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keepon posts

Keepon dancing robot going commercial

by Donald Melanson, posted Oct 2nd 2008 at 2:53PM

The Keepon dancing robot has already managed to win the hearts of most anyone that's seen it in action, and it looks like it could soon be winning plenty more, as the bot's creators have now formed a company, dubbed BeatBots, with the intent of commercializing it. While they eventually hopes to get the cost down to a reasonable level, they'll apparently first be marketing a $30,000 Keepon Pro model to research institutes studying human-robot interaction -- and anyone else with thirty grand to burn, we suppose. Somewhat curiously, it'll be built with the help of Japan's Kokoro Company, which is better known for its slightly creepy robots like the Actroid than those of the cute and cuddly variety.

Keepon dancing robot featured in Spoon's latest music video

by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 16th 2007 at 8:35AM

Step off those treadmills OK GO, there's a new indie music video on YouTube ready to help us nerds locate our groove muscle. Spoon's "Don't You Evah" features the toxically cute Keepon dancing robot developed by Carnegie Mellon and Japan's National Institute of Communications Technology. Be sure to hang in 'til the end for the robot dance party which features Manoi, RB2000 and a Johnny Five wannabe getting tore-up from the floor-up in that mad servo style. Full vid after the break.

Continue reading Keepon dancing robot featured in Spoon's latest music video

Keepon dancing robot busts moves, hearts

by Donald Melanson, posted Mar 23rd 2007 at 3:14AM

While robots capable of kinda sorta dancing along with music are hardly anything new, few can match the moves this recently developed "Keepon" robot is capable of busting out -- without arms or legs, no less. Developed by Carnegie Mellon's Marek Michalowski and Hideki Kozima of Japan's National Institute of Communications Technology, the little yellow bot uses a gimbal-based system to move through about as full a range of motions as two spheres are capable of, and is able to react to visual stimulation in addition to music thanks to some built-in cameras. Sadly, this dancing machine remains confined to the lab for the time being, although you can check out a couple of videos of it in action by clicking on the read link below.

[Via New Scientist]