I cant believe no one had done this before, if you had asked me I’d sworn I’d seen this some years ago. A group of researchers from Colorado University took a group of Roombas, those cheap, charming and delightfully exploitable vacuuming robots, and turned them into a gigantic Pac-Man game, complete with user controlled Pac-Man, Furtive ghosts and many, many dots.

Now how about someone sets one of these lose in the highway for a quick game of Roomba Frogger?

[Gizmodo]

We know no one does robots as well as Japan but Taiwan is not that much behind, except they make them ten times as creepy. Case in point, Thomas and Janet, two robot ‘actors’ designed to kiss. It apparently took three years to design both robots with autonomous hand-eye coordination and self-balance. Three years and all we get is the creepiest uncanny valley kiss ever performed.

Don’t get me wrong, the technology is outstanding, but in the end, it looks like two sedated drunks falling on each other’s faces.

This level of achievement is still not enough for Taiwan, though. Taiwan Tech, the university behind this project, wants to:

“form a group composed of autonomous robots, which are like well-trained versatile performers. They can not only perform different plays, sing songs, or broadcast news, but also interact with real persons appropriately”

Obviously with the intent of having them perform an orgy on stage and creeping the rest of humanity out of procreation. Beware, the uprising of the robots wont be violent, it will be creepy and messy and very, very awkward.

[IEEE / Via Tokyomango ]

History shows cooperation between academics and military researchers increase the development growth cycle of industrialized nations. Japan’s current Prime Minister, Taro Aso, is expected to announce the easing of restrictions placed on Japanese companies preventing them from engaging in development of military weaponry unless used in the “self defense” of the country. What would currently be classified as “military” forces are extensions of the Japanese police force.  This 1940s ban is seen as the primary reason Japan is currently not in the international weapons market sans a single exception, a Japanese/American joint military defense missile shield developed to protect against a N. Korean threat.

Why is this important? Few could argue Japan is not the leader in civilian robotics. The potential of allowing companies to participate in joint ventures could be shown in miniaturized motors, advances in artificial intelligence, and further development of robots. All of these used for a military function, however there would be spill over into the civilian market. The internet was created by DARPA and knowing Japanese culture for niche markets, I’m looking forward to AirTreks, life-like fem/maidbots, and mecha ala Jango from Burst Angel.

[TimesOnline]

Come, visit the city of Hakodate, Japan. Enjoy their famous squid ramen and take part in the Ika-odori (Squid Dance). But when visiting do mind the alien cephalopods from the planet Ikaaru…

The city of Hakodate has begun to produce action-packed tourism mini-sodes in the hopes of enticing visitors to their often overlooked port town. The saga begins with alien invaders seeking vengeance on citizens for eating too much squid. As each story unfolds we find notable landmarks appearing as robots protecting the city from their would-be attackers.

This is how you draw visitors in; come for the robot alien battle, stay for the squid. Clever marketing.

All three current mini-sodes found after the break.

[Pink Tentacle]
Read more!

Japan has invested billions of dollars into robotic research so that one day when its aging population reaches old age Mr. Roboto will care for them and all their needs. However up to this point few things  of value to the rest of the world had come from Japan’s robotics. Robotic nurses? Pfft, move on! The robotic barman is here!

This is Mr. Asahi and he can open more bottles of cold ones while keeping a sunny disposition than any human barman I’ve met. He can also pour pint after pint of beer without ever asking for a tip. On top of that he has a charming British accent that’s sure to go down well with the ladies.

Rock on Japan! Now you’re getting it!

[Tokyomango]

These GLADOS-looking robots you see above are the latest anti-pollen weapon to hit japan’s streets. Their thin LED-lit eyes light up in different  colors depending on the amount of pollen in the air while relaying pollen information to a server which creates a pollen map. Or at least that’s what they want you to believe! I bet these things scan for cake and in the event you should see fit to eat some, they would bake you. Because they love you.

[Tokyomango]

Engineers at Tokyo University demonstrated this household helper robot yesterday. The bipedal robot uses its two cameras mounted on its head to navigate around your house and recognize objects.

Well the Japanese just keep on pushing for a better future huh? When we once thought they could be developing killer gun-toting robots it turns out they are actually just making a nice robot to help you around the house and serve you tea.  But wait… isn’t that design a little bit much for a maid robot? Haven’t I seen that design before? I think I have… yes!

Its a freaking Patlabor mecha! Those cunning engineers were trying to fool us. Well their clever ruse is no more, they are planning on building gun carrying robots, I just dont know if this is awesome or scary anymore.

[Japundit]

Everyone loves big robots and in Japan there’s one word for big robots: Gundam. Gundam is the foundation of the whole mecha genre. Remember that post las summer about the 5 foot Gundam model? Well the Maru brothers, champions of the Robo One 10 competition have documented the whole process of building one in the web.

Don’t be fooled, this isn’t kids stuff, these boys are serious robot builders. They could very well end up bringing forth the rise of the machines in a few years.

[The Maru Family /Via ANN]

After all those cool cyberpunk Anime series I’ve seen like GITS, Armitage, Lain, and Bubblegum Crisis, I think it’s about time we turn some of the fantastic machines shown there into real life! And this is a pretty cool step. It’s name: The WL-16RIII. It’s CPU: An Intel Pentium III processor at 850 Mhz, along with a hydrogen battery.

I can’t wait to get my own Tachikoma!

[Japancast]

Out of all of the Ghost in the Shell cast my favorite character by far has to be the Tachikoma, or rather Tachikomas. hey are just the cutest most philosophical bellic vehicles ever. And now master Japanese robot makers have cooked up a miniature one.

Its 40cm high, 12cm wide and weighs 1.5Kg. You wanted pounds and inches? Get metric, bitches! Ill be damned, I just rhymed! Even the eyeballs move, here’s a couple of videos of the little panzer in action.

[Robo Garage]