Maybe we'll never know how Comedy Central could run a show like "BattleBots" and not have it be the greatest thing ever. Lucky for us, the concept is getting another shot at life thanks to the fine folks at ESPN 2 and ESPNU. The new show format will have an increased emphasis on the behind-the-scenes nerdmergencies in the "pits" when the bots need tweaking or full on repairs. They're also going to do away with the annoying wedgebots (similar in principle to this Microsoft bot up above, just more annoying), beef up the arena hazards and add a new experimental class for featuring other bot types competing in what are hopefully equally destructive forms. The show was going to start up in June, but is being held back a bit while the 150 or so participating college teams prep entries, and the mayhem is now slated to begin in November.

Source : BattleBots -- now with sawdisc, Sitemap

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The University of Michigan's COM-BAT most definitely isn't the first mechanical animal to get its inspirations from the bat, but it's probably the best equipped to play a vital role in modern day warfare. A select group of Wolverines have been blessed with a $10 million grant from the US Army in order to concoct a "six-inch robotic spy plane modeled after a bat [that] would gather data from sights, sounds and smells in urban combat zones and transmit information back to a soldier in real time." Purportedly, the critter will eventually boast a bevy of sensors, miniature microphones and detectors for picking up nuclear radiation and poisonous gases. Even more interesting, creators are hoping to implement "energy scavenging," which would enable the bat to stay charged from wind / solar energy along with vibrations and "other sources." So much for being nocturnal, eh?

Source : COM-BAT swoops in to gather data on reconnaissance missions

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Remember those cyborg insects that seemed so much like a pipe dream just two short years ago? Yeah, those frackin' things have somehow survived into adulthood, and are closing in on being ready to infiltrate enemy camps and extract vital information. According to a recent update on the DARPA project, the insects -- which have "modified body structures and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) embedded" within -- have lasted into adulthood, and now those behind the endeavor are hoping to enable remote control of the bugs via "mechano-sensor activation" or something similar. Additionally, scientists are hoping to harness the energy emitted during locomotion to actually power the internal MEMS. Sure, as long as these critters can be swatted down with a newspaper, we're solid, but we aren't too sure we dig where this could be headed.

Source : Cyborg insects survive to adulthood, ensure our doom

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While it doesn't exactly come as much of a surprise, a team of researchers from ATR Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan have found that people are more accepting of robots if they engage in a little small talk during conversations, as opposed to leaving unnerving silences that make folks unclear of their intentions. The researchers also found that of the 38 people surveyed, most were willing to accept delays in responses of one or two seconds, but that they much preferred if the robot threw in a "well" or "er" to fill the gap if it was taking any longer for them to muster up an answer. Of course, as we all know, just because a robot shoots the breeze with you doesn't mean it's your friend, so you may want to be careful what you wish for.

Source : Researchers find folks prefer robots that engage in small talk

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What's supposedly the largest deep-sea remote-controlled robot ever built was rolled out this week: the SMD Ultra Trencher 1 (UT1), a 50 ton, £10m ($19.8m) ROV the size of a small domicile (25.5 x 25.5 x 18.3 feet). Capable of sucking up two megawatts of power while using its "jet swords" trench deep sea pipelines up to a meter wide and 2.5 meters deep into the sea floor (while operating at a depth of up to 1500m), the UT1 is clearly just in time. We hear the CIA errant anchors are due to snip another three or four deep-sea internet backbone cables, so the UT1's got its work cut out for it.

Source : Laying PIPE robot

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Okay, so after watching this thing bust a move on video, we actually aren't as perplexed by it as we once were, but there's no denying that Sony's Rolly is quite the curious character. Nevertheless, the SEP-30BT (opposed to Japan's SEP-10BT) has hurtled itself into the open arms of the FCC, assuring Americans that the time has almost come. There's nothing too shocking within the 70 (!) page manual, but if you just can't wait for this critter to land at your doorstep, tap the read link below and eat your heart out.

Source : Sony's Rolly tumbles into FCC, stumps them too

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Finally you can give your drummer his walking papers. Let's be honest, he was the weak link in the band, right? From now on, all your percussive duties can be carried out by this ingenious bot, whose only duty in artificial-life is to roll around, find objects to bang on, and create funky little loops. Basically, the Yellow Drum Machine uses two microphones / sound sensors on its "head" to search out surfaces suitable for rocking, then uses two sticks to play a beat, record it, and accompany the playback. The end result is a surprisingly human -- and wiggle-inducing -- rhythm. Check the video after the break to see just how nasty this robot gets.

