Pet Dinosaur Robot: Headed for Extinction?

From: Circuits Newsletter
"Pleo, the (Yawn) Dino-Robot. Next!"
By DAVID POGUE
"One thing’s for sure: this is the first time I’ve ever reviewed a dinosaur.
And yet, as I sat down to test the new Pleo dino-robot with my three kids, I felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. Because even though this is the first dinosaur robot I’ve reviewed, it’s not the first toy pet robot. That distinction belongs to the Sony Aibo dog, a $1,500 marvel from 2001 that has gone on to the great pet-robot cemetery in the sky..."

Read the full article at its source:
http://www.nytimes.com/indexes/2008/01/24/technology/circuitsemail/index.html?8cir&emc=cir#continue

Golfer, Caddy, and Golf Cart all in one?

From: Express India
"In the making, a golfing robot"
"New Delhi - Amid a plethora of glittering motorcars at the just-concluded Auto Expo, there was this unusual sight, at a robotics show in the Andhra Pavilion—a lonely robot arm, patiently wielding a golf wedge, trying to hook a golf ball into a hole a little over a couple of metres away.
So that’s the end of golfing pros? Not really. The arm, developed by Precision Automation & Robotics India Ltd (PARI) is just an experiment, as Milind Adkar, their regional sales chief (north) pointed out to Sportline.

'In perfect conditions back in our lab we were hitting around 90 per cent successful shots, but in these conditions at the fair we make around 70 per cent.' It is more of an academic study by the Narhe, Maharashtra company (with operations in eight facilities worldwide, including the US) that could one day yield practical results.

Quite in keeping with the way Indian minds work, problems of handling multiple wind vectors, and resistances, it is probably an attempt at finding the right solution to those missed shots of Tiger Woods.

Maybe Woods would do better with a robotics firm instead of a software application conglomerate.

At least, somebody might want to look into Arjun Atwal’s putting sequences a little closely. "

Read this article at its source: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/In-the-making-a-golfing-robot/263252/

And on his farm he had a robot E-I-E-I-O

From: American Agriculturalist
"Robotic Milking Takes Off in Northeast"

"Rising labor costs combined with the shortage of skilled dairy employees has many milk producers weighing expansion versus selling their herds. But today, technology and a growing service network is delivering a third option – robotic milking. Let the cows milk themselves up to three times a day often boosts milk output and cow longevity plus reduces milking labor. And, the technology also may help improve milk quality. That's why sales of robotic milking units are exploding in the Northeast this year. Officials for the DeLaval and Lely milking equipment manufacturing companies project that 50 to 60 robotic milking units will be installed on New York and Pennsylvania dairy farms this year..."

Read the entire article at its source: http://americanagriculturist.com/index.aspx?ascxid=fpStory&fpsid=31793&fpstid=2

Outstanding Photos of a High School Robotics Team!

From: News from New York City / New Jersey FIRST January 7, 2008 (digital newsletter)


"A collection of wonderful images by Team 555 FIRST parent Dan Epstein"

http://picasaweb.google.com/randyschaeffer/2007NJFRC?authkey=uq3TN8Zd9aM

Meet Mr. Personality and friends...

From: engadget
http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/wowwee-introduces-mr-personality-rovio-and-flytech-bladestar/

"WowWee introduces Mr. Personality, Rovio, and Flytech Bladestar"
"WowWee's CES robot lineup is here, so let's get to it. First up, you've got the Flytech Bladestar, a slightly crazier take on the indoor RC flying gig actually intended for duels with friends. The Bladestart has two spinning wings and stabilizing rotors to keep it steady while aloft, as well as wall and ceiling IR sensors.Rovio is a "home exploration and telepresence" robot (meaning it doesn't do very much), featuring WiFi, a remotely-controlled directional webcam capable of streaming audio and video, self-docking and recharging, and "NorthStar" AI navigation (which WowWee describes as a micro-GPS like system that makes Rovio aware of its surroundings with "pinpoint accuracy").If neither of those caught your fancy, we think the ironically anthropomorphized Mr. Personality might meet you in the middle. Featuring an LCD facial readout, downloadable personalities (via USB and SD), Ruxpin-esque story and joke telling and "conversation", as well as the usual IR and audio sensors."

Meet I-Sobot, 6.5 Inches of Advanced Technology Ready for You to Take Home!

From: New York Times
"Not Exactly the Jetsons, but Getting Closer"
"Robots are still far from being the chatty companions seen in science-fiction movies. But some toy robots are becoming more than just conversation pieces.
According to the NPD Group, a market research firm, sales of robotic and interactive playmates in the United States were $284 million in the 12 months ended in October, up from $213 million in the previous 12 months.

One recent entry is the i-Sobot from Tomy of Japan. Only 6.5 inches tall, the i-Sobot has a list price of $299, making it less expensive than other advanced robots on the market, which often cost more than $1,000.

The i-Sobot has 17 motors to move its limbs, making it surprisingly fluid. According to James Kuffner, an assistant professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, robots that have 20 or more motors can replicate most human movement.
Like many other toy robots, the i-Sobot has a humanoid shape, which is not accidental, Professor Kuffner said. “A human shape has an appeal,” he said. “A dishwasher will only wash dishes, but a humanoid robot can do more.”
Among the things they do is fight. Professor Kuffner said that in Japan and South Korea, the centers of innovation in toy robots, people often have toy robot battles.
By 2026, he estimates, consumer robots should be able to perform many chores people find hazardous or distasteful. Honda the carmaker and a leader in robot design and research, has estimated that a robot the size of a typical 12-year-old can do most household tasks, he said.
The obstacles to building a robot of that size have to do with weight and cost. As robots get larger, they need more gears to move, making them heavier and more expensive.
Robots may also start to look more human, adding facial features and delicate hands, but that poses a psychological problem known as the uncanny valley syndrome. That idea, which was introduced in 1970 by Masahiro Mori, a Japanese roboticist, refers to the disquieting effect that objects, particularly robots, have on people if they look too human.
“As you get closer to something human, but it is not a human, it is frightening..."
Read the full article at its source:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/03/technology/personaltech/03how.html?8cir=&_r=1&oref=slogin&emc=cir&pagewanted=print