Engadget

Smart Pebble robots replicate objects the way a good hive mind should (video)

Joseph Volpe — Mon, 28 May 2012 18:16:00 EST

Art imitating life (T-1000, anybody?) or yet another evolutionary step towards the subjugation of mankind? For now, let's just shift focus to the immediate and soak in this novel feat of robo-replication engineered by a team from M.I.T. Headed up by Professor Daniela Rus, the Smart Sand project looks nothing like it sounds and that's because the tech in question is currently more cube than grain. Measuring 12mm per side, these intelligent pebbles work in unison to recreate an object by first surrounding it and then building a shared 3D map that's used as a blueprint for duplication. Eventually, the researchers hope to shrink the units down to just 1mm in size, effectively creating a "sand" that could completely engulf and actually clone objects (think: tools) as needed, in multiples or even enlarged versions. That promise of an ultra-portable bag of 3D-printing fairy dust is still safely a ways off, so in the meantime, content yourself with video footage of the mini-modules first cyborg steps after the break.

Continue reading Smart Pebble robots replicate objects the way a good hive mind should (video)

Smart Pebble robots replicate objects the way a good hive mind should (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video)

Lydia Leavitt — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:06:00 EST

Just in time for All Hallow's Eve shenanigans, scientists at MIT's DARPA and Boeing funded Chembots program have just introduced an uber creepy self-propelling robot quite capable of leading the robot apocalypse single-handedly. The automaton moves with the help of a pneumatic battery -- a power source that utilizes a hydrogen peroxide catalyst to inflate a soft silicone pod, in turn forcing the bot forward. With electropermanent magnets to regulate built-in valves, all it takes is a small current to activate the bot, which can regulate just how much H202 it will employ for a completely solo and super creepy zombie-like C-walk. Jump past the break to check out the video... if you dare.

Continue reading Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video)

Self-moving robot leads automatons in impending robot apocalypse (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Robot dragon teaches kids language skills, battles impulse to terrorize city

Brian Heater — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:55:00 EST

Did you have trouble learning language skills at a young age? It's probably because you didn't have the right teacher. And by "the right teacher," we mean the right robotic dragon, naturally. This cuddly little mythical beast is the joint creation of researchers at Northeastern University, MIT and Harvard -- some of whom were behind the decidedly creepier Nexi bot. It's part of a National Science Foundation-funded program to help young children learn language skills, suggesting that forming a bond with a teacher plays an important role in the educational process. The dragon will be brought to preschool classes to help test out this hypothesis. Hopefully a robotic knight will also be on-hand, just in case.

Robot dragon teaches kids language skills, battles impulse to terrorize city originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Switched On: A toy for the smartphone gaming generation

Ross Rubin — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:17:00 EST

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology.

The first thing worth noting about Sifteo Cubes -- which recently became available for pre-order at $149 for a starter pack of three that should start shipping this month -- is that they are not geometrically true to their name. Their square surfaces sit atop depths that are less than half their side length, so even stacking two Cubes won't produce three-dimensional symmetry. They are a little smaller than the game pieces from the much more limited and less expensive Scrabble Flash digital letter-arranging game that was a hit last holiday season.

The pieces fit comfortably between two fingers for easy gripping, flipping and rearranging, which you'll need to do a lot of in their various games. They are also a good size to substitute for many handheld playthings, reminding one of overstuffed Mahjongg tiles but also akin to shrunken toddlers' alphabet blocks or playing cards. The sides and back are otherwise nondescript except for a set of contacts on their rear used for charging. Sifteo Cubes are charged via their tray, which showcases them through a translucent plastic top with room for three more Cubes at $45 each. Different games derive different levels of benefit from having more than three tiles, but most work fine with the starter set.

Continue reading Switched On: A toy for the smartphone gaming generation

Switched On: A toy for the smartphone gaming generation originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 11 Sep 2011 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Nexus S takes to space aboard Atlantis, does astronauts' dirty work

Christopher Trout — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:21:00 EST

The last time Google's jet-setting smartphone took to space, it wasn't exactly flying in style. Well, the Nexus S has ditched its styrofoam trappings for more respectable digs -- specifically, NASA's last manned space shuttle, Atlantis. Its mission: "explore how robots can help humans experiment and live in space more efficiently." Affixed to a series of three robotic satellites, known as SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites) the phones engaged in tasks usually done by their human travel companions, like recording sensor data and capturing video. A special sensor-logging app was customized by NASA to capture sensor data and is now available for download in the Android Market. To see the space traveling smartphone at work, hop on past the break, or hit up NASA's project page at the coverage link below.

