Robots

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Girls get their own robot: Penbo the Pengiun
Meck, meck, meck 30 January 2009 10:09 GMT
While most robots are mischievous things, Bossa Nova has developed a cute pink penguin aimed at appealing to girls rather than boys looking to destroy everything in their path.

A cross between a doll that needs caring for and kids favourite Pengu, Penbo (see...
Hasbro adds Zambi the elephant to FurReal range
"Cute and cuddly boys" 30 January 2009 9:56 GMT
Hasbro is planning to add to its range of FurReal robotic pets with the launch of Zambi a baby elephant.

Launching later in the year, Zambi will come with sensors in its head and trunk, and promise to interact with you when you play with it.

In...
Dancing Brobee takes on Elmo
Yo kids let's do some dancing 29 January 2009 11:29 GMT
First there was the Dancing Elmo, now it seems Brobee from Yo Gabba Gabba wants in on the dancing toy action.

Makers Spin Master have launched a dancing version of the big green monster at this year's Toy Fair in London.

Spin Master says that...
Prime-8: The fastest bi-ped robot in town
Run Forest run 29 January 2009 11:00 GMT
A new robotics company, Bossa Nova robots, is hoping to steal Wow Wee's thunder this Christmas with the launch of what it is claiming is the fastest bi-ped robot around.

The new bright yellow Gorilla, called Prime-8 (see what they've done there) will come with...
Brush Bot vibrates its way to launch
One way to get your shoes clean 29 January 2009 10:59 GMT
Robots are great, but sometimes can cost a fair few pennies - the Pleo is over £250 for example. In steps the Brush Bot, a build it yourself robot made from a shoe brush and a couple of motors.

The new robot, which admittedly really only vibrates, looks cute,...
RM launches ED-E robot for the classroom
Hands-on learning with a real-life robot 15 January 2009 14:09 GMT
RM, in partnership with DACTA, has launched its first robot designed specifically for the educational market.

The robot, called ED-E, is manufactured by MechRC and will be used to teach children the principles behind a variety of subjects including physics and...
Anybots unveils QA telepresence robot
CES 2009: Be anywhere in the world, without actually being there 8 January 2009 19:47 GMT
Anybots have introduced the baby of the family in the form of QA, a telepresence robot that ensures you can see and be seen, no matter where in the world you are.

The idea behind it is the ability to create a physical presence at any location where you cannot...
WowWee Spyball for those spying moments
CES 2009: Rolls in and then rolls out again 8 January 2009 7:20 GMT
Wowwee has launched a competitor to Sony's Rolly - the Spyball - at CES in Las Vegas.

The new ball shaped robot is a remote controlled, Wi-Fi enabled, transforming robotic ball that you could use to spy on people around your house.

The Spyball...
PHOTOS: WowWee Joebot robot
CES 2009: Hands on picture gallery 8 January 2009 6:51 GMT
WowWee's latest robot has been announced at CES in Las Vegas and Pocket-lint has a photo gallery of our hands on with the new robot bi-ped.

The Joebot robot is described as a walking, talking interactive buddy with a sense of humour and rhythm.
WowWee's CES launches revealed
CES 2009: Robots, Alive toys and more 7 January 2009 10:12 GMT
WowWee has revealed its new products for 2009 that it will show off at this year's CES show and there's plenty there for robo-fans.

The Spyball spy-cam is a remote controlled, Wi-Fi enabled, transforming robotic ball that can capture video and still images...
Tin can robot kit available
DIY robo-buddy 18 December 2008 9:30 GMT
With the tin can robot kit, budding mad scientists can add motors, gears, legs and batteries to re-build a simple pop can.

When created, the robot "jitters around, buzzing and clacking" which sounds pretty great.

Everything is supplied, you just...
Credit Crunch Christmas: WowWee Rovio
Pocket-lint's Advent calendar of gift ideas: 24 days to go 1 December 2008 10:00 GMT
In the first of our Credit Crunch Christmas gift suggestions, we are bringing you news of an offer from online retailer eXpansys that sees £55 off the cost of a WowWee Rovio mobile Wi-Fi webcam robot.

