remotecontrolled

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  • Rocket League

    Hot Wheels' real-life 'Rocket League' RC cars land November 1st

    If you've ever wondered what Rocket League would be like in real life, this RC version is as close of an approximation as you'll get to the video game. As teased earlier this year, Hot Wheels and Psyonix have teamed up to build an actual physical version of Rocket League. The set comes with two radio-controlled battle-cars -- Octane and Dominus -- an arena, and a ball, with more cars planned as expansion sets. You won't be able to wreak havoc with your Xbox One, PS4 or any other controller, however, as Hot Wheels has opted to use an Android and iPhone app for input instead.

    Imad Khan
    10.16.2018
  • AFP/Getty Images

    Einride's self-driving cargo trucks hit the highway this fall

    Einride's autonomous T-Pod may look like a giant freezer on wheels, but it's likely to be on the road fairly soon. According to TechCrunch, the company announced today that the first customer deliveries of the self-driving transport vehicle will begin this fall.

    Rob LeFebvre
    03.28.2018
  • Where to buy Sphero's BB-8 'Star Wars' toy in the UK

    The Force Awakens is still a few months away, but already Star Wars fans have fallen in love with one of the film's supporting characters: BB-8. The rolling droid is a spiritual successor to R2-D2 and now, thanks to Sphero, you can buy your own miniaturised version. It connects to iOS and Android devices and, using the companion app, you can switch it between three different behavioural modes: Driving, Holographic Messaging and Patrol. But where can you buy this little curiosity on "Force Friday?" We've got you covered.

    Nick Summers
    09.04.2015
  • GE's robotic inspector dives in nuclear containment vessels

    Normally when workers at the Edwin Irby Hatch Power Plant in Georgia want to inspect welds on the water-filled containment tank that houses the plant's nuclear fuel, they have stick pole-mounted inspection cameras in there while potentially exposing themselves to radiation. But now that the plant has acquired a swimming inspection-bot developed by GE and Hitachi, plant workers can check the vessel's integrity at any time while avoiding all that radiation.

  • Watch a remote-controlled fighter jet evade a missile

    Existing drone aircraft are useful for many things, but they make for lousy target practice when you're testing missiles; they're rarely as maneuverable as modern fighter jets. Boeing and one of its customers have just shown that there's a better way, however, by firing a surface-to-air missile at a remote-controlled QF-16. As you'll see in the video below, the unmanned aircraft is much nimbler than either a purpose-built vehicle or an aging conversion like the QF-4, and gives weapons a real workout. It even managed to dodge the projectile, although you can't really say that the shooters missed. The missile was tuned to avoid hitting its target -- sensors on both the missile and QF-16 confirmed that the weapon was on track without having to blow up expensive equipment. It'll be a while longer before the airplane is regularly serving as an aerial punching bag, but this test proves that it's up to the job.

