Zigzaggery

I couldn’t overlook this new robot, erm, pillow-bear.

Jukusui-Kun-Robot

While its communication skills might seem limited to pawing at your head, this robot listens for your snores while it’s cute companion monitors your blood oxygen. Should your sleep become less than silent, or your oxygen levels drop alarmingly, the pillow teddy will wake you with a gentle paw on your head (although sound sleepers might require a more energetic thump I suppose).

It’s a little difficult to see from the video just how effective the tickling/thumping action might be, and it’s also a pity that the level of background noise makes it hard to relate the bear’s reaction to the snore of the presumably willing test subject (or more likely the creator of the robot).

Someone stole Shrek’s ears!!

So, another robot with a rather odd face, oh yes, and it’s cheeks change colour too.  I’m sorry, but in spite of the alien-chic this one is still a bit too cute for my liking.  This robot is a Media Centre PC (whatever that is, I think it’s supposed to help you work out the connection between the PC and your television) and also an expressive robot.  Here it is, looking stunned:

Reeti - looking somewhat stunned

Well, you’d be stunned too, if you found yourself stuck in a vase up to chin height!

This robot can watch people and faces, can speak and change its expressions.  In addition, it has lights under its cheeks and these can be used to express erm, stuff, the examples being: I’m feeling hot (red) or cold (blue), but I think moods are the underlying idea here.  I’m not sure how autonomously it really does any of these things.  A large part of one video relating to this robot seems to be about programming it to act in certain ways as it says certain scripted things.  There is also “an app for that”, so that you can remote control the robot with your iPhone or iPad.

More information can be found at the Reeti website.  However, I felt bound to link to the rather disturbing video below, which seems to place Reeti firmly as an alien visitor to Earth:

I realise that I have neglected my blog, but I haven’t seen any inspiring robots recently (although I have today, so there’ll be a post on that one soon).  I have, of course, also been busy writing my thesis.  However, I have now been tagged by Gwyneth at Groteskology to share seven things (I really hesitate to use the word ‘fact’ now, in reference to anything, ever) about me, so here goes:

1. I’m a scientist… no wait, I’m an artist… oh, hold on a minute… what am I?
   I am confused!
2. I’m a dog person…
   

   Jemma

   oh, but I like cats too… and bunnies… and birds… and geckos… and crickets…
   Ok, I’m an animal person.  Put me in a context with people and animals and I’ll be the one talking to the animals.

3. I procrastinate a lot.  I’m procrastinating right now.  I like to think it’s because I suffer (see, I must be an artist) from writers block, but I’m beginning to think it’s just because I’m plain lazy (hmm, and back to science).
4. I get wound up about things because I’m impatient, and I want to know now!  Currently I’m waiting to here about a full paper I submitted to a conference.  It’s being peer reviewed for publication in the proceedings.  This is therefore a serious distraction, resulting in much procrastination and a huge desire to continuously check email.
5. I watch a lot of television, but almost always unreality TV.
6. I’m beginning to think this