ROBOTS DREAMS

i-SOBOT Robot Still Going Strong (Video)

We ran across a video (see below) of one of the i-SOBOT TV commercials that have been running here. The tiny robot continues to be extremely popular, is easy to find in the stores, and has popped up on some of the leading interview and 'talent' programs that are standard fodder on the major TV networks.

The ad also reminded us to mention that in addition to the original white and blue model TOMY has released a Black version in Japan. It's basically the older domestic version packaged in the US black body.

Surprising i-SOBOT Robot Hack (Video)

What's that blur in the upper left corner of the i-SOBOT photo above? Is it a robot UFO?

ROBO-ONE 13: i-SOBOT Based ROBO-ONE Competition Planned

The announcement was very low key, to the point that if you weren't paying attention you might have easily missed it entirely. But, the long term impact could be tremendous. At the ROBO-ONE 13 competition yesterday it was announced thatTakara TOMY has officially joined the list of ROBO-ONE sponsors, which is good news by itself. More important, they mentioned that there are plans in the works for a TOMY robot (i-SOBOT) based ROBO-ONE competition. The details and schedules were not specified, but frankly, we can hardly wait!

Robot Golf Anyone? (Video)

We heard several months ago that there are serious plans for robot golf competitions at RoboGames 2008 this June in San Francisco. The specifics aren't clear yet, though we're sure some of our regular readers will bring us up to date pretty quickly.

In any case, it looks like "paxshikai" isn't wasting any time. They already have their i-SOBOT practicing its little heart (batteries?) out trying to polish its putting skills like crazy.

Gonzo Robot Snowboarding! (Video)

We've been having a bout of snow storms here for the past week or so, and it seems like "paxhikai"s i-SOBOT robot wanted to get out and take to the slopes.

Or, it might be that the little robot is a jealous of it's much more expensive cousin Plen that has people in awe because it can roller skate and skate board.

No matter what the reason or motivation, paxshikai's i-SOBOT has been doing a very credible job of snow boarding down the slopes!

Me Tarzan, You Jane, Him i-SOBOT (Video)

Well, Paxshikai, the i-SOBOT wizard, has done it again.

Over the past two months we've seen i-SOBOT robots lifting boxes, slam dunking hoops, bringing beverages, and even shooting a bullseye with a bow and arrow.

Now, get ready for an i-SOBOT robot that swings through the jungle, just like Tarzan!

i-SOBOT: Some Serious Hacking

The i-SOBOT has a lot going for it. Character, personality, low price, 17 degrees of freedom, and some 'programmability' just to mention a few of its strong points.

Still, there are a lot of robot fans out there that desperately want to do even more with it. They want to take advantage of the basic i-SOBOT robot and expand it to do things its designers at TOMY never imagined.

But, to accomplish any serious hacking, first you have to figure out what's what inside the i-SOBOT's tiny body and brains....

i-SOBOT in the New York Times

An article by Dylan McClain in the January 3rd New York Times highlighted the TOMY i-SOBOT humanoid robot as the latest entry driving rapid growth in the field of robotic and interactive playmates.

The article references a study by the NPD Group market research firm that estimates sales for the total market at $284 million annually, up 33% from the previous 12 month period.Also included is a multiple page interactive multimedia overview of the i-SOBOT.

i-SOBOT Takes Up Archery (Video)

Japanese archers are famous all over the world, and often perform ritual demonstrations of their skill during the New Years holidays.

So, it makes perfect sense that 'Paxshikai' would make a miniature bow and arrow set for their i-SOBOT humanoid robot, and teach it how to shoot with extreme mastery.

i-SOBOT Takes Up Basketball (Video)

Okay, we've seen the tiny i-SOBOT robot take on a lot of tough challenges like karate, the 1 meter dash, lifting and carrying items, and even bringing its master a drink.

But, how would it do at the traditional Japanese sport of basketball? Can it dunk a shot?

A Practical Turing-Like Test for Humanoid Robots (Video)

Computers have their 'Turing Test' to determine if they can demonstrate actual 'intelligence' or not. But, as far as we are aware, there is no similar test for humanoids to prove that they are useful or not.