    Jon Fingas
    08.31.2014
  • DeskPets' CarBot is a little iOS-controlled car

    The Parrot Quadricopter is probably the coolest thing you can control with your iPhone, but not all of us are willing to shell out $300 for a fully equipped airborne vehicle. For the rest of us, however, a company named DeskPets has released CarBot, a much more affordable (under $30) little four-wheeled vehicle, easily controlled with a free iPhone app. The company kindly sent TUAW a unit to test, and I ran the little robot through its paces, using my iPhone 5 to control the little guy around my Los Angeles apartment. Setup is a little overwhelming when you first get the car's plastic packaging open, just because it seems like there are more than a few different working parts involved. But once you figure it all out, it's actually pretty simple. The car comes all ready to go, green and translucent and packed with circuitry and gears. There's a little adapter that plugs into the headphone slot on your iDevice (I plugged it into the bottom of my iPhone 5 and into the top of my iPad without having to even remove either one's case). Both the adapter and the car need to be switched on (by holding down the car's only button for a few seconds, and then flipping the switch on the adapter), and then you simply pull up the free iPhone app and you're ready to go. The car has four different modes. The first is the standard driving mode, where you can use onscreen controls to move the car forwards and backwards, blow an on-board (digital) horn, or turn the car left or right. There's a small switch underneath the car with three frequency settings, so if you're using multiple cars, you can set up each iPhone to control separate frequencies. But on the first mode, you can simply drive the car around. On my carpet floors, the car drove just fine, though not as well as on linoleum or tile, obviously. The second mode is a multiplayer battle, for use only when you have more than one car. I didn't get to try this mode out, but it sounds fun: You can use a "Fire" button on the iPhone to "fire" an infrared shot from the car. Hitting another car will decrease its life meter. There's also a "Boost" button, which the manual says will give you a quick burst of speed (though given how small these cars are, that might be hard to tell). The third mode is called "obstacle detection" mode, and is designed to be used with another add-on called the MazeBot, which is yet to be released and presumably will let you build a maze for the car to navigate by itself. The last mode was almost the most interesting one for me. It's an "Autonomous Personality Mode", and it allows the car to navigate around by itself, free-roaming around whatever environment it's in. I had fun just watching the little car try to navigate my apartment like a Roomba, but this mode is really designed to be used with the multiplayer mode, basically to give you a non-player opponent to battle against. Unfortunately, the CarBot's worst quality is that it's far from accurate -- not only is the car rather clumsy (though I was impressed with how well it was able to navigate and move around the various environments I placed it in), but the iPhone's touchscreen controls are completely binary, in that you're either turning left, turning right or not turning at all. Likewise, you either are moving forward, backward or not moving, so if you're looking to make precision turns or drive at a dynamic speed, you're out of luck. The other big issue is that the car isn't controlled with Bluetooth -- instead, the controls are passed to the car completely through an IR port on the adapter. This means that it requires line of sight to operate, so if your hand blocks the signal or the car happens to pass out of the room at any time, you'll lose the connection. It's definitely weird that DeskPets didn't choose to go with Bluetooth, given how easily Apple has made using that protocol for app developers, but for whatever reason, it's all IR, with all of the issues that entails. Still, for $30 the CarBot seems like a great present, and it definitely does what it says on the box: Gives you a small remote-controlled car that you can drive around with your iPhone. There are some minor issues, like that choice to use IR and a generally terribly designed app. However, driving around this little car is so much fun, and the price is so easy to handle, that I ended up shrugging most of those issues off and just having a great time. If you're putting your Christmas lists together this year already, the CarBot might be a nice addition for the iPhone user in your family.

    Mike Schramm
    10.11.2012
  • Alcatel-Lucent flies Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 over 3,280 feet using LTE: reach out and buzz someone (video)

    The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 is many good things, but "long-ranged" isn't what comes to mind with a 165-foot maximum distance between pilot and quadrocopter. Not to be daunted, Alcatel-Lucent has conducted a test with an ad hoc LTE network, a USB modem and a smartphone to see just how far the remote-controlled aircraft could go on 4G. In practice, quite far: thanks in part to the inherently wide coverage of the 800MHz band in France, the team flew the AR.Drone more than 3,280 feet (one kilometer), all while streaming 720p video of the farmland below. Besides giving us ideas for a North by Northwest remake, the flight emphasized the possibilities that come when we have access to a long-distance wireless link with high bandwidth, such as monitoring crops or some very literal field journalism. The challenge will be convincing Alcatel-Lucent to share its trick and let us pester our not-so-next-door neighbors. [Thanks, Vincent]

    Jon Fingas
    10.04.2012
  • LG announces infrared-equipped Optimus Vu II and universal remote app

    LG just outed the Optimus Vu II for the Korean market, designed around a remote control app, QRemote. The company's translated PR claims (erroneously) that the new device will be "the world's first smartphone using infrared," letting it operate gear like set-top boxes and home appliances, including other companies' products. The device is scheduled to launch next month in the maker's home country, around the time the Tegra 3-powered Optimus Vu will go on sale in the US as Verizon's LG Intuition. The company hasn't released any technical details for the phone -- in fact, other than the remote functions, we don't even know if there are any changes from the current pen-capable model. In any case, it might give pause to another Korean maker about to announce an awfully similar product.

    Steve Dent
    08.27.2012
  • Army seeking proposals for casualty-carrying UAVs

    Combat is a grizzly business, and despite the best efforts of medical evacuation crews, it's not always feasible to send rescue teams into the fray. The US Army is seeking to address this with "autonomous vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)" (read: drones) for dropping off medical supplies and picking up injured troops. In its latest request for research and development proposals, the Army calls not for new tools, but for the repurposing of current aircraft to do the job. Preferred candidates in the already unmanned class include the A160 Hummingbird and the K-MAX, while one of the suggestions for remote-control modification is the infamous Black Hawk. Makes the AR.Drone seem a little wimpy, doesn't it?