Continue reading Nexus S takes to space aboard Atlantis, does astronauts' dirty work

Nexus S takes to space aboard Atlantis, does astronauts' dirty work originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Caption Contest: Bakebot learns to actually bake things, feed the looming robot army

Darren Murph — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 11:15:00 EST

Aww, look! Bakebot's soooo cute! He's actually cooking things these days, thanks to MIT grad student Mario Bollini, who recently upped the creature's skill level in an effort to grab more calories with less effort. Little did he know, however, that teaching a self-contained machine how to feed the future uprising wasn't exactly the best long-term move. No, that creeping feeling of fear isn't unwarranted.

Darren: "01001111 01001101 01000111 00100000 01000011 01001111 01001111 01001011 01001001 01000101 01010011!"
Terrence: "Bakebot's lessons with the master chef were going so well, until his Bork to binary translator failed"
Brian: "Bakebot love kitten. Bakebot eat kitten."
Brad: "Stephanie! Johnny no add vanilla!"
Sean: "It's so unfair! I have eight other senses, but I'd trade them all -- even smision -- to be able to taste."
Christopher: "Rachel Ray hit a wall with 15 minute meals, so we found a faster, more charismatic replacement. Meet Rachel Number 5."
Michael: "Here I thought the robot apocalypse would be powered by nuclear fusion and laser beams, turns out it'll be running on profiteroles and delicious cakes."
Jon: "I'm toasting bread in my head right now...seriously"
Zach: "You want me to wear a what? Why don't you trying sticking a fan in your scalp. Then you can tell me to wear a hairnet."
Joseph: "How do ya like my ganache now, Martha???"
Daniel: "A robot may not injure a cupcake or, through inaction, allow a cupcake to come to harm."
Richard Lai: "How do you like them cookies, Firefox?"
Jose: "How am I supposed to add a teaspoon of sugar with this underperforming Kinect camera?"
Kevin: "Enough with the cakes, what was Leia saying about our only hope?"
Dana: "I. Love. A. Little. Bourbon. In. My. Cookies. Don't. You."
Richard Lawler: "Death to all humans. Sweet, delicious, chocolatey... death."
Don: "Just don't call him Iron Chef. He hates that."
Billy: "Ace of Cakes was canceled because I annihilated the host.. now I must weaponize that Millennium Falcon cake."
Zachary: "Jobless MIT grad narrowly avoids soup kitchen, emerges from basement with replacement mother."

Caption Contest: Bakebot learns to actually bake things, feed the looming robot army originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 07 Aug 2011 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Kinect quadrocopter gets a new mission: 3D mapping (video)

Sean Hollister — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:06:00 EST

In the future, our flying robot overlords won't just navigate terrain autonomously, they'll also report back to base with detailed 3D maps of everything they've seen -- or at least that's what this homebuilt UAV does in a video released this week. In a nutshell, MIT's combined its room-mapping Roomba with the Kinect quadrocopter radar developed at UC Berkeley, resulting in a flying contraption sure to be the envy of topographers everywhere. We're not sure that the world's robot incumbents will be too happy, though -- perhaps MIT should invest in some laser protection next.

Kinect quadrocopter gets a new mission: 3D mapping (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Operabots take center stage at MIT Media Lab's 'Death and the Powers' opera

Donald Melanson — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:08:00 EST

It already had its premiere in Monaco last year, but composer Tod Machover's new opera, "Death and the Powers," has now finally made it to the United States. Why are we reporting on a new opera (rather than Opera) on Engadget? Well, it just so happens to feature the "Operabots" pictured above, which were developed by MIT's Media Lab. The lab also helped develop some of the opera's other high-tech components, but it seems like the Operabots are the real standout -- they're "semi-autonomous" and freely roam around the stage throughout the opera, acting as a Greek chorus. Not surprisingly, the opera itself also deals with some futuristic subject matter. The Powers of the title is Simon Powers, a "Bill Gates, Walt Disney-type" who decides to upload his consciousness into "The System" before he dies -- hijinks then ensue. Those in Boston can apparently still get tickets for the final performance on March 25th -- after that it moves onto Chicago for four performances between April 2nd and 10th. Head on past the break for a preview.

