Singularity

thanks to Gamehelper

Set in an alternate present of 2010, players take on the role of a US Air Force pilot who while investigating an extreme radiation signature, stumbles upon a top secret Cold War era Soviet program.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior

via gamespot

Graphics:

The graphics development and design used in Ghost Warrior is impressive. Players will be blown away by the numerous and noticeably flawless environments including jungle villages, abandoned construction sites, refineries, temples and even government buildings. The jungle island of Isla Trueno is filled with hostile life as rebels and unelected militants fight for supremacy. The sound effects also help to solidify the story by allowing players to hear the desperate cries of nearby villagers and angered rebels. The images players will witness through their rifle sights are shocking and help to give the game a current warfare feel. Due to the realistic and accurate graphics players are sure to experience the intense demand and anxiety of sniper combat as their crosshairs reveal a terrorizing soldier, holding villagers at gunpoint. In this game every shot has to matter; every shot has to be perfect.

Gameplay:

One of the most noticeable differences between Sniper Ghost Warrior and other first person shooters is its unpredictable nature. In most games which involve sniping missions, it is common to reach an environment and realize that it is designed and developed to present a sniping challenge, this game is different. With some of the levels being based on a more traditional combat scenarios or strategic booby-trapping, players will never really know what is coming next. There is a series of 16 stages, starting with the failed assignation in the refinery and ending with a final showdown in a set of ancient jungle ruins. Ghost Warrior is also designed to allow for open gameplay, leaving it up to the player to choose, time and target their shots as they see fit. Unlike other sniper-based releases Ghost Warrior requires as much strategy as it does patience. For example, in most of the targeting challenges once the targeted adversary is eliminated surrounding enemies will notice and react by spotting the player and revealing their position. This is quite unique when compared to other sniping games where the reaction of rivals is less than realistic. Players will also have to complete their missions without any type of replenishing health. If more health is needed their character must leave his position and head into the hills to find sporadically placed “health kits”. However, there is always the chance that the trip will result in challenging combat and an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers not to mention the compromise of their chosen sniping location. Each sniping level is designed to have multiple sequences allowing for players to determine their own approach to each mission and by doing so change the outcome of the game. Sniper Ghost Warrior can also be played as a multi-player coop with up to 16 players contributing simultaneously as snipers and spotters.

review by consolegaminginfo

Call of Duty: Black Ops

Call of Duty: Black Ops is an upcoming 2010 first-person shooter video game developed by Treyarch and published by Activision for release on November 9, 2010.



Officially announced on April 30, 2010, the game is the seventh installment of the Call of Duty series and the fourth game in the series to be developed by Treyarch after Call of Duty 2: Big Red One, Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War. It was initially only available for pre-order on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Activision however confirmed that it will also be released on the Nintendo Wii
Images from the content : Call of Duty: Black Ops : GM Review
The newest installment in the biggest action series of all time and the follow-up to last year's blockbuster Modern Warfare 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops launches on November 9, 2010.
The game features new equipment for the series such as a scoped crossbow with different kinds of ammunition (e.g., explosive) and Dragon's Breath rounds for shotguns. It also has an early model of the Steyr AUG which is customizable. The player will be piloting aircraft: an SR-71 Blackbird guiding a squad on the ground and an attack helicopter. The dismemberment feature, showcased only in Call of Duty: World at War, can be seen in the teaser trailer. It will also be the first game in the series to feature the player characters speak in-game.
Currently, little is known about multiplayer modes. Vehicles will retur, as well as dedicated servers for the PC version unlike Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2. It will feature a "Create-a-Class 2.0" allowing minor character customization alongside perks. Killstreaks will not count towards each other (while stacking and carrying over after deaths).
A Black Ops' multiplayer designer also stated there will be no nukes or game-ending killstreaks.
The cooperative mode will have a separate campaign.



review by gmreview

Gran Turismo 5

There are over 1,000 cars appearing in Gran Turismo 5, the most ever in the series. The world's hottest cars from car manufacturers all over the globe, both past and present have been gathered here.



thanks to IGN

Nanotechnology and Cancer

Nanotechnology cancer treatments would use gold particles to carry anticancer drugs straight to the cancer. Learn about nanotechnology cancer treatments.