So, we'd like to take the bull by the horns and propose a very basic and straight forward test for humanoids. One that should prove to be near and dear to the hearts of all robot nerds and geeks....

Amazing i-SOBOT & WiiMote Mash-up (Video)

We absolutely love the Wii system, and have gotten pretty good at using the WiiMote for Wii-Tennis and Wii-Baseball. And, we really love the i-SOBOT humanoid robot. So, a real killer application would be to control our i-SOBOT using the WiiMote. Wouldn't that be totally awesome?

That's exactly what Robert at RobotsRule.Com thought. He's in the final testing stages of Release 4 of his popular RoboDance robot control software package, and has totally integrated i-SOBOT control into the package. It will come complete with advanced gesture recognition, easy program creation and storage, and enhanced voice recognition allowing the i-SOBOT to respond to over 140 different voice commands.

i-SOBOT: More Fun Games to Play with i-SOBOT (Video)

We introduced a number of simple i-SOBOT robot games in the article we wrote for Robot Magazine's Winter 2007 issue issue (with i-SOBOT on the cover). Now that the robots fan base is rapidly growing, more and more i-SOBOT owners are coming up with games of their own.

The most recent example is a variation on the old 'Spoon carry' game we used to play at neighborhood picnics and at summer camp. Each player is given an egg and a spoon to carry it. Then they have to run the course, either for the best time against the clock, or against each other - which is even more fun. 'Paxshikai', a creative i-SOBOT robot fan on YouTube, immediately saw the opportunity to try the same thing with this years hottest robot.

i-SOBOT: Hot Robot Bargain at Amazon.Com

With Christmas rapidly approaching, Amazon seems determined to take advantage of the growing robot boom to set new online sales records. Right now they are offering the hottest robot product this season - the TOMY i-SOBOT at the astoundingly low price of only $179.99. That's a 40% discount!

Update: (12/6/2007) Amazon has changed the price to $249.99 - still a healthy 17% discount, and the lowest price we've been able to locate online so far.

i-SOBOT: World's First i-SOBOT Robot Competition (Video)

We know from personal, first hand, experience that the robot builders in Osaka are totally over the top. They are, without a doubt, the most creative, most fast and loose, and most gung ho of all the Japanese humanoid builders.

So, it made total sense that the World's First i-SOBOT Robot competition events would take place during Robo Fight 6 last weekend. Thankfully, Holypong was there in person and captured the action in video (see below) for all of us to enjoy.

i-SOBOT: Our Favorite Video So Far (Video)

Lots of i-SOBOT robot photos and videos have started to pop up on line, and we're sure there will be even more come Christmas morning when all the robot presents under the tree get unwrapped.

So far our absolute favorite i-SOBOT video is the one below that brings back lots of fond memories of old horror movies, mad scientists,  monsters, and quasi-robot creations.

i-SOBOT: First Book to be Published

It didn't take long at all. The first i-SOBOT book is scheduled to hit book stores here in Japan at the end of November. The book title is "Omnibot Fan Book - i-SOBOT and 80's Robot Collection". Of course, we have pre-ordered a copy and will let you know how it stacks up as soon as we receive it.

 

i-SOBOT Challenge (Video)

Okay, here's the challenge - have your i-SOBOT, or any other robot for that matter, pick up an item, turn, carry it across the room, the drop in a plastic container without dropping it, falling over, or making any mistake.

Hard? Yes. In fact some people might automatically dismiss the i-SOBOT as a toy, not capable of pulling off such a stunt.

It may be hard, but it's certainly not impossible, as you can see from the 'tanesmagi' video clip below.

A Few More i-SOBOT Robot Performances (Video)

Rather than risk boring some of our readers with numerous i-SOBOT videos, we decided to post a group of them all together. i-SOBOT fans will find their favorite robot in video clips below doing a Giant Robot imitation; mounting a video camera on the robot; and how-to build a case for your i-SOBOT.

i-SOBOT: Robot Lands Featured Role in Television Commercial

The TOMY i-SOBOT is currently being featured in an on-going television commercial series for Maruchan, a popular instant noodle manufacturer. In addition to the robots lead role in the television commercials, 300 i-SOBOT robots will be given as the top prize in the Maruchan promotional campaign.