Continue reading Operabots take center stage at MIT Media Lab's 'Death and the Powers' opera

Operabots take center stage at MIT Media Lab's 'Death and the Powers' opera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Kinect sensor bolted to an iRobot Create, starts looking for trouble

Paul Miller — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:38:00 EST

While there have already been a lot of great proof-of-concepts for the Kinect, what we're really excited for are the actual applications that will come from it. On the top of our list? Robots. The Personal Robots Group at MIT has put a battery-powered Kinect sensor on top of the iRobot Create platform, and is beaming the camera and depth sensor data to a remote computer for processing into a 3D map -- which in turn can be used for navigation by the bot. They're also using the data for human recognition, which allows for controlling the bot using natural gestures. Looking to do something similar with your own robot? Well, the ROS folks have a Kinect driver in the works that will presumably allow you to feed all that great Kinect data into ROS's already impressive libraries for machine vision. Tie in the Kinect's multi-array microphones, accelerometer, and tilt motor and you've got a highly aware, semi-anthropomorphic "three-eyed" robot just waiting to happen. We hope it will be friends with us. Video of the ROS experimentation is after the break.

Continue reading Kinect sensor bolted to an iRobot Create, starts looking for trouble

Kinect sensor bolted to an iRobot Create, starts looking for trouble originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 21:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Robots take to the stage again, and this time they're performing in an opera

Laura June — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:05:00 EST

We've seen enough robots performing in enough plays to know that they can really add to a production. This time, however, Death and the Powers, a new opera, features nine robots quite prominently. The show, which opens in October in Monaco, has been developed with Professor Tod Machover of the MIT Media Lab and his students, who will also put on the production. While we look forward to hopefully seeing the production in person some day, for now, we'll make do with the video below. Regardless, we're not going to be happy until we see a robot hit us with its best Jean Valjean.

Continue reading Robots take to the stage again, and this time they're performing in an opera

Robots take to the stage again, and this time they're performing in an opera originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT Seaswarm autonomous robots coming soon to an oil spill near you (video)

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:38:00 EST

Think of it as an autonomous, swarming, photovoltaic legion of seagoing Roombas (or don't, if you're easily upset). The Seaswarm project at MIT takes a thin, hydrophobic material and drags it behind a robot outfitted with GPS and WiFi for determining its location and communicating within a swarm. When deployed, the group finds the outer edges of an oil spill, and works its way into the center, coordinating the cleanup with minimal human interference. The material itself can take on twenty times its weight in oil. And yes, the whole thing is re-usable. According to researchers, 5,000 of these relatively low cost devices could have cleaned up the BP oil disaster in a month -- which is more than we can say for Kevin Costner! See it in action after the break.

Continue reading MIT Seaswarm autonomous robots coming soon to an oil spill near you (video)

MIT Seaswarm autonomous robots coming soon to an oil spill near you (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 08:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT researchers develop autonomous glider that can land on a wire

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:34:00 EST

The latest research at MIT is not only paving the way to more agile autonomous aircraft, but it's a reminder of how much catching up we have to do to match the complexity and skill of the common bird. In a project that's been ongoing since 2005, Rick Cory and Russ Tedrake have developed a mathematical model of how a bird lands on a wire and emulated the move with an autonomous glider. To control the glider, they developed a system that allows the craft to keep an eye on itself and the position of the wire using external cameras, sending control data if adjustments have to be made. As it is, UAVs are generally limited to the same set of maneuvers that piloted aircraft have, but the researchers don't feel that this has to be the case. For their next trick they plan to take the show outside, as well as develop vehicles with flapping wings. This is all great, but we're holding out for a device that pitches (and wisecracks) as well as Woody Woodpecker.