Nanotechnology is one of the most popular areas of scientific research, especially with regard to medical applications. We've already discussed some of the new detection methods that should bring about cheaper, faster and less invasive cancer diagnoses. But once the diagnosis occurs, there's still the prospect of surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment to destroy the cancer. Unfortunately, these treatments can carry serious side effects. Chemotherapy can cause a variety of ailments, including hair loss, digestive problems, nausea, lack of energy and mouth ulcers.

But nanotechnologists think they have an answer for treatment as well, and it comes in the form of targeted drug therapies. If scientists can load their cancer-detecting gold nanoparticles with anticancer drugs, they could attack the cancer exactly where it lives. Such a treatment means fewer side effects and less medication used. Nanoparticles also carry the potential for targeted and time-release drugs. A potent dose of drugs could be delivered to a specific area but engineered to release over a planned period to ensure maximum effectiveness and the patient's safety.

These treatments aim to take advantage of the power of nanotechnology and the voracious tendencies of cancer cells, which feast on everything in sight, including drug-laden nanoparticles. One experiment of this type used modified bacteria cells that were 20 percent the size of normal cells. These cells were equipped with antibodies that latched onto cancer cells before releasing the anticancer drugs they contained.

Another used nanoparticles as a companion to other treatments. These particles were sucked up by cancer cells and the cells were then heated with a magnetic field to weaken them. The weakened cancer cells were then much more susceptible to chemotherapy.

It may sound odd, but the dye in your blue jeans or your ballpoint pen has also been paired with gold nanoparticles to fight cancer. This dye, known as phthalocyanine, reacts with light. The nanoparticles take the dye directly to cancer cells while normal cells reject the dye. Once the particles are inside, scientists "activate" them with light to destroy the cancer. Similar therapies have existed to treat skin cancers with light-activated dye, but scientists are now working to use nanoparticles and dye to treat tumors deep in the body.

From manufacturing to medicine to many types of scientific research, nanoparticles are now rather common, but some scientists have voiced concerns about their negative health effects. Nanoparticles' small size allows them to infiltrate almost anywhere. That's great for cancer treatment but potentially harmful to healthy cells and DNA. There are also questions about how to dispose of nanoparticles used in manufacturing or other processes. Special disposal techniques are needed to prevent harmful particles from ending up in the water supply or in the general environment, where they'd be impossible to track.

Gold nanoparticles are a popular choice for medical research, diagnostic testing and cancer treatment, but there are numerous types of nanoparticles in use and in development. Bill Hammack, a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Illinois, warned that nanoparticles are "technologically sweet" [Source: Marketplace]. In other words, scientists are so wrapped up in what they can do, they're not asking if they should do it. The Food and Drug Administration has a task force on nanotechnology, but as of yet, the government has exerted little oversight or regulation.

via health.howstuffworks

Ρομποτική…γεωργία Ρομποτικοί θα είναι οι αγρότες του μέλλοντος.

Το να μαζέψει κάποιος ένα κουνουπίδι από το χωράφι του είναι μία δουλειά η οποία, εκ πρώτης όψεως, φαίνεται εξαιρετικά απλή- τουλάχιστον, φαίνεται έτσι όταν κάποιος βλέπει το κουνουπίδι σερβιρισμένο μπροστά του στο τραπέζι. Αλλά το να ξέρει την κατάλληλη στιγμή για τη συλλογή του έχει την ιδιαιτερότητά του- η οποία αποκτά πολύ μεγάλη σημασία όταν στην «εξίσωση» υπεισέρχονται και οικονομικοί παράγοντες, δηλαδή όταν μιλάμε για αγροτική παραγωγή, η οποία πρέπει να προωθηθεί την κατάλληλη στιγμή στην αγορά. Επίσης, κάποιες φορές τίθεται και θέμα εύρεσης πρόθυμου εργατικού δυναμικού: «Είναι μία απαίσια δουλειά, δεν την κάνουν πολλά άτομα» λέει ο Δρ. Ρίτσαρντ Ντάντλεϊ του National Physical Laboratory (NPL), ο οποίος εργάζεται πάνω σε ένα πρόγραμμα δημιουργίας ρομποτικών εργατών, οι οποίοι θα αντικαταστήσουν τους ανθρώπους αγρότες- τουλάχιστον, όσον αφορά τις συγκομιδές.