    Jamie Rigg
    08.05.2012
  • Remote camera mounts replace AFP photographers at Olympic Games

    Remember those robotic camera rigs Reuters cooked up for the Olympic games? They won't be alone -- the AFP have lined the games with their own remote mounts. Traditionally, aerial shots are captured by brave, well harnessed photographers -- but the AFP's acrobatic photojournalists have been grounded by the powers that be. "The Olympics Committee has warned us that, for security reasons, no photographer will be allowed on the stadium roof," stated the AFP's chief editor of technical issues, Francois-Xavier Marit. "We had to come up with a system of remote-controlled photography." Marit worked with Nikon and Mark Roberts Motion Control to build a dozen rigs to pepper throughout Olympic facilities. It's not Marit's first time kitting out the games either -- he's been using remote camera rigs to snap underwater Olympians since 2004. Each mount is equipped with a Nikon D4 and 16 to 400mm zooms, ten will be mounted in the main Olympic stadium with an additional two covering the swimming complex. Worried you won't be able to see the hardware from the bleachers? Mosey on past the break for a quick preview.

    Sean Buckley
    07.28.2012
  • Insert Coin: Botiful telepresence robot for Android (video)

    In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Remote-controlled cameras are nothing new -- heck, some even ride atop robotic vacuums -- but this Android smartphone-powered device delivers quite a bit of versatility in a petite package with a reasonable price tag to boot. Botiful, a "social telepresence robot," serves as a roving platform for your Android smartphone. You can move the handset (and its front-facing camera) up and down as it speeds along any flat surface, responding to commands from someone on the other end of a Skype video chat. Once you connect the device to your Android phone through Bluetooth or USB, you can control its direction from a pop-up window within Skype, letting you position Botiful however you see fit. If your Android phone doesn't have a front-facing camera, you can flip it around to use the rear shooter -- of course, you won't be able to see the display in this configuration, so it won't be ideal for two-way chats. Naturally, this makes the duo a natural choice for surveillance and baby monitoring, but it can also be used to provide a more immersive experience during conference calls or for sending back video from locations that aren't easily accessible, such as the undercarriage of a car. Designed in a garage in California (no, really), Botiful is already functional, with working software as well. The current configuration requires Skype for control, though an SDK will allow developers to create other control apps for the device -- and who knows, the seemingly capable inventor could release another tool of her own before it's set to hit production later this year. With much of the design already completed, the project sponsor is turning to Kickstarter to raise the funds necessary to launch Botiful to production -- the device could ship as soon as November if it reaches a $90,000 goal before August 22nd. Available in white, blue or red, the remote-controlled rig is currently only compatible with Android, though iOS support may come if funding exceeds a $100k threshold. There's still more than three weeks to go to make your pledge, with a limited number of pre-order slots available for $199 (retail pricing is expected to come in at $299). Hit up the source link below to show your support.

    Zach Honig
    07.27.2012
  • Belkin WeMo Switch and Motion home automation system for iOS hands-on (video)

    Proper home automation systems can cost upwards of $10,000, and while budget alternatives can't touch the level of integration you'll enjoy with a behemoth rig, all but the most sophisticated of homeowners can squeak by with a simple timer setup -- or the modern equivalent. Belkin's WeMo duo utilizes two types of plug-in modules paired with an iOS 5+ app, which you'll use to set macros, control lights and schedule on/off times. A Switch module can turn on and off a lamp, fan, coffee maker, television or heating appliance from a connected iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. You can also set a seemingly unlimited number of detailed schedules for each device, all from the comfort of your WiFi-equipped touchscreen handheld. You can integrate the optional Motion device with a set of macros as well, configuring your lights to turn on once you step through the foyer, or your coffee maker to launch a brew as you walk through your bedroom door. We wired up a lamp in a New York City apartment to give WeMo a go, and things generally worked as advertised. Setup is fairly straightforward -- simply plug in a module, select its corresponding SSID broadcast from iOS then launch the free app to force the device onto your home WiFi network. You'll need to repeat the process to add each gadget or sensor, but once you do, you'll be able to config and control any connected gadget from anywhere on the network, or beyond. The system theoretically supports remote access without any additional setup (modules are registered to the app) but we weren't able to power up the lamp while on 3G during multiple attempts. That detail aside, we'd be happy to welcome WeMo into our home, though the absent Android app throws in a speed bump for sure. You have two options for adding WeMo -- there's a Switch + Motion kit available for $100, which includes a power control and motion sensor, or you can opt for the Switch solo for $50. Then, simply add as many outlet controllers as you wish, at 50 bucks a pop. You can see that first combo in action in our hands-on video after the break.