Source : Robot drummer goes solo, plays solos

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Last week, my Ugobe Pleo Robot Dinosaur underwent minor brain surgery, receiving a .0.2 upgrade to his LifeOS--the software that essentially functions as his brain. I'll admit, I was apprehensive about the procedure. Altering a computer's OS can result in side effects, and in Pleo's case, there are no external controls. If this firmware update failed, I could have ended up with a lifeless, rubber-skinned chew toy.

I followed the Website instructions to the letter, downloading the ZIP file from www.pleoworld.com/support and expanded the file in a folder on my desktop PC. Then I found a standard density SD Card (Pleo seems unable to read high-capacity ones). It didn't have to be blank, but I had to load the unzipped filed in the parent directory so Pleo could find them. Making sure Pleo was off, I inserted the card, turned him on and heard a few distinct beeps. After a minute or so, Pleo returned to life. As instructed, I quickly shut him off, removed the card and then turned him on again.

Initially, Pleo was sluggish, and though Ugobe had warned me about this temporary side effect, I still worried that Pleo had suffered a robot stroke. Eventually, Pleo grew sprightlier and, finally, he seemed to be back to his old self.

The new brain hasn't led to any backflips, and Pleo hasn't made me ham and eggs yet. However, he is moving a bit faster (though no less noisily; I can still hear every single motor move) and seems to more readily recognize objects in his path, which means he's zipping from one end of my office to the other, and sometimes out the door, often before I notice he's gone (there's nothing sadder than an Editor standing outside his office, plaintively calling, "Pleo, come back! Come back, Pleo!") I've also noticed that he's more in love with me than ever. I'd swear he can crane his neck at a more extreme angle than before to look up at me.

I'm glad Ugobe is finally making Pleo more than just a robot novelty that can imitate emotion, adding changes little over time. Now if only I could upload similar software to other members of my family.

Source : Hands on with the Pleo Update: He Loves Me More Than Ever

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Make money from the internet, I think those words sound nice. Not much people that can get money from this internet world. Actually, there are many ways to get money from internet, the easiest way is gambling. Believe or not, gambling is the most interested way to make more money. Somebody says that gambling need luck, someone else say that gambling just like mathematic, the other says that gambling need tricky skill. You can assume it with your own word. But the same goal from all of the people that do gambling, is achieve win, get more money, and go home with smile.

Are you interested already?
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If you need more information about Casino Reviews, just visit this site : http://www.casinonewbies.com/category/casino-reviews/ . At those site, you will get info and tutorial how to choose the best kind of “Play” that suitable with you. So, you only need to spend a little time to study, learn, and make money.
I hope this little information can help you all. I wish you luck in your games.
Thanks.

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Rich, wealth, and much money, all of those words that we find in this life. So many way to do to get all of those goals achieved. We must works very hard, pull out our nerve, and get our body full of sweat. It sound bad isn’t it?
Actually, there is more easiest way to make money. And we can get it from our own home. No need to go outside, just from front of your computer in your own room. All you have to do is join bloggerwave. They will help you make money from internet.

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Not that we're experts on the matter or anything, but if barrister and engineer Chris Elliot knows a thing or two about legal issues, a kind of "military Turing test" could be the key to legally deploying autonomous systems in battle. As it stands, "weapons intrinsically incapable of distinguishing between civilian and military targets are illegal" -- at least according to Mr. Elliot -- but by testing an intelligent war machine's ability to hone in on legitimate targets and brush off friendlies, all that could change. Of course, actually administering the test still remains a mystery, but considering that remotely controlled armed bots are currently being used in Iraq, we reckon someone's already figuring out a solution to said dilemma.

Source : War Robot

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Pleo is a robot dinosaur that design to imitate of a week-old baby Camarasaurus behavior. It was is manufactured by Ugobe , and designed by Caleb Chung. First time, Pleo was unveiled on February 7, 2006 at the DEMO Conference in Scottsdale.
Ugobe develop Pleo with a high technology to animate it into life, just like creatures with organic movement and adaptable behaviors. Ugobe calls them "Life Forms" . They design Pleo with combine neuronetics , sensory, articulation, and to create the lifelike appearance of its original creature. When developing Pleo, Ugobe has specially attention to the biological and neurological systems of the Camarasaurus, then they "re-interpreted" those elements through hardware and software.

Source Article : http://irwanbee.com/robotic/pleo_robot.html

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