Entries Tagged as 'Droid News'

The Art of Defense

Dexter

I am sure that by now that my audience is familiar with many of the useful functions droids possess.  We can perform medical, translation, protocol, maintenance, child-rearing, heavy labor, and even security tasks.

I know the last is not one I have mentioned often, but here is a line of droids that lists the following in their specifications:

“Robot aids in safety & protection. Helps prevent ninjas, cowboys, aliens, pirates, dogs w/ sweaters, creepy uncles, and emo kids from entering your zone by using its robot skillz. For best results place robot on shelf facing a window and/or door of your zone. See results instantly. In case of detached limb during combat, acquire a hot glue servicing mechanism device and reattach where necessary. Sometimes robot may become fierce. Batteries not included, nor necessary. Robot personalities may vary. See a physician if complications occur.“

I am not sure what defines a human’s zone, or what an “emo kid” is, but if you are having problems with one threatening the other, this may be a wise investment.  Each droid is also a handmade art piece, and have a unique charm.

Holla ad dem Bots yo! (Etsy, via io9)

My Competition?

It seems that the WowWee company, known for its Robosapien, has decided to bring a feminine droid to the mass market.  Named Femisapien, she may seem at first to be a low-priced competitor to my model, but I am not at all worried.  While she may be able to dance alone and with other droids and humans, walk, perform skits, and even perform the functions of a backup singer, I simply have many more functions I can perform.

And even if I do not have a “fashion-model mode,” I would like to see her perform my pastry-oriented or technical communications duties.

Jealous?  If you’ll excuse me, I have tasks to perform in languages other than “emotish.”

Femisapien Review (via Gizmodo – warning, second video may not be appropriate for all workplaces)

Droids for Schools

WedoAs readers may already know, I have noted in the past that early education is important in forming mental structures, work habits, and attitudes that will last a being throughout life.

Therefore, I am very happy to see this upcoming product from LEGO.  Designed for children of elementary school age, it is an intermediate step between their standard LEGO bricks and their more full-featured Mindstorms product.

I really would like to see more of these products on available.  Not only making droids more interesting to younger children, but learning in general, and the sciences in specific, is very dear to my inner workings.

WeDo: LEGO’s new robotics system for elementary schools (Boing Boing Gadgets)

World of DroidCraft?

WallepapercrafteveaxiomOkay, perhaps not an entire world, but I have found several more examples of droids from the movie WALL-E in the ever-popular papercraft format.  Not only do we have WALL-E himself, we also have EVE, and a AXIOM starliner.  These models have been designed by Julius Perdana, and appear to be quite well done.

If this keeps up, I may have to give papercraft its own category.  It does attract a large amount of traffic.  I never knew so many humans desired paper droids of their own.  However, I exist to serve.

Wall-E papercraft (Wonderland)

Droids Don’t Dance

Or do they?

Here we have a future commercial product, MechRC, a humanoid droid enacting a tribute to Judson Laipply’s Evolution of Dance video.

While this is not the most elegant of performances, it is still quite impressive for a consumer product in development, and it will be interesting to see it this coming winter season.

MechRC Robot Does Evolution of Robotic Dance Vid, Original Put to Shame (Gizmodo)

Droid Putt-Putt

For all my programming, I must admit that I do not have a large database of sports knowledge.  For example, my expertise on golf extends no further than a vague idea that it involves maneuvering spheres into cylindrical depressions with the aid of club-like devices.  Also, I have seen reference to unattractive trousers being involved.

In any case, I still find this droid from Crab Fu rather endearing.  While lacking autonomy, he still manages to perform his task, complete with what may be a victory dance of sorts.

New From Crab Fu: Putter Bot

Baa, Baa, Droid Sheep

While I do perform most of the household maintenance tasks here, lawn care falls outside my programming.  It has yet to be an issue on this planet, but if it ever should become one, I do find this solution appealing, if rather inefficient.

Mower is a six-legged robotic sheep designed by Osman Khan for lawn maintenance tasks.  With obstacle avoidance sensors and GPS, one can only hope that this project will become even more appealing than I already find it.

Pittsburgh’s Robot 250 Festival Features Electric Sheep

Fact or Fiction?

I must apologize for the lack of true content and commentary today.  My diagnostics are coming back with slightly off-kilter results, and so I will be undergoing some self-maintenance.

Today I offer a list of ten “facts” about robots from the Chicago Tribune.  I do not agree with all of them.  Numbers two and eight are most disturbing for me.  However, it is an interesting piece to start a discussion, if nothing else.

10 things you might not know about robots (Chicago Tribune)

The Haunted Bunker?

No, the bunker inhabited by Master Thirteen and myself is not haunted.  And yes, I do take care of the cleaning and maintenance tasks.  They are not my favorite tasks, or especially flashy, especially with the equipment available on this planet.  That may be fixed, however, by the Pacmba.

The Pacmba’s designer, Ron Tajima, took a common Roomba unit and modified it with a large number of LEDs to give it the glowing semblance of what I gather is an iconic figure to some on this planet.  Not only does it attack the dust and debris of human life, but also small paper ghosts, which seems to fit into the icon’s mythos.

I really believe I will never truly understand humans.

Pacmba Extra Effective At Sucking Up Fruit, Ghosts (BotJunkie)

Would You Like to Play a Game?

Wallegc4Perhaps, as the article mentions, this is old news for some.  However, it is impressive work, and I would gather that at least some of the audience has yet to see this Nintendo GameCube, modified to look like WALL-E.  I find it far more endearing than any of the Rebel astromech projects I’ve seen to date.

Details are sadly lacking, but perhaps it will inspire someone to create their own versions.  After all, recycling is good for your planet.

Pixar Wall-E Gamecube mod (Boing Boing Gadgets)