Although it has nothing to do with Christmas, the top prize i-SOBOT robots are sporting a unique red and green color scheme that would be absolutely perfect for the holiday season. We've included detailed instructions to access videos of the commercials below along with some screen shots.

i-SOBOT: Drunk and Disorderly Robot (Video)

Poor i-SOBOT found out that some Pleo fans have been composing love songs to the robot dinosaur, and ignoring their i-SOBOT pals (are you listening Robert?) Talk about total rejection. He just couldn't take it anymore. He was so depressed and dejected that he felt compelled to drown his sorrows.

Thankfully, some brave and caring soul managed to capture the whole thing on video (see below) and even recorded the i-SOBOT's drunken rap.

i-SOBOT Takes Up Karate (Video)

You don't have to be a Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, or even Yokosuna Great Shiranui to excel at karate. Even the tiny i-SOBOT humanoid robot can pull off some pretty neat karate stunts, as you can see in the video clip below.

i-SOBOT: Disassembly and Analysis - What's Inside

It didn't take long at all before one of the i-SOBOT was completely disassembled and analyzed to the n-th degree. And, lucky for all of us i-SOBOT fans the first autopsy published online was accomplished and documented by Ishii-san, one of the best and most experienced robot technical writers we know.

In his complete i-SOBOT tear-down and analysis, posted by Robot Watch, Ishii takes everything apart, shows all the servo gearing and internals, analyzes the circuit boards and data formats, and even makes some educated guesses about how to hack the i-SOBOT in some interesting ways.

Related links:
   i-SOBOT Disassembly and Analysis (Japanese)
   i-SOBOT Disassembly and Analysis (English via Google translation)

 

"i-SOBOT, Please Bring Me a ...." (Video)

The i-SOBOT's a pretty tiny fellow, so expecting him to bring his master something heavy like a beer probably isn't going to happen. But, how about something lighter - or maybe something that would be used with a lighter?

That seems to be the thought process followed by 'paxshikai', who, from the white i-SOBOT and some of the katakana tags on his YouTube video (see below), must be one of our fellow robot fans living here in Japan.

Getting Your i-SOBOT Under Control - PC Control (Video)

Well, it didn't take very long before someone figured out how to control the i-SOBOT from their PC. We know of one successful project in the US that uses the USB-UIRT to send the proper IR signals to the robot.

Now there's a second successful project, this time by "togacat" that uses the Buffalo PC-OP-RS1 IR device, and their program is actually running under Linux (video below).

i-SOBOT: Robot-eye View From Downunder (Video)

"Officially" i-SOBOT has only been released in Japan and the US, and "officially" we'll have to wait until sometime next year for a model that includes an onboard video camera. But, devoted robot hackers have never been known for their patience nor their willingness to wait for things to become "official".And, the robot hackers in the land down-under tend to lead the hacker pack.

Somehow, no one is saying how it happened, a brand new black US version i-SOBOT has found its way down to Australia and has already been hacked to attach a video camera so that it can report back what it sees real-time (Videos below).

i-SOBOT: Rumors Open the Door to Extreme Hacking

We don't usually post unverified rumors about robot products. But in this particular case the source is very credible and the information does match our previous experience with both the pre-production and commercial i-SOBOT versions, so we're going to pass it on to our readers.

We also believe that TOMY wouldn't consider any 'on the record' confirmation, especially since one exciting aspect of these rumors opens the door to some really extreme hacking of the robot. Keep in mind that although there is a good chance that they are true, the 'rumors' below are currently unconfirmed.

i-SOBOT Press Conference Coming Up

The Official i-SOBOT US press conference is scheduled to go live in just a few hours, 1 PM Pacific Time. Unfortunately we'll be getting our beauty sleep since that will be the middle of the night for us here in Japan. So, if you would like to attend online in our place, then click on over to http://tomypressconference.com/ and enter the secret password (it's 'isobot' but don't tell anyone...).

According to company representatives, the press conference will be recorded and will be available for viewing online shortly after the event wraps up.

