U.bo Invades, Eats, Poops
Phison Electronics demonstrated its new pet robot U.bo ("U" for you, "bo" for ball shape) at the recent Tokyo Toy Fair. The company calls it an alien spore but it seems more of an advanced Tamagotchi that needs feeding, cleaning up, and will amuse you by walking, speaking alien and interacting. The 10 x 8.5cm AI features mouse buttons, touch sensors and a couple of motors for movement. It will run for 14 hours on 2 AA batteries.
Via U.bo Magicland
Noelle Gives Birth, But Not Without a Fight
The latest service bot in town comes from Ohio's Wright State University and was designed for health care professionals to practice emergencies in the delivery room. Noelle complains, groans and grunts and seizes her way through childbirth, with a detachable belly cover that every woman wishes she had. The $40,000 simulator keeps track of medical statistics and lets the participants perform several different predicaments, including some with her robotic baby. Good times.
Via Dayton Daily News
Electric Robofish Filled With Silicone Oil
Robofish keep getting more sophisticated as evidenced by this electric swimmer. Controlled via electrostatic actuators as muscles, the fish has been filled with silicone oil and even moves its eyes around to appear more lifelike. The creation from Germany's University Venture Creation Science and Technology Agency runs left or right by an operational joystick, the result being that its tail propels it forward.
Via Sendensha (translated)
ECH Taken Over by Robots, Almost
El Camino Hospital in Silicon Valley, CA have leased 19 robots to replace current workers. They handle chores such as delivering medication and food and take out the trash. The guy who took this video is certainly enchanted. The rentals amount to about $350,000 a year, according to Ken King, VP of facilities, while humans would have cost about a million a year. We are assuming that is more than 19 total employees as that would be a huge salary.
Via El Camino Hospital
Robots With a Sense of Smell
We just cannot fathom how/why researchers come up with some of this stuff. The University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science took frog eggs, inserted insect RNA and ended up with robots with a sense of smell. This compact smelling sensor could be used in the future to detect the differences between chemicals, polluting gasses and hopefully a better class of burgers.
Via PNAS
Hydro-Quebec LineScout Inspects
While power line inspection robots are not a novel idea, we found this one hanging out in the Hydro-Quebec network in Canada. The LineScout is remote controlled with two joysticks and utilizes 360ยบ cameras to inspect power lines. In usage since 2006, it can maneuver around obstacles and spots exact locations by GPS. After identifying any power problems, the bot is sophisticated enough to make minor repairs.
Via cnet
Yurina Assists Bedridden
At the recent Next-Generation Robot Manufacturing Exhibition in Japan, Yurina, a home care robot, was put through its paces by first lifting patients of weights of up to 80kg and then converting itself into a wheelchair. The robotic vehicle can then be directed by voice, touch screen or controller.
Via Japan Logic (translated)
Build a Sculpture For Remember Reach
Microsoft has launched Remember Reach for Halo fans. The site allows them to control a giant robot by remote and build a sculpture. A Kuka KR 140, an oversized robotic arm, places points of light. The site is part of the publicity for awareness of the soon-to-be Xbox 360 shooter release of Halo Reach. Help build the monument via Facebook and watch real time as it is being built.
Via Remember Reach
ATHLETE Celebrates Dance Day
NASA has been testing ATHLETE, an all-terrain robot for use on the Moon and Mars, but recently took a day off in honor of National Dance Day to bust a move. This certainly proves that even hexapods can have rhythm.
Via NASA
Must Have: U.R.I.-NAL 9000
As promised, we couldn't wait to show you the work of Hauke Scheer and his company Scheer Imagination. This U.R.I.-NAL 9000 is astounding in its detail and we are so pleased that Hauke sent us one all the way from Germany to keep us company. Made of resin, this will surely be a collector's item.
Because we suspected that Hauke was as much into robots as we are, we decided to ask him a few questions and found that his talent and sense of humor are certainly worth the read.
I understand U.R.I. is a limited edition?
Yes, this medium grey colored variant is limited to 50 figures. However if they sell well I will produce more figures with different colors variations. Those will probably have higher production numbers so the medium grey variant will be the most valuable over time.
Is there a real U.R.I.-NAL 9000?