Συνεχίζοντας με το ίδιο παράδειγμα: Οι ανθρώπινες μέθοδοι συγκομιδής κουνουπιδιών απαιτούν περίπου 15 άτομα που βαδίζουν μπροστά από μία αλωνιστική μηχανή, ελέγχουν τα κουνουπίδια για να δουν αν έχουν το κατάλληλο μέγεθος, τα κόβουν και τα ρίχνουν στην καρότσα του οχήματος- διαδικασία που γίνεται μέσα σε δευτερόλεπτα. Ως εκ τούτου, γίνεται εύκολα αντιληπτό ότι γίνονται πολλά λάθη, ενώ πολύ συχνά η διαδικασία δεν είναι όσο αποδοτική αναμενόταν- καθώς, όπως σχολιάζει ο Δρ. Ντάντλεϊ, «τις περισσότερες φορές γίνεται ένα πέρασμα και ό,τι 'ξεφύγει', απλά μένει να σαπίσει».

Η ομάδα του Ντάντλεϊ συνεργάζεται με την εταιρεία αγροτικών μηχανημάτων Vegetable Harvesting Systems με απώτερο στόχο την κατασκευή ρομπότ τα οποία είναι το ίδιο γρήγορα με τους ανθρώπους (αν όχι γρηγορότερα), και είναι σε θέση να κρίνουν αν ένα κουνουπίδι είναι έτοιμο για συγκομιδή ή όχι.

Ένα από τα πρωτότυπα έχει έναν πολυαξονικό βραχίονα καθώς και έναν που είναι εξοπλισμένος με λεπίδα: το μοντέλο αυτό είναι σε θέση να κόβει και να συλλέγει. Ήδη δοκιμές βρίσκονται εν εξελίξει στο Κέμπριτζσαϊρ.

Όσον αφορά τα «κριτήρια επιλογής», το ρομπότ είναι εξοπλισμένο με ειδικούς αισθητήρες, οι οποίοι είναι σε θέση να κρίνουν αν ο καρπός είναι έτοιμος για συγκομιδή.

«Υπάρχει ένα συγκεκριμένο μέγεθος στο οποίο όταν τα κουνουπίδια φτάσουν είναι ώριμα» είπε σχετικά ο Δρ. Ντάντλεϊ.

Τα δοκιμαστικά μοντέλα προς το παρόν ακολουθούν αλωνιστικές μηχανές- αλλά στο μέλλον, όπως ισχυρίζεται η ερευνητική ομάδα, θα είναι σε θέση να «περιπολούν» μόνα τους.

«Θα χρησιμοποιούν GPS και προηγμένα τεχνολογικά μέσα για να αντιλαμβάνονται το σημείο στο οποίο βρίσκονται οι καλλιέργειες…θα μπορούν επίσης να καταγράφουν την πρόοδό τους, έτσι ώστε να γίνονται συγκρίσεις και προβλέψεις και να μεγιστοποιείται η απόδοσή τους». είπε σχετικά ο Ντάντλεϊ.

«Η γεωργία είναι μία πολύ μεγάλη ευκαιρία για αυτοματισμούς τύπου ρομποτικής» είπε ο καθηγητής Τόνι Στεντς του Field Robotics Centre του Carnegie Mellon University.

Μέχρι τώρα, η γενικευμένη χρήση ρομπότ στη γεωργία θεωρούνταν εξαιρετικά ακριβή, με αποτέλεσμα να δίνεται μεγαλύτερη σημασία στην εξέλιξη της τεχνολογίας σε θεριζοαλωνιστικά μηχανήματα- η χρήση των οποίων όμως περιορίζεται σε συγκομιδές συγκεκριμένων ειδών.

«Τα τρακτέρ για παράδειγμα: έλκουν αλέτρια, προβαίνουν σε σπορές και ραντισμούς κ.α. Όλα αυτά μπορούν να βελτιωθούν αν απομακρύνουμε τον οδηγό» είπε χαρακτηριστικά.

