Well folks, it’s here – the last day of 2005. The goal for this post is to clean out my coffers of unused links and start over with a clean slate in the grand ol’ 2006. So, let’s get started!

Here’s a lengthy article from the Economist about how Japan is eschewing traditional forms of solving a labor crisis and instead is embracing robots. Apparently, the Japanese just like robots more than everyone else … woah! … hadn’t seen that one coming.

Missing LEGO’s giving you the blues? Why not machine your own! Derek Anderson at Army of Evil Robots will show you how. Perhaps you can use the new LEGO parts to make a vehicle for the Mini DARPA Grand Challenge contest at Penn State U.

Pictures and video of the HRP-2 "Promet" robot, to be used in construction and manufacturing. Looks very spacey. It just needs glowing red eyes, just like these very cool and cute BlinkyBugs!  Looks easy enough to make. Someone want to write up a "HowTo" article?

Can’t walk? Get a robot to help. Use the new robotic walker. Cleverly named, "Care-O-Bot". Catchy, no?

Weblog detailing the construction of a Robo-One. It’s in Spanish though. Translation here. Tito, how about writing an article about your robot for me?

WIRED does the 50 best robots of all time. Johnny Five is angered.

iRobot’s stock is upgraded to a BUY. For the uninitiated, that means, "buy the stock now." The Motley Fool also recently added them to their Rule Breaker’s portfolio (I’m a subscriber).

Another blog detailing the custom construction of a hexapod walker.

A professor at MIT wants to send swarms of tennisball sized robots all over mars. Aptly named, "Marsbots". They use, what looks like, a pogo stick to move around with.

 Happy 2006 everyone!


Tags > [ LEGO | Grand Challenge | HRP-2 | Promet | Care-o-bot | iRobot | WIRED | Johnny Five | robots ]

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Have you visited The Robot Directory lately? It’s a great place to post your robot projects. Myself and the most excellent Chris Jorgenson created the site. Unfortunately, Chris had to leave the project, so, I’m looking for someone interested in helping out bringing The Robot Directory into the Web 2.0 era.

What do you get? Fame and great fortune, I’m sure.

Send me an instant message (aim: gorobotics) or e-mail (gallamine at gmail dot com) if you’re interested.

In the meantime, check out some of the cool robots already on the site.



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MachineDesign has an article on DARPA’s foray into the world of exoskeletons, specifically the Bleex exoskeleton’s created at Berkeley. DARPA has invested over $50 million dollars in exoskeleton research. One of the more successful groups working on them is at Berkeley. Their suite, called the Bleex 1, which is short for Berkeley lower extremity exoskeleton, is powered by a small engine and has over 40 sensors.

A pair of plastic and carbon-fibre leg braces are fitted to the wearers legs and allows them to carry a 220lb load (on the newer, Bleex 2 system) without feeling hardly anything at all. The Bleex operates completely autonomously and allows the wearer to walk freely. The Berkely Robotics Lab’s website has several videos of the suite in action (sizeable files).


The newever version of the system, Bleex 2, is supposed to be revealed soon. It extends the rage of operation, allows greater lifting power, is lighter, and allows the wearer to move much faster.

MechWarrior, here we come.



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Last week Honda announced the new and improved version of the Asimo. What’s the main improvement? It’s actually useful now. Well, at least Honda says so.

Asimo, can now interact with human beings by delivering objects, or holding someone’s hand. Asimo can also locate and track said human provided they are wearing Honda’s proprietary, "IC Tele-interaction Communication Card." He can also push objects (e.g. a cart, not a trivial task), and run at twice his previous speed, which was 3 km/hr (1.8 miles/hr).


Asimo currently weights 54 kg (112 lbs) and has 34 total degrees of freedom (!).

Next on the "to do" list, is making Asimo a bit smarter, says Honda. In marketing speak, it reads like this:


Honda also has plenty of video of the new Asimo on their site. Flash Player 8 required.



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Patrick Corp recently announced that all three of it’s Brisbane docks would be completely automated.


If a person even enters the shipping yard all of the machinery will shut down. Eighteen of the new robotic machines, called container straddlers, are being installed at a cost of $1.5 million dollars each. They are expected to cause a 20% increase in productivity. The employees who used to drive the container straddlers are being relocated.


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