Continue reading MIT researchers develop autonomous glider that can land on a wire

MIT researchers develop autonomous glider that can land on a wire originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jul 2010 04:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

LuminAR robot finally shows us what pico projectors were meant for (video)

Tim Stevens — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:49:00 EST

Still looking for an excuse to buy a pico projector? We might just have the perfect thing. LuminAR, a project of MIT student Natan Linder, is something like a sentient desk lamp of the sort that will make any dedicated Pixar fan's heart skip a beat. It can follow a user's actions, using a camera to detect gestures and beam information down to augment whichever reality they're currently experiencing. Interestingly, the whole thing is built into a bulb socket, meaning it could be thrown into any lamp you like -- if you can do without the whole automatic motion aspect. It's based on what looks to be a Microsoft Lifecam Show webcam and what is certainly a Microvision Show WX projector, which is both focus and care free. There's a demo video after the break but, sadly, little hope that this thing will be replacing your current desktop lamp any time soon.

Continue reading LuminAR robot finally shows us what pico projectors were meant for (video)

LuminAR robot finally shows us what pico projectors were meant for (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 08:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Quad-copter responds to your voice, isn't coming to a toy store near you (video)

Tim Stevens — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:41:00 EST

Hey, remember Taiyo's voice controlled toy helicopter from last year? This is way cooler. Like, way cooler. It's an autonomous quad-copter created by the Robust Robotics Group at MIT. It hovers and flies a bit like the AR.Drone that had us smitten at CES this past January, but this one has a lot more brains. It response to natural (though slowly delivered) language voice commands that look to be processed on an iPhone before being sent to the helo. In the video embedded below you'll see it responding to the command "Fly past room 124 then face the windows and go up." Sure enough, it does as instructed, and while we don't know how many takes that particular feat of robotic subservience took to pull off, we're suitably impressed. Mind you, this is a research project and not any product ever destined for retail, so after watching that video a few more times we'll just go back to crashing our Picco Zs into the walls -- and each other.

Continue reading Quad-copter responds to your voice, isn't coming to a toy store near you (video)

Quad-copter responds to your voice, isn't coming to a toy store near you (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT's MeBot makes telerobotics fun again

Paul Miller — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:33:00 EST

We know how you feel. Sure, telerobotics has changed your life for the better, allowing to interact with people as if you're really there, coasting through the halls of an institution of higher learning, dropping knowledge on anyone within shouting distance. But something's missing. You aren't happy, you aren't free. MeBot, developed at MIT's Personal Robotics Group and prepped for presentation at the Human-Robot Interaction conference in Osaka, Japan, looks to solve this. It adds movement to the equation, hoisting an OQO aloft for a head and adding in gesticulating arms to the equation. The idea is to allow the teleoperator to be more engaged through "head" and "arm" movements, with the arms being moved by handheld controls, and the head movement created by tracking the face of the operator. We could obviously conceive of a more elaborate representation, but the off the shelf components like the OQO brain seem worthy of commendation. Check out some video of the bot in action after the break.

Continue reading MIT's MeBot makes telerobotics fun again

MIT's MeBot makes telerobotics fun again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT's Flyfire paints images in the sky using micro helicopters, is apparently top-secret

Tim Stevens — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:24:00 EST

Micro helicopters, the kind that fit in the palm of your hand (and sometimes spread holiday cheer) are huge fun -- and hugely frustrating. Have you ever tried to get one to hover in place next to another? Impossible! MIT thinks it can do that, not with just two but thousands of the little beggars all hovering in harmony as part of a project called Flyfire. By using LED-equipped drones the project pledges to build free-floating 3D displays, endowing them with enough smarts and positional awareness to organize themselves into an airborne canvas. It sounds deliciously exciting and challenging, yet for some reason the school has decided you aren't to know about it, pulling its concept video and website offline. We can only imagine there's a government agency involved here, possibly trying to stem the virulent spread of robo-socialism, but we invite you to leave your own conspiracy theories in comments.

Update: You can take your tinfoil hats off, the site and the video are both back online! We have the goods embedded after the break.