However, you'll have to be quick smart about it if you want...
Japanese robots take to the stage
Robotic thespians tread the boards 26 November 2008 17:16 GMT
A troupe of Japanese thespians have shared the limelight with none other than a group of robots.

In one of Japan's first ever robot-human theatre productions, the "actors" took to the stage at Osaka University.

Playwright Oriza Hirata penned his...
Cube-Works delivers the CAM-BABY robot
Cries when it falls over 21 November 2008 17:32 GMT
OK so it's completely useless, but the CAM-BABY from Japan's Cube-Works is ever so dinky.

And this little robot responds to hand claps and even cries when it falls over, which, from the look of Akihabara News' photos is quite a lot.

Hit the arrow...
Robot head mimicks human facial expressions
Can detect and replicate ten emotions 14 November 2008 16:25 GMT
OK so "Jules", the androgynous robot is a little creepy looking, but he/she/it is also amazing.

This robot has been trained to detect and replicate ten emotions including happiness, sadness and concern.

The software behind these capabilities was...
FeLiCa - the cash vending robot
Unveiled by NEC in Japan 14 November 2008 15:05 GMT
The iEXPO 2008 trade show in Japan saw the unveiling of a new robot who is designd just to do one thing - be an ATM for virtual cash.

FeLiCa was designed by a team over at NEC as is basically a payment terminal.

On "her" arm, she has a reader to...
iRobot invents a Wall-E who can clean
The Roomba gets a Pixar makeover 13 November 2008 17:02 GMT
If your sprogs are massive Wall-E fans, but they refuse to clean up after themselves, you can buy yourself a limited edition Roomba 530 robot.

The cleaning machine is a result of a collaboration between iRobot and Disney/Pixar, and has special Wall-E paint and...
Tokyo RoboClocks launch
Retro robotics 12 November 2008 15:34 GMT
These classically styled pint-sized metal robots look like they stepped right out of a 50s sci-fi film, except they've got timepieces in their torsos. The red fella gets articulated arms and legs and costs $35, while the larger black version just has moving arms and costs...
hpi heralds a new hound - the G-Dog robot
Bounding into shops later this month 10 November 2008 12:49 GMT
Japanese outfit hpi showed off its G-Dog robotic dog first way back in April, but the little fella is now finally available to buy (although only in Japan for the meanwhile).

The little brother of the original GR-001 robotic pooch stands just 5.3-inches tall...
Toyota develops robot for household chores
Not quite Rosie the Robotic Maid, but close... 27 October 2008 16:33 GMT
Toyota Motor Corp and a research body of the University of Tokyo have created a household robot.

The prototype handles household chores and has been designed to combat the predicted labour shortage that's said to be due to hit as a result Japan's aging population...
Coffee serving robot revealed
The dream? 20 October 2008 14:44 GMT
In Seoul, Yujin Robot has unveiled its entertainment robot "CAFERO" at the Robot World 2008 held in Korea. With a touchscreen interface, it seems the bot's purpose in life is solely serving caffeinated beverages. There's worse things...
Firebox offers Elmo Live
...While stocks last 14 October 2008 12:30 GMT
Said to "elevate plush toys to completely new levels of realism", hype aside, Elmo Live is likely to be one of the must-haves this Christmas.

"As if the world's favourite goggle-eyed Sesame Street character has come to life", state of the art technology brings...
Robots not capable of intelligent thought (yet)
Don't manage to trick humans in Turing Test 13 October 2008 14:51 GMT
A test created in 1950 by British Mathematician Alan Turing has proved that robots aren't yet capable of intelligent thought, though they're not far off.

The experiment at the University of Reading saw five machines pitted against each other in the test which...
Singer serenades his Roomba
Who would have thought cleaning could make anyone so happy 8 October 2008 14:08 GMT
It's a catchy tune but surely must go down in music history as one of the only serenades to a vacuum cleaner.

OK so it's a high tech robo-vacuum cleaner, the Roomba, but still???
VIDEO: Mech RC robot
We chat to the creator of this super sleek, 17 servo bot 25 September 2008 9:55 GMT
Mech RC is a funky little robot who dances, challenges you to a karate match and can even body pop.

Hit the link below for all of the tech details of this super bot and the play arrow for an interview with his creator, Dr Jim Wyatt.