Here’s the new Quadrocopter developed by the Zurich-based mad scientists, possibly working for Skynet. What’s cool about these ROFL-copters are that they don’t just fly, but they jiggle balls, because the mad scientists played too much Pong game.

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Tokyo University’s ISI Lab has been working on a robot that can actually run, ever since 2007. Called the Athlete Robot, it’s slightly different from your typical robot with mechanical devices at connected joints, like Honda’s ASIMO.

The way they need to run is to have movements nearly like humans, and that’s where the AR gets its concept from: human muscles. While it doesn’t really receive the humanoid treatment and shape, it works very much like how a human does, at least the legs.

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Here’s something you don’t get to see every day. Robots are no stranger to games of chess, but when they put up a good fight to a human, things get rather tense; especially the human counterpart is a World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007. Vladimir Kramnik gave a good challenge to the robot, albeit he took it rather relaxingly.

SOURCE via Chess Translation

Wow, Honda’s ASIMO is already 10 years old. Gosh, time flies. I still remember the time when Honda announced their first humanoid ASIMO. What a cool thing to look at back then when all you got is a Gundam Wing anime. To mark the occasion, Honda has rolled out a new website dedicated to the life and times of its humanoid robot. There are baby pictures, adorable stories and even a video or two to sink your teeth into, if you’re into that sort of robotic love. Read more…

Here we have a PR2 robot ‘trained’ to help you put on your socks during the morning rush hours, while you panic-ly gulp down your breakfast before dashing into your car. But please, don’t let the video fool you. It’s been fast forward, like 15x! What’s more, the robot seemed to be more efficient in helping you accomplish ‘other missions’ instead of wearing your socks. Like, how hard is putting up socks? Damn, the world where obese people sitting on hovering chairs (remember Wall-E?) are getting nearer day by day.

[Berkeley via Gawker.TV]

Zachery Shivers and Anne Flinchbaugh has created a Kinect-like motion controlled robot, by using some accelerometer-equipped watch and plenty of circuit boards built onto the Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots. The key device here is Texas Instrument’s accelerometer-equipped Chronos watch, which lets you translate your actual punches into rock ‘em sock ‘em punches. This design is actually part of Texas Instruments’ Co-op Design Challenge. That’s how they do it, and that’s how the robots gonna kick yo! Check out the video below to see how the robots kick ass (barely…).

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Yes the Japanese might have built a gigantic Life-Size Gundam, but the Chinese doesn’t seemed very pleased. I guess it’s very VERY obvious where the Chinese stands when the great war of the clash of the robo-titans immense. And it’s obvious who the Chinese’s ally is.

The Leader of the Autobot and the last survival of the Prime Race is sadly… made out of recycled car parts. This Transformers icon stands nearly 40 feet tall and weighs 6 tonnes. All that weight comes from five truckloads of parts, to put Optimus Prime together.

The colossus dwarfs puny humans at the new Green Dream Park, located northwest of Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium used for the 2008 Olympic Games. Opening Friday, the park has environment-themed exhibits such as a super-sized reclining sofa made of recycled paper and designed to get Chinese to think green.

[via Cnet]

BeBionic, the company behind this incredibly designed hand, said that “a range of naturally compliant grip patterns that provide repeatable accuracy.” It comes with a silicone skin that can be customized with 19 different skin tones, allowing it to blend in with anybody’s body color.
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San Francisco designer Norio Fujikawa has created this Kanibot, a small sized clean designed robot with futuristic look. More pictures after the break. Read more…

ZMP Inc. is a Japanese company that develop Robotics engineering and educational products. They have launched the prototype RoboCar last year which is now followed by a more developed, bigger, 1-seat product the RoboCar G. It is going to be available this year in November with unknown pricing at the moment. Video after the break. Read more…