Robots may one day take over the world but, in the
meantime, at least they'll bring us a beer…
Robots look set to take over the world but, with the latest
creations being more than happy to fetch you a beer, sing you a
song or cook your breakfast, who's complaining?
Widely regarded as the world's most advanced humanoid robot,
Honda's legendary creation can walk, talk, ride a bicycle,
recognise faces, identify the sources of sounds, distinguish
between voices and other noises, and respond to questions with a
nod, shake of the head or verbal answer. Additionally, a camera
mounted on Asimo's head enables the robot to interpret the
positioning and movements of objects, allowing it to respond to
humans with a wave or handshake. We're still a way off the androids
of science fiction, but Asimo is a step in that direction.
Developed by South Korea-based Hanool Robotics Corp and some of
the country's top science universities, Tiro has been designed as a
potential teacher of the future, and has already led several
classes. Tiro, who speaks several languages, has also officiated at
wedding ceremonies and led guided tours around South Korea's
presidential residence. While Japan is considered the world leader
in robotics, South Korea is quickly emerging as a close contender;
government officials say every single home within the country will
have a robot by 2013, with a $1billion robot theme park due to open
in Seoul in the same year. We imagine Kim Jong Ji will be
following developments closely...
Nao is the creation of French company Aldebaran Robotics and is
a robot designed specifically for use in academic environments.
There are currently 700 Naos being used by over 200 universities
and schools around the world, making Nao the world's most popular
academic robot. Just last year, the University of Tokyo purchased
30 Nao robots with a view to developing them into lab assistants.
Nao can see, hear, speak and feel, and designers hope it will
eventually be used within domestic environments and in care homes
as a companion for the elderly.
BigDog lacks the cuteness factor offered by other robotic mutts
but, when it comes to agility, this electronic canine wins hands
down. Designed to run, walk and climb over rough terrain, up steep
inclines and through snow, mud and water while carrying heavy
loads, BigDog's agility relies on a series of sensors which measure
factors such as load weight, ground angle and joint position.
BigDog's creator, American robotic design company Boston Dynamics,
hopes this will eventually become a domestic robot and, while he's
no match for man's best friend, he's unlikely to pee on the carpet
either.
PR2, a 'personal robot' capable of carrying out everyday tasks,
is the creation of American firm Willow Garage. PR2 (which is
actually for sale, to those with $400,000 to spare) was the
company's first robot. To celebrate his creation, Willow Garage
employees made a film showcasing his ability to carry out everyday
tasks with ease - in this case, to fetch and deliver an ice-cold
beer. Designers created an in-house web interface which enabled
employees to choose their favourite beer, before clicking on a
button imaginatively entitled 'beer me'. PR2 could then grab the
appropriate cold one from the canteen fridge and deliver it to the
thirsty recipient (after closing the fridge and opening the bottle,
of course). Sounds like our kind of office.