Continue reading MIT's Flyfire paints images in the sky using micro helicopters, is apparently top-secret

MIT's Flyfire paints images in the sky using micro helicopters, is apparently top-secret originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 19 Feb 2010 10:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT's Affective Intelligent Driving Agent is KITT and Clippy's lovechild (video)

Vlad Savov — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:48:00 EST

If we've said it once, we've said it a thousand times, stop trying to make robots into "friendly companions!" MIT must have some hubris stuck in its ears, as its labs are back at it with what looks like Clippy gone 3D, with an extra dash of Knight Rider-inspired personality. What we're talking about here is a dashboard-mounted AI system that collects environmental data, such as local events, traffic and gas stations, and combines it with a careful analysis of your driving habits and style to make helpful suggestions and note points of interest. By careful analysis we mean it snoops on your every move, and by helpful suggestions we mean it probably nags you to death (its own death). Then again, the thing's been designed to communicate with those big Audi eyes, making even our hardened hearts warm just a little. Video after the break.

Gallery: MIT's Affective Intelligent Driving Assistant

Continue reading MIT's Affective Intelligent Driving Agent is KITT and Clippy's lovechild (video)

Filed under: Robots

MIT's Affective Intelligent Driving Agent is KITT and Clippy's lovechild (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: MIT robofish set to snoop the deep seas

Vlad Savov — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:39:00 EST

MIT has been at this robotic fish lark for a long, long time, and its latest iteration is a true testament to all the effort and energy put in. The first prototype, 1994's Robotuna, was four feet long and had 2,843 parts driven by six motors, whereas the new robofish is no longer than a foot, carries one motor and has exactly ten components, including the flexible polymer body. The hardy and relatively inexpensive drones can be used as substitutes for AUVs in tight spaces, inhospitable environments and the like, but their earliest adopters are likely to be supervillains in need of surveillance bots for their moats. Video after the break.

[Via CNN]

Continue reading Video: MIT robofish set to snoop the deep seas

Filed under: Robots

Video: MIT robofish set to snoop the deep seas originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering

Vlad Savov — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:01:00 EST

The biannual International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence has this year shed light on a new effort to standardize robot instructions around a common platform, so that designers won't have to "reinvent the wheel over and over" with every project. Presently, robot design is undertaken in an ad hoc fashion, with both hardware and software being built from scratch, but teams at Stanford, MIT and the Technical University of Munich are hoping to change that with the Robot Operating System, or ROS. This new OS would have to compete with Microsoft's robotics offering, but the general enthusiasm for it at the conference suggests a bright future, with some brave souls even envisioning a robot app store somewhere down the line. Video after the break.

Continue reading ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering

Filed under: Robots

ROS: a common OS to streamline robotic engineering originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

CMU researchers control microbots with mini magnets

Darren Murph — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:52:00 EST

Pardon the alliteration, but we're excited about the proposition here. For years -- millenniums, even -- scientists have been trying to figure out how to manipulate minuscule devices with magnets, and at long last, we've got a breakthrough in the field. Metin Sitti, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, is credited with creating a new control technique that could allow microscopic machines to "one day deliver drugs directly to a sickly cell or a tumor." Essentially, the diminutive bots glide across a glass surface covered with a grid of metal electrodes, and you're just a click away (it's the Read link, just so you know) from seeing a live demonstration on how they can be used to "anchor one or more microbots while allowing others to continue to move freely around the surface." Good times.

Filed under: Robots

CMU researchers control microbots with mini magnets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 May 2009 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: robotic marimba player grooves autonomously with jazz pianist

Darren Murph — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:09:00 EST

We've seen an orchestra's worth of robotic musicians, but we've yet to see one that integrates this perfectly into a piece without any human intervention. Shimon -- a robotic marimba player created by Georgia Tech's Guy Hoffman (formerly of MIT), Gil Weinberg (the director of the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology) and Roberto Aimi of Alium Labs -- recently made its stage debut by sensing the music from a piano and reacting accordingly in order to provide complementary percussion. Unlike many alternatives, there's absolutely no delay here. Instead, it analyzes the classification of chords, estimates the human's tempo and attempts to extract features from the human's melodic phrases and styles. What you're left with a robot musician that goes beyond call-and-response and actually meshes with the Earthling's playing throughout. The full performance is posted after the break, and make sure to leave a donation as you exit through the doors on the left.

