Robot Gadgets

Remember Captain Hook? Boy, what would he give to trade in that rusting appendage of his to get one of today’s newfangled bionic body parts. Case in point, the new and improved C-Leg from healthcare company Otto Bock. Targeting those in the armed forces who have experienced a loss of limbs, the C-Leg comes complete with a microprocessor controlled knee that is smart enough to adjust the hydraulic systems according to the current activity being performed. An included remote control enables the owner to switch modes, which includes the all new standing mode that takes away most of the weight off the good leg.

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The Bari robot is a videoconferencing robot that is equipped with a couple of cameras to help doctors check on patients despite not being there physically at the hospital. In addition to the cameras, there is a screen and microphone to help the joystick-controlled robot keep in touch with the patient. It gives the patient a sense of relief as if the doctor is there in person, and could come in handy when the doctor wants to check out patients in the wee hours of the morning or whenever there are any complications that arise unexpectedly. The Bari is able to circle the bed while adjusting the position of its two cameras for a better viewing angle.

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Bumblebee might have been turned into a Camaro in the Michael Bay movie, but he’ll always remain a Beetle at heart, which is why he rocks to various tunes. The Beatmix Bumblebee grooves to all sorts of tunes whenever you plug him to an MP3 player, while adding beats and sound clips from the movie. No Energon cubes power Bumblebee this time as he relies on a mix of 4 AA batteries instead. At $59.95 he’s pretty expensive, but definitely worth checking out considering the random dances belted out.

Product Page via Nerd Approved

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So maybe you’re thinking that Transformers is a dumb toy commercial.

While it is based on the toys made in the early 80’s by Hasbro (Thank you Hasbro!) However the writing crew did a great job binding together a story that parallels the atmosphere of the original Gen I Transformers, while bringing new, and clearly up to date ideas to the big screen and introduce a whole new generation to the joys of Peter Cullen and his voice (hint, he sounds a lot like Optimus Prime).

You’re probably wondering also, did they make good looking robots?

Are there ridiculous Michael Bay explosions, battles, and chase scenes?

Did I nearly blow out my kidneys so I could stay and watch the whole movie?

Well of course, the answer is D, all of the above.

Read on for slightly juicier Transformer info (no spoilers, but good reasons to see it, you know, if you like having fun) Read the rest of this entry »

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Remember the Taser XREP that we covered a couple of days ago? Well, apparently those guys at Tasers are pretty productive, as there is word of Taser working with iRobot Corporation to include tasers into the arsenal of robots. Yes sir - now law enforcers will be able to carry out its (sometimes destructive and inhumane) peacekeeping duties without risking life and limb from an exploding Molotov cocktail or otherwise. Neutral observers aren’t too thrilled with this idea though, as there is always the nagging fear that such developments could lead to robots who are self aware, deciding on their own whether to take a human life or not.

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Hooray for nanotechnology, as Israeli scientists have successfully worked on a medical robot that measures a mere 1mm in diameter. What does this mean? It is small enough to crawl into our nose and ears, in addition to making their way through veins and arteries. While the very idea of that might turn some people off (including me), rest assured that these scientists won’t be using it for nefarious purposes but instead targets the exploration of a real human being. It is also tipped that these medical robots will be equipped to fight certain cancers, while the idea of harnessing a group of them to fight metastases is enticing.

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Robots are extremely interesting things to look at, what more play with - and it is no different with the Blubber Bots. The Blubber Bot is actually a D.I.Y. robotic species that are smart enough to navigate their way autonomously without any external input and intelligently, avoiding collision with humans and other obstacles. They are more than capable of floating about peacefully like a jellyfish, dance a number, belt out a song, or even seek whatever its master asks it to. Read on more about these light-seeking, helium-filled balloon robots after the jump.

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Whenever I watch cartoons like Transformers (I just can’t wait for the movie to be released - even it it’s a turkey, I know I’ll still enjoy it. I wonder when will they make a big screen adaptation of Thundercats or G-Force?), it just tickles the imagination as to whether we will ever see a day when robots help us humans out in dangerous and dirty situations. The release of the HRP-3 Promet Mk-II is certainly a step in the right direction, as it was especially designed to be a blue collar android worker.

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