DARwin-OP Robot Is Open Source and Open Can (video)
I've asked robot builders from all over the world about their ultimate purpose in building a robot. German builders often respond saying they want to improve performance, to design a robot that is better, faster, more reliable, or more precise than others. Japanese builders, especially those involved with humanoids, typically say "I want to build a real Gundam." And, Americans jokingly say they want to design a robot that will "Bring me a beer."
As Andrew Alter at Trossen Robotics found out, there's a problem with that. What if your robot has a serious drinking problem? You better make sure that he can't figure out how to open the can...
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New Manhattan Hotel Features Robot Bellboy (Video)
Drawing inspiration from Japanese capsule hotels, while incorporating a lot more style, comfort, and size, the Yotel hotel even features a robot bellboy to take care of your checked luggage while you explore the Big Apple. The decor, as you can see from the video below, seems straight out of a futuristic SF movie and could be a bit stark for some tastes. Nevertheless, the room rates would be hard to beat in what has to be one of the most expensive cities in the world.
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Where’s My Jetpack? – NYC Exhibition
As much as I love living in Japan, there are times when I miss the excitement, variety, and creativity of New York. Things happen there, especially when technology and art collide head-on, that are unique in the world. A great example is the KAL SPELLETICH "Where's My Jetpack?" exhibition currently underway at the Jack Hanley Gallery in Manhattan.
"Before flying was a means to an end, it was a sensation. The perennial struggle to fly aimed forthe deep-rooted joy of weightlessness, a release from our own corporeality, and the all-too-humansatisfaction of “touching the sky”. The flying machine made the human superhuman. For KalSpelletich, flight’s future promise may be gone but not forgotten – Where are the jetpacks? Theflying cars, escape pods, gravity boots, moon colonies? This is supposed to be the future. Where’sMy Jetpack?! takes us back to a moment of invention. Or perhaps, reminds us that its time is now."
Unfortunately I'm going to miss seeing it in person, at least this time around, so I can only drool over the images on the exhibition website.
(Via Jack Hanley Gallery Exhibition - KAL SPELLETICH: Where's My Jetpack?!.)
Art, Style, and Robotic
A really striking android/robot work of art. Almost perfect, though the photographer's shadow is a bit distracting.
Teaching The NAO Robot Japanese Calligraphy (Video)
A little over a week ago we had the opportunity to sit in as a member of the Robot Japan team preparing for the August robot performance competition. One of the centerpiece exhibits will be the NAO robot drawing traditional Japanese kanji calligraphy - known as "Shado". This was the first attempt, so there were a few false steps and mistakes, but those are to be expected.
Over the course of the afternoon, and with everyone's help and support, NAO was able to draw the correct kanji with quite a bit of style and enthusiasum. The high points of the afternoon are in the video below.
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