Archive for Mei 2012

Vacation, no posting


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As of today, I will not be posting for two weeks. However, after my vacation I will. Thanks!

Meet Emily, the robotic lifeguard


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As we all know, summer is right around the corner. This mean that pools will be opening up, and what do pools need? Lifeguards. However, one beach in Rhode Island is using something a little different. They call it Emily, and it's a red robotic lifeguard. Even though it's a lifeguard, its not humanoid. It's just a red floating robot with a high powered propulsion system. The makers of this robot aim to help conscious people in distress using this RC robot. The reason the person has to be conscious is because they have to grab on to the robot to be rescued. Thanks for reading and check out the video above to see it in action!

ICRA 2012 Robotics Video


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This year ICRA (international conference for robotics and automation) had a lot of stands with some pretty amazing robots. Some stands showed off small robots and some showed of humanoids. However, my favorite was the one the had a Darwin robot riding a roomba. If you would like to see these robots then check out the video above and thanks to IEEE Spectrum for putting together the video!

MIT's Cheetah Robot competes in the DARPA challenge


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SimpleBotics SimpleBot Kit


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Today I am proud to announce the first kit from SimpleBotics. Even though it's a kit it will not be for sale any time soon. The reason is because we are still trying to develop a better design for the bot and a better container. The video above shows the "commercial" for the kit. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the video!

New robot can juggle two balls in mid air


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It's been a while since a new high speed robotic arm has been introduced. However, now there's one that can juggle. Developed by Takahiro Kizaki and Akio Namiki in Japan, this bot is capable of juggling two balls at a reasonable speed (remember that this is a robot, not a clown). The robotic arm is equipped with high speed cameras, a clever arm design, and dexterous fingers. The cameras track the ball movement and then send data to the arm and fingers so the bot can catch the ball and throw it up again into the air. The last time I saw a robot like this, it was flipping a pen or bouncing a ball. Although those were interesting, it seems that this is a little by more advanced. Thanks for reading and check out the video above to see it juggle!

Robot reviews #1


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Here is a list of videos I have out together. Every single video listed is a review video on a specific robot. This is just to help any consumer out there that are thinking of buying a particular bot. Enjoy!

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Read this if you hate mowing your lawn


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There's robots for cleaning your gutters, floors, and windows. We even have robots that make us things. However, now we have Robomow. This bot doesn't do any of that, instead it lives up to it's name, and mows your lawn. It has has a wide variety of sensors which includes, lift sensors, tilt sensors, and bump sensors. Robomow is also electric so you don't have to worry about using gasoline and it's Eco friendly. Overall, I think this bot is very useful, but it does cost around $2,000. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out the code above to see it in action!

Nao Next Gen. Voted best robot on our robotics poll


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If you remember the post I did a while back on the robot poll, then you already know that it included Asimo, Nao, Nao next gen, Kismet, Aibo, RoboBrrd, and roomba. Anyways, a few days later and the poll received 10 votes, and out of all those votes Nao next gen. got the most. So if your a fan of this robot ten give yourself a pat on the back because this bot has one the contest!

The Bissel SpotBot, your pet's biggest pet peeve


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If your pet causes accidents on your carpet then this bot is perfect for you. No more using your hands and knees to do all the work. SpotBot is here to help. Using it's powerful suction power, water, cleaning solutions, and fast spinning brushes, it's able to lift the toughest stains right out of your carpet. All you have to do is click a button to run a preprogrammed cleaning cycle, and the bot will do the rest. So if you hate cleaning up after your pet, then pick up a SpotBot today for only 140 USD. Thanks for reading and check out the video demo above to see it tackle some pet stains.

The most realistic transformer robot yet


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I have seen some pretty neat transforming robots, but this one tops them all. Not only does it look like a car when it's in disguise, but it transforms into a robot at a reasonable speed. It's not to slow, and when's it's in robot form it gives off a good look and appeal. I guess these bots will just keep getting better and better each year. Although, It's going to be a while until we get one that Michael Bay approves of. Thanks for reading and check out the video above to see it in action!

TelepresenceRobotics.com, a site dedicated to telepresence robots


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We�re excited to guest post today � thank you, Morgan! Be sure to check out Morgan�s guest post on our blog: www.telepresencerobots.com/blog.

We�re a brand new company aiming to serve as an information source for telepresence robots. Our website, www.TelepresenceRobots.com, launched last month. We provide a platform for registered users to rate and review telepresence robots, a forum for users to discuss the robots, a comparison chart for users to view product specifications, and a blog for users to receive the latest industry news.

Telepresence robots are becoming more widely used in offices, hospitals, and schools. Companies use them to attend meetings or conferences and to travel to facilities that are difficult to reach. Watch Google co-founder Sergey Brin use Willow Garage�s Texai robot here! Boston Children�s Hospital has started sending VGo telepresence robots home with post-op patients. Doctors and nurses use the robots to monitor patients at home while they recover. Some professors at universities even use telepresence robots to teach classes, but that�s not the only way they�re being used at schools. Disabled students find the robots useful as well. A student in Knox City, Texas uses a VGo robot to attend his classes and continue his education because he is too unhealthy to physically attend school.

Purchasing these robots, though, can be a tough decision. They�re expensive, so prospective buyers want to make sure they�re making the right purchase. With all of the different robots out there, it can get overwhelming and confusing to decide on one. We hope to alleviate some of that stress. Buy reading the reviews and using other features on our site, businesses, hospitals, and schools can decide which robot best fits their specific needs.

Right now, our site features the MantaroBot TeleMe, Anybots QB Robot, PeopleBot P3-DX, and MantaroBot Classic. If you want to contribute a review to our site, click here!

If you want more information on telepresence robots, follow us on twitter @telerobotic to receive industry news and updates. Check back on our site, , for new blog posts, forum discussions, and reviews.

Thank you, Morgan, for hosting us!






Lego NXT cleaning robot


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As you may know by now, HomeBot is in the making. With that being said, I did some tests today to see which cleaning methods work the best. In the video above it shows one of the tests using my NXT robot I got back in 2007. This robot uses a simple program to avoid obstacles using an ultrasonic sensor, and it tackles dirt using a swifter wet jet pad. However, HomeBot I'm planning on using a micro fiber cloth. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the video above.

BattleBots by CMU Robotics


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Mint Plus, from Evolution Robotics


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There's nothing better than a mint robot that can clean your hard wood and tile floors. Except for the all new Mint Plus. Mint Plus offers better cleaning on a single charge. With a bigger battery, better navigation, and cleaning system, it's ideal for any person that hates cleaning floors. Unlike its competitor, Roomba, this robot only costs $299.99. Thanks for reading click here if you are interested in purchasing one!