Botropolis

In The Future Robots Will Build Skyscrapers

Conner Flynn — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:54:37 +0000

That skyscraper looks pretty awesome. The design is amazing and it almost looks like a spider built it. It’s called a “nested skyscraper,”. It’s a concept design that would be good at resisting the effects of earthquakes and other natural disasters. And spiders will build it. Robot spiders.

Building this structure involves a series of robots that stretch over a network of carbon sleeves sprayed with fiber-laced concrete. A second set of robots wraps the structure with a steel mesh to allow for lateral movements and can increase or decrease its density according to structural and programmatic needs.

The whole process sounds super creepy when you picture little spider-like bots working away, maybe laying spider-bot eggs and wrapping people in steel mesh cocoons.

[Gizmodo]

Toshiba’s Wheelie Robot Carries Your Dinner On It’s Head

Conner Flynn — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:46:24 +0000

At last, a robot that can bring me food on it’s head, while wheeling to wherever I am. Toshiba’s Wheelie is a balancing bot that moves around on two wheels like a Segway, but with retractable runners on the front and back to keep it from falling.

It has stereo cameras on top and a laser range finder that allows it to navigate around or under obstacles. Sadly it has no arms with which to actually serve me. Still he is pretty cute and a robot bearing food is always a good thing. Video below of this little guy doing his thing.

[Youtube]

Terminator 2 Judgment Day Endoskull Replica Glows, Plays Theme Song

Conner Flynn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:16:23 +0000

The new Terminator 2 Judgment Day T-800 1:1 Scale Endoskull Replica will scare the crap out of your friends in the dark. Assuming you invite your friends over into the dark anyway. This realistic looking skull has light up eyes and even plays the Terminator theme.

It’s the T-800 and it retails for $599.99. You can pre-order at Entertainment Earth.

[Chip Chick]

First Lego Walking Biped Mecha

Conner Flynn — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:53:26 +0000

Lego biped robots are nothing new, but this one is something special. It’s the first walking Lego robot. And it is awesome. It walks by raising its feet. For real. It could not have been easy creating this one, but now that it exists, I wonder what other Lego mechas it will inspire. Video below.

[Brothers Brick]

Robosoft Kompai Takes Care Of The Elderly

Conner Flynn — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:29:36 +0000

Robosoft’s service drone has finally arrived as an R&D platform. Kompai is a personal assistance bot who understands basic instructions and requests and offers up some appropriate responses of it’s own. It functions as a note and shopping list recorder, a calendar, music player, even a video conferencing tool. All to aid the elderly and help them.

If you want to see it interacting with an actual elderly person or two, check out the video below.

[IEEE Spectrum]

Emergency Robot Is Wearable, Opens Doors

Conner Flynn — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:20:57 +0000

A Japanese robot manufacturer called BL Autotec has developed a remote-controlled robot hand that can grip and turn doorknobs. Once connected to a emergency robot, it can safely open doors at disaster sites. Imagine being able to open the door of a collapsed building without putting humans in danger.

The hand has a built-in CCD camera and an LED light so it can be operated remotely in dark areas. With four shafts, the hand can move up to 1m. It’s also able to move hazardous materials and rubble.

[CG]

Rihanna Gets Squirted On By A Robot

Conner Flynn — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:29:40 +0000

We’re a few days late on this one, but in case you missed it, Rihanna recently got all nasty at Germany’s ECHO Awards in Berlin. She was making out with a robot or two and even got… Well, squirted on by one of them.

[The Urban Daily]

Hinamitetu’s Gymnast Robot Now Grabs The Horizontal Bar

Conner Flynn — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:14:32 +0000

We’ve been following this little guy for awhile now as he gets better and better. One thing is for sure, Hinamitetu’s bots have the heart of a champion. Hinamitetu has finally made a gymnast robot that can do a mid-air somersault and grab the horizontal bar again without taking a nosedive. What will this bot do next? We shall see.

Shanghai EXPO Mascot Goes Robotic

Conner Flynn — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:55:34 +0000

Haibao, the Gumby-like mascot for EXPO 2010 Shanghai China has now become robotic. He’s popular over there and has appeared in artist renditions as a blue Shrek, Keroro, Ultraman, and even Hellboy. So now 37 blue Haibao robots are being deployed to assist visitors at the exposition.

The robots stand 1.55 meters tall, have touch screens in their stomachs and will assist visitors with information about the expo and local transportation in six different languages. They will even take photos of the visitors as a keepsake. You’ll be able to find them at the two Shanghai international airports and other key locations around the expo.

[Robots-Dreams]

Cutest Voltron Ever

Conner Flynn — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:46:13 +0000

This is not only the littlest, but the cutest, most adorable Voltron ever.

[Kotaku]