoy the video after the break.
Pictures galore from ROBO-ONE 13 competition in Japan
The always jam-packed ROBO-ONE competition in Japan was more heated than ever this year, with bi-ped robots tackling others and ripping them limb from limb. Okay, so maybe that's somewhat of a stretch, but you can rest assured some serious throw downs, um, went down. Interestingly enough, we heard that an i-SOBOT competition was also included (infighting, anyone?), and that the Maru family's King Kizer took home the gold. That's all well, fine and good, but we know what you're after -- take a (long) look at the hundreds of photos waiting in the read link below.[Via MAKE]
Hands-on with battling i-SOBOTs
While browsing the monstrosity that is CES 2008, we happened upon a pair of i-SOBOTs attempting to utterly demolish each other. Was there really any other choice but to stop and snap a gallery's worth of pics to prove it? %Gallery-13108%
Robodance 4 software lets you control i-SOBOT with a Wiimote
Tomy's i-SOBOT usually requires users to punch in one of 147 different keycodes on its monster handheld controller to get things moving, but a couple enterprising hackers have developed a control system that lets you get it on mo-cap style using a Wiimote and the nunchuk attachment. The secret is the upcoming Robodance 4 software, which maps the i-SOBOTs commands to the Wiimote and a GUI for complex scripted macros -- which means it'll be even easier to pretend that the bot is actually your real friend. Check a vid of the system in action, apparently shot in someone's underground bunker, after the break.[Thanks, Daanish]
Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT gets reviewed, videoed
If you thought an introductory video was enthralling, wait till you check this out. Waziwazi was able to get some time alone with Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT, and while a thorough review would've certainly been enough, those folks went the extra mile and videoed quite a bit of the creature acting up. Reviewers found the bot to be "hilarious and easy to operate," and while they weren't exactly keen on the infrared remote, it was said to be "awesome fun" nonetheless. Of course, we aren't asking you to take our word for it, so head on over to the read link for a fairly in-depth review complete with box shots and lots of in-action video.
Introductory video shows off i-SOBOT's features
We know, you're actively looking for ways to stay calm and patiently await the arrival of your US-bound i-SOBOT, so we're thrilled to pass along an introductory video to tide you over. The clip goes through and lists everything that comes bundled in with the bot itself, and the animated creature also shows off a few moves, phrases and modes. Granted, we hold a special place in our heart for any miniature mech designed to handle full-fledged somersaults and shamelessly rock out with an air guitar, but we're pretty sure you'll enjoy the vid, too. Go on, it's waiting after the break.
Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT available for pre-order in US
We knew it wouldn't be long, but we weren't counting on being able to pre-order Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT in America today. Of course, we aren't kvetching or anything, but Amazon is now accepting orders for the creature here in the US of A, and the asking price is at the low end of what we were bracing for. So go on, secure your place in line for $299.99 -- it ought to ship real soon.[Via I4U News, thanks Luigi]
Takara Tomy's i-SOBOT headed stateside?
We're not exactly sure how much we trust i-SOBOT's MySpace page, but if you're a believer, this creature will be headed to America real soon. Interestingly, it purports that the primary reason for making the leap to the US is to "study our culture," which is likely a suave way of suggesting that its totally scoping out our defenses as the clan back home develops a sufficient takeover strategy. Nevertheless, word on the street has this bad boy landing stateside before Christmas for $300 - $350, so there's still a few months left to prepare for the seemingly inevitable invasion.[Via Gearlog]
GeStream Technology's new robot challenges i-SOBOT's title
i-SOBOT, long the holder of the "world's smallest bipedal robot," finally has a proper rival, in the form of GeStream Technology's 15-centimeter-tall gold-colored bot. The latest tiny robotic overlord has 16 degrees of "freedom," which computes to something like 65,536 possible movements, and will be sold in unassembled so that owners can customize the look and functionality of the miniscule bot. With the price rumored at around $185 to $200, the company is laying claim to the "smallest, lightest, and cheapest in the world," though it wouldn't be surprising to see those titles usurped by some like-minded competitor. No word on availability, but as soon as we can get the Engadget offices crawling with a lethal army of these, we'll let you know.[Thanks, Daanish]
Takara Tomy's Omnibot2007 i-SOBOT, "the world's smallest robot"
We won't beat around the bush: there's just no way that Takara Tomy's claim of "the world's smallest robot" for its new Omnibot2007 i-SOBOT humanoid is even remotely true, but as far as fairly well-articulated humanoid biped toy bots that are about to be available for sale, we could see the 6.6-inch tall i-SOBOT taking that crown. Now that we've got the extravagant claims out of the way, there's a lot to love about the i-SOBOT, including an LCD-equipped remote for having the bot act out programmed motions, and voice control for dictating simple actions. The bot can play music, dance, and respond to applause and other user actions. The bot can also make its own punching and kicking sound effects, so we can imagine some entertaining robo-duels with a pair of these things. If that's not quite enough excitement for you, Takara Tomy is also prepping the Omnibot2007 i-SOBOT CAMVersion (pictured), which includes a camera that can beam pics to your PC or phone via WiFi, and whose head can swivel 60 degrees in each direction. The cam-free model should be out in July for 31,290 yen (about $258 US), while the CAMVersion bot will run you 41,790 yen ($344 US) when it debuts in October. Check a pic of the cheapo-version and his remote after the break.Read - Impress Watch formal announcementRead - Japanese handsize robot seeks to lure adults
