Archive for August, 2011

Elenco 1017 PicoBotz Robot Kit

  • For the Budding Robotics Engineer
  • 180 Programmable Commands
  • Learn all about electronics from building your own robot.

Product Description
This educational kit provides detailed instructions and background information on each component used in construction. — The innovative design requires only simple hand tools to assemble, and will demonstrate how sensor technology is administered. — Once built, the robot will function within three operating modes – avoider, to steer clear of obstacles; sound mode, to initiate changes in direction through sound impulses; and line tracer mode, to enable PicoBOTZ t… More >>

Elenco 1017 PicoBotz Robot Kit

TR35 Logo

It’s that time of year again… MIT Technology Review announced their 2011 "Young Innovators Under 35" Awards (TR35).  This year two roboticists are among the recipients: Brian Gerkey and Pieter Abbeel.  Brian Gerkey is currently the "Director of Open Source Development" at Willow Garage, where he architects ROS (the Robot Operating System).  ROS is quickly becoming the world’s standard robot software platform, supplanting Player –which was also developed by Brian.  Pieter Abbeel, a professor at UC Berkeley, has done some cool stuff with the PR2 (eg. towel folding) as well as really nice machine learning work on autonomous helicopter acrobatics.  Now we can add Brian and Pieter to the ranks of past TR35 robotics recipients: Aaron Dollar (2010)Andrea Thomaz (2009), Andrew Ng (2008), Robert Wood (2008), Josh Bongard (2007).  I’m noticing a nice trend… Hopefully TR35′s love for robotics continues.

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Wowwee Paper Jamz Pro Mic – Style 2

  • Manufacturer’s Suggested Age: 8 Years and Up
  • Features: Speakers
  • Interacts With: Computer
  • Number of Pieces: 1
  • Includes: Microphone, Speakers

Product Description
Paper Jamz turns up the volume with the rocking new online-compatible Pro Series. Never be embarrassed to sing in public again. With cutting-edge, real-time technology, the Paper Jamz Pro microphone lets anyone sing like a pop star. You can sing a duet with the artist or go solo and become the artist. Voice effects analyze and tune your pitch as you sing, so you never sound out of key. You can also make yourself sound like part of a perfectly-harmonized duo or trio,… More >>

Wowwee Paper Jamz Pro Mic – Style 2

Wow Wee Paper Jamz Drum Series II – Style 5

  • Manufacturer’s Suggested Age: 8 Years and Up
  • Product Weight: 1.54 Lb.

Product Description
One Way Or Another Performed by Blondie, Middle of the Road by Performed by The Pretenders… More >>

Wow Wee Paper Jamz Drum Series II – Style 5

Product Description
Brand New 6 In 1 Educational Solar Diy Toy Kit Boat Fan Car Robot. 6 in 1 Educational Solar DIY Toy Kit 100% Brand New Material: Polyethylene Build 6 different models Solar Car Solar Puppy Solar Airboat Solar Plane Solar Windmill Solar Revolving Plane Differs from other torpid model toys, they move after assembling Solar energy provides motive force Do not need screws, so no tools is employed Teach children through lively activities Solar battery life-span: 3-5 year… More >>

Brand New 6 In 1 Educational Solar Diy Toy Kit Boat Fan Car Robot

Swarmanoid System: Hand-Bots, Foot-Bots, and Eye-Bots

The Swarmanoid project is a cool twist on swarm robotics — researchers use a heterogeneous swarm of robots to achieve distributed mobile manipulation. The swarm comprises three different robot varieties: Hand-Bots (manipulation and climbing), Foot-Bots (wheeled mobility and sensing), and Eye-Bots (quadrotors for recon and sensing).   The latest video of Swarmanoid retrieving a book won the "Best Video Award" at the Artificial Intelligence Conference (AAAI 2011) in San Francisco just the other day.  You can check out the robots and winning video below.

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  • 2006 Toy of the year
  • New roboraptor model (IMPROVED)
  • realistic features
  • becareful He bites

Product Description
Roboreptile, the ultimate cold-blooded predator, comes to life through a combination of dynamic robotic animations and advanced interactive technologies. With his low menacing stride and striking animations, Roboreptile is an impressive mix of powerful agility, multi-sensory awareness and a fiery personality. This 2 1/4′ long Roboreptile includes a remote control and a Mini Roboreptile…. More >>

Roboreptile combo pack mini and giant robo reptile by WowWee

OWI Happy Hopping Frog Kit – Solar Powered

  • Build a hopping, solar powered frog
  • Learn how light can generate electricity
  • Includes 20+ pieces and picture instructions for easy assembly
  • Solar Powered
  • OWI is the premier line of educational electronics and robotics kits

Product Description
Almost comical, this little green amphibian friend leaps with a joyful sense of freedom. Using its hind legs and rubber feet, Happy Hopping Frog jiggles its eyes as a dog would wag its tail acknowledging its love and appreciation to its owner. The tailless, leaping mini solar kit is activated by the power of the suns rays; no batteries required. Happy Hopping Frog is a kit that demonstrates alternative energy principles. No batteries required and only approximately… More >>

OWI Happy Hopping Frog Kit – Solar Powered

  • Includes: Airplane, Remote Control, Spare Propeller and User Manual
  • Fly! Crash! Reassemble! and Fly Again!
  • 2 Channel digital proportional IR control
  • Requires 4 “AA” batteries. (Not Included)
  • For age 8 and up

Product Description
Crash FX from FlyTech is the only remote control airplane with the “Easi-snap” system that makes crashing part of the fun! Fly around obstacles or, for the ultimate challenge, take down another Crash FX plane in a mid-air collision. Race to see who is first to reassemble the plane and be airborne again. Take risks – be a daredevil!… More >>

WowWee FlyTech Crash FX R/C Remote Control Flying Airplane Toy Set with Airplane, Remote Control, Spare Propeller and User Manual

Frida Humanoid Robot from ABB

News just broke on XinHuaNet (via Slashdot) that Foxconn, a Taiwanese company with more than 1M Chinese laborers on the mainland,  plans to deploy one million robots(!) over the next three years — a 100-fold increase over current numbers.  This should serve as a wake-up call for the United States.  China already dominates in manufacturing; if they can capture the "new" flexible, light manufacturing space too, then the United States will be in dire straits (National Robotics Initiative or not).  One commentor on HackerNews suggests that the robots will be ABB’s Frida. Of course this needs more substantiation, but ABB isn’t exactly a newcomer to industrial robotics; the Swiss company has been around for ages.  Still, it would be mildly surprising if ABB wins out over all the competition (eg. Heartland Robotics) that are specifically trying to establish themselves as pioneers in "flexible, light manufacturing."  The future of robotics certainly looks interesting!

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