NAO - Humanoid Robot

Aldebaran Robotics has launched the Next Gen NAO, a new generation of humanoid robots with a host of advanced features. The new robot, which has a height of 57 cm, open new usage perspectives in areas such as education, research and entertainment.

NAO can be surprisingly natural in movements of the body and can easily grab objects. If an unexpected event happens, the robot stops and uses functions and inertia sensors to mitigate loss.



NAO robot has two cameras with resolutions of 1280 x 720 pixels and features detection and face recognition, two speakers uttering the texts in eight languages ​​and localization features - four microphones and sound recognition of words and expressions.

The NAO robot is equipped with an Intel Atom processor with a frequency of 1.6 GHz and has an open source software, can be connected to other devices via Wi-Fi or infrared UTP. NAO has a battery that provides a range that at least an hour and a half of operation.

Rubik's Cube, a new world record

Rubik's Cube was invented in 1974 by the Hungarian professor of architecture and sculptor Ernő Rubik. Since then, everyone tried to solve this game as fast as possible. The human record was set at the Melbourne Winter Open 2011 by Feliks Zemdegs.






But wait... We have a new contender!

This ARM Powered robot was created by Mike Dobson and David Gilday. As you can see, the mechanics are constructed from LEGO part. The device's "brain" is a collaboration between MINDSTORMS NXT and Samsung Galaxy S2 running a special Android application.

The solution is determined using the phone's camera, enhanced two-phase algorithm implemented in the Android app, Bluetooth communication between the phone and the LEGO Bricks.



read more about Rubik's Cube on Wikipedia

Can you spot the robot?

It's a known fact that Japanese people are all about inventing. The guy in this video managed to create a camouflage robot the could transform into a bear. The first generation of Transformers!

Amber Case: We are all cyborgs now speech

The debate that Amber Case makes at TEDxWomen could be more about life than about technology. Yes, we acknowledge we are augmented; arguably we have been so since the conception of the plow. The conflict with digital life is that we can subsist simultaneously in numerous worlds, and we do not need to sit in front a laptop in order to do it. The main question for me is "does that make us cyborgs?" I feel that folks like Kevin Warwick, who have implanted chips in their bodies, could dissent with that definition.

Anyhow, a question rises: when we’ve turned cyborgs (digital cyborgs) – is there a real need for our original names? Is it right to become someone else in the digital world? What are the implications?

I loved when Amber Case talked about kids nowadays. They are not really self-aware of what's happening in the real life. The have a instantaneous button clicking culture and everything comes to them, and that exciting and addictive in the same time.

The Lightbulb Computer

via CrunchGear