Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[iCub crawls closer toward the Robopocalypse (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/icub-crawls-closer-toward-the-robopocalypse-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/icub-crawls-closer-toward-the-robopocalypse-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/04/icub-crawls-closer-toward-the-robopocalypse-video/#comments
Another day, another augur of doom for humanity -- iCub has been spotted in the wilds of the IROS Expo in San Francisco. The cute (in a Demon Seed sorta way) robot is designed to replicate the trial-and-error learning process of a three year-old. We've already seen it learning how to speak and shoot arrows, and now it wants to show off it's... erm, recently improved crawling abilities. Head down after the break and you can see it slowly navigating the dangerous carpets of the convention floor. That's iCub, SkyNET drones, Cyborg Rats and Robotic Bulls all in the last month. Does anyone else think the Robopocalpyse will hit before Christmas?

Continue reading iCub crawls closer toward the Robopocalypse (video)

iCub crawls closer toward the Robopocalypse (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iCubiCub RobotIcubRobotIROS ExpoIROS Expo 2011IrosExpoIrosExpo2011RobopocalypseRobotApocalypsevideoTue, 04 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fujitsu's HOAP-2 robot wipes whiteboards clean -- humankind next in line? (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/fujitsus-hoap-2-robot-wipes-whiteboards-clean-humankind-next/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/fujitsus-hoap-2-robot-wipes-whiteboards-clean-humankind-next/http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/18/fujitsus-hoap-2-robot-wipes-whiteboards-clean-humankind-next/#comments They've taught them how to flip pancakes and shoot arrows, and now they're teaching humanoids to erase your whiteboard. That's right, the same folks who brought you iCub in a feathery headdress are back at it with Fujitsu's HOAP-2, a humanoid robot that looks like it's related to the Jetsons' maid, and can wipe a dry erase board clean via upper-body kinesthetic learning. While scientists force the robot's arm through a number of erasing movements, an attached force-torque sensor records the patterns, allowing HOAP-2 to mimic its previous actions, and voilà! You've got a blank slate. Sure, this little guy looks perfectly harmless in comparison with the bow-and-arrow-wielding iCub, but replace that eraser with a switchblade and the human race is in a whole world of hurt.

Continue reading Fujitsu's HOAP-2 robot wipes whiteboards clean -- humankind next in line? (video)

Fujitsu's HOAP-2 robot wipes whiteboards clean -- humankind next in line? (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 04:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Arificial IntelligenceArificialIntelligenceEraserErasingFujitsuFujitsu HoapFujitsu Hoap-2FujitsuHoapFujitsuHoap-2HoapHoap-2HumanoidHumanoid RobotHumanoidRobotIcubItalian Institute Of TechnologyItalianInstituteOfTechnologyItalyJapanKinesisKinestheticteachingMachine LearningMachineLearningRobotRobot LearningRoboticsRobotLearningTokyo City UniversityTokyoCityUniversityVideoFri, 18 Feb 2011 04:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Robot Archer iCub learns to shoot arrows, pierces our mortal heart (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/25/robot-archer-icub-learns-to-shoot-arrows-pierces-our-mortal-hea/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/25/robot-archer-icub-learns-to-shoot-arrows-pierces-our-mortal-hea/http://www.engadget.com/2010/09/25/robot-archer-icub-learns-to-shoot-arrows-pierces-our-mortal-hea/#comments How do you make a creepy baby robot downright cute? Give it an Indian headdress and teach it the bow-and-arrow, of course. The same team of researchers who brought us the pancake-flipping robot arm have imbued this iCub with a learning algorithm that lets it teach itself archery much the same as a human might do, by watching where the suction-tipped arrow lands and adjusting its aim for each subsequent shot. In this case, it obtained a perfect bullseye after just eight attempts. Watch it for yourself after the break, and ponder the fate of man -- how can we possibly stop an uprising of adorable robots that never miss?

Continue reading Robot Archer iCub learns to shoot arrows, pierces our mortal heart (video)

Robot Archer iCub learns to shoot arrows, pierces our mortal heart (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>archerarcheryiCubmachine learningMachineLearningPetar KormushevPetarKormushevreinforcement learningReinforcementLearningrobotrobot archerrobot archer icubrobot learningRobotArcherRobotArcherIcubRobotLearningrobotsRyo SaegusaRyoSaegusaSylvain CalinonSylvainCalinontarget practiceTargetPracticevideoSat, 25 Sep 2010 18:28:00 EST<![CDATA[iCub gets upgraded with tinier hands, better legs]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/icub-gets-upgraded-with-tinier-hands-better-legs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/icub-gets-upgraded-with-tinier-hands-better-legs/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/12/icub-gets-upgraded-with-tinier-hands-better-legs/#comments We're pretty familiar with iCub -- the humanoid robot modeled on a two year old -- around here. Just because we know him well, though, doesn't really change the fact that we get the slightest chill running down our spine every time we're reminded of his existence. Well, iCub's getting an upgrade which includes newer, lighter legs which will be more impervious to damage, and smaller hands. That's right, the youngster, who is about toddler-sized, has had until now, the hands of an eight-year old: pretty embarrassing for the little fellow. The new hands are the right size, and have the correct dexterity as well. Regardless, he's still a little creepy, but as you'll see in the video after the break, impressive none the less.

Continue reading iCub gets upgraded with tinier hands, better legs

iCub gets upgraded with tinier hands, better legs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>childhandhandshumanoidhumanoid robotHumanoidRoboticubleglegsrobotrobotstwo year oldTwoYearOldFri, 12 Mar 2010 11:11:00 EST<![CDATA[Researchers working to teach creepy baby robot to talk]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/28/researchers-working-to-teach-creepy-baby-robot-to-talk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/28/researchers-working-to-teach-creepy-baby-robot-to-talk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/28/researchers-working-to-teach-creepy-baby-robot-to-talk/#commentsThe iCub robot was already doing pretty well for itself in the creepiness department, but a group of researchers from the University of Plymouth are now working to take things one big step further, by teaching the so-called "baby robot" to talk (as opposed to teaching it baby talk). That will supposedly be done over the next four years, during which time the researchers will work with language development specialists who normally study how parents teach children to speak. Eventually, they hope that the robot will be able to perform basic tasks like stacking wooden blocks, and be able name objects and actions so that it can speak basic phrases like "robot puts stick on cube" or "I want more life, father." What's more, while the research hasn't even begun yet, one of the professors involved sees it as nothing short of a milestone, saying that "the outcome of the research will define the scientific and technological requirements for the design of humanoid robots able to develop complex behavioural, thinking and communication skills through individual and social learning." Unless the robot gets some ideas of its own, that is.

[Image courtesy of BBC News]

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Researchers working to teach creepy baby robot to talk originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>baby robotBabyRoboticubrobotroboticsThu, 28 Feb 2008 13:13:00 EST