ROBOTS DREAMS - Robot news and robot hacks from a true robot geek

Robot Descrimination

Separate facilities...

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

MicroPets-I Robots in Japanese Stores

We stopped by the massive BIC Camera store in Yurakucho this afternoon after a client meeting and had the chance to calibrate the Japanese market interest in some of the latest consumer robot products

Don't let the "Camera" in the consumer electronics chains name fool you. BIC may have started off life as a retail camera peddler, but now, decades latter, it serves up every kind of electronic device from humongous televisions to iPods and iPhones. They even have a section of the second floor devoted to fine wines and rare brands of sake.

And, we're happy to report, they have a large toy section that often features the latest and greatest Japanese and imported robot toys. At the moment (fame is fleeting, as we all know) the new Takara TOMY MicroPets-i robots have a huge, and extremely cute, display attracting considerable attention from store customers.

One thing that occurred to us after watching the robot display and customers reactions was that the MicroPets-i are not meant to be solitary. Sure, you can play with just one by itself and have some fun. But, there's definitely a multiplication factor that quickly comes into play when several of the robots and their owners gather together.

They interact with other robots, sing (howl?) together, and owners can even stage micro-contests. We're not sure yet what the optimum number will turn out to be, but we're fully prepared to trying to figure it out.

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Inspiration...

Ran across this striking sketch in PEN, a popular Japanese magazine, and started wondering how to create some similar concepts with robots. Perhaps even animate them or have them shape-shift/transform.

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Robot Artwork

"Organic Robot" kind of sounds like an oxymoron at first, but after we gave it a little thought it started to grow on us...

Organic Robot

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Magical Robot Mystery Tour (Video)

As we mentioned a while back, Takahashi’s karakuri robot creations are really amazing. Of course, the attention to fine detail and craftsmanship are excellent, as you might expect from a Japanese artist of his ilk. But, even more striking is Takahashi’s magical and delightful “world”, the context and ‘story’ that he created in his imagination as the natural environment occupied by flying mechanical fish, insect size solar planes, fiddle playing elves in bottle houses, and much, much more.

Luckily we were able to capture some of his creations in motion in the video clip below.

RoboCup 2009 Image Gallery

20090703-DSC_0042-2
Originally uploaded by Christopher Vo.

Christopher Vo posted a set of interesting RoboCup 2009 Competition images on Flickr.

World Wrestling Alliance Robot

IMG_1060
Originally uploaded by daysofthundr46.

We don't know about you, but personally we wouldn't dare even thinking about getting in the wrestling ring with this particular quasi-robotic competitor.

Carnivorous Domestic Entertainment Robots

Forget about Transformers, and start worrying about robots that disguise themselves as lamps or coffee tables and feed on unsuspecting little creatures to sustain themselves.

"Inspired by natural methods of adaptation, they have shunned the stereotypical look normally associated with robots and adopted a fashionable, contemporary design aesthetic. In this way they operate as exclusive furniture and household accessories.
Utilising the microbial fuel cell as an energy source the robots reference strategies of predatorial insects, reptiles and plants such as the wolf spider, the chameleon and the Venus flytrap and apply these harvesting techniques to the acquisition of food. This gives them autonomy and to a degree they become living entities existing in a similar way to an exotic pet such as a snake or a lizard, where we provide living prey and become voyeurs in a synthesized, contrived microcosm."

Carniverous Domestic Robots

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

RoboGames 2009 Results

Official Results- RoboGames 2009

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Cool Gadget, But....

We ran across this really neat gadget right down the street from the Robot Kingdom, and for a brief instant we seriously considered buying one.

The device is a simple gripper handle with a slide button clasp. When you have heavy bags, or tons of new electronic gear, to tote back home and want to avoid having the plastic bag handles cut deep into your straining fingers, you just slip the bag(s) handles into the gripper, close the retaining clasp, and walk home in comfort and with a sense of security.

So, why didn't we buy one? At under $4, the price was certainly reasonable.

First, as much as we appreciated this innovative gadget, we realized that the odds of us having it available in our pocket or briefcase just when we would urgently need it were slim to none.

Second, and in some ways more important, we figured out how to do the same task for almost nothing.

As we fished in our pockets to pull out some cash we suddenly realized that if we positioned one or two of the larger coins in our fingers then placed the package handles over the coins it would serve exactly the same purpose without having to spend a dime.

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

More On The Dustbot On-Demand Trash Robot

Some new photos and a YouTube video:

Dustbot Robot

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

If Only....

There are lots of things that are easy to do on the computer, assuming that you have the appropriate software application.

For example, you can use an eyedropper tool to pickup a color you want to draw or paint with, then go to town using it to decorate anything and everything.

That's wonderful in our virtual computer realities, but impossible, at least so far, in the real world.

But, what if it was possible? What great functions or robot gadgets would you love to have at your beck and call?
Color Picker

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

All You Ever Wanted To Know About Robot Skin

Steve, over on Robots.net, published an interesting, surprisingly detailed and well researched post surveying the current state-of-the-art when it comes to realistic robot skin.

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

University Robots Try To Deep Six Each Other

Europe's largest freshwater testing tank, located in Gosport, Hampshire, UK, played host to battling university underwater robots teams.

Underwater Robot Wars

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Collective Transport of Robots & Ideas... (Video)

One of the most valuable attributes of the internet and applications like YouTube is the fact that they enable communication at a distance, often between people and groups that would never be able to connect and share information under other circumstances.

We happen to call Chiba, just east of Tokyo, our home, yet we, and thousands, if not tens or even hundreds of thousands of people like us with a common interest in robotics and artificial intelligence can instantly view and benefit from work being done on the opposite side of the globe

For example, this morning we were enjoying, and pondering over, the work being done at the USC Robotic Embedded Systems Laboratory in California:

 

 

Free Robo-Drinks!

Obviously and unfortunately we're not going to be able to make the bash, as much as we really would like to, but if perchance you happen to be in New York this evening, head on over to the New York City Resistor party and enjoy some free drinks mixed by an excellent robot bartender.

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Dynamizer Cooks! (Video)

Diagonal View, one of our favorite creators of odd yet delightful video clips, visited the Japan Food Machinery and Techology Expo 2009 here last month, and were quite surprised with the wide range of food preparation and service robots. Without a doubt, their favorite was Dynamizer, created by Tomio Sugiura interviewed in the video above. 

Time For A Little Housecleaning

We were finally able to figure out several of the problems that have been troubling Robots Dreams ever since we switched domain registrars and website hosts. Some of the problems were minor irritations, but others, like our primary email address not working were almost catastrophic.

Thankfully, everything seems to be sorted out and working correctly, at least from what we can tell on this end.

[From the Robots Dreams iPhone]

Chibotica 2008: Humanoid Kung Fu-William vs. Boomer (Video)

German Robot Fountain (Video)

From Goettingen, Germany.