Η αυτοματοποίηση των τρακτέρ θα είχε πολλά οφέλη, σύμφωνα με τον καθηγητή Στεντς: ένα εξ αυτών θα ήταν και η προστασία της υγείας των αγροτών, καθώς θα περνούσαν λιγότερο χρόνο κοντά σε μεγάλα μηχανήματα και χημικές ουσίες. Επίσης, ένα αυτόματο τρακτέρ θα μπορούσε να εργάζεται ασταμάτητα για 24 ώρες και άνω, χωρίς διαλείμματα και χωρίς μείωση της αποδοτικότητας.

via kathimerini

Ένας πραγματικός βιντεοπροβολέας… στην τσέπη σας.

Το Optoma PK102 Pico Pocket Projector (αυτό είναι το επίσημο όνομά του πλέον) είναι μια μοναδική συσκευή, η οποία έχει μέγεθος παρεμφερές με ενός κινητού τηλεφώνου ( 5cm X 10,3cm X 1,5cm), βάρος 115 gr, και μια μνήμη 4Gb. Μπορεί να μη γεμίζει το μάτι με το μικρό του μέγεθος αλλά είναι ένας πραγματικός βιντεοπροβολέας, που θα γίνει η ιδανική συντροφιά για τον ταξιδιώτη, τον επιχειρηματία, τον φανατικό κινηματογραφόφιλο, ακόμα και τον φανατικό gamer….

Μέσα σε αυτό το μικρό κουτάκι κατάφεραν να χωρέσουν έναν βιντεοπροβολέα που μπορεί να προβάλει εικόνα και βίντεο σε απόσταση από 25 εκατοστά μέχρι και 2,6 μέτρα… και σε μέγιστο μέγεθος προβαλλόμενης εικόνας 60 ολόκληρων ιντσών!
Σύμφωνα με την εταιρεία το Pico βασίζεται στην τεχνολογία LED/DLP (με led τριών χρωμάτων), και η εικόνα που προβάλλεται είναι υψηλού contrast (1000:1) , φωτισμένη ομοιόμορφα και με ποιοτικά χρώματα.

Και αν αυτά φαίνονται ήδη αρκετά, το Pico συνεχίζει και εντυπωσιάζει μιας και μπορεί να συνδεθεί… με τα πάντα: κινητά τηλέφωνα, Ipod, laptops, ψηφιακές φωτογραφικές μηχανές, μέχρι και με κονσόλες παιχνιδιών! Το ακόμα καλύτερο είναι ότι ο αγοραστής θα βρει όλα τα απαραίτητα καλώδια μέσα στην συσκευασία. Οι θύρες με τις οποίες είναι εξοπλισμένο είναι : VGA/USB, AV Input, με την τελευταία να συνδυάζει και είσοδο για ήχο μιας και το Pico έχει ΚΑΙ ηχεία….

Επιπλέον χαρακτηριστικά: επαναφορτιζόμενη μπαταρία που αρκεί για λειτουργία 2 ωρών, και φόρτιση είτε από πρίζα μέσω φορτιστή ή μέσω USB. Επιπλέον Υποστηρίζει τα πιο δημοφιλή αρχεία εικόνας και βίντεο.

Το καλύτερο το άφησα για το τέλος… Η τιμή του είναι (σε σχέση με αυτά που προσφέρει) αρκετά προσιτή. 250€ για εδώ, (αν και στο εξωτερικό με μια γρήγορη έρευνα, φαίνεται να έχει καλύτερη τιμή).

via medgreece

Ιαπωνικά σχέδια για αμιγώς ρομποτική βάση στη Σελήνη έως το 2020

Θεωρώντας ότι μια σεληνιακή βάση θα αποβεί πολύτιμη για την περαιτέρω εξερεύνηση του ηλιακού συστήματος, η Ιαπωνία ανακοίνωσε ότι σχεδιάζει να στείλει στο φεγγάρι ανθρωποειδή ρομπότ (τομέα στον οποίο έχει διεθνές συγκριτικό πλεονέκτημα), προκειμένου να κατασκευάσουν μια βάση.

