Robots

RoboPhilo: A Humanoid Robot for Less Than $500

If you have always been interested in humanoid robotics, but found the price of entry to be a little more than your budget could handle, the RoboPhilo may be the solution. Designed for the entry level enthusiast, the RoboPhilo packs the functionality of more complex and expensive robots into a much more affordable package. He…

Tech News Sean Fallon

Video of Chinese Citroen Transformer Shows off Its Size

Remember yesterday’s photos of the Citroen that a couple of Chinese guys lovingly turned into a Transformer ? Our sister site Jalopnik has uncovered a news report of the cut-and-shunt-it-into-something-altogether-more-wondrous-than-a-Citroen leviathan and Bloody Norah is the bugger big. [Jalopnik] https://gizmodo.com/hefty-assed-transformer-built-in-china-from-a-citroen-309054

Gadgets AddyDugdale

Face Massaging Robot is for the Stressed and Brave

Tired? Looking to relax? Here, just stick your face between these two cylinders and let our new $70,000 face massaging robot go to work. What, you don’t trust your precious face in there? Well, you clearly haven’t experienced the subtle massages that robots can give when they’re trapped inside an ugly recliner at Brookstone at…

Tech News Adam Frucci

Hefty-Assed Transformer Built in China from a Citroen

A couple of Chinese guys spent $8,000 on building a Transformer out of a Citroen. Weighing in at 1,322 pounds, there are a couple more pics after the jump. I like what they did with the car doors. [17173 via CNET Asia]

Gadgets AddyDugdale

Mr. Clock Robot Alarm Doesn’t Take No for an Answer

If you need a little extra incentive to wake up in the morning, the Mr. Clock Radio may be just what you need. He can wake your lazy ass up in one of 30 different ways—from gentle coaxing to flat-out drill sergeant-style orders. He can even tell fortunes, read the time aloud, wink and blink,…

Tech News Sean Fallon

New Armed Robots in Iraq Were Built For Killin’

We showed you the first gun-toting robots when they were first unleashed in Iraq, but those were merely bomb-disposal robots with guns attached to them. Now, from the same company, we have robots built from the ground up to be killing machines. Think of them as a very early version of the T-1000. Danger Room…

Tech News Adam Frucci

Grad Student Builds Real Robot Friend From Scraps

UPDATED WITH VIDEO!When Cartman donned the Awesom-O 3000 suit and convinced Butters he had a robot friend, I thought that nothing that pathetic could happen in real life. I was wrong. A grad student at the International Islamic University in Chittagong, Bangladesh has been designing this goofy-looking best friend out of scraps he from auto…

Tech News Wilson Rothman

Kanagawa Institute of Technology Develops Robot Suit, Fuels Superhero Fantasies

The Kanagawa Institute of Technology has developed a robotic suit that will aid in the care of elderly individuals who need physical support. The suit, showcased at a trade show in Japan this week, is intended to help personal caregivers lift those they look after, while reducing the strain on themselves. The unit takes around…

Tech News Haroon Malik

Magic-Performing 1920s Chinese Automaton

It’s not quite Asimo, but this Chinese magician automaton (read: crappy wooden robot) does one thing and one thing only: make other wooden automatons appear and disappear from containers (we don’t count sporting a badass mustache as a thing). It’s going to be auctioned off on October 28 at Skinner in Bolton, MA, if any…

Tech News Jason Chen

Moving Mannequin Sprints From The Gap

Problem: the clothes we buy off store mannequins never properly demonstrate our in-motion sexy strut. Solution: the Moving Mannequin runs in place, simulating being late to work or really needing to use the bathroom. (Hit the jump for more along with a glorious animated gif.) We’re being a bit unfair as the Moving Mannequin is…

Gadgets Mark Wilson

TerraMax Self-Driving RoboTruck to Take Soldiers Out of Harm’s Way

Self-driving cars have always fascinated me, ever since I saw a cover image of kids playing checkers in the back of an autonomous car on the cover of Boy’s Life in my elementary school library. (Checkers in a car! The future is now!) After years of waiting, the military is finally making my dreams a…

