RoboticsInstitute
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CMU's first ever robot census: 547 (and counting)
Sure, we've seen an incredible amount of cool tech from Carnegie Mellon (usually on our way to a kegger on Beeler St.), but you might wonder exactly how many robots they have on campus. Well, maybe you don't -- but a first year doctoral student named Heather Knight does. A recent transplant from MIT, she's counted 547 robots so far -- but since these guys are all over campus, from the Robotics Institute to the theater and art departments, getting an accurate head count might take a while. But the project most likely won't stop there: upon completion of the university-wide project, Knight would like to see a nationwide census take place. We only hope this happens before it's too late. Update: The CMU Robot Census form is available here.
Pyuuun palm-sized robot keeps tabs on you, delivers beverages
If Hans Moravec of the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University is right, we only have a good twenty to thirty years left before robots evolve into a new type of artificial species. As we wait for the inevitable robot apocalypse, we've already begun to see lots of little robotic guys pop into our lives, whether they're sweeping the floor, giving us something to hug, or bringing us a cup of tea. In addition to its miniature waitstaff ability, Pyuuun, Robo-Engine's "LifeLog Robot," is equipped with eight sensors (including brightness, movement, collision, sound, distance, temperature, slope and infrared) and can be programmed to monitor an area, collecting various data (such as keeping an eye on a temperature-sensitive workspace) and reporting back to you (or your robot overlords) via WiFi. With a 12-volt battery that promises six hours of use on a single charge, the utility of this bad boy is only limited by your imagination -- and its ?300,000 (about $3,090) price tag. Video after the break.
