Where are the Robots? - a list by oO

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About this list:

Growing up to a steady diet of sci-fi and leftovers from the exhuberant post nuclear futuristic optimism, the year 2000 and the new millenium was supposed to usher the era of flying cars, abundant power, and most of all, robots everywhere. It didn't quite turn out that way, but I still bought my first robot, a first generation Sony Aibo for christmas 2000, and I've been following the personal robotics movement ever since.

Qualifications:

I own two robot dogs

For people who like:

  • big robots
  • entertainment robots
  • small robots

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Viewing 1-10 of 14 Items

Manoi AT01 Robot

First to recommend

Description

I found the Manoi AT01 robot a while ago, but this is the first US based company that I found that sells it. If there is a robot that is directly inspired by Astroboy, this is the one. This is probably the most likely replacement for the dead Sony QRIO.

Updated Mar 5, 2007

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RoboMop

First to recommend

Description

Why spend close to $300 for a Roomba when RoboMop can do the same job for about $30? A clever lo-tech solution to the floor cleaning robot, RoboMob uses the same technology that's in those crazy ferret stuck to a rolling ball toys.

And I love the "As Seen On TV" styled design of their webpage. (via oO's very eclectic)

Updated Oct 26, 2006

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Nabaztag Wi-Fi Connected Rabbit

28 people recommended this item

Description

Holy crap, it's a wi-fi bunny. Forget the glowing orb, this thing rocks socks off on so many levels. For one, it's an adorable bunny rabbit. Two, it can tell you practically everything you want to know about your internets in an instant. And three....it's a bunny rabbit people!!

Updated May 21, 2008

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EMIEW Robot

First to recommend

Description

The strangely named EMIEW, which stands for "Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existence as Workmate" is Hitachi's answer to Honda's ASIMO. Designed as a cross between a humanoid and a Segway, Emiew also found a job at Disney, this time as a bellboy at the Tokyo Bay Sheraton in Disneyland Tokyo.

The Disney connection doesn't stop there. Anyone else think that it looks like one of the robots from The Black Hole? (via oO's very eclectic)

Updated Oct 11, 2006

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Honda ASIMO

First to recommend

Description

ASIMO Humanoid Robot is probably the most advanced robot available today. Sadly it's not available for hom use, yet, but if it did, it would probably cost the same as an exclusive italian sportscar (or the URWERK 103.5 watch) which would put it out of most people's price range.

Looking a bit like a teenage runaway with its little backpack,ASIMO just found a job as a greeter at Disneyland, to help pay for his R&D costs. Honda as also shown that it can carry coffee cups, which means he could work at Starbuck's as soon as someone shows him how to work the expresso machine.

Honda also has a fantastic site showing the evolution of their humanoid robots from the early research to the current model Asimo. From the first E0 (Experimental Model Zero) bipedal locomotion prototype built in 1986, Honda has been steadily making progress in its robotic research unit, with the first automomous robots appearing in 1991, until the current production model ASIMO which first appeared in 2000 and continues to be refined.

I love the fact that some of the earlier prototype look like they escaped from a deranged Star Wars droid factory. Is this a case of reality being inspired by fiction, or the other way around? More to see on Very Eclectic (via oO's very eclectic)

Updated Oct 11, 2006

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Miuro iPod Robot

First to recommend

3 people recommended this item

Description

I'm voting this the best iPod accessory ever! Murio is robot that will follow you around, playing and even dancing (if you call rolling back and forth dancing) to music from an on board iPod or streaming from iTunes or Windows Media Player.

On sale in Japan for about $900 USD, Murio will be available internationally in 2007. Take a look at a video of Murio in action on oO's Very Eclectic. (via oO's very eclectic)

Updated Oct 11, 2006

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Pleo from Ugobe

16 people recommended this item

Description

Adorable and Smart! This baby dinosaur is from the creator of Furby. It has built in sensors, to tell if you are petting it, speaking to it and even to figure out where it is (life if it is about to fall off a table). A great toy, it continues to learn and gas long as you play with it. When you recieve it, it acts just like a baby dinosaur. This is seriously one of the best kids toys and is even great for the young at heart.

Updated Dec 12, 2008

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Plen the Skating Robot

First to recommend

2 people recommended this item

Description

Plen the Desktop Hobby Robot is only 23cm tall, but is agile enough to balance on a mini skateboard, or its own pair of rollerskates.

The official Plen website is all in Japanese and in flash, which makes it hard to translate, but is worth checking out, if only for the crazy 8bit mood music that plays when you enter.

Created by Systec Akazawa, Skater Robot Plen has 18 degrees of freedom, is programmable, can be controlled via a bluetooth phone, and will be available to the public for ¥262,500 or about $2200 USD. (via oO's very eclectic)

Updated Oct 6, 2006

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Robosapien Robot

First to recommend

2 people recommended this item

Description

While mighty Sony was trying to sell an expensive robotic dog, Wow-wee decided to start with something that was barely above the level of a remote-control toy, but sell it for under $200. Sadly the aibo is no longer, but the little robosapien is still around.

Not much of a robot, IMHO.

Updated Oct 6, 2006

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FT Robot (FemaleType)

First to recommend

Description

Tomotaka Takahashi, who's been bringing Manga esthetics to robotics at the Robo Garage at Kyoto University, just announced his first female robot with the FT (Female Type) Robot. Standing tall at 35cm and 23 degrees of freedom, FT's walk has been designed to emulate the elegant strut of a fashion model.

FT doesn't seem to be for sale yet. (via oO's very eclectic)

Updated Oct 6, 2006

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