Robotics

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine version

The official video for the recorded version of "This Too Shall Pass" off of the album "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky." The video was filmed in a two story warehouse, in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. The "machine" was designed and built by the band, along with members of Syyn Labs over the course of several months. Best watched full screen!

Steven Spielberg may be heading for Robopocalypse

STEVEN SPIELBERG's next directing venture is likely to be the futuristic sci-fi movie Robopocalypse, it's been reported.

PR2 self-plugging robot

A small team at Willow Garage spent two weeks making plugging-in better and faster.

Artificial foot recycles energy for easier walking

An artificial foot that recycles energy otherwise wasted in between steps could make it easier for amputees to walk, its developers say.

NASA, GM Take Giant Leap in Robotic Technology

NASA and General Motors are working together to accelerate development of the next generation of robots and related technologies for use in the automotive and aerospace industries.

Paper: Evolution of adaptive behaviour in robots by means of darwinian selection

Abstract: Ever since Cicero's De Natura Deorum ii.34., humans have been intrigued by the origin and mechanisms underlying complexity in nature. Darwin suggested that adaptation and complexity could evolve by natural selection acting successively on numerous small, heritable modifications. But is this enough? Here, we describe selected studies of experimental evolution with robots to illustrate how the process of natural selection can lead to the evolution of complex traits such as adaptive behaviours.

Spirit: six years of roving Mars

'After six years on the move, NASAs Mars Exploration Rover Spirit prepares for a new phase of science.'

Miniature insect-like robots could lead to solid state microids

A new approach in the design of miniature, insectlike robots could lead to "microids" the size of ants that move their tiny legs and mandibles using solid-state "muscles."

Living with robots

Whats behind our collective obsession with robots? Join us as we ponder life with robots alongside science-fiction screenwriters, professors, philosophers, engineers and other thinkers.

Willow Garage telepresence robot

At Willow Garage they're accustomed to robots roaming the hallways. Robots are their tools (and occasionally, entertainment), and they always know what's coming when they hear the familiar drone of casters down the hall. Recently, however, they can't be so sure.

Organized chaos gets robots going

In humans and animals, periodically recurring movements like walking or breathing are controlled by small neural circuits called "central pattern generators" (CPG). Scientists have been using this principle in the development of walking machines.

Noel Sharkey on the inexorable rise of robots

Sheffield University's professor of robotics and AI discusses our fascination with autonomous machines.

Ataque de Pánico! (Panic Attack!) 2009

This short Uruguayan science fiction film was shot in 2009 in Montevideo. The official production budget was given as only $300. In addition to writing, editing and directing the film, Fede Álvarez supervised the visual effects based on computer-generated imagery. Following widespread media coverage, he was offered a $30 million Hollywood deal to develop and direct a film, which will be produced by Sam Raimi.

Air Force Bugbots

The U.S. military has been working for a while on tiny, buglike drones — to serve as miniature flying spies, Defense Department robot-makers say. But this video, from the Air Force Research Laboratory, shows that the military is also interested in turning these "Micro Air Vehicles," or MAVs, into biomorphic weapons that can lie in secret for weeks at a time — and then strike an adversary with lethal accuracy.

Phone drone

AR.Drone : The First quadricopter that can be controlled by iPhone and iPod touch.