How about this one, lads... At only £6000 and comes with a free laptop, can share personalities with others via the internet. The snoring bit "during" would be the most realistic aspect, in my experience. (Mark II version will see her sleep with your best friend and go on the game.) Linky: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... tball.html
want to see a crazy robot? here is one: another tag to search on is rat brain controled robotshttp://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rat+brain+controlled+robot&search_type=&aq=f
Woah creepy. This is technically a cyborg. Here's A bit more of the cyborg stuff (Scientists at the University of Reading create a robot that is controlled by cultured neurons).
Good article about Boston Dynamics from TheEngineer: "The brains behind tomorrow's battle droids" Link: http://www.theengineer.co.uk/in-depth/i ... 65.article They're working on the successor to the BigDog robot, "LS3"
Talk football, No!! hmmm how about be quiet and give me the remote back, oh and next time yer up get me a beer please?
BBC: HULC exoskeleton system ready for soldier tests A robotic exoskeleton that makes it easier for soldiers to run and carry heavy weights is to go through final testing in the US. The HULC (Human Universal Load Carrier) allows soldiers to carry weights of up to 200lbs (91kg) with little effort and is designed to reduce the strain of carrying heavy equipment. It works by transferring the load to the ground through the exoskeleton's titanium legs and uses an onboard computer to sense and mimic the user's movements. The battery powered device, which can fit different body sizes, also allow for jumps, squats, crawling and slow-speed running. "It does not impede your range of motion whatsoever," says HULC project manager Jim Ni. "Just imagine you're a soldier operating at 6,000ft in the Afghan mountains and being asked to take 120lbs up there in the thin air. HULC system The HULC allows soldiers to carry weight of up to 91kg with little effort "An exoskeleton allows you to carry that weight the same distance and have energy left to execute the mission when you get there." Although the HULC weighs 53lbs (24kg), its makers say it also transfers its own weight to the ground, making it virtually unnoticeable. Lockheed Martin, which makes the device, has reworked an earlier prototype and produced a new "ruggedized design" that will begin an eight week lab test at the end of 2010. The testing will look at how quickly people learn to operate the system and measure the energy a soldier uses when using the HULC. "The tests will help us assess the current state of the technology," said David Audet, from the US Army's Natick Soldier Research Center. "Exoskeletons have the potential to reduce stress on the body from heavy loads." After the lab tests, the HULC is likely to go through more field tests in 'real-life' military scenarios during 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/10703219
NAO This is the cutest robot ever! The humanoid machine, called Nao, has been designed to mimic the emotional skills of a one-year-old child and is capable of forming bonds with people who treat it with kindness. Nao is able to detect human emotions through a series of non-verbal “cluesâ€, such as body-language and facial expressions, and becomes more adept at reading a person’s mood through prolonged interaction. It uses video cameras to detect how close a person comes and sensors to work out how tactile they are. The wiring of the robot's “brainâ€, designed to mirror the neural network of the human mind, allows it to remember its interactions with different people and memorise their faces. This understanding, along with a set of basic rules about what is “good†and “bad†for it, allow the robot to indicate whether it is “sad†or “happyâ€. Nao was developed as part of a project called Feelix Growing, funded by the European commission. (Telegraph.co.uk) A whole bunch of them dancing (Shanghai Expo 2010):
RoboThespian RoboThespian is a programmable robot produced by Engineered Arts, in Penryn (Cornwall, UK!). Telegraph.co.uk: RoboThespian: Cornish robot to be star at NASA space centre A robotics firm based in Cornwall has won a £79,000 contract to supply NASA with a robot to greet visitors to its Cape Kennedy space centre in Florida. Engineered Arts, in Penryn, which employs a small team on only seven engineers, has announced it will supply one of its RoboThespians to the space agency this autumn. The 5ft 9in tall robots look and act disarmingly human. They can speak and interact with people while compressed air, pumped around the robot like blood through veins, allows them to move their bodies in a human-like way. The robots have humanoid eyes created by mobile phone screens and can be controlled by a touch screen and programmed to play bespoke content. The company's director Will Jackson, 45, sees the robots as a medium of communication akin to cinema or television. "I'm really interested in the willing suspension of disbelief," he said. "Can you get someone to believe in a lump of metal in the same way that they will believe in an image of Robert de Niro on the screen?" The first RoboThespian was developed in 2006 to take part in a Mechanical Theatre production at the Eden Project. The company has since sold 15 robots. Speaking about winning the Nasa contract, Mr Jackson said: "We are very proud. "It is a triumph for West Country technical prowess and engineering know-how. We beat some of the best robot-making companies from the US and Japan." The company faces global competition from robots such as the Asimo from Honda and the Petman by Boston Dynamics. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolo...tm_medium=TD_8003741&utm_campaign=video1609am RoboThespian's "I am a machine" speech: And a more informal "check-up" chat:
