DeviceGuru

Robonaut 2 (aka R2), the first humanoid robot to become a permanent resident of the International Space Station (ISS), was awakened from stasis this week after six months in orbit. R2′s first words? “Those electrons feel GOOD!”
(more…)

Software developer Robert Oschler has launched a Kickstarter project aimed at creating a low-cost, mind-controlled, robotic telepresence system, based on integrating support for WowWee’s Rovio robot, Emotiv’s EEG headset, and Skype communications into version 5 of Oschler’s Robodance software.
(more…)

An interesting 11-minute PBS News Hour video demonstrates several bionics projects that use state-of-the-art robotics technologies to create artificial body parts capable of assisting people with disabilities. The video demonstrates a robotic exoskeleton called eLegs, an artificial arm called Luke, and glasses that provide “bionic eyesight.”
(more…)

Robot specialist Boston Dynamics has just received a contract from the U.S. Defense Department’s DARPA agency to develop two new robots. Atlas, a humanoid bot, will “climb and maneuver in rough terrain [with] human-like agility,” while Cheetah, a felinoid bot, will “sprint faster than a human, corner like a race car, and start and stop on a dime,” says the company.
(more…)

A Lego Mindstorms robotics kit controlled by an HTC Nexus One smartphone successfully untangled a Rubik’s Cube puzzle in 12.5 seconds at this week’s ARM developer conference in Silicon Valley.
(more…)

Honda has just added an interactive, computer-generated 3D ASIMO model to the website for its renowned humanoid robot. The new function showcases the technologies behind the robot’s form, function, movement, and intelligence.
(more…)

Honda recently unveiled a bodyweight support device that reduces the effort required for walking, climbing stairs, or crouching. The device is a byproduct of the company’s well-known ASIMO humanoid robot R&D.
(more…)

A robot project reportedly has won the first monthly design contest sponsored by BeagleBoard.org. The site promotes the Beagle Board, a low-cost, fanless, single-board computer (SBC) based on a TI OMAP applications processor..
(more…)

Game strategy and rules for the 2009 FIRST high-school robotics competition were unveiled today in Manchester, NH. Some 42,000 high-school students on 1,686 teams from a dozen countries will participate in this year’s contest, which is designed to simulate robotic rovers moving on a lunar crater.
(more…)

A 49-foot-tall replica of Honda’s infamous ASIMO humanoid robot will be a prominent participant in the 2009 Rose Parade. Honda’s float will serve as the parade’s opening ceremony stage and then transform itself into the supersized ASIMO, leading the beloved parade through the streets of Pasadena on New Year’s Day.
(more…)