Robot Living

Hi folks, it’s time to visit our wayback machine and visit a robot created in the latter half of the last century.

David Colman created a robot called Commander Robot in the late 1960’s & early 1970’s that later evolved into Ralph Roger Robot.

Shown here is the Commander Robot version with David working on him.  He seemed very popular and made appearances all over the country from supermarkets in Bangor Maine to the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Commander Robot was originally built as part of the Ice Follies and could skate on the ice.

The robot’s creator, Dave Colman, demonstrates the radio gear that transmits to the robot’s 14-channel receiver to activate seven motors and control movement. In the robot are 50 pounds of batteries, clusters of servo switches, tape recorder, assorted lights and two 1/50th hp motors that drive sprockets that bite into the ice to make him move.

Wow, a robot with 50 pounds of batteries.  That is hard to imagine with such tiny robots as bristlebots, trimets and others available today. Check out more photos at the informative Cybernetic Zoo.

Link via (Cybernetic Zoo)

Coming March 18-20 to Rome is the Mediterranean Robocup. The Robocup Standard League uses the robot Nao from Aldedebaran Robotics.

The Robocup Mediterranean Open2010 includes an international open competition in the Robocup Soccer – Standard Platform League, among universities from all over the world. The competition is promoted by Fondazione Mondo Digitale in partnership with “Sapienza” University of Rome – Computer and Systems Sciences Department.

The Italian Selection Robocup Junior 2010 is a competition among Italian schools in the soccer, rescue and dance categories. Winners will participate to Robocup Singapore 2010

Click through for a video of the event from last year (in Italian).

Link via (RoboEthics)

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Tags: italy, nao, robocup

A new iPhone game has just been released by Origin8 called Robot Rampage.  This side scrolling game reminds us of the original Rampage game from the 1980’s because you can punch buildings.

Airplanes and helicopters try to take you out, but you can zap them with your laser beam.  Destroy the city as you level up.  Robot Rampage is available now in the iTunes store for $1.99.

Click through for a video.

Link via (MobileTechReview)
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Tags: game, iphone, mobile

Want a cool desktop RC robot for under $10?  Look no further than Zibits.

Comes complete with sounds and LED eyes. The robots go forwards, backwards and can spin a full 360 degrees.

They should be available sometime in March from Toys “R” Us for $9.99 or online at BotabingBotaboom.  Make sure to collect all 12 robots to help kick start your robot army.

Click through for a video.

Link via (Technabob) via (Botropolis)
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Tags: rc robot, zibits

BarBot 2010 is almost upon us.  If you live in San Fransisco head over to the DNA Lounge this Wednesday night for cocktails made by robots and swinging tunes by Marv, the robotic vibraphone!  BarBot is the US version of Roboexotica, held every year in Vienna.

BarBot is a celebration of cocktail culture and man-machine interface. Get a drink from an actual robot. Chat up a snarky electronic bartender. Listen to some graceful tunes being played by robotic music makers. And, after downing your sixth martini, you can finally admit that it’s the geeks who shall inherit the earth.

Click through for a video of Chapek the robotic bartender, shown above, in action from 2008. Also make sure to look out for Marv the robotic vibraphone playing live.

Link

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Tags: barbot, robots, San Fransisco