 

 

Hooked on i-SOBOT (Video)

Somehow we managed to turn Robert, the robot guru behind RobotsRule.com, into a real i-SOBOT fanatic. It really wasn't very hard, a piece of cake actually. Now he's spending a huge percentage of his free time playing experimenting with his new humanoid friend. He's even turned it into the worlds smallest Chumby user (see video below). It won't be long before he figures out how to get i-SOBOT working with his famous RoboDance software application. We can hardly wait!

i-SOBOT Robot Equipped with Canon (Video)

Some people think that i-SOBOT is just a toy. But, what if we told you that one Japanese i-SOBOT owner has already mounted a canon and has figured out how to shoot, and hit, opponents from clear across the room?

Sound unbelievable? Just take a look at the video clip below.

i-SOBOT Packaging - An Absolute Delight

We had seen the US i-SOBOT packaging before, and really liked it. This week we got our first look at the Japanese packaging, which is just as sweet. And, in the process, we realized why we like it so much compared to our horrible experiences with the packaging used by some other companies well known for their toy market robot products.

Scary Halloween Family Portrait

  Left to right: i-SOBOT (Japanese edition), Mondai-Noid (MANOI AT01), and Gogic Five

Our i-SOBOT hasn't been given a name yet since he just arrived and his batteries were charging. Eagle-eyed readers will notice that Mondai-Noid is enjoying Kondo's new RoboStand. We like it a lot, and will be posting a review of this useful accessory soon.

i-SOBOT in Training

We've never been big fans of professional boxing, or any type of fighting or violence for that matter. Still, we always enjoy a good parody. Robert, at RobotsRule.com, is an expert at creating extremely humorous  video parodies, and now that he finally got his hands on an i-SOBOT we can expect to see lots of good material coming out featuring our favorite tiny robot.

Robert's  first production "i-SOBOT Fight Club" is already online. Check it out!

TOMY i-SOBOT English Site Goes Live

The Official i-SOBOT English website has just gone live and features more detail on the robot than we've seen in print before, including the fact that the servo gears are metal, their maximum rotation is 220 degrees (a lot of much more expensive robots use servos that can only rotate 180 degrees), and the expected play time on a set of fully charged batteries is around an hour (also a lot longer than the 'other guys')

We really like the Demo page in the new site since it gives you a chance to try out the remote control and programming modes by pushing buttons on the remote control just like the real thing. And they have included movie clips for the special action and voice control modes. There are still a few pages marked 'coming soon', but what they already have up is pretty cool. Check it out.

i-SOBOT Sighted in the Wild (Video)

i-SOBOT has been listed as available for pre-order on quite a few sites in the US including Neiman Marcus, Amazon, Toys 'r Us, and others. We've also heard rumors that some customers already have firm delivery commitments as early as later this week.

So it wasn't a big surprise when we ran across two brand new i-SOBOT videos (see below) on YouTube. 

Robot Halloween (Video)

We love to party, and our robots do too!

With Halloween just around the corner, it's time to start thinking how to celebrate the occasion, as you can see from the short video we put together using the TOMY i-SOBOT.

i-SOBOT Rocks, Rolls, And Somersaults (Video)

The official TOMY i-SOBOT demonstration video is out (see below), and it's hot! It even does somersaults!

Latest reports are that an army of i-SOBOTs are already marching on the US and will be in stores long before Halloween.

Exclusive Photos - i-SOBOT & the Guinness World Records 2008 Book

The photos tell it all-

 

 

i-SOBOT Responds to Keepon and Penguin Robot Dance Challenges (Video)

First we had Keepon, the cute little rhythmic yellow ball robot dancing it's way through Tokyo and Akihabara. Then, yesterday, Humanoido had his two servo Penquin robot doing a credible imitation of Mumbles from the Happy Feet movie.

So i-SOBOT just had to get into the act, and offer up a little Latin Rock dance performance (see video below).

i-SOBOT Goes Western (Video)

 

Remember those classic Western movies where the good guys always wore white, and the bad guys wore black (except for Paladin)? There was always a tension filled showdown in the middle of the town street. Two gunmen, facing each other, knowing that only one of them would survive to walk away.