Το σχέδιο, προϋπολογισμού 2,2 δισ. δολαρίων, προβλέπει ότι τα ρομπότ θα αρχίσουν να μελετούν την επιφάνεια της Σελήνης γύρω στο 2015 και θα έχουν χτίσει, χωρίς ανθρώπινη συμμετοχή, τη βάση τους, κοντά στο Νότιο Πόλο του δορυφόρου της Γης, μέχρι το έτος 2020.

Το σχέδιο συντονίζεται από κυβερνητική επιτροπή με επικεφαλής τον πρόεδρο του πανεπιστημίου Βασέντα Κατσουχίκο Σιράι. Σύμφωνα με τον αρχικό προγραμματισμό, τα ρομπότ, βάρους περίπου 300 κιλών το καθένα, σε πρώτη φάση θα φωτογραφήσουν την περιοχή της Σελήνης που προορίζεται για εγκατάστασή τους, θα κάνουν διάφορες έρευνες (π.χ. σεισμογραφικές), θα συλλέξουν δείγματα βράχων και θα επιστρέψουν στη Γη μέσω πυραύλου. Σε επόμενη φάση, τα ρομπότ θα σταλούν στη Σελήνη για να κατασκευάσουν μόνα τους τη βάση τους.

Τα ρομπότ και η μη επανδρωμένη με ανθρώπους βάση θα τροφοδοτούνται ενεργειακά μέσω ηλιακών συλλεκτών. Τα ρομπότ θα ελέγχονται από τη Γη, αλλά παράλληλα θα έχουν σημαντικό βαθμό αυτονομίας, ώστε να αποφασίζουν μόνα τους για διάφορες εργασίες που θα πρέπει να γίνουν. Τελικά, αν όλα πάνε καλά, η σεληνιακή βάση θα χρησιμεύσει ως αφετηρία για τον μελλοντικό αποικισμό του ηλιακού μας συστήματος από ρομπότ και, αργότερα, από ανθρώπους.

via enet

Nanowires for the electronics and optoelectronics of the future

Organic semiconductors are very promising candidates as starting materials for the manufacture of cheap, large area and flexible electronic components such as transistors, diodes and sensors on a scale ranging from micro to nano. A condition for success in achieving this goal is the ability to join components together with electrically conducting links - in other words, to create an electronic circuit. European scientists have developed a new method which allows them to create simple networks of organic nanowires.

via physorg

NASA to Launch Human-Like Robot to Join Space Station Crew

NASA will launch the first human-like robot to space later this year to become a permanent resident of the International Space Station. Robonaut 2, or R2, was developed jointly by NASA and General Motors under a cooperative agreement to develop a robotic assistant that can work alongside humans, whether they are astronauts in space or workers at GM manufacturing plants on Earth.

The 300-pound R2 consists of a head and a torso with two arms and two hands. R2 will launch on space shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-133 mission planned for September. Once aboard the station, engineers will monitor how the robot operates in weightlessness.

R2 will be confined to operations in the station's Destiny laboratory. However, future enhancements and modifications may allow it to move more freely around the station's interior or outside the complex.

"This project exemplifies the promise that a future generation of robots can have both in space and on Earth, not as replacements for humans but as companions that can carry out key supporting roles," said John Olson, director of NASA's Exploration Systems Integration Office at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "The combined potential of humans and robots is a perfect example of the sum equaling more than the parts. It will allow us to go farther and achieve more than we can probably even imagine today."

The dexterous robot not only looks like a human but also is designed to work like one. With human-like hands and arms, R2 is able to use the same tools station crew members use. In the future, the greatest benefits of humanoid robots in space may be as assistants or stand-in for astronauts during spacewalks or for tasks too difficult or dangerous for humans. For now, R2 is still a prototype and does not have adequate protection needed to exist outside the space station in the extreme temperatures of space.

Testing the robot inside the station will provide an important intermediate environment. R2 will be tested in microgravity and subjected to the station's radiation and electromagnetic interference environments. The interior operations will provide performance data about how a robot may work side-by-side with astronauts. As development activities progress on the ground, station crews may be provided hardware and software to update R2 to enable it to do new tasks.

R2 is undergoing extensive testing in preparation for its flight. Vibration, vacuum and radiation testing along with other procedures being conducted on R2 also benefit the team at GM. The automaker plans to use technologies from R2 in future advanced vehicle safety systems and manufacturing plant applications.

"The extreme levels of testing R2 has undergone as it prepares to venture to the International Space Station are on par with the validation our vehicles and components go through on the path to production," said Alan Taub, vice president of GM's global research and development. "The work done by GM and NASA engineers also will help us validate manufacturing technologies that will improve the health and safety of our GM team members at our manufacturing plants throughout the world. Partnerships between organizations such as GM and NASA help ensure space exploration, road travel and manufacturing can become even safer in the future."

via nasa.gov

AR-Drone, iPhone Controlled Quadracopter, Prices Announced

The iPhone controlled flying robot, AR-Drone, which was debuted at CES this year, now has a price tag. Parrot has announced that the autonomous quadracopter will retail for $300 USD and be available in September. While Gizmodo says, “ouch!”, we say “wow!” because I was fully expecting a >$500 price tag, considering that the vehicle has 2 cameras and Wifi connectivity, along with an ultrasonic altimeter and gyro-stabilization. You can read the details on Parrot’s page.



The AR-Drone appears to be a great platform for hacking, since Parrot has already said they will be releasing an API for interfacing to the vehicle, and the on-board processor is a 500 MHz ARM9 running Linux with 128 Mb of RAM. I can’t wait till September!

via gorobotics

Antikythera Mechanism: Scientists Crack Secrets Of 2,000-Year-Old Astronomical Computer

Cardiff University experts have led an international team in unravelling the secrets of a 2,000-year-old computer which could transform the way we think about the ancient world.

by ScienceDaily

Professor Mike Edmunds of the School of Physics and Astronomy and mathematician Dr Tony Freeth first heard of the Antikythera Mechanism, a clock-like astronomical calculator dating from the second century BC, several years ago. Now they believe they have cracked the centuries-old mystery of how it actually works.

Remnants of a broken wooden and bronze case containing more than 30 gears was found by divers exploring a shipwreck off the island of Antikythera at the turn of the 20th century. Scientists have been trying to reconstruct it ever since. The new research suggests it is more sophisticated than anyone previously thought.

Detailed work on the gears in the mechanism showed it was able to track astronomical movements with remarkable precision. The calculator was able to follow the movements of the moon and the sun through the Zodiac, predict eclipses and even recreate the irregular orbit of the moon. The team believe it may also have predicted the positions of the planets.

The findings suggest that Greek technology was far more advanced than previously thought. No other civilisation is known to have created anything as complicated for another thousand years.

Professor Edmunds said: "This device is just extraordinary, the only thing of its kind. The design is beautiful, the astronomy is exactly right. The way the mechanics are designed just makes your jaw drop. Whoever has done this has done it extremely carefully."

The team was made up of researchers from Cardiff, the National Archeological Museum of Athens and the Universities of Athens and Thessaloniki, supported by a substantial grant from the Leverhulme Trust. The researchers were greatly aided by Hertfordshire firm X-Tek, who developed powerful X-Ray computer technology to help with the study of corroded fragments of the machine. Computer giant Hewlett-Packard provided imaging technology to enhance the surface details of the machine.

The mechanism is in 70 pieces and stored in precisely controlled conditions in Athens where it cannot be touched. Recreating its workings was a difficult, painstaking process, involving astronomers, mathematicians, computer experts, script analysts and conservation experts.

After unveiling their full findings at a two-day international conference in Athens and in the journal Nature, the researchers are now hoping to create a computer model of how the machine worked, and, in time, a full working replica. It is still uncertain what the ancient Greeks used the mechanism for, or how widespread this technology was.

Professor Edmunds said: "It does raise the question what else were they making at the time. In term of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa."

sciencedaily

Wink Glasses Remind Computer Users to Blink

Technology has replaced conscious memory in so many aspects of our lives, reminding us of our appointments or alerting us when our oil needs changing. But reminding us to blink? One Japanese company has developed a pair of glasses that does exactly that.

