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Drexel University turns to 3D scanners, printers to build robotic dinosaurs
3D printers, 3D scanners and robotics are usually more than enough on their own to get us interested in something, but a team of researchers at Drexel University have played one other big trump card with their latest project -- they've thrown dinosaurs into the mix. As you can probably surmise, that project involves using a 3D scanner to create models of dinosaur bones, which are then reproduced (at a somewhat smaller scale) using a 3D printer. The researchers then hope to use those to build working robotic models that they'll use to study how dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals may have moved and lived in their environments. That work will start with a dinosaur limb that they expect to have completed by the end of the year, after which they say it will take a year or two to build a complete robotic dinosaur replica.
UGOBE's Pleo enters production, software updates already promised
With just weeks to go until Americans everywhere lose their minds in the holiday shopping rush, UGOBE is announcing that its long (long) awaited Pleo is finally hitting the production line. Furthermore, the company insists that those who pre-ordered the dinobot directly from UGOBE will receive a 30-day shipment notification "before Thanksgiving," and those who placed their order with "any US retailer" will have their new toy before December 25th. In case that's not enough to win back your heart, you can also look forward to a revamped website next month that will allow owners to download a "surprise mode" for their creature. Speaking of downloads, those wondering if this thing really will be able to "learn and develop a unique personality based on how it is raised" can anticipate "free software updates" aimed at enabling that feature (and possibly others) sometime next year. Hang tight kiddos, Pleos are being hatched as we speak.
Hands-on with Pleo the dinobot
Watch out Mark Tilden, we have witnessed the future, and your family of robotic creatures is about to get totally shown up -- for a pretty steep price, of course. By now you're probably well aware of the heir to the robotoy throne that we're referring to, Ugobe's $350 Pleo dinobot (or life form, as they like to call it) dropping November 1st. Well we finally got a little face time with this sensor-laden blast from the past, and we're happy to report that the frustrating delays our Jurassic pal has suffered seem to be well worth it, as the model we saw behaved and performed almost flawlessly. Interestingly enough, although the components are quite tough (as evidenced when our demonstrator violently snapped its back and legs with no ill effects), Pleo's tactile rubber skin and puppy-like cuteness tend to make people treat it much gentler than necessary. Still, considering that these will ship with a completely hackable OS, we're sure that there will be no shortage of baby dino snuff films up on YouTube in no time. For more, um, appropriate viewing matter, check out the gallery below, and then hit the jump to watch three of these little guys do their best impression of a Budweiser commercial... %Gallery-5655%
