Jalopnik: robots

Evil Boston Dynamics Reveals Terminator-Like Walker, Puts Horns On BigDog

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Boston Dynamics, the guys making the rise of Skynet inevitable, are showing off their ominously-named PETMAN prototype, a shoe-wearing, two-legged version of their now-legendary BigDog. It looks like the harbinger of mechanized death. Oh, they've also put horns on BigDog.

It appears to us Boston Dynamics is nearing the robot apocalypse event horizon. Best start getting your preferred apocalypse vehicles and supplies sorted now.

Honda Asimo Turns Nine, Parties Like A Robot

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST

This is one case where we can't improve on the caption: "Ketch and Hiro-pon, members of the Japanese pantomime group Gamarjobat, take part in a promotional ninth birthday party for Japanese auto giant Honda Motor's humanoid robot Asimo."

Photo Credit: AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO

Scary Toyota Robot Is Still Scary... Especially When It's Running

Ray Wert — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:30:00 EDT

Do we need any further proof other than this video of Toyota's "partner robot" running at 7 km/h that the super-number-one-best-automaker-from-the-land-of-the-rising-sun has anything but world domination in mind? Excuse us while we page John Connor.

[via Singularity Hub via Digg]

VW Passat-a-Bot Transformer Attacks Beijing Mall

Ray Wert — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EDT

The lack of Volkswagen robot action in Transformers 2 didn't stop a Beijing mall from trying to latch on to the Transformer fever sweeping China, building a home-made VW Passat-a-bot to publicize their recently-opened movie theater. Gallery below.

The Chinese are as fascinated with Transformers as some of us are. So fascinated, this Chinese mall built their very own VW Passat-bot. Check it out. It actually doesn't look half-bad. Certainly more than some of Michael Bay's creations. [via China Car Times]

Chalkbot Pneumatically Sprays 100,000 Graffiti Messages During Tour De France

The Auto Insider — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EDT

Lance Armstrong and Nike's Livestrong partnered with DeepLocal and StandardRobot to develop this Chalkbot, designed to spray 100,000 messages of courage, hope and action along the 2009 Tour de France for people that've been affected by cancer.

If you've ever seen the Mythbusters episode where Adam and Jamie build an 1100 barrel pneumatic paintball gun to paint the Mona Lisa instantaneously, then you know what these amazing systems are capable of. Check out the video to see how they built and tuned the truck-pulled Chalkbot pneumatic chalk spray gun

The Chalkbot made its official debut Sunday during the 2nd stage of the Tour de France. (Hat Tip To Julia!)

Images via Nike

Terminator Motorcycles: First Up-Close Look

Ray Wert — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST

The tech-loving guys at Wired have a whole slew of spoiler-filled images from the new Terminator 4 movie, Terminator: Salvation. Most interesting to us was the first up-close look at the "Terminator motorcycle" below.

Feel free to check out the rest over at Wired, but be warned, there be spoilers ahead! [via Wired]

Transformers 2 Pictures Show GASP A Robot!

Travis Hudson — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:40:00 EDT

Another day of filming Transformers 2 has unveiled some key insights. The first is that Transformers 2 will feature robots; in this particular case, a sort of smaller, dragon-like Transformer who feeds on whomever is inside that vehicle. Given that most of the scenes filmed at Princeton University have featured the Saturn Astra, one could make an assumption that the vehicle pictured is the same Astra, especially noting the windshield slope and sunroof placement. Click through to see the next insight. Yes, it's about Megan Fox.

Our next photo includes a shot of Isabel Lucas, Ramon Rodriguez and Megan Fox. The item we immediately notice is that Megan Fox isn't as tanned as she was in the first installment of Transformers, which is a damned shame. Check out the picture and video below for reference, and you be the judge. [The Prox]

Tracked Robot Chases Man, Aggressive Sentience Imminent

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:20:00 EDT

We keep telling you the robot wars are going to happen any day now, and you just don't listen. While this is more like some version of a robot dog nipping at your heels, we still don't know what the mechanical marvel is going to do with that ball when he catches his prey. Okay, we kid, we're pretty sure this is another one of those TARDEC toys (where do they get those marvelous gadgets?) paid for with your tax dollars, but it looks like it could throw down if properly equipped for robot war.