    Zach Honig
    07.04.2012
  • Belkin's WeMo home automation gear up for pre-order, iOS current control for under $100

    Been quietly pining for Belkin's couch potato home automation solutions? Well, the wait is (almost) over, as the company has finally put its WeMo Switch and Motion products up for pre-order. You can reserve yours through Belkin or Amazon, with the Switch costing $49.99 and the Motion / Switch bundle setting you back a neat $99.99. Apple likes it enough to add the gear to its home-friendly repertoire in-store on the 26th, while other retailers, Verizon included, will be stocking them shortly afterwards. Rig the Switch up to your WiFi at home and you can control the flow of juice from its outlet via the WeMo iOS app (sorry, no Android love). Add in the motion detector and you can set rules for power control based on proximity triggers. Interestingly, Belkin also reports IFTTT integration, meaning the devices can be used for a lot more than the simple on / off remote commands and scheduling we originally thought. For those with iDevices, the free WeMo app is available now, not that it's particularly useful just yet. Need Mo? Check out the official PR and a promotional vid after the break.

    Jamie Rigg
    06.20.2012
  • Go-Go Dog Pals lets you exercise Rover without tapping your precious calorie reserve

    Sure you love your dog, but having him watch you sit on the sofa doesn't constitute playtime. Standing up and even running around outside together will surely get the job done, but why get up for exercise when you're perfectly comfortable on the couch? That's the idea behind Go-Go Dog Pals, coined "the funnest most fun way to exercise your dog." Unless you have a few acres to play with beyond the front door, you'll still need to to bring Rover out to the yard before unleashing the wireless gopher look-alike, but there finally appears to be a solution for controlling your dog just as you do your TV -- with a remote. The Go-Go has plenty of pep under the hood, thanks to its dual-motor, four-wheel drive and top speed of 35 kilometers (22 miles) per hour, and it could be yours for the not-so-modest sum of $300. There is a $25 discount on order, if you can pull the trigger by July 1st -- just enter "CHASE" at checkout. Paws-on video is just past the break.

  • DJI multi-rotor aircraft with Ruling live video feed controller hands-on (video)

    Well that's a mouthful. Shenzhen-based DJI Innovations was on hand at NAB today to demonstrate its new hex-rotor aircraft, designed to provide photographers (and videographers) with a low-cost tool for capturing aerial images. The vehicle we saw today, coined Spreading Wings S800 (its rotors retract for storage) is a fairly straightforward multi-rotor aircraft, save for a couple pretty slick enhancements. Even more impressive, however, was DJI's Ruling, a "ground control terminal" that enables you to adjust not only aircraft direction and elevation, but also the camera position, complete with a live video feed as captured by a Sony NEX-5N mounted on a multi-axis camera gimbal. The camera mount is designed to maintain a stable image regardless of the craft's position -- once it's fixed on a subject, it will adjust to retain the pre-selected angle. The Ruling controller is very much still a prototype, with a yet-unpolished military green plastic housing and a built-in LCD. There's also dual joysticks -- one on the left to adjust the camera platform, and a second on the right to control the aircraft itself, letting you climb, descend and turn in every which way with a flick. The duo was very responsive during a brief demonstration, making calculated movements with what looked to be precise accuracy. The video feed was interrupted slightly by the multitude of wireless connections littering the Las Vegas Convention Center airwaves, but reps were still able to verify framing and adjust position -- the aircraft itself never faltered, with a maximum range of 10 kilometers (5km for the video feed, in ideal conditions). The Spreading Wings S800 is available for pre-order now and is expected to ship next month for roughly $8,500. That clever live video controller will cost you another pretty penny, however, with an estimated $5,000 price tag and a TBD ship date. You'll want to take a closer look in the video after the break.

