Hitachi Unveils Humanoid Robot 245
HunahpuMonkey writes "BBC reports that Hitachi has unveiled a humanoid robot, named Emiew, to compete with Honda's Asimo and Sony's Qrio robots. The robot has a vocabulary of about 100 words and could be trained for practical office and factory use. In addition, it is the fastest robot to date, moving 3.7 miles per hour on wheel feet which resemble the bottom half of a Segway scooter."
I think the saddest part about this... (Score:5, Insightful)
Not only that, robotics is one of the most fun branches of modern computing and engineering, and yet so few engineers actually go into it. It's a shame we aren't meeting up with more robots in real life (Fast foods should be relegated to robotics by now, as the food quality tends to resemble it)...
Robot on a segway (Score:3, Insightful)
I like the idea, but does it fall over and break when the batteries die? Are they going to add a third wheel for safety reasons. (LOL)
What's the big deal about humanoid robots? (Score:5, Insightful)
Most industrial robots I've seen don't need a humanoid form at all, and I can imagine several cases were the humanoid form is actually an impairment to getting work done. Why not go with more structurally efficient designs, like a spider, instead of focusing on bipedal bots for uses requiring ambulation?
Ok so what are these good for. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I think the saddest part about this... (Score:3, Insightful)
Specialized robots, like you mentioned, it's a whole different deal, and i agree. Automatized construction is the only industry i can think of that invest heavily in robotic research - we could use specialzed robots elsewhere.
Re:Why don't we have a robotics industry? (Score:3, Insightful)
I guess to sum it up best, I WANT MY DAMNED FLYING CAR.
Slow Learners (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Cog and Kismet (Score:4, Insightful)
That's not to say that the Japanese robots aren't major accomplishments; they are. So is a VCR, if you think about it. Just not when you stack it up against the goal of creating true AI, which is what Cog is all about, "humanoid intelligence."
Holding office (Score:3, Insightful)
(Of course, my first thought was that that's vastly overqualified for what it apparently takes to be elected President these days.)
Re:Why don't we have a robotics industry? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:What's the big deal about humanoid robots? (Score:4, Insightful)
As long as it has a face I can punch I don't care what shape it comes in.
But in all seriousness I do agree, the quest for human shaped robots is intriguing. We are obviously not the most able bodied creatures when it comes to our "form factor", our superiority is not in our shape but in our huge monkey brain.
Maybe it's to out people at ease, but I for one do _not_ welcome our new humanoid robot overlords. It creeps me out when things that don't have a soul start talking to me. Call me crazy.
Re:What's the big deal about humanoid robots? (Score:4, Insightful)
There is also the idea of robot-human interaction: would you rather interact with Asimo or a spider?
Re:What's the big deal about humanoid robots? (Score:4, Insightful)
that, and they look way cool...
Actually... (Score:5, Insightful)
To me, the saddest part about all this is that the only companies willing to do any practical research in robotics are Japanese car companies because they look farther into the future than the next quarterly earnings report. The Japanese car companies are pumping R&D dollars into developing new technologies that will help them in the long run. The American car companies are taking that money and pumping it into bonuses for CEOs so they can buy a new ivory backscracther every year.
Face it, we just don't have the drive to improve that companies in other countries do.
GMD
Re:Actually... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Actually... (Score:2, Insightful)