Robot Casting Call (video)
The success of the movie " AVATAR" proved that computer simulated actors could eventually replace their human counterparts. We're not there yet, but we're definitely on the way. It's only a matter of time.
But, what's it going to be like for the robot actors and actresses of the future? Will they face the same trials and tribulations, the same stresses? Looks like were going to find out…
Turtlebot 2 Roams the Streets of Nagoya (Video)
This is Japan, so you would think the people wouldn't be surprised to see a robot rolling around in the streets. But, somehow, the TurtleBot-2 managed to surprise and delight quite a few customers and bystanders in the streets of Nagoya this weekend.
William Morris, the founder of Iheartengineering – a great resource for specialty tools, kits, ideas, and even custom parts – dropped in on us last week during his business trip to Korea. William was kind enough to bring along the latest turtle bot configuration and show it off.
I'll be posting more about the turtle bot in the next day or so, including more video, some detailed photos, and a summary of Williams presentation at the Tokyo HackerSpace.
NAO Humanoid Robot Movement Detection (Video)
Aldebaran Robotics released a new video for the NAO humanoid robot. Of course, you would expect that a robot this expensive would be able to identify movement around it. So, of the video is in anything spectacular. It's just a simple tutorial.
But, what I found interesting was the copy of robot magazine laying on the desk in the video. It's a little bit hard to tell from the angle, but it appears to be the recent issue featuring the NAO Developer Days event held in Paris earlier this year. Of course, I have a personal attachment to that particular issue.... 
Makerbot Replicator vs. Lulzbot A0-100 (Video)
I'm not sure what Andrew Mazzotta does for a living, but I do know that he has a boatload of 3D printers and is racking up numerous hours testing and evaluating them, which is all to the good.
This week he compares the Makerbot Replicator to the Lulzbot AO-100, and throws in a few comments about the Uprint SE Plus for good measure. It's not a rigorous, detailed evaluation, but is quite valuable since it's based on his actual experience as a user of all three printers.
I Heart Engineering Website Renewal
Our favorite online site for high quality and hard to find tools, I Heart Engineering, just completed a major makeover. The website has always been easy to use and a great source for robot and engineering parts, accessories, hand tools, and information. But its latest evolution makes it even easier to use, research, and order.
At the same time, I Heart Engineering announced availability of the new TurtleBot 2 complete Open Source robot development kit - perfect for colleges, universities, research organisations, and independent developers.
One thing that I really appreciate about I Heart Engineering is that the management comes from the robot research and development community, so they understand the challenges faced by their customers and are positioned to respond quickly and accurately. In fact, several of their accessory products were custom designed and manufactured specifically for customers based on their experience and know-how.
And, to make things even sweeter, they regularly share the background behind their product development including the reasoning behind a lot of the design decisions on the I Heart Robotics blog.
Gundam Protects You Against B.O.
Sighted at my local department store near Inage Kaigan, Chiba, Japan - AXE body spray packaged with a Gundam figure collection.
Recent Comments