Bj will be the new robot mutt in town when it arrives worldwide this fall. It may not have Sony's pedigree, but it's smarter than any other pup-bot ever. Designed for research and hacking, the fully programmable Bj uses Linux and is loaded with an i.MX 533MHz processor based on an ARM core with 64MB of RAM. The rest of the technical specs makes Bj almost as smart as my Border Terrier*.

It also uses Kondo's servo-motors, wireless LAN and a 350,000-pixel CMOS sensor capable of getting 30 frames per second video. Bj's whooping $4,900 price tag will get you:

CPU
i.MX 533 MHz (ARM11 core)

Main memory
RAM: 64MB
Flash ROM: 16MB

Program supply medium: USB memory stick

Interface
LAN 1
USB 2
Serial 3
PWM 24
ADC 8

Motion
Head: 2 degree of freedom
Mouth: 1 degree of freedom
Leg section: 3 degree of freedom
Tail: 1 degree of freedom
(Total 16 degree of freedom)

Built-in sensors
Infrared ray system distance sensor 1
Accelerating sensor 1
Meat sphere sensor 4

Setting switch
Main switch 1
Back switch 2

Image processing module
350,000 pixel CMOS sensor
30fsp 6 color center of gravity output

Size
Approximately 180 x 312 x 350mm (width xheight x depth)

Weight
Approximately 2.5Kg (the battery it includes)

Power source (battery)
NiMH 10.8V-800mAh

* Actually, not really. It's still a silly robot, but at least this one doesn't leak battery acid everywhere.

Product page [iXs Research via Impress Robot Watch]

5:27 AM on Mon Jul 9 2007
By Jesus Diaz
2,825 views
13 comments

Comments

Windhawk at 06:59 AM on 07/09/07
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Looks more like K-9... Where's my sonic screwdriver?

Unfortunately, by not making the pup look polished it just reinforces the old stereotype that Linux is all brains without beauty. Wouldn't hurt to have the pup spiffied up like a shiny Gnome (or K) shell.
tranism at 07:09 AM on 07/09/07
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This is ugly as sh*t. Okay, I know its a preproduction design but geez this thing makes my Aibo look like magic elves made it.
strider_mt2k at 07:18 AM on 07/09/07
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Agreed.
This would be really good work for an experimenter, but unless this is a design prototype or something they need to polish the looks a little for the production model.

-or drop the price.

Did Aibos cost that much?
homerjay at 07:38 AM on 07/09/07
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At first I thought this said "Robo-Mutt is smarter than FABIO" and I though- Well, DUH!

But then I read it again...
aussie at 07:44 AM on 07/09/07
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It's called Bj, which stands for Blow J-b!

Hahahahaha....
Wouldpkr at 08:17 AM on 07/09/07
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But can it play Doom?
DrWatson at 08:48 AM on 07/09/07
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What is that stuck into the poor thing's back orifice? A thermometer? An USB stick? Is this how one uploads new firmware into the canine? PETA will come knocking.
Keebler at 09:38 AM on 07/09/07
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Anybody else notice the "meat sphere sensor"?

That seems like a very useful sensor to have. I hate when my Aibo runs into the meat spheres I have located in strategic locations around the house.
bansai at 10:12 AM on 07/09/07
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my god this thing is fugly.. get a real dog for goodness sake..
undeadmachine at 10:18 AM on 07/09/07
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@Keebler: the meat sphere sensor sounds like a requirement for the blu-ray laser-eyes upgrade(coming in the future). it can be tuned to aim for eyes or testicles with ridiculous accuracy.
Aram at 11:00 AM on 07/09/07
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@STRIDER_MT2k: original model of Aibo did cost that much, but the last model Sony made (ERS-7) cost around $1.5k
Brdf at 03:45 PM on 07/09/07
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My guess is that the meat sphere sensor is just the proprioceptive sense -- that is, where its body parts are in relation to its body. Presumably there are four because there is one for each leg.
Gisela at 02:24 AM on 07/19/07
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Does it have skin and need programed.thanks
Gisela