[Thanks, Guy!]

Gallery: Video: robotic marimba player grooves autonomously with jazz pianist

Continue reading Video: robotic marimba player grooves autonomously with jazz pianist

Filed under: Robots

Video: robotic marimba player grooves autonomously with jazz pianist originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 17:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: TOFU robot probably tastes like chicken

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:04:00 EST

If a Big Bird bender resulted in a bumpin' of nasties with Keepon, well, this would be the genetic result. Meet TOFU, the "squash and stretch" robot with OLED eyes developed by the big brains over at the MIT Media Lab. Tofu applies techniques of social expression long used by 2D animators to explore the impact on robotics. If cute was the goal then we'd call this project a success -- enslave us now oh furry overlords of doom. Video after the break.

Continue reading Video: TOFU robot probably tastes like chicken

Filed under: Robots

Video: TOFU robot probably tastes like chicken originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Swarm robotics project further ensures our doom

Darren Murph — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:02:00 EST

Much to our dismay, this isn't the first swarm project that really makes us wonder how long humans will be running things on Planet Earth. MIT's own James McLurkin was recently down in Austin, Texas showing off a dozen or so of his hundred (is that even legal?) robots. The group was reportedly able to spread out, clump together, play follow the leader and circle the wagons, all of which were just ploys to distract us from seeing precisely how much they really know. Each of the appropriately-titled SwarmBots featured eight AA batteries, a 1.1-watt speaker, behavior LEDs, a radio, camera and an IR communications system. For those curious, each one cost around $2,000 to build, but Mr. McLurkin suggested that these were a bargain compared to typical research bots. It's all about perspective, baby.

[Via Futurismic]

Filed under: Robots

Swarm robotics project further ensures our doom originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 May 2008 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT's Nexi bot wants to be your friend

Paul Miller — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:44:00 EST

MIT is really taking its robotics program to a whole new level with its "MDS" platform, which stands for Mobile, Dexterous and Social. The flagship bot so far is Nexi, who certainly fits the bill, albeit with an extra dab of creepy. The bot stands on a Segway-esque wheel base, has articulated arms and hands, and can convey a wide range of emotion with that pasty white face. Nexi has a computer on board to manage sensors and instinctual responses, while it offloads the heavy duty AI work to a stationary computer over the network. MIT's eventual goal is to have Nexi and others participate in Socially Situated Robot Learning -- observing and interacting with humans to figure out how best to integrate with them. Don't worry Nexi, we like you for you. Video is after the break.

[Via fresh creation]

Continue reading MIT's Nexi bot wants to be your friend

Filed under: Robots

MIT's Nexi bot wants to be your friend originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Robotic drum "teacher" trains the next Bonham

Joshua Topolsky — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:55:00 EST

An MIT researcher has developed a tool for students learning to play the drums which can speed up the time it takes for newcomers to pick up the instrument. The device, a robotic arm designer Graham Grindlay calls the "Haptic Guidance System" (or HAGUS), uses a drumstick fastened to a set of motors which a user holds while being led on beat. A brace holds the arm in place while the machine plays back a pre-recorded pattern -- in studies, Grindlay found that students with no drumming experience were able to hit the drum 18 percent more effectively after using the HAGUS. A spokesman from the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford says the work does a "wonderful job" demonstrating the ability of haptic devices to train beginning musicians. So... can a Rock Band implementation of this be far behind?

[Via Digg]

Filed under: Robots

Robotic drum "teacher" trains the next Bonham originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 06:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT's RoboScooter: high on scooter, short on robo

Darren Murph — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:29:00 EST

Truth be told, MIT Media Lab's RoboScooter prototype would be a lot more intriguing if it had some sort of autopilot button, and while that could very well emerge in the future, it looks as if the first models will still require human intervention. Nevertheless, the ultra-compact vehicle is entirely electric, and aside from supporting swappable batteries, it can also fold up for easy transport. Furthermore, its creators boast that the entire rig is constructed from just 150 parts, which makes life on the assembly line that much easier. Granted, even engineers realize that scooters don't stand much of a chance in America, but if all goes well, this bugger could start conquering Asian streets as early as next year.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Filed under: Robots, Transportation

