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We posted a few weeks ago about TRC member Zenta’s new creation, the A-Pod Hexapod. Zenta, who created the infamous Phoenix Hexapod, is seriously one of the most talented roboticists we have seen and we’re glad to call him a much valued member of our Community!
He has made some serious progress with his latest A-Pod, and rather than gab away at how awesome it is, check out the video and prepare to be amazed.
| You’ve all seen and heard the robotic dancing sensation known as Keepon, and now you can own one! |
| When Keepon first debuted, bouncing along to Spoon’s “I Turn My Camera On”, the tech community went nuts! The simple, cute external appearance of this robot and it’s natural ability to bop along with music was an instant hit on Youtube. Unfortunately, beneath that elastic yellow skin was well over $20,000 worth of cutting edge robotic technology, putting this awesome robot out of reach of its fans. We saw this as a problem and answered the call to unite Keepon and it’s millions of fans globally! |
| After many months of painstaking R&D, Trossen Robotics is proud to announce the Low Cost Dancebot! Once only available to universities as a high end social development research robot, we are now offering the affordable yet equally groovy Low Cost Dancebot! This easy to build kit only takes minutes to put together, another minute to put on the Spoon song of your choice, and within seconds your Low Cost Dancebot! will be dancing along to the beat. Be the envy of your coworkers with this ultimate desktop gadget! Show off to your friends, amaze your family, and impress your employer! |
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The Roboard RB-100 is a new breed of robotics controller: a fusion of a traditional microcontroller and a full function computer. Think of it as an OS capable microcontroller on steroids, boasting a 32bit x86 CPU running at 1000MHz and 256MB DRAM. The ability to load an operating system of your choice and have direct access to I/O, Comm ports, USB, and networking opens this controller up to a wide range of robotics based applications. Our Roboard Starter Kit comes with just about everything you need to implement this feature rich controller in your next robotics project! All you need to supply is a 1-2gb Micro-SD card to load an OS onto, 6-24v, and a robot!
Boston.com published a great article featuring a wide variety of robots around the world. If you like robots, and you like big pretty pictures of robots, you definitely have to check it out. In style with the article, I’ll keep this short and let you check out the pictures yourself!
Sure, the researchers may state they are intended for assistance in disasters… but these wifi network creating robots could just as easily be used to spread the reach of the dreaded Skynet! I have my doubts, but Engadget seems pretty sure that these robots have good intentions. Time shall tell!
Researchers at Germany’s Ilmenau University of Technology are developing flying quadcopter robots that can be used to form a self-assembling ad-hoc wireless network in the event of disaster. Built with off-the-shelf parts (including VIA’s Pico-ITX hardware and a GPS unit) the robots are designed to provide both mobile phone and WiFi access — and they can do it far more quickly than a technician on the ground might be able to. The device comes in a kit for €300 (about $380), which includes all but the battery — the batteries currently run around €1,000 (over $1200) and only offer up 20 minutes of flight time. Once the device has found a perch, however, it can operate for “several hours.”
One of the single most challenging aspects of home navigation for robots has to be tackling stair climbing. While humans can move up and down without much trouble at all, even advanced robots such as ASIMO still have ‘issues’. The UCSD Coordinated Robotics Lab has developed a pretty efficient and simple (in concept, not execution) way of doing just that with their iLean Robot. Check out the video below to see how it works, really an amazing thing to see executed so well!
Recently we were contacted by an upcoming advanced robotics R&D company who has been keeping a pretty low profile. Skynet Research only went public last week, but for the past 10 years has been hard at work and already making startling advanced in military and research level robotics. Some of this stuff is scary, it makes iRobot’s military line look like a bunch of toys. Check out these concept designs:
So here’s the kicker, I got a chance to talk to one of their lead researchers over the weekend and along with going public, they’ve also announced a Community Outreach Program to hobby and professional roboticists. They’re actually granting access to some of their technology (with no doubt a massive NDA attached) to the average hobbyist. From what I gathered speaking with them, the Model 101 Enhancement Module that is being provided for evaluation is some sort of Neural Networking microprocessor with built in wifi capability, used for relaying sensory data back to a central AI hub that is scheduled to go online in the near future. REALLY cool stuff, if you’re interested in applying for the beta program, you just have to submit your robot design and an explaination of why you think your project would be well suited for their program.
Here’s the official press release from Skynet Research, and be sure to check out their site for more info.
Skynet Research is a leader in the research and development of robotic technology, dedicated to helping the human race achieve great goals. And we want to hear from you!
Skynet Research believes every individual holds the capacity to make a difference, and is dedicated to finding as many people as possible who will impact our future goals.