Developed by Japan's Masunaga Optical Manufacturing, Wink Glasses remind computer users to blink every so often to avoid eye strain. A sensor detects how long you go without blinking; after five seconds of staring blankly into the screen, the right lens fogs, obscuring your vision until you blink again. The glasses hold an eight hour charge, and even plug into a USB outlet for extra juice during those marathon WoW session.

by popsci

Sand-swimming robot

A robot that can travel through loose debris takes its inspiration from the sandfish lizard, one of nature's own sand swimmers.

by newscientist

3D displays and haptic interfaces come together in HIRO III

thanks to engadget

The Kawasaki and Mouri Laboratory at Gifu University in Japan are researching and developing a touch interface which, combined with 3D displays, could offer a new way to simulate the touching of objects. HIRO III is a haptic interface robot which can provide realistic kinesthetic sensations to the user's hand and fingers, while the 3D display provides the visual experience. Possible applications include medical diagnostics training, but for now, HIRO III is still in the lab. Interestingly, we've seen a very similar -- albeit more scholastic -- take on the same idea very recently. Hit the video below for a fuller look at this one.

review by engadget

Sony killed AIBO and QRIO

thanks to enjoykorea

Well wouldn't you know it, not even a day after receiving what's possibly the biggest validation of robotic companions since Petster saved little Timmy from a burning barn back in '86, it looks like news is surfacing that in Sony's Q305 fiscal reports they have intentions and supposedly already ceased developing AIBO and QRIO, Engadget's most beloved of all canine and humanoid robots, respectively. At the risk of sounding terribly insensitive, somehow the prospect of AIBO and QRIO dying actually makes us more heartsick than the news of the 10,000 some-odd jobs Stringer cut reorganizing the electronics giant. Sony, say it ain't so, say it ain't so!

review by engadget

Boston dynamics robot

thanks to boingboingvideo

BigDog is the alpha male of the Boston Dynamics robots. It is a rough-terrain robot that walks, runs, climbs and carries heavy loads. BigDog is powered by an engine that drives a hydraulic actuation system. BigDog has four legs that are articulated like an animal’s, with compliant elements to absorb shock and recycle energy from one step to the next. BigDog is the size of a large dog or small mule; about 3 feet long, 2.5 feet tall and weighs 240 lbs.

BigDog's on-board computer controls locomotion, servos the legs and handles a variety of sensors. BigDog’s control system keeps it balanced, navigates, and regulates its energetics as conditions vary. Sensors for locomotion include joint position, joint force, ground contact, ground load, a gyroscope, LIDAR and a stereo vision system. Other sensors focus on the internal state of BigDog, monitoring the hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, engine functions, battery charge and others.

In separate tests BigDog runs at 4 mph, climbs slopes up to 35 degrees, walks across rubble, climbs a muddy hiking trail, walks in snow and water, and carries a 340 lb load. BigDog set a world's record for legged vehicles by traveling 12.8 miles without stopping or refueling.

The ultimate goal for BigDog is to develop a robot that can go anywhere people and animals can go. The program is funded by the Tactical Technology Office at DARPA.

review by bostondynamics

Robot violist

thanks to diagonaluk

Toyota recently unveiled their latest musical robot; a violinist. This latest type joins the band of trumpet and drum players, the violinist being the most graceful in my honest opinion. In its public debut, the robot showed its ability to play Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance which, although it’s not human quality, is a delight to watch.

review by thinkartificial

Asimo robot

thanks to videosblog

ASIMO (アシモ, ashimo?) is a humanoid robot created by Honda. Standing at 130 centimeters (4 feet 3 inches) and weighing 54 kilograms (114 pounds), the robot resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack and can walk or run on two feet at speeds up to 6 km/h (4.3 mph), matching EMIEW.ASIMO was created at Honda's Research & Development Wako Fundamental Technical Research Center in Japan. It is the current model in a line of twelve that began in 1986 with E0.

The name is an acronym for "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility". Honda states that the robot's name is not a reference to science fiction writer and inventor of the Three Laws of Robotics, Isaac Asimov.

As of February 2009, there are over 100 ASIMO units in existence.Each costs under ¥100 million ($1 million) to manufacture.

review by wikipedia

Nao robot

The pint-size humanoid bot Nao, created by Paris-based Aldebaran Robotics, exhibits its dexterity, object-tracking, interaction, and balance skills. Already used in the RoboCup soccer competition, Nao is set to start selling in the mass market in late 2010.

review by zdnet


thanks to GerbilGod7