MIT's RoboScooter: high on scooter, short on robo originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT takes on DARPA's Urban Challenge

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:23:00 EST

MIT -- long known for winning all sorts of competitions involving modern technology -- has entered into another heated contest which will test its mettle against a wide-variety of opponents... and that contest is the DARPA Urban Challenge. DARPA, who we know and love for its fantastic flights of scientific fancy (see the shoot-through shield and laser-guided bullets) has posed a challenge to contestants to create an autonomous auto (AKA a self-controlled vehicle) which can traverse an urban landscape (such as city streets) all by its lonesome. To create such a vehicle, a team at MIT has taken a typical Land Rover, outfitted it with 40 CPU "cores", high-end GPS receivers, inertial sensors, laser scanners called LIDAR (light detection and ranging), highly sensitive odometers, and a slew of video cameras. The team hopes to pool all of these disparate sensing technologies into a cohesive whole which will imbue their vehicle the preternatural ability to operate on its own in an urban setting. These are truly exciting times to be a car.

Filed under: Robots, Transportation

MIT takes on DARPA's Urban Challenge originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT builds robotic weight loss coach

Darren Murph — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:15:00 EST

In an attempt to understand how humans react to having a robotic weight loss coach in their home versus simply using the software that the machine is loaded with, the imaginative folks at MIT have constructed a sociable robot that wants to see you reach your ideal weight. The robot uses internal cameras and face-tracking software to maintain eye contact with you while you attempt to fib about exactly how much exercise you've had, and the external touchscreen allows you to input data such as food / calorie consumption and duration of exercise. The creature is slated to hit the homes of select Bostonians as the designers begin to test its long-term effectiveness, but those looking for a glimpse of it in action should check out the video provided in the read link.

[Via TechDigest]

Filed under: Robots

MIT builds robotic weight loss coach originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Aug 2007 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The secret life of MIT's Media Lab robots

Evan Blass — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:08:00 EST

While it may not have the production values -- and probably not the budget -- of the Pixar-produced Toy Story movies with which it shares a common theme, the stop-motion short "medialab@night" has nevertheless captured our imagination with its clever premise and lovable cast of characters. Just like Buzz, Woody, and that humorous little pig, the high-tech residents of MIT's Media Lab apparently also come to life when no one (except a film crew) is watching, with sensor shoes, pushpin computers, and various other gadgets roaming the halls and causing a bit of mischief. This particular film catches them hacking into the brain of our favorite little Gremlin-esque robot, Leonardo (no relation to director Leonardo Bonanni -- we think), and rewiring him to edit Wikipedia on -- what else -- an OLPC. Check out the full flick after the break, and just remember this warning the next time your Robosapiens and Pleos try using a Dremel to drill into your brain while you sleep...

[Via Waziwazi]

Continue reading The secret life of MIT's Media Lab robots

Filed under: Robots

The secret life of MIT's Media Lab robots originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT gurus developing bionic feet / ankles

Darren Murph — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:37:00 EST

Leave it to the brilliant minds at MIT's Biomechatronics Lab to crank out yet another bionic limb, as a newfangled mechanical foot / ankle combo is apparently on the minds of more than a few of its researchers. In a recent patent application, the team describes an "artificial foot and ankle joint" consisting of a "leaf spring foot member," flexible elastic ankle, and an actuator motor that applies force to the ankle. Aside from sporting a fairly intelligent system to improving one's gait, it also boasts a built-in safety feature that prevents foot rotation beyond a specified angle, and the internal sensors can also activate the motors at different intervals depending on the surface in which one is walking. The prosthetic feet join a horde of other bionic limbs and appendages meant to make life as an amputee a fair bit easier, and as terrific as this here invention sounds, we're betting the Olympic committee dashes your hopes of illegally obliterating a few running records by barring these from basic competitions.

