Japan plans to set out to conquer the moon using robots before 2020. The Japanese space agency, JAXA, intends to put 2.2 billion US dollars on the table to develop a family of robots that will go to explore the moon by 2020. The first Japanese robots should also land on the moon in 2015. They …
The humanoid robot, Asimo, by Honda has stopped by the federal polytechnic school of Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. A member of the audience has reported videos of the Objectif Sciences event (open day at EPFL) which took place on May 29 and 30. You can also see Asimo there center stage walking …
Here's a prototype of an autonomous helicopter with four engines (quadrotor) capable of carrying out extreme movements in confined areas. Daniel Mellinger, Nathan Michael and Vijay Kumar from Grasp Lab at the University of Pennsylvania have designed this ultra easy to use UAV (Unmanned Aerial Ve…
Here's Octavia the android, presented at Fleet Week 2010 in New York, an annual meeting of Navy and American coast guard professionals. It was designed by the US Naval Research Lab to interact with humans (with its camera and sensors) and particularly with naval staff. The robot can express joy…
Here's a video demonstration of the Warrior 710 by iRobot, with an APOBS (Anti-Personnel Obstacle Breaching System). It's a robot for destroying anti-personnel mines used in the military which is capable of destroying bombs stuck in the sand at a distance without damaging the robot. The idea is…
Here's a 1.83 m (6 feet) tall robot based on the Terminator film. We don't have much more information on this ultra rare specimen except that the replica with the T-800 is almost perfect. This animated prototype has been built mainly out of steel and aluminum. It uses servos and is controlled …
Steve Norris of Norris Labs has developed a friendly beer serving robot. In fact, there are two separate robots. The first one, Baxter or ButlerBot goes to pick up the beer and brings it to the one who drinks it. When it arrives near the robotic refrigerator, Robofridge opens all by itself and…
Researchers at the University of Michigan in the US have developed a biped robot called MABEL, capable of walking without falling even when faced with improvised obstacles. Most surprisingly, this 57 kg robot has no vision (no video camera) but only sensors (encoders) which measure the angles of…
Scout Lego Robot Here's a prototype of the Lego robot made by Belisario Russefl de la Torre. The young man, aged 28 today, built his first robot when he was 10 years old. Scout is the project of a robotic helicopter with two fans. It still doesn't fly but the foundations of the project …
Here's a video introducing the latest model of the exoskeleton by Lockheed Martin. The purpose of an exoskeleton is to increase the physical strength and endurance of whoever's wearing it. It can allow soldiers to walk much longer and carry heavy loads without tiring. With the HULC by Lockheed…
The company, Bebionic, has just unveiled its new bionic robotic hand. It can do almost anything like a human hand (video below). Everything can be configured: speed, grip strength and estheticism. Its big advantage is that it's covered in silicone, giving it the impression of real skin. What's…
An unusual style for a robot, here's a prototype that you've surely never seen before: the bridge robot! Even if the model shown below is a miniature the size of a toy, the principle could certainly be replicated on a scale the size of a military vehicle, for example. The Stilzkin EXT3 robot …
Boston Dynamics' LittleDog has made progress recently. Not only was this little robotic critter able to move alone over difficult terrain, but now it does so with greater confidence: It jumps, climbs stairs, and reacts to real-time obstacles. "Little Dog" means "petit chien" in French, and it i…
The Advanced Security Guard (ASGuard) is a design by the Center for Robotics Innovation at the University of Bremen in Germany. This robot prototype can go underwater and on any type of rough terrain. Its role is to intervene in rescue operations during accidents or natural disasters. Asguard …
Here is a pretty amazing performance by a small humanoid robot. Surprising for two reasons: The first is that the stunts are rather sophisticated: he can do a handstand comparable to a great gymnast. The second is more mysterious: the music that accompanies the video is a song by Jacques Brel's …
In the Netherlands, some robots are already replacing gas pump attendants. The robot's code name: Tank Pit Stop. So, you no longer need to leave your vehicle; it's a little like the drive-in at fast-food restaurants :-) This robot was invented in 2008 and costs 75 000 euros. Its effectiveness…