The Nuclear Waste Removing Hydraulic Robot Will Save Us All

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:20:00 EST

When you're cleaning up poorly stored nuclear waste you've got a few obstacles to clear. There's the highly toxic materials that would kill a person in a short period of time. Everything is stored in areas that are hard to access and dark. Then there's the fact that after a while nuclear waste separates into salts and liquids, making it hard to pump the material out. Finally, everything becomes explosive. The solution? A robot that runs completely on hydraulic power armed with a water cannon that could slice through concrete. Your tax dollars at work, America. [Lakeshore]

Robotic Gas Attendant Step in Doomsday Scenario Direction

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST

Well folks, that's it, we had a good run but we're certainly doomed now. Dutch inventors have developed a robotic system for fueling up your car. By mounting a clever end effector to a multi-axis robot, and coupling it to a vehicle recognition system, they've removed the need for any human interaction. The system recognizes the car as it pulls up then instructs the robot as to where the fuel door is and what fuel type is needed. The robot kicks into motion, opens the door, removes the cap, picks up the fuel nozzle just like people used to and fills the car. This of course is a short distance from opening up the car door and tenderizing the meat bag in the drivers seat. [via Reuters]

Toyota Unveils Personal-Transport, Violin-Playing Robots To Help Take Over The World

Ray Wert — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 07:15:00 EST

Toyota unveiled today two new robots, a "Mobility Robot" and a "Violin-playing Robot" — the newest additions to its team of Toyota "Partner Robots" being developed to support people's everyday life. The mobility robot, designed around the i-Real concept shown in Tokyo earlier this year (see the Toyota folks giving us a demo of the i-Real chair-concept-thing in Tokyo here) is a robot for the "aged." The 'bot's supposedly capable of autonomous movement over uneven ground and around obstacles and has a traveling range of 12 miles per charge and a top speed of 3.7 mph. We'll have more pictures up shortly, but for the moment, here's a bit of sexy violins by way of the 17 joints in the robots hands and arms — because pics are all you're getting as the super number one best automaker from the land of the rising sun's not expected to have these bad boys any time before 2010. Full press release after the jump. UPDATE: Pictures added below!

Toyota Unveils Personal-transport, Violin-playing Robots

Tokyo — TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) unveiled today two new robots, a "Mobility Robot" and a "Violin-playing Robot"—the newest additions to its Toyota Partner Robots being developed to support people's everyday life.

The mobility robot, which is capable of autonomous movement over uneven ground and around obstacles, provides transport in places where people usually walk; the violin-playing robot, equipped with a total of 17 joints in both of its hands and arms, uses precise control and coordination to achieve human-like dexterity.

Toyota Partner Robots are envisioned to assist people in four main fields: 1) domestic duties, 2) nursing and healthcare, 3) manufacturing and 4) short-distance personal transport. To this end, TMC's primary developmental focuses are on technology that works in harmony with people—such as that for assistance devices that can help move heavy instruments in a factory, on mobility technology for autonomous movement, on full-body coordination for walking and jumping and on tool manipulation. The two robots presented today represent advances along these lines, with the mobility robot demonstrating achievements in field 4) and the violin-playing robot demonstrating achievements in fields 1) and 2).

Also, TMC announced today that it aims to realize practical use of Toyota Partner Robots in the early 2010s by furthering its robotic development and strengthening collaboration among industry, government and academia.

TMC, to help make future society healthy and comfortable, is pursuing sustainability in research and development, manufacturing and social contribution as part of its "three sustainabilities" concept. Toyota Partner Robot development, which involves TMC's approach to making things—including its mobility, production and other technologies—is being carried out with this concept in mind and has thus far resulted in the various entertainment robots presented at the Toyota Group Pavilion during the 2005 World Exposition in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, as well as in a tour-guide robot that began operation earlier this year at the Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall at TMC headquarters in Toyota City, also in Aichi Prefecture.

DARPA Robot Car Crashes Into Ford Taurus

Ray Wert — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:00:00 EST

Although the DARPA Grand Challenge has already declared a winner and we've even done a wrap-up post already — we felt the need to run this week-old video of the Axion "Spirit" racing vehicle taking a left turn directly into one of the human-driven Ford Taurus chase vehicles. Yes, This may be our first non-human Hoon of the Day, but with all our DARPA coverage from the past week or two, we felt it necessary to welcome rather than discriminate against our new robotic driving overlords. [via Gizmodo]

Beat on the Berlina 2000

Mike Bumbeck — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 15:00:00 EDT

While looking for a parking space in order that we could make a stop at ~~Rockaway Beach~~ our favorite store full of robots and the like, we spied this well yet exquisitely worn Alfa Romeo Berlina. Melee and other badges indicate road rally action. The miles look as if they have been, and will continue to be a heap of fun. Bonus points for the blue tape racing stripe. – Mike Bumbeck

Related:
1968 Alfa Romeo Ambulance at Fantasy Junction [Internal]

The Nissan Qashqai Dualis Robot Will Rule All Japan!

Ray Wert — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:18:07 EDT

I swear to god, with my robot obsession, you'd swear I was Japanese. They're the only culture crazed over bots enough to hold me, much less contain me. I'd fit right in — if I weren't 6'3" and teeming with 'merican nationalist spirit. But still, the Japanese deserve the credit for merging automotive culture with the ultra-futuristic robotic stuff. And no company seems to be doing more of that right now than Nissan (or it's hetero life-mate Renault). Enter the Qashqai for the JDM. They're calling it the Dualis and they're marketing it as a "powered suit." Thus, the big honkin' robot that'll be on display at the Nissan Gallery from May 23 to June 13 in Tokyo. After that it'll be at the Sony Building from June 25 to July 1st. So if you live in Tokyo or plan on visiting, feel free to snap some pics so we aren't just stuck with the viral vid we've got below the jump. – Ray Wert

DUALIS Powered Suit Is The Robot Overlord [electro^plankton]

Related:
Essen Show Preview: Cobra N+ Nissan Qashqai [internal]

GM Likes Robots Again, Kills "Suicide Scene" From Super Bowl Ad

Ray Wert — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:01:00 EST

Being politically correct is really hard. I mean, look at the General. The world's biggest automaker's decided to stop the senselessness of a fictional robot capable of dreaming from killing itself in a dream. Did everyone follow that? No? Ok, let's break that down again — General Motors is cutting a scene from their robot Super Bowl commercial (found above in case you didn't realize it) that features the robot throwing itself off of a bridge. Apparently the suicide group has a serious issue with separating not only fiction from reality, but science fiction from reality. I'm torn between believing GM didn't have much of a choice and a call to arms for GM to get some balls. I mean, if the General bows to this type of P-Crap, what's next? Are the Depression Sufferers Of America going to go after the character of Marvin in The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy? – Ray Wert

GM bows to critics, cuts suicide scene from robot ad [Detroit News]

Super Bowl Ad Watch: GM Forces Robot To Kill Self

Ray Wert — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:01:00 EST

This teaser for GM seriously almost made folks here in the Gawker office cry. Despite the fact that the little guy's nothing more than a soulless and heartless robot, it's still heart-wrenching to see the little dude seek to end his life in such a way. Shame on the General for making it come to this for the little dude. What a douche-bag auto company. But we also heard the robot was sleeping around at the Pontiac factory so maybe it was just best for everyone. Oh, did we mention we'll have a poll up in a little bit for y'all to weigh in on what you think the best leaked Super Bowl auto ad teaser's been? While you're waiting, check out the other ads we've spotlighted so far — from FoMoCo and from the General's consumer-focused Chevrolet brand. – Ray Wert

Weird Creepy Walking Robot From Boston Dynamics Gives Us The Heebie-Jeebies

Ray Wert — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 10:45:00 EST

Can I just say that this walking robot from the dynamos at Boston Dynamics really gives me goose-bumps — especially when it gets kicked and retains balance. I mean, i don't even think I could do that if I were carrying 120 lbs while walking backwards. In addition to the load-bearing capabilities, this robot quadroped named BigDog can trot at 3.3 mph and climb a 35 degree slope — all things my sorry blogger ass can't seem to do these days. Meh, whatever — because I know when BigDog 2.0 comes out, and it can carry over 200 lbs, it'll be hauling my semi-portly ass wherever I want it to. – Ray Wert

Big Dog: The Most Advanced Quadruped Robot on Earth [Boston Dynamics via Digg]

Ad Watch: 362 Robots Do The Korean Oil Dance For The Hyundai Santa Fe

Ray Wert — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 12:21:46 EDT

So does this mean there's no humans who help make the Hyundai Santa Fe? Does this confirm our worst fears — Hyundai's really an auto company created by evil robots determined to colonize the earth by using their SUV's to transform us all into gas-sucking vampires? Or, rather is it just a kind of cute commerical from the folks at the Richards Group, Hyundai's ad agency? You decide.

Related:
Hyundai Releases First Photos of 2007 Santa Fe [internal]

DARPA Robo-Car Challenge Decides Not To Listen To Mom — Will Play In Traffic

Ray Wert — Tue, 02 May 2006 13:24:50 EDT

We bet DARPA's mom is super upset with them, cause yesterday they decided the next Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Car Challenge is gettin' a taste of city life. After four vehicles finished the 142-mil3 desert course without human intervention last year, the third Grand Challenge will take place in a mock urban area. Thank G-D it's mock, and so therefore no need to worry about crazed robo-cars running down moms pushing strollers in the middle of downtown — DARPA's leaving that job to the taxi drivers.

The New DARPA Robot Car Challenge? City Driving [PC Magazine]

Related:
More on the DARPA Grand Challenge [internal]