[Via NewScientistTech]

Filed under: Robots

MIT gurus developing bionic feet / ankles originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2007 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT brain bot mimics humans to recognize street scene

Paul Miller — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:46:00 EST

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, robots have been laying it on thick with human-inspired forms since day one. Unfortunately, AI hasn't quite kept up with mechanical achievements, mainly due to the fact that the human brain isn't merely mysterious in many regards, but dang complicated to boot. However, some brain experts at the Tomaso Poggio lab for brain research at MIT have made some impressive gains in bridging the gap. Using a computational model of how the brain processes info, the researchers created a bot capable of recognizing different objects in a street scene. The research is primarily targeted at brain geeks looking for ways to repair damaged brain functions and to better understand the brain's operation, but computer science should benefit from the biological inspiration of this research, and the methods used could lead to computer vision systems capable of better surveillance, car driving assistance, visual search engines and vision for robots. Because of its biological nature, the Poggio lab vision system is trained over time by being shown various street scenes, and the data in each picture is processed in much the same process as the brain goes through when presented with an image. Right now the system just mimics the brain's instant recognition faculties, but soon it'll be capable of putting more thought into what it sees -- for instance, cars do not belong in the sky -- so be warned people of earth: the first step in destroying an enemy is visually recognizing them. Our days are numbered.

[Via Medgadget]

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Robots

MIT brain bot mimics humans to recognize street scene originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 03:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

MIT profs create autonomous UAVs

Conrad Quilty-Harper — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 19:16:00 EST

Creating a robot that can manage to fly around a room on its own without hitting a wall is a mean feat to pull off, but that's exactly what a team of professors at MIT have managed to do. Their multiple-UAV test platform is capable of complex tasks like following moving ground-based objects with little or no direct control from a human -- yup, unfortunately that geek dream of a cockpit will no longer be required if these guys get their way. The current test setup is made up of $700 four-rotorblade helicopters, monitored by networked computers, which could theoretically allow a single person -- or even a bored student with an internet connection -- to control several UAVs at a time. Current flying drone systems require a team of trained personnel to keep a single UAV airborne and on target, so this endeavor is certainly a step up in software terms. How well the test system will transition from tracking radio controlled cars in a lab to lets say, a stolen car going at 125MPH, remains to be seen.

Read - Videos of the UAV in action
Read - The Boston Globe

Filed under: Robots

MIT profs create autonomous UAVs originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Nov 2006 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Stanford's Stickybot wall-climbing robot lizard

Marc Perton — Wed, 24 May 2006 09:49:00 EST

We thought MIT's slime-climbing robo-snail was pretty, er, slick, but we have to admit that our new fave wall-climber has got to be Standord's Stickybot. The robot gecko has feet coated with a polymer designed to mimic the properties of setae, the tiny hairs on gecko feet that enable the lizards to climb walls. That allows the bot to clamber freely without the surface in question having to be doused with slime, as required by MIT's bot. Not surprisingly, the Pentagon is already interested in adapting the tech for military use in gloves and boots for soldiers. We can only hope this trickles down to civilian uses fast; we're so ready to connect with our inner Spidey as we climb the walls in our gecko gloves.

[Via I4U]

Filed under: Robots

Stanford's Stickybot wall-climbing robot lizard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 May 2006 09:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The RunBot out runs MIT's "Spring Flamingo," can you?

Paul Miller — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:50:00 EST

Sure, RunBot might not be a true runner yet, since it still keeps one foot on the ground at all times. Also, it's only fastest for its height, managing a swift 3.5 leg-lengths per second, besting the MIT's four times taller Spring Flamingo, which runs at comparably sluggish 1.4 leg-lengths per second. All that being said, RunBot currently holds the world record for fastest bot on two legs. The RunBot's German and Scottish creators attribute its speed to the fairly simple design, which only senses when a leg is on the ground and when a leg swings forward. RunBot merely experiments with whichever leg motions keep it upright and keep it going fastest, and the bot can accelerate up to three times its original speed with its "learnings." So far the RunBot can only walk in circles, since it's attached to a boom in the center of a room, but the developers say they're at work on a freestanding version, which shouldn't be too tough because the boom has little influence on the RunBot's walking. Be sure to check the read link for video of the bot in all of its herky-jerky glory.

Filed under: Robots

The RunBot out runs MIT's "Spring Flamingo," can you? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments