"Robot Suit HAL" is a cyborg-type robot that can expand and improve physical capability. [more inside]
posted by KokuRyu on Aug 3, 2009 - 28 comments

Cyclone Power Technologies Inc. and Robotic Technology Inc. have sent out a press release denying that their new robot will feed on the dead. "It's a vegetarian!", they claim. Desecration of the dead is a war crime under Article 15 of the Geneva Conventions, and is certainly not something sanctioned by DARPA, Cyclone or RTI. “We completely understand the public’s concern about futuristic robots feeding on the human population, but that is not our mission,” stated Harry Schoell, Cyclone’s CEO.
posted by dejah420 on Jul 22, 2009 - 48 comments

Robot penguins of the water and air are manufactured by German robotics manufacturer Festo, as well as aquatic and airborn rays (as in the fish). Here's another aquapenguin video from Festo's YouTube channel. These videos are so futuristic they don't seem real. [via, fittingly enough, William Gibson's Twitterfeed]
posted by Kattullus on Jun 10, 2009 - 34 comments

The Best Robots of 2008 (via)
posted by Artw on Jan 18, 2009 - 13 comments

All Hail Robo-Jellyfish! Behold Festo Bionic Learning Network's AquaJelly & AirJelly.
posted by homunculus on Nov 2, 2008 - 18 comments

"I began to realize that "robots"-- in all their various forms-- can really be seen as a symbol of a larger relationship between people and technology." In 1988, Frederick Schodt wrote about the Japanese fascination and use of robots in his book Inside the Robot Kingdom, curious by the disparities between American and Japanese manufacturing processes . In 1988, the American public wasn't ready for the book, or for robots. Today, Japan still has embraced robotic automation in a way that arguably no other country has. For more similar topics, Mangobot is a column that reports on Asian futurism.
posted by artifarce on Jun 22, 2008 - 22 comments

This is a video of a robot playing baseball.
posted by jason's_planet on Jan 5, 2008 - 37 comments

Meet Jules, a new humanoid robot from Hanson Robotics, the folks who built the Einstein and Phillip K. Dick robots, (the latter's head went missing a while back.) Jules loves you, as much as his newfangled software will allow. He also seems a little awkward and angst ridden for a robot, but it's not his fault; it must be the designers who made his software.
posted by Blingo on May 4, 2007 - 58 comments

Oskar, Ernest and Anatole are Les Music-Robots, a four ton punchcard controlled trio currently playing at the Berlin Museum for Communication. [More inside]
posted by zamboni on Apr 14, 2007 - 5 comments

The FIRST ("For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology") robotics competition has recently begun it's 2007 competition season. The competition, which began and still enjoys it's greatest popularity in the United States, challenges high-school students and mentors to design and build a (teleoperated) robot to play a game in six weeks. Founded by Dean Kamen, of segway, IBOT, the first home dialysis machine, and clean drinking water fame founded the competition in 1988 to inspire students to enter the engineering profession. Every year a new challenge is put forth, and this year's game involves placing inner-tubes on a cylindrical rack in addition to lifting other team's robots. A sizeable community has sprung up around FIRST, with much attention paid to Dean Kamen's ideal of gracious professionalism which is like sportsmanship without the sports. The 2007 regional competitions provide teams an opportunity to show off their work. If you're interested in getting involved, or just watching the events, FIRST provides a handy Event Locator.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms on Mar 8, 2007 - 14 comments

With My Special Partner, I can drink my way back to the 7th Millenium BCE for ancient music, and the fish’ll tell me how to get home.
posted by dfowler on Apr 13, 2005 - 13 comments

DUBAI (AFP) - The United Arab Emirates is to mount robot jockeys on racing camels later this year after a ban on using children in the region's popular sport.
posted by Tlogmer on Apr 11, 2005 - 7 comments

Honda has upgraded Asimo. They've added jogging, autonomous continuous movement, some new joint designs, and better intelligence, expanding the range of humanoid robots, which includes, the Qrio from Sony, Isamu, and Toyota's offering that entered the fray earlier this year (previously discussed). (More)
posted by effwerd on Dec 16, 2004 - 27 comments

wheely wheely clevver
posted by marvin on Jul 6, 2004 - 12 comments

Koolio is a traveling autonomous refrigerator robot ... a cross between R2D2 and a vending machine.
posted by lola on Apr 21, 2004 - 8 comments

Ever get that weird feeling that Sony can do anything? [via Coudal]
posted by kickingtheground on Sep 15, 2003 - 36 comments

Bonding with your robot vacuum
posted by Tlogmer on Jun 16, 2003 - 6 comments

A course that uses LEGO beams, plates, gears, motors, a 68HC11 microcontroller board programmed in C, and various sensors to construct autonomous (i.e., self-contained, no direct human control) robots to hunt down and retrieve eggs. How come I never got to make things like this when I got my engineering degree? There's video too. Other cool projects are a walking machine, a human powered sub, or a future truck. I wish the real world of engineering was as fun and creative as college.
posted by jonah on Sep 27, 2002 - 8 comments

But what about the terrible secret of space? Inteligent robot escapes, then gets run over by a car. The driver makes a bad joke.
posted by delmoi on Jun 19, 2002 - 16 comments

Robot Rats!
Excellent, now i can take over the WORLD!!
Please add, Predator like optics and Universal Soilder healing abilities - I expect to see them on thinkGeek by the end of the month, thank you.
Although a little cruel, scientist have managed to put implants in rats brains, effectivley given them god like controls of the little vermin.
posted by monkeyJuice on May 2, 2002 - 16 comments

"People, let me tell you 'bout my best friend.." Are you too much alone? Does time hang heavy on your head? Do even the cold comforts of Internet chat rooms and community blogging reject you? There's hope. Find the warmth of solid state friendship with the companionship of computerized buddies. It worked for all the greats - Luke Skywalker, Baltar, the Robinson boys (Will and Joel) and even that creepy tree-hugger Freeman Lowell. A servomotor, some fiberglass, and a sturdy car battery is all you need to guarantee that you will never be lonely again.
posted by Perigee on Mar 5, 2001 - 1 comment

Boba Fett hired by NASA.
posted by Nyarlathotep on Jun 14, 2000 - 4 comments

Cye is a neat little company building personal robots.
posted by tdecius on Sep 21, 1999 - 1 comment