    Zach Honig
    04.16.2012
  • PlayBook controlled robo-buggy can see you smiling at it (video)

    If iRobot tickled your fancy, but you don't have the budget for military-grade technology, how about this fella? So, it's not officially called PlayRobot, but if there was a naming convention, we guess that would be it. The buggy has a mounted camera, which relays video back to a PlayBook over a WiFi connection set up via a BlackBerry 9900. The six-wheeler is controlled by an on-screen joystick, much like many tablet versions of arcade games. It's an entrant into this weekend's Robot Challenge in Vienna, so thanks to that video link, at the very least, if it doesn't win they can't say they didn't see it coming.

    James Trew
    03.11.2012
  • Battle Machines hands-on (video)

    When Jada invited us up to its private show room at Toy Fair to do "battle" we were a little concerned -- last we checked we'd done nothing to offend the company. Thankfully, it just wanted to challenge us to a duel with its Battle Machines line of RC toys. A couple of years back the company debuted the line with a pair of cars that drive around playing laser tag with each other. Then, last year, things got really interesting Air vs. Land -- an RC chopper and turret that duked it for IR-equipped superiority. This year the company is expanding the line with Battle Quads (laser-wielding ATVs complete with rider) and Battle Heli (essentially one half of the Air vs. Land package, but programmed to perform rotor-powered dog fights). Neither of the new products were quite ready for a test run yet, but we did give the turret and copter combo a try... just for the heck of it. The toys are complete with blaster noises and, when shot down, an internal IC takes over the helicopter and does a little aerial death dance. After about 15 minutes we finally started to get the hang of piloting the aircraft but, by then, the Jada rep had us plummeting from the sky. Both the Battle Heli and the Battle Quads should be hitting shelves in August for $30 and $60, respectively. Check out the video and PR after the break.Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

  • Force Flyer accelerometer-controlled RC helicopter, we go gloves-on (video)

    Being able to wave your hand through the air and control a physical object -- as if by magic -- is everyone's dream. And if you say it's not yours, then you sir or ma'am are a liar. That's why we had to stop at the Regal Elite booth on the floor at Toy Fair. The company was showing off the Force Flyer, an RC helicopter you pilot with an accelerometer-equipped glove. The patented tech, called Glove Force Technology, adds a level of physical interactivity that's more Wii than RC. A small joystick you hold in your palm controls thrust, while tilting and moving your hand through the air gets the chopper to perform acrobatic maneuvers -- or plummet to the ground if you're an Engadget editor. The Regal Elite staff seemed to have pretty good control of the Force Flyer, which gives us hope that our difficulty in keeping the toy airborne was due more to our lack of familiarity and not with the quality of the device. The glove controller on hand was still a prototype (as is much of what's on the floor at Toy Fair), hence the New Balance logo, but the actual internals are around 80 percent complete according to a rep. The smaller, indoor Force Flyer should be hitting the market in late April for $49.95, followed by a larger outdoor version. Check out the gallery below and video after the break for more.%Gallery-147163%Edgar Alvarez contributed to this report.

  • Hot Wheels RC iNitro Speeders hands-on (video)

    iPhone-controlled RC vehicles are a dime a dozen these days. But, ones as tiny as a standard Hot Wheels car? Those are little more rare. In fact, we only know of one such product -- iNitro Speeders from Mattel. The radio-controlled Hot Wheels racers won't hit 100MPH, but it also won't decimate your bank account. The itty-bitty Mustang GT we tried out is, after all, just a toy -- and not the kind that bored rich men buy themselves. It's plastic, relatively cheap ($33) and designed to work with every kid's favorite touchscreen device, the iPhone. So, how is one of the premiere brands of die cast cars keeping up in the smartphone age? Keep reading after the break to find out.

  • Sphero goes up for pre-order, ready to roll its way into your heart

    Our favorite iOS / Android-controlled toy ball is coming soon to an annoyed cat near you. You can pre-order Sphero now for $130 through Amazon, and it'll start shipping in December, just in time to remotely find its way into a stocking or two.

    Brian Heater
    11.02.2011