DARwIn-OP learns to skate, contemplates NHL career (video)
On the list of dangerous humanoid bots DARwIn is easily topped by the bow-happy iCub. Still -- we don't trust this thing one iota. While we haven't seen it pick up any weaponry just yet, our friends to the north are teaching it one of man's most notoriously violent sports: hockey. Researchers at the University of Manitoba have managed to train the former RoboCup star to stay upright while shuffling about on skates. Smacking a puck into a goal, on the other hand, has proven somewhat trickier. Eventually Jennifer, as the autonomous hockey-bot has been dubbed, managed to get the hang of it, but we don't think the Flyers or Rangers will be offering her the big bucks just yet. And, honestly, before this little guy gets too good and turns into a bully on the ice, we'd get it to switch games -- curling suddenly seems like a perfectly acceptable past time. Check out the video after the break.