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Intel is cooking up something, and they’re using stereotypical engineers and some gadget-y sort of glove to advertise it. Check out the video, help support GoRobotics, and post your conspiracy theory in the comments.

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The video above is worth watching for two reasons. One, the amount of engineering and hard work put into these arms and legs is astounding. It should make any engineer applaud. Second, and more importantly, it shows people trying to fix a huge problem and pay back a debt we owe to the soldiers that defend our country.

The video is a segment from the US show “60 Minutes” that describes DARPA’s work into developing a prosthetic arm. It closely profiles the work done by Dean Kamen’s DEKA company in creating the world’s most sophisticated (and useful) arm, dubbed the “Luke” arm after the famous scene from Star Wars. Also shown is some cutting edge work at Duke University (just down the road from me!) on creating an arm that is controlled via electrical signals from the brain to the now missing arm. Pretty amazing stuff. It’s well worth watching. The point where Fred Downs describes what it was like to have a hand after 26 years is very moving. You can also read an accompanying article here.

I’m constantly reminded of my shortcomings as a blogger, especially with this story, as I don’t think I’ve ever posted about Vecna’s BEAR, or Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot. Regardless, the BEAR is a “humanoid” (well, it has a face and arms) robot that is designed to lift, carry, and extract humans from battlefield situations. It can carry up to 500 lbs with it’s hydraulic actuated arms, and either roll or walk via it’s unique independent tracks.

Robot Magazine posted a great article on the BEAR a while back, with lots of nice pictures of the early development of the system. CNet News has more details on the current status of The BEAR. Vecna is currently working on improving the BEAR’s ability to work alongside soldiers and navigate various environments. There’s video of the BEAR in action after the jump.

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Robot lovers, start saving for airfare to Korea, because you’re gonna want to be there for RobotLand. “Fun and fantasy with robot”. We’ve covered the robot mecca before when it was still in early concept phase, but things seem to be humming along for a 2012 grand opening. The centerpiece of the amusement/business/research park/city will be a gigantic statue of Robot Taekwon V.

Another shot of the robotic paradise after the jump.

[Via Gizmodo]

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