Robosapien: The new evolution of man?

The Robosapien is the first affordable intelligent entertainment humanoid of its kind. Developed by robotics physicist Dr. Mark W. Tilden, Robosapien is the first robot based on the science of applied biomorphic robotics, enabling him to act more like a human. Tilden, who developed applied biomorphic robotics, has worked for NASA and other government research agencies developing advanced robotic technologies.
Fiesty and filled with personality, Robosapien is a humanoid with attitude that comes to life at your command. Using the ergonomic remote control, you can command Robosapien to perform up to 67 pre-programmed functions including pick-up, throw, high-five, whistle, dance and three different karate moves.

Robosapien reacts to both touch and sound signals from his environment, and sensors in his feet allow him to recognize and avoid obstacles without help. He has two types of three pronged grippers that enable him to pick up objects like cups, socks, pencils and other small light objects.

Robosapien also comes equipped with fast, fully articulated arms, and his fluid biomechanical movements and pendulum walking motion make his movements appear more human than robotic. Robosapien's impressive flexibility is evident as he walks in two different speeds, dances and 'turns on a dime'.

Robosapien is manufactured by Wow Wee Toys Ltd., which is a leading manufacturer of interactive high-tech toys and innovative electronic entertainment products.

Robosapien  http://www.wowwee.com
 

i-Cybie

i-Cybie is an intelligent, interactive robotic cyber dog specifically designed to react and respond like a real dog. Made of 1,400 parts and over 90 feet of wire, Tiger's latest canine friend will happily wander around your house, greet you, wag his tail and give you his paw. The ideal pet for the 21st century, i-Cybie has all the love and entertainment of a real dog but without the fuss. He will happily perform and play for you, keeping you constantly entertained.

With a choice of metallic blue or gold, streamlined body and legs, i-Cybie is the ultimate hi-tech hound with a fantastic personality. Displaying four main emotions, i-Cybie shows you when he is happy, sad, hyper or barking mad! His behaviour will reflect these changing moods. 16 motors drive i-Cybie's joints, giving him total flexibility and realistic movement. With smooth and slick manoeuvrability, i-Cybie has 14 doggie actions all activated by remote control, voice or sound commands. He will sit, beg, rollover, shake his head, act as a guard dog and even cock his leg up! His eyes will also reflect his mood with 6 different eye patterns, for example when he is hyper both eyes will be red!

Advanced voice recognition technology allows i-Cybie to recognise your voice, he will respond to eight commands including 'Good Boy,' 'Bad dog,' 'Sit down,' 'Stay,' and 'Guard.' Clapping can also be used to command i-Cybie. Special sequences of 8 claps are included with your i-Cybie. When in trick mode there are 8 clap additional clap commands that tell i-Cybie to entertain you. Fully flexible and amazingly agile i-Cybie can perform a number of different tricks and acrobatic movements. Marvel as he does a headstand, falls back into a crab position, dances, wags his tail, gives paw and scratches his ear. He's a real show-off!

A clever canine, i-Cybie has a series of intelligent sensors that allow him to react to sound, light, touch and his physical surroundings. Watch him rub his head into his owner's hands when his head is patted! He is able to stand up if he falls over, avoid walls, the edges of tables and other elevated surfaces. Watch him navigate a route, avoiding obstacles in his way!

To make i-Cybie perform simply press the correct sensor command button. These are located on different parts of his body, his head button tells i-Cybie to listen, his orientation/balance sensor tells him he has fallen over and his back button tells i-Cybie to sit or stay. And, he is so smart that when his batteries are running low, he'll let owners know!

i-Cybie's is available now from all good gadget shops and retailers, although please be aware that there is limited stock in the UK market place.

i-Cybie's homepage  http://www.i-cybie.com

PaPeRo - NEC's Personal Robot

NEC's new personal robot named 'PaPeRo' (aka 'Partner-type Personal Robot') is unlike anything seen so far in robot development, with its natural expressions and ability to remember its owners' interests and preferences. Following in line with NEC's goal of finding solutions for the "i- society", PaPeRo was designed to bring about a more natural interface with which people can easily and unconsciously benefit from the Internet.

PaPeRo can recognize 650 phrases and speak more than 3000, and with the latest image recognition technology PaPeRo has the ability to recognize peoples' faces. Though voice recognition technology PaPeRo also makes the following possible:

Easy access to the Internet without use of a keyboard - notifying its owner of incoming messages and giving updated information.

Strengthening communication channels among family members with its ability to convey video messages.

Interaction with its owner in various ways, such as, dancing playing games, reminding, telling the time, and remote operation of TVs and other electrical appliances in the home.

Its ability to interact naturally with people opens up a variety of application possibilities for home automation systems including: support for implementing safety measures, support for elderly, emergency communications systems, and home security. With the use of the Internet and software, the robot also makes possible a wide range of other applications, such as, tutoring children and providing remote care for sick and disabled people.

PaPeRo has been developed using the latest technologies:

It has two cameras for eyes that provide a stream of visual data, analyzed in real-time, enabling it to recognize people and avoid bumping into objects such as furniture.
Its "ears" are comprised of four microphones. Three microphones are used so the robot can detect voices, and the forth is used to understand instructions given to it from an increased select vocabulary.
Movement is based on mechatronics specially developed for the robot, and consists of a simplified control structure and modularized components.
Software technologies, such as graphical editors that enable easy programming of actions, dialogue and behaviors.
High-integration technology providing a stand-alone architecture.

Why build robots?

The increasing pace of the information technology in computers and communications is proving overwhelming for some people. Despite the emergence of more and more appliances offering more convenience and functionality users must cope with increasingly complex operating instructions. From children to the elderly there is a growing voice for technology that is simpler to use.

Thanks to the advances made in semiconductor and mechatronics technologies, it has now become feasible to develop home robots. This, together with the focus and demand on the development of technology for the individual rather than "future", has meant that attention given to the development of robots has grown significantly.

NEC believes robots that live with, and have the ability to interact with humans in many different ways will open up many possibilities. NEC plans to conduct further research and development using PaPeRo in various environments and locations, not only to advance the current technology, but also to improve interaction between humans and robots.

"The aim of our research at NEC is not just to further robot technology, but to examine and develop better human-machine interface through the concept of "living with robots," said Yoshihiro Fujita, Project Manager, NEC Incubation Center.

PaPeRo's home page  http://www.incx.nec.co.jp/robot/

NOMAD - The Thinking Robot

it is not science fiction. Researchers at The Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla have designed a machine that thinks.

The machine's brain is called Darwin, after the 19th century biologist who conceived the theory of natural selection. Under Institute director and Nobel laureate Gerald Edelman, M.D., Ph.D., the Darwin series of thinking brains began in the mid-1980s. Today, Darwin 6 consists of a realistically designed simulation of a nervous system housed in a mobile platform called NOMAD (Neurally Organized Mobile Adaptive Device).

The research is conducted in the Institute's W.M. Keck Foundation Laboratory of Machine Psychology. Established in 1998 with a grant of $1.5 million from the W.M. Keck Foundation of Los Angeles, the Keck Laboratory studies the neural bases of behavior and how the brain reacts and adapts to a changing world. Its objective is to develop a new generation of powerful models of brain activity. Unlike a robot, NOMAD is an autonomous "being," used as a tool to study how the brain controls behavior. According to neuroscientist Jeffrey Krichmar, Ph.D., NOMAD is at the behavioral level of an infant.

"NOMAD starts naive and learns from experience. It has a preference for light and a specific taste, but no other experience or programming." Krichmar explained.

NOMAD's behavior is controlled by the activity of its simulated brain cells, allowing researchers a unique window into how the human brain works and how brain mechanisms produce the range of behaviors associated with higher brain functions. NOMAD can interact with its environment by sensing light and taste and by moving around and grabbing play blocks with striped or spotted patterns.

"Since NOMAD is attracted to light, it will steer toward a block and pick it up. When it grabs the striped block, it gets an electrical charge," explained chief engineer James Snook.

"In the simulated brain, this conductivity registers as good taste. Blocks with spots give no charge, hence, bad taste. As NOMAD's gripper holds the block, the brain associates the taste with the pattern it sees. After learning, it will stop picking up bad tasting blocks. It will approach them and after seeing the pattern, will remember that they taste bad and move away."

"We are adding a third sense to NOMAD's repertoire; an auditory system," said Krichmar. The simulated auditory system has areas to categorize and locate a sound, he added. A tone is associated with the taste of the block (high-pitched from a striped block, low-pitched from a spotted block). When the block detects NOMAD's presence, it starts to beep.

Future plans are to give NOMAD a long-term memory that will enable it to remember objects and events and put them into context.

"Our main objective is to use NOMAD to test theories of the brain," Krichmar explained. "By analyzing its brain we hope to better understand how the human brain works. With this brain we can also model neurological diseases."

The implications of this research may include the development of better diagnostic tools for patients with neurological diseases, and improved methods for learning.

"Perhaps most exciting," Snook added, "will be the development of new pattern-recognition devices, based on the brain, that will communicate with digital computers."

Other discoveries at The Neurosciences Institute include demonstrating that fruit flies sleep, which could offer clues into sleep disorders. The Institute also showed that instinctive behavior can be transferred between one species of animal to another by transplanting early brain regions of the quail to chickens.

Founded in 1981, The Neurosciences Institute is an independent, non-profit scientific research organization that studies the biological bases of higher brain functions, such as consciousness and memory. It is supported entirely by private donations. 

The Neurosciences Institute Website  http://www.nsi.edu

(source - www.21stcentury.co.uk)