Tech News Adam Frucci

The Future of Personal Robots (1986)

The May-June 1986 issue of The Futurist magazine ran an article titled, “The Future of Personal Robots.” An excerpt appears below. Robots can already be used to entertain young children. Their entertainment value for older children and adults, however, is for the most part limited to the intellectual challenge of programming them. But future robots…

Tech News Matt Novak

Must See: The Black Hole

Must-see movies are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Written by Sherilyn Connelly. Title: The Black Hole Date: 1979 Vitals: Disney’s only attempt at a big-budget, relatively serious sci-fi action movie. It was in the works…

Movies Annalee Newitz

Roomba Driving Owners Crazy with Anthropomorphic Robot Love

A study of 30 Roomba users found the owners of the robotic vacuum cleaner often developing emotional attachments to their little bundles of plastic, metal and wiring. Of the 30 people in the study, 21 of them named their Roombas, 16 of them referred to it as a “he,” and some even went so far…

Tech News Charlie White

Second Wall-E Trailer Hits The Internet

The second trailer for Pixar’s Wall-E hit the French video site Allocine late last Friday (it officially came out today at 8 p.m. EDT) and the movie looks like it will be nothing short of awesome. While I could have done without Cars, and thought Finding Nemo was overrated, I absolutely loved Toy Story, Ratatouille…

Movies Adrian Covert

Must See: Robocop

Must-see movies are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Written by James Rocchi. Title: Robocop Date: 1987 Vitals: Detroit cop Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) is brought back from the dead to serve as the raw material…

Movies Annalee Newitz

Must See: Forbidden Planet

Must-see movies are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Written by James Rocchi. Title: Forbidden Planet Date: 1956 Vitals: William Shakespeare’s The Tempest gets a sci-fi spin in this retro-futurist classic, as a team of explorers…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Must Read: Planet Hulk

Must-read graphic novels are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Title: Hulk: Planet Hulk Date: 2006-2007 Vitals: Four of the Earth’s top Super-heroes decide the Incredible Hulk’s all-smashing rage could one day wreck everything. (Maybe because…

Books & Comics Charliejane

Must See: The Jetsons

Must-see TV shows are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Title: The Jetsons Date: 1962-1987 Vitals: The Jetson family lives in a somewhat utopian (and groovy-looking) future, in which robots do all the scut-work. In spite…

Television Charliejane

Must See: Buck Rogers In The 25th Century

Must-see TV shows are futuristic classics that shouldn’t be missed. Of course, not every must-see is perfect. That’s why we’ve rated them 1-5 on the patented “crunchy goodness” scale. Title: Buck Rogers In The 25th Century Date: 1979-1981 Vitals: A twentieth-century astronaut gets caught in a swirly thingy and goes into suspended animation, only to…

Television Charliejane

RoboPhilo: A Humanoid Robot for Less Than $500

Video of Chinese Citroen Transformer Shows off Its Size

Face Massaging Robot is for the Stressed and Brave

Hefty-Assed Transformer Built in China from a Citroen

Mr. Clock Robot Alarm Doesn’t Take No for an Answer

New Armed Robots in Iraq Were Built For Killin’

Grad Student Builds Real Robot Friend From Scraps

Kanagawa Institute of Technology Develops Robot Suit, Fuels Superhero Fantasies

Magic-Performing 1920s Chinese Automaton

Moving Mannequin Sprints From The Gap

TerraMax Self-Driving RoboTruck to Take Soldiers Out of Harm’s Way

The Future of Personal Robots (1986)

Must See: The Black Hole

Roomba Driving Owners Crazy with Anthropomorphic Robot Love

Second Wall-E Trailer Hits The Internet

Must See: Robocop

Must See: Forbidden Planet

Must Read: Planet Hulk

Must See: The Jetsons

Must See: Buck Rogers In The 25th Century

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