Unfortunately, no. I designed this character simply to be a fun toy figure. However a lot of people have told me they would love to have a real working one. So if there is some robot company out there that would be interested in producing a real one, I would love to hear from them. :-)
Do you foresee one in the future?
Well, you never know. It would be fun having hundreds of urinals walking through town on a Saturday night.
What was your inspiration?
I actually made another toilet robot before. That one was just meant to be a spoof on those cute Disney characters that are made from household items, like the ones in 'Beauty and the Beast.' However, I was always a little dissatisfied with that one because apart from being funny, the design did not make much sense. I decided to give it another try and come up with something that would kind of work in the real world. So the idea for the U.R.I.-NAL 9000 was born.
Will you be making any future robot figures?
Sure. I love robots and cyborgs and those will always be part of my work. The latest robot I created was the Flying Fridgebot from my Bionic Bjoern Figure Series. A prototype figure for that one is currently in development. The fridge will actually open and close and have some beer cans in it.
How did your career in the arts start?
I studied 3D modeling at the Vancouver Film School. Afterwards, I worked on a couple of small computer games as well as in advertisement. But during all that time I was always working on personal projects as well creating several of the characters I am now selling as figures on my website.
How long have you been an artist?
I have created science fiction and fantasy characters since I was in my teens. I started 3D modeling in my twenties when I was at university. My professional career started when I went to Vancouver Film School.
Do you make each one or just the first?
All the figures are actually sculpted and produced by a professional toy company in China. I send them various pictures of my 3D art so they can sculpt the figures to my designs. I wrote an article on the whole process a little while ago that can still be found in the notes sections of my Facebook page.
How does one make something out of resin?
Basically you have to create a silicone mold from your original sculpture and then you can start casting away in resin. You can get both the silicone for making the mold and the resin for casting in most art shops. Since you do not need expensive steel molds like you do with plastic figures, resin is used both by large manufacturers as well as hobby modelers.
Do you still do work for video games and advertisements?
At the moment I am concentrating on my own work and getting my figure business up and running properly. However, I am always interested in cool projects in either the video game or the advertisement industry.
What will be your next creation?
I am currently working on a series of animations for my Bionic Bjoern figure series. This one and others can be seen here. I will create various friends and enemies of Bionic Bjoern for these animations. However most of them exist currently only in my mind. :-)
How can your fans get in touch with you?
You can buy my figures here.
My art can be seen on this site.
If people want to get updated on upcoming figures they can become a fan of my company Scheer Imagination on Facebook.
Or they can just email me at: contact(at)scheer-imagination.com.
Thanks for your time and U.R.I, Hauke. Best of luck in all your endeavors!
Yaskawa-kun Soft Serves Ice Cream
One of the latest service bots to become employed in Japan is Yaskawa-kun, a product of the electronic and robotics company of the same name. It will be dishing up ice cream at theme park Tokyo Summerland until August 22. After placing an order, the human can watch the bot as it prepares his/her selection. It is a good thing that this is a temporary position. The robot runs so slowly that if the long lines doesn't kill the project, the melting ice cream will.
Via Robonable (translated)
Popchilla Assists Autistic Kids
The Autism Center of Pittsburgh and Interbots may have made it one step easier to communicate with children who suffer from Autism. Popchilla and an interactive iPad app create Character Therapy, a program that a therapist uses to create emotions in the robot that in turn may help the child better understand their own. This video demos one of Popchilla's current apps, "Let's Do Shapes."
Via Pad Gadget
Wall-Climbing ROCR
William Provancher of the University of Utah and his team of mechanical engineers have collaborated with ROCR ('Rocker') the robot as the result. This little guy can climb a carpet-padded wall with the assistance of two hooks. Provancher sees the future of his climber to inspect buildings, bridges or nuclear facilities when equipped with a remote camera. Until that time, ROCR will be hanging out in the lab.
Via KSL
India Produces Robot Musical
India has produced a movie with dance-off movin' robots. Entitled "Robots," of course, it comes out of Kollywood in the Kodambakkam district located in Chennai, a city in the state of Tamil Nadu. We guess the country is finally into CGI mode.
Via Gizmodo
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