JUSCO ROBOT

Fujitsu Robot Enon began working as a sales helper in the grocery department of Jusco department store in Oita city in southern Japan recently. For now, the robot will be working only part time on the weekend.

Enon will guide shoppers around the store and help them carry their groceries. She can also show helpful advertisments on the display screen on her chest.

Robot Begins Grocery Store Job

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TOUCHY-FEELY ROBOTIC HANDS ON THE WAY

A device which may pave the way for robotic hands that can replicate the human sense of touch has been unveiled.

US scientists have created a sensor that can “feel” the texture of objects to the same degree of sensitivity as a human fingertip.

The team says the tactile sensor could, in the future, aid minimally invasive surgical techniques by giving surgeons a “touch-sensation”.

Robot device mimics human touch (BBC)

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ROBOT LEMURS IN SPAAAAAACE

“Lemur,” short for the Limbed Excursion Mechanical Utility Robot, was originally conceived to help maintain future spacecraft and space stations. It weighs in at just 26 pounds (12 kilograms) and is small enough to hitch a ride on the space shuttle or NASA’s planned crew exploration vehicle.

“Lemur could be an astronaut’s pet monkey,” says JPL engineer Brett Kennedy, principal investigator for the robotic project. “It can perform tasks that are too small for astronauts to do easily. It’s built to get into the nooks and crannies of a structure.”

To make Lemur flexible and versatile, Kennedy and his team combined the body styles and abilities of an octopus, a crab and a primate into a six-limbed robot with Swiss army knife tendencies. Attachable tools fit onto each limb and perform a variety of functions. Lemur can support itself evenly on three legs while two other limbs are freed up to work. And the sixth limb? “It’s a bonus, and besides, five limbs would look funny,” Kennedy says.

Limber Robot Might Hitchhike to Space (PhysOrg)

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ROBO-ROACH HERDS REAL COCKROACHES

A matchbox-sized robot that can infiltrate a pack of cockroaches and influence their collective behaviour has been developed by European scientists.

The tiny robot smells and acts just like a roach, fooling the real insects into accepting it as one of their own. Through its behaviour, the robot can persuade a group of cockroaches to venture out into the light despite their normal preference for the dark, for example.

The researchers behind the robot believe it could be used to catch cockroaches and that bots designed to mimic other animals could one day work on farms controlling flocks of sheep and chickens by similar means.

Robo-roach could betray real cockroaches (New Scientist)

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ROBOTIC TENTACLES

Robotic “tentacles” that can grasp and grapple with a wide variety of objects have been developed by US researchers.

Most robots rely on mechanical gripping jaws that have difficulty grabbing large or irregularly shaped objects. Replacing these with tentacle-like manipulators could make robots more nimble and flexible, say the scientists.

The tentacle-like manipulators, known as “Octarms”, resemble an octopus’s limb or an elephant’s trunk. They were developed through a project called OCTOR (sOft robotiC manipulaTORs), which involves several US universities and is funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

“An elephant’s trunk can pick up a peanut or a tree trunk,” says Ian Walker, a member of the project team from Clemson University in South Carolina. “This ability, inherent in the OCTOR robots, gives OCTOR arms a huge advantage over conventional industrial robots.”

Robotic tentacles get to grips with tricky objects (New Scientist)

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ROBOTURTLE

A robotic turtle could help engineers build better autonomous underwater vehicles and answer fundamental questions about how prehistoric beasts swam. The robot, called Madeleine, is already helping researchers understand when it is best to swim with four flippers and when to use two.

Robo-turtle answers some flippery questions (New Scientist)

There is video.

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A ROBOT THAT RUNS OVER WATER

A robot that can speed across the surface of water like a lizard could open the door for multi-legged amphibious robots.

The Water Runner, being developed by assistant professor Metin Sitti at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, could search for victims in flooded disaster areas, be equipped with biochemical sensors to monitor water quality, or use tiny cameras to survey coastline security zones or ports.

Sitti, who also heads the university’s NanoRobotics Lab, regularly takes inspiration from bugs, beetles, and bacteria to build his robots.

Ultimately, he’d like to create a machine that can move over land, water, fly and perhaps even climb.

Robot Runs Over Water (Discovery)

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BIGDOG: ROBOTIC PACK MULE

A nimble, four-legged robot is so surefooted it can recover its balance even after being given a hefty kick. The machine, which moves like a cross between a goat and a pantomime horse, is being developed as a robotic pack mule for the US military.

BigDog is described by its developers Boston Dynamics as ³the most advanced quadruped robot on Earth². The company have released a new video of the robot negotiating steep slopes, crossing rocky ground and dealing with the sharp kick.

Robotic ‘pack mule’ displays stunning reflexes (New Scientist)

BigDog project page (Boston Dynamics)

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FLYING ROBOTS WITH SHOTGUNS

Let’s face it: there’s only so long you can let your robots stand on the veritable sidelines. After a while, you want ‘em to get in on the action. That’s why, presumably, NRI has started to trick out its “AutoCopters” with 12-gauge, fully-automatic shotguns.

The weapons work with anything from 18-Cal. BBs to armor-piercing, FRAG-12 rounds, according to Defense Review. Which turns the AutoCopter “into an incredibly lethal unmanned combat air vehicle.”

Robo-Copter Gets a Gun (Defense Tech)

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ROBOT BARTENDER AT PROPERTY SHOW

“Our buildings will be so intelligent that they will recognize you if you are a tenant, and they will give you access and even press the button of your floor in the elevator. They will open doors for you and robotics will take care of cleaning and mopping your homes, and even pressing your clothes. And your voice will be your command,” Shouly said.

Omniyat displays its first robotic bar tender at Intl. Property Show (Strategy, via Robot Gossip)

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COMPLETE WITH CREEPY VIDEO

From Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Autonomous Systems Lab, a group of doll robots called Robota, that are designed to interact with autistic children.

Robots to Reach Autistic Kids (Robot Gossip)

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G.I. ROBO

Armed robots like the one at the auto show are being field tested now. Pending successful testing they’ll likely be deployed to Iraq sometime this year, he said.

The weapons on the SWORDS robot are fitted onto a universal mounting device, said Asad Khan, a project engineer at ARDEC who accompanied Meros to the auto show. “Right now, what you’re seeing is the M-249 machine gun (version),” Khan said. “But, we can (also) use rockets, 40 mm grenade launchers, and the M-240 machine gun, as well as the M-16 rifle.”

Weaponized robots equipped with night-vision and other gear could be employed for reconnaissance and other duties, Mero said, noting the SWORDS machine can be rapidly spun around in a complete circle.

Army’s Veteran Bomb-Disposal Robot Now ‘Packs Heat’ (American Forces Press Service)

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KOREA TO HAVE POLICE AND MILITARY ROBOTS BY 2010

By the 2010s, Korea is expecting to see robots assisting police and the military, patrolling the neighborhoods and going on recon missions on the battlefield.

The Center for Intelligent Robots on Monday said the state-backed agency plans to check the feasibility of security robots by convening a 40-member planning committee late this week.

“If the robots prove to be viable technically and commercially, we will be able to begin developing them late next year,” said Lee Ho-gil, head of the center.

When completed, the outdoor security robots will be able to make their night watch rounds and even chase criminals, according to Lee.

The government also seeks to build combat robots. They will take the shape of a dog or a horse, with six or eight legs or wheels.

Police, Army Robots to Debut in 5 Years (Korea Times)

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IFOMIND: ADAPTING ROBOT

Professor Bell likened the reaction of the robot to how an animal may react to another it has not previously seen.

Initially reacting in a “fearful” manner when encountering a new object, Ifomind has also been equipped with inquisitiveness.

This means the robot recognises it can react in different ways and does not have to be scared of something which may not be harmful to it.

Robot taught lesson of patience (BBC)

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COOL ROBOTS

They’re exploring the deep sea and distant planets. They’re saving lives in the operating room and on the battlefield. They’re transforming factory floors and filmmaking. They’re — oh c’mon, they’re just plain cool! From Qrio to the Terminator, here are our absolute favorites (at least for now).

The 50 Best Robots Ever (Wired)

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