The REEM-B humanoid robot

Automaton reader Davide wrote to let us know that his team at Pal Technology has developed REEM-B, a humanoid robot designed to assist humans with everyday tasks. They recently presented a teleoperated prototype at an event in Abu Dhabi, where the company is based (though much of the development took place in Barcelona, Spain). This YouTube video shows a fancy introduction of the robot (and looks something like what I hope commercials for robots will look like one day on TV), but the following video is a little more informational about what REEM-B can do:

Davide tells us:

The robot has some unique features: its batteries last more than 2 hours (twice as much as Asimo). It has 41 degrees of freedom and it has object, face and voice recognition. It's the first biped robot implementing laser-based SLAM [Simultaneous Localization and Mapping] and it is probably the strongest humanoid in the world, since it can walk carrying up to 14 kg. The first robot (REEM-A) was created in just 1 year, and REEM-B in the following 2 years.

He also points out that his team is hiring.

Like Asimo, REEM-B still hasn't achieved full autonomy, requiring a human operator to tell it where to go and what to do. "Pour me a glass of Coke" isn't understood; specific tasks must be commanded on a lower level. However, the mapping capabilities, manipulation, and facial recognition are impressive. Plenty more videos are available here.

I would like to extend my generous offer to test out any prototypes in my home. I've got some dishes that need washing.

Via spectrum.ieee.org

Robot Bicycle Parking Lots in Tokyo are Commuters Heaven

To solve the bicycle parking problem in Tokyo, Robotic parking lots were create to park commuters bikes quickly, safely and efficiently. With the huge population in Tokyo, there is also a huge amount of commuters, traveling and rolling on their bicycles. There are thousands and thousands of individuals who ride their bicycle to work, to the train station or simply as a cheap, practical and efficient mean of transportation in Tokyo. Since there are so many bicycles on the streets, there is an increasing need for viable parking places for these bikes. This robot garage is a wonderful creation that easily aids with the bicycle parking dilemma.

For bicycle riders, this solution could not be much simpler. For approximately $18 a month, individuals have access to this bike parking garage for an entire month. As they arrive, they place their bicycle in the intended area, swipe their member’s magnetic card, and a robot comes to take your bicycle to storage for the day (or longer).

The robot hands come pick up the bike, tag it using RFID, and store it underground with the thousands of other bikes. It has been mentioned by regular users that it usually takes approximately 10 seconds to retrieve their bicycles when returning.

This is a wonderful creation that is extremely space efficient since it is underground. While providing a great solution for commuters, it does in fact help promote commuting by creating such a practical, cheap and easy solution.

Next parking challenges are for cars: make the smart car a reality and take great parallel parking tips from a robot to be installed in real vehicles.

Via: Treehugger

House building robot is bad news for Brickies

Contour CrafterA new method of house construction is in the final stages of development and you could well be seeing signs stating “Beware Contour Crafting in progress” sometime soon.

Boffins at the University of South California have developed a robotic gantry that builds up walls to almost any shape and specification without any manual labour, plans are input into a computer and the concrete laying machine goes about its duty, able to finish an entire house within a day without a single tea break.

Behrokh Khoshnevis is the brainchild behind this building machine after looking into methods of rapid construction as a way to reconstruct areas devestated by natural disasters such as earthquakes which have plagued his native Iran.

Not only a labour saver of note but the machine is environmentally sound too as reports claim up to seven tonnes of waste are produced by convential house building and the machine would also negate the need for heavy vehicle usage too.

Khoshnevis has also had interest from NASA in his machine as a potential builder of a lunar habitat.


This Technology Will Blow Your Mind..


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Found Footage: iPhone clone demo video


If you are in the market for a non-iPhone cellphone that has the features/look of an iPhone, then look no further than this iPhone clone. Unlike the Instinct, this cellphone could very well be the real iPhone killer. According to Electronista, the device could be running a hacked version of Windows Mobile, however, it mimics most of the iPhone's features, right down to the music player. Either way, it's still fun to watch, and to see how long Apple takes to sue them.

[via Electronista]