Robotis starts shipping an 18-inch humanoid robot developed as an open source research platform by Virginia Tech’s Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa). The Darwin-OP (Dynamic Anthropomorpic Robot with Intelligence, Open Platform) robot is the latest of a series of robots developed by Virginia Tech’s Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) since 2004. The Linux-ready Darwin-OP can walk, kick a ball, and pick itself up after falling over. With an Intel Atom-based FitPC2i SBC (single board computer), an ARM Cortex-M3 based management controller, 20 actuators, and audio/video sensors.

Read more

JST Erato Asada Project, with Osaka University, AIST, and Tokyo University, have developed two new child robots . Similar to neony and synchy, the purpose of the new robots is to help scientists explore human cognitive development processes in children and infants through human-robot interaction and communication

The first, Noby (Nine-month Old Baby) is a robot meant to model a 9 month old baby, with accurate body measurements and weight, a soft skin with 600 tactile sensors, 2 cameras for seeing, and two microphones for hearing.
Weighing 27kg, M3-Kindy (“Kind� as in “Kindergarten�) is supposed to look like a 5-year old child. The robot boasts 109 touch sensors, 42 joints, two cameras (one for each eye), and two microphones (one for each ear).

NASA and General Motor and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, to build a new dexterous humanoid robot called Robonaut2 (R2 for short). R2 is the direct descendant of Robonaut, a humanoid model designed by NASA to assist astronauts during spacewalks
Robonaut 2, nicknamed R2, seems more destined for a car assembly plant than the far reaches of space. It can lift 20 pounds with each arm, about four times that of other humanoid robots, according to NASA. Its nimble hands, fingers, and opposable thumbs also enable it to use the same tools normally used by human hands. Moreover, GM says R2 can be used to develop advanced safety systems for future vehicles, as well as provide improved safety and efficiency in the company’s manufacturing plants. NASA may use “Robonaut2,” or R2 for short.
“Their focus on durability and ease of use is different from NASA’s,” Diftler says. NASA robots are typically operated by highly-trained personnel, who issue various complex commands. And as robust as the Martian rovers appear to be, space-bound bots are designed to perform a given action hundreds of time” Robonaut2 project manager Myron Diftler said.

KIST held a demonstration where their robots delivered breakfast, and a new whole-body motion-capture technology for robots. KIST is hoping to develop Mahru-Z and Mahru-M to the point where they can aid families in household tasks, including washing the dishes and preparing food.

The 1.3-meter, 55-kilogram “Mahru-Z,” an “assistant” robot developed by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), has a human-like body with a rotating head, arms and legs, and is capable of “seeing” three dimensional objects and recognizing jobs that need to be done. It senses the unattended dirty rooms and can navigate across the room to perfectly sort them out. Mahru-Z could also work in tandem with its fellow maid robot, Marhu-M, an earlier KIST creation that moves on wheels, as both machines can be remote controlled through a computer server.

“The most distinctive strength of Mahru-Z is its visual ability to observe objects, recognise the tasks needed to be completed, and execute them,� said You Bum-Jae, head of the cognitive robot centre at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology.

ASUS have revealed a new robot vacuum called the ECleaner which also is aimed at tackling the automatic home cleaning section of the market.
The E-Cleaner travels around a dirty room in up to five pre-programmed cleaning patterns at between 16.5 and 18.5 cm per second and providing said room is of 4.8m x 3.2m proportions, it is claimed that it will complete its task in some 30 minutes. has a UV light, designed for 6000 hours, the radiation will disinfect the floor. This Robotic Vacuum Cleaner equipped with a slot for cartridges that are used to spread fragrance,
The vacuum comes with a dock where the ECleaner automatically returns to. Also a remote control is also fitted on top allowing you to set it off going when needed.
Released in China and Taiwan the ECleaner is available in red & yelleow and priced at only $155 (it’s far cheaper than current players such as iRobot Roomba)

Fuji Soft showed of their two humanoids at the All Japan Robot tournament. While the robot doesn’t have a model name yet, one of the delightful personalities pictured above is named Sakura-Chan. The unnamed robot, standing about 15 inches tall and weighing about 3.5 pounds, has 20 degrees of freedom on its legs, arms, and head. It also has a LED array in its visor that would display various expressions, similar to the AIBO robot dog back in the day, and is capable of image and speech recognition so expect at least one camera and microphone.Some of the robot’s specs include: Linux Ubuntu on an Intel ATOM 1.66GHz CPU integrated with Eclipse and wireless LAN.

Called Cheetah C50, this device is a small GPS speed camera detector for the U.S.It costs $100 and has 65 unique spoken voice alerts for various types of threats. It could potentially save you much more than that in the towering run whether you’re a speed demon who loves zooming down the freeway whenever cops are not around to issue you a ticket. These speed cameras cannot be detected by conventional radar detectors or laser jammers.

*Detects speed cameras and red light cameras
*Preloaded with all North American camera locations
*Voice, tone, and visual alerts
*Voice alerts to 65 different camera scenarios
*3 detection modes
*No false alarms for cameras on other side of street
*Stores up to 100 personal locations
*Rotary volume control
*Includes magnetic puck for dashboard mounting
*Measures 4.25L x 3W x 1.5H inches

Here is the video