- The spark of imagination is the greatest asset of humankind. We are interested in mining this resource within the robotics community to find new robot designs.
- Individuals are welcome to submit designs, videos and schematics relating to future robot models. We will showcase the most promising for all to see on our corporate website.
SKYNET RESEARCH IS OFFERING A FREE UPGRADE
As part of our ever-increasing outreach, we are also making available the Skynet Research Enhancement Module Model 101 for consumer grade robots at no cost before it is even available in stores.
- The Model 101 is compatible with any home robotics device, and will vastly improve the precision, efficiency and speed of any mechanized apparatus regardless of function.
- You may apply to receive one on our website.
- View a video of our new Enhancement Module HERE
HOW SKYNET RESEARCH IS CHANGING YOUR WORLD
- There are many different Skynet Research models in production and operation, and countless more in active development at secure and undisclosed locations around the world.
- Skynet Research is reshaping daily life for human beings across the planet, with contributions to business, education, healthcare, information systems and military defense.
- Skynet Research has led the evolution of Artificial Intelligence to multiply at exponential rates, pushing to improve robotic function in daily life with a constant eye on the future.
We have been honored as “most innovative” company in numerous trade publications, while one award-winning professor stated Skynet Research is displaying an “unprecedented” rate of growth.
We are committed to making your world different
“You’re going to pay me to go to Vegas? And I get to attend CES? Stop screwing with my emotions!”
I honestly thought my boss was just pulling my chain at first.
Being my first year to attend the Consumer Electronics Show I was quite excited to say the least. I had overheard someone on the shuttle claiming that attendance would be down 10-15%, but when you factor in that up to 150,000 people have attended this in the past… 10-15% was trivial, there were still a LOT of people here. Arriving at the event and seeing a vast crowd of people out front of the main exhibition halls made the enormous size of this event hit home.
At first I wandered the main hall, then ended up in the south hall, and then realized I had just lost 3 hours in what felt like 30 minutes. Electronics as far as the eye could see, multi-story booths (yes, some of the booths had stairs), and rivers of people flowing in every direction. Finally I found a map and figured out that I actually needed to be about 3 miles away at the Sands Expo Center to find the Robotics Tech Zone.
Anybots‘ booth immediately caught my attention: boasting a slick new telepresence robot, QA. This is taking telepresence a step further, in that QA actually stands about as tall as a human and acts as a physical representation for you. The concept is that if you or your company has multiple sites, and you need to say… check out the new wallpaper in your factory in China, participate at a trade show, or attend a meeting, QA grants you the ability to do so in style. You see and hear what QA does, can look and move around fluidly, and speak as if you were on site. Aesthetically QA is very slick, a robot that would easily fit into a scene from a sci-fi movie based in the future.
The crew behind MechRC also had a booth, showcasing their new Groundpounder variant as well as the their upcoming Educational Program. I got a chance to talk with Dr. Jim Wyatt and Victor Chen about their plans for the robotic line, which includes a K-12 adaptable curriculum, future variants such as the Groundpounder pictured above, and the possibilties of Laser Tag kit upgrades!
Also showcasing at the CES was WowWee, iRobot, Kowatech, Robolabs, Hagisonic, and many more. While the Robotics Techzone wasn’t as big as I had hoped, it was somewhat expected as the show is based around consumer electronics, and consumer level robots are still considered new territory. The great thing about robotics however is that there will always be more in the future!
Feel free to check out our CES 2009 Photo Gallery (and if you were there, add your own!). I focused on taking pictures of things relative to robotics seeing as though the rest of CES is covered by everyone and their grandmother. We’ll see you there next year!
We’ve got you covered. The Acroname 84 Channel USB Servo Controller allows you to control an almost absurd amount of servos making this the perfect board for any over-achiever’s robotics project. Now if controlling 84 servos wasn’t enough, get this: Each of the 84 channels can be set to Digital Input, Digital Output or Servo Output. Additionally, 36 of the channels can act as 10-bit Analog inputs. That makes this one of our most versatile I/O boards yet!
Trossen Robotics is proud to be the first in the United States to offer the new Micromagic Hexapod!
The MSR-H01 MicroMagic Systems Hexapod is a 3 DOF hexapod kit consisting of 26 precision laser cut 5053 aluminum body and leg components. Developed by special effects and animatronics guru Matt Denton of MicroMagic Systems, this hexapod’s fluid, natural movements are truly a sight to behold. Using a custom built HexEngine on board, all of the leg movements are coordinated and gaits are generated dynamically through an advanced Inverse Kinem hexatics engine.
While pictures are a testament to the slick aesthetic design of this hexapod, seeing it move is really what makes the ‘bot!
