Gizmodo: murata

Robot Drugbot Delivers Meds In the Middle Of the Night

Sean Fallon — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:40:00 EST

Recession or not, nurses are one of those jobs that are always in high demand. Watch your back though, the nurse bot already has drug delivery down pat.

The robot developed by Murata Machinery is capable of autonomously delivering medication to patients during off-hours. It was built as part of Japan's "Project for Strategic Development of Advanced Robotics Elemental Technologies"—a program dedicated to applying robot technology to fields like security, industrial work, and disaster recovery.

Seriously though, once this nurse bot figures out how to insert a catheter, it's all over. [Tech On via DVICE]

Little Seiko Unicycling Robot Caught On Video, Unicycling Straight Into Your Heart

Kit Eaton — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 06:28:00 EDT

Here's video of Murata's Little Seiko balancing robot up to its tricks on a unicycle. It's a smart little thing: as well as balancing on that single wheel with nifty gyro and counterbalance robotic action, it can do collision avoidance. And boy, if it isn't the cutest little robot you ever did see. [Bot Junkie]

'Little Seiko' Unicycling Robot Looks Like EVE Before She Learned to Hover

John Herrman — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 10:15:00 EDT

To follow up on its bicycling Murata Boy robot, Murata has subtracted a wheel, hired a stylist, thrown in a gyroscope and come up with the Seiko-chan, or "Little Seiko" unicycling robot. The small robot will be able to move forward and backward on its single wheel, and is even capable of keeping its balance at a standstill. Intended as an educational tool for youngsters, the bot can be controlled with Bluetooth and has a small camera mounted on the front.

Murata claims that Little Seiko is designed to look like a kindergarten-aged girl, but I can't help but see the likeness to EVE, WALL-E's incorrigibly charming onscreen lady interest. The odd, outstretched arms (which are likely vital for balancing) and Pith helmet make the robot a little less endearing than its Pixar counterpart, but the resemblance is undeniable. Little Seiko's big debut is slated for CEATEC 2008, when we'll actually get to see this thing in action. [CrunchGear]