LinkNotes: i-SOBOT

2008-12-19

i-Sobot -- Robot of the Year 2008

i-Sobot wins Japan’s Robot of the Year award

i-Sobot, winner of the Good Design Award in Japan and recognized as the smallest mass-produced humanoid robot by the Guinness World Records, stands just 16.5cm, weighs about 350 grams and is powered by 4 AA batteries for about 1 hour of operation. 17 miniature motors give it about 200 types of movements.

clipped from www.robotsrule.com

i-SOBOT

Special Features

This talented little robot can do push-ups

He can stand on his head

Responds to 10 different voice commands, with varying funny responses to some the commands

He can SOMERSAULT!

He even does the splits

Tons of different special actions like do his own Western gunfight scene, beg for mercy, act like he is drunk. He’s a bit of a ham for the camera!

clipped from www.youtube.com

i-SOBOT Humanoid Robot Introductory Video

2008-01-09

Tomy's i-SOBOT a Humanoid Toy Robot (video)

clipped from www.nytimes.com

Personal Tech

A Toy Robot That’s a Flexible Friend

clipped from www.nytimes.com

Robots are still far from being the chatty companions seen in science-fiction movies. But some toy robots are becoming more than just conversation pieces.

One recent entry is the i-Sobot from Tomy of Japan. Only 6.5 inches tall, the i-Sobot has a list price of $299, making it less expensive than other advanced robots on the market, which often cost more than $1,000.

The i-Sobot has 17 motors to move its limbs, making it surprisingly fluid. According to James Kuffner, an assistant professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, robots that have 20 or more motors can replicate most human movement.

Like many other toy robots, the i-Sobot has a humanoid shape, which is not accidental, Professor Kuffner said. “A human shape has an appeal,” he said. “A dishwasher will only wash dishes, but a humanoid robot can do more.”