Apparently i-SOBOT remembers those movies with some fondness, just like you and I do. He's even gone far enough to memorize the script lines, and act out all the right moves. He won't put Clint Eastwood out of work anytime soon, but he does do a pretty awesome set of imitations for a tiny robot.

i-SOBOT Robot Self-Introduction (Video)

There's a lot of buzz around the internet centering on the new i-SOBOT humanoid robot. And, as you might expect, some of the information gets distorted, or is way off base. Rather than have people rely exclusively on second hand information, we decided to take the bull by the horns, and asked i-SOBOT to introduce himself to you and give a little background (see video below.)

More On The New TOMY i-SOBOT humaniod robot. (Video)

We haven't reported anything about the new i-SOBOT humanoid robot since we mentioned about two weeks ago that it has was officially certified by Guinness as the world's smallest humanoid robot in commercial production. So, we were starting to feel a little guilty and remiss in our duties. After all, a great, feature packed, robot like this needs some attention and shouldn't be ignored. 

TOMY i-SOBOT Robot Certified by Guinness (Video)

During a joint Takara/Tomy and Sanyo press event in Osaka earlier today it was revealed that Guinness has officially certified the i-SOBOT humanoid robot as "The smallest humanoid robot in production."

The tiny, yet fully functional, robot stands only 165 mm (6.5 inches) tall and features 17 custom designed servos that allow it to achieve performance, movement, and flexibility of other humanoid robots that typically retail for a $1,000 or more. In contrast, the i-SOBOT is expected to go on sale in the US and Japan this October at a list price of approximately $350.

Tomy i-SOBOT Robot Site Live!

Tomy has turned on the official i-SOBOT website for their new, low cost, high performance, humanoid robot. The website is pretty minimal at this point - basically a place holder - but it's pretty obvious from the website images that the U.S. i-SOBOT versions will be black while the Japanese versions will be primarily white with some blue parts.

For more i-SOBOT information, photos, and videos, be sure to check out the Robots Dreams i-SOBOT section.

Takara/Tomy i-SOBOT Humanoid Robot Closeup (Video)

We recently visited the Takara/Tomy research and development facility here in Tokyo, and got some great close-up/hands-on time with their new i-SOBOT humanoid robot. The story was picked up by ROBOT Magazine which is now featuring some of the detailed photos (see link below) taken during the meeting with the i-SOBOT development team and project management.

We were also allowed quite a bit of 'play' time with the robot prototypes, and really liked what we saw. So much so that we actually tried to slip one into our pocket and walk out the door with it, but unfortunately we were caught in the act! Of course, we captured a lot of the action in the video clip below.

Takara/Tomy i-SOBOT Humanoid Robot Featured in DIME Magazine

The current issue of DIME magazine, a popular market trend watching publication here in Japan, has a short feature article on the soon to be released Omnibot 2007 i-SOBOT humanoid robot from Takara/Tomy.

Billed as the 'World's Smallest', the tiny robot packs a lot of power and technology into its 16.5 cm/350 gram body. According to one of the taglines in the DIME article, the i-SOBOT features "minimal size and price" for a humanoid robot, but with all the degrees of freedom, flexibility, and personality of it's bigger robot cousins.

Takara Tomy Omnibot 2007 Humanoid Robot - More Details

A few more details about the Takara/Tomy under $300 Omnibot2007 i-SOBOT have surfaced:

• It will be sold completely pre-assembled, not as a kit.
• No PC is required for setup
• Like the robot, the remote control is also very small - tiny in an adult's hands
• The remote includes an LCD display
• The robot includes a gyro for balance
• The robots hands are designed to passively close on an object
• There are five operation 'modes': direct control mode using the remote; a 20 block program mode; special action mode with actions like playing an air drum; voice control mode with some speech recognition capability; and dance mode where the robot moves in response to the sounds it picks up.
• Initial sales will be in Japan via toy specialty stores, hobby goods retailers, and internet sales. The Japan sales target is 50,000 units.
• Overseas sales are under consideration with a worldwide sales target of 300,000 units.
• The camera for the CAMVersion (shipping in October) is 300,000 pixel.

[via Robot Watch (Japanese)]