The Unsettling Army of Robots from Boston Dynamics

February 24, 2016 By Michael Turner Leave a Comment

A series of recent videos are showcasing the unsettling army of robots from Boston Dynamics, featuring their rather frightening set of abilities. This time around the robots in question are actually full-fledged, differently shaped machines that display different sets of abilities. From the very first glance you take on any of these robots manufactured by the company supported by Google, you will notice that the trademark feature of them all is locomotion.

The main idea behind all of these robots is a new method that allows them to move, walk and even run very similarly to how the factor of inspiration behind their construction does. Some of the robots are human-like, like Atlas and PETMAN, while others mimic various types of animals such as dogs, cheetahs and horses. Each robot that Boston Dynamics has built was made for a particular study reason.

For example, the LS3 is a four legged robot designed to go anywhere marines and soldiers would go on foot, being able to walk on any time of damaged terrain and carry huge amounts of weight – up to 400 lbs and able to walk for as long as 20 miles or 24 hours on a single fuel charge.

The PETMAN, on the other hand, is a robot that was designed to test chemical protection clothing and was made in such a manner that it would be agile and very flexible in order to suit its purpose. The fact that the PETMAN is able to balance itself is not even the most stunning ability that the robot is capable of. In fact, the robot is capable of simulating human reactions and controls temperature, humidity and sweating according to the tasks he is put up to.

But Boston Dynamics is up to a lot more than that. So far they’ve also designed wall-climbing robots, leaping robots, robots that can run as fast as 29 miles per hour on level ground and much more.

But while the concepts themselves are astounding to read about, watching the videos posted on the Boston Dynamics website is a whole different story that the word ‘unsettling’ can hardly describe. While the demonstrations done by the scientists manage to make their point well to showcase the robots’ ability to maintain their balance or get back up after they have been shoved and fell over, it’s hard to get over just how wrong it feels.

All of these robots may be obviously human-made, but their likeliness to live and sentient beings becomes frightening to say the least, especially when the demonstration needs to get a little rougher in order to show just how capable the robots are. Anyone watching these videos will at least once think about how the robots would feel about all of this if one day they become truly conscious.

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SoftBank Starts Selling The Pepper Robot this Saturday

June 20, 2015 By Kenneth Scott Leave a Comment

SoftBank is launching an adorable Robot named Pepper on June the 20th, which is this Saturday – ASIA only!

SoftBank has partnered with China’s Alibaba, and Foxcon Technology to ensure that on the 20th everyone can acquire Pepper.

Isn’t it a little bit scary that SoftBank’s Pepper can read your body language, and your tone of voice? The 4-foot cute little robot is designed to communicate realistically with its master. This starts to sound as the plot to Steven Spielberg’s 2001 Artificial Intelligence: AI movie.

It can look deep down into your soul using its high-definition cameras, depth sensors and microphones. Here’s hoping to have a meaningful conversation with Pepper – SoftBank states that it enjoys human contact!

The anime-like eyes will follow you around, and will recognize its master in a heartbeat – Pepper moves quite fluid using its 20 motors.

” We think there’s value in a robot that can understand human feelings.” said SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son.

Pepper was primarily used as a greeting robot in phone stores, but someone thought that it could become much more. Pepper can make a great learning or play toy, and its ambitions don’t stop there. It wants to help the elderly with menial everyday tasks, but that may seem like a big stretch. It’s not that strong anyway, and SoftBank states that Pepper should be used to engage with customers if bought by a business, or if it’s acquired by your average Joe, it should be treated as you would treat your own child – a made out of plastic, and metal child.

SoftBank will start manufacturing 1000 Peppers a month, and if it’s a success in Asia it will start to ship, and sell to Europe and the US starting next year. Pepper costs $1600, but you must pay an additional $200 for the service fees – this way SoftBank is ensuring that they will make a profit out of the wee robot.

Hopefully, Pepper won’t have the same fate as Sony’s Aibo. A discontinued robo-dog line that somehow found its niche. Sony isn’t offering support to Aibo, and customers have grown attached to their mechanical pet, but once they break down, there’s no place to go to fix the adopted family member. Customers cared for Aibo as if it were their very own child, only to be taken away from them because Sony doesn’t manufacture the much needed parts. Shame on you Sony!

Here’s a short clip from SoftBank portraying Pepper’s skills of teaching children. What do you think? Too expensive for my taste, but if you have the chance of meddling with Pepper tell us your experience in the comments section below!

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You Can Buy Robots from Amazon!

May 19, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

When I was a wee child I was reading a ton of science fiction books, and robots felt like something human kind would be capable of creating sometime in the future – I was thinking more of 2050, or 2100, not 2015!

Did you know that you can buy robots from Amazon? I didn’t know until today, and it kinda shocked me. I just realized that we live in the future I was reading when I was a child. I’m all giddy now – what will 2020, or 2030 be like?

Technology is growing, some say exponentially, and with this growth more and more people seem to make it a part of their lives. Robots can make daily tasks a thing of the past.

Let’s see how down below!

Floor Mopping Robots iRobot Braava 320

When I call my friends over to my place they always leave the kitchen a complete mess. I swear, there are people that haven’t learned how to eat without dropping half of the food on the floor – and they are almost 30 years old *sigh*. I’m fed up with cleaning every time after them so the floor mopping robot Braava 320 comes in at the perfect time.

It can run on a single charge for about three hours and you can fit it with either a damp cloth, or a dry one – Braava has its own designed cloth with microfiber, but to be honest, anything will do. It can clean all hardwood surfaces including vinyl, hardwood and laminate.

Braava’s iRobot line has seen some tough places. Their military products are used by the US army in combat, and to protect themselves from danger. You won’t need to worry about enemies taking your house in a blitz play, because the Braava 320 will give its cogs and plastic for you! No, seriously, it won’t help you from house invaders, so get an alarm or a dog.

Anyway, it’s built with NorthStar Navigation System – an indoor GPS mechanism that tracks everything it has already cleaned, and it organizes itself where to go next. It marks walls, obstacles, and other things so each time it learns to clean the place faster, and better – I don’t like robots that are learning by themselves they scare me!

You can buy it on Amazon for $200!

Vacuum Cleaning Robots iRobot Roomba 880 for Pets and Allergies

An ex-roommate of mine had a serious problems with pets. He loved them with all his heart, but Jimmy had some nasty allergies to their fur or something like that. At one point he started sneezing and scratching himself while we were watching Rick and Morty on TV. I thought it was a gag he was trying to make, but he was in distress.

Now, if we had the Roomba 880 maybe he didn’t have to move out and take his sweet PS4 with him – that was his only redeeming quality.

Anyway, the Roomba 880 can be your cleaning buddy. It uses AeroForce Performance Cleaning. Big words, I know. Their system cleans, and traps allergens, and it’s highly efficient doing this too – it features HEPA filters.

HEPA filters, or high-efficiency particulate arrestance, is a type of air filter. I’m not going to get into the science that stands behind them. What you need to know is that they are really top notch, and those who suffer from random allergies should try to look into them and see how one can incorporate them in their day to day life.

Its navigation system, the Virtual Wall Lighthouse ensures that the Roomba 880 stays in one room, and cleans it until you can even eat off the floor.

You can buy it on Amazon for $700!

Self Cleaning Litter Box Robots Litter Robot LRII

I have a sweet little kitty cat that I take care of every day – mostly because my new cat overlord forces me to, but that’s a story for another time.

Sometimes I have to work late at the office, go grab a quick bite to eat, and get home only to shower, and sleep. There’s not much free time in my life any more. I still feed Bruno – I’m not a monster. I make time for that regardless of how busy my schedule is. But I really can’t make time to clean his litter box every time it starts to stink – last time I thought a sewage pipe erupted in the building, but no, it was from the bathroom.

This is were the Litter Robot LRII swoops in and saves the day – and my nose. It automatically cleans the litter box and it deposits the mess in its built-in large capacity drawer – you can set it up with a trash bag.

It doesn’t have any wires, or cables so you don’t need to worry about your cat chewing on them.

How much do you love your cat? Enough to pay $370? Yup, that’s how much it costs.

Robot Kits WowWee RoboMe

This one doesn’t do anything fancy – it won’t help you with anything in your house. It’s just an iPhone-powered robot that its owner can control it using voice commands. You can customize WowWee to track your face, and follow you around the house.

It can be used only with an iPhone, or an iPod Touch.

WowWee RoboMe costs about $130!

Robot Kits WowWee MiP Robot RC

It can interact with you using sounds, motion and its RGB LED eyes. It’s really intriguing, and the MiP Robot is really responsive.

It’s so fun when you see it follow your hand gestures. WowWee’s product can follow you around the house using his, oups, its unique two wheels balancing system.

WowWee MiP Robot costs about $100!

We’ve got one more robot for you to discover. It may be out of your price range. I know it’s out of mine’s.

The Kuratas Robot

I thought of adding this one just for giggles. It’s available only on Amazon Japan and it costs about, oh well, $1 million!

Yup, a million dollar robot. It’s fully functional, and it’s pretty darn huge – it’s actually a rideable mech robot! It stands at 3.8 meters tall, that is 12.5 feet, and it weighs 5 tons. This is Kogoro Kuratas baby – a Japanese blacksmith that developed this ender of lives for several years.

Why ender of lives? Well, it has a BB gun incorporated that can fire 6,000 rounds per minute.

If you plan on buying it don’t expect any Amazon Prime discounts, and you should know that it doesn’t come paired with arms – they are being sold separately. You actually don’t even need them. Even without Kuratas’ arms you’ll still be able to inspire fear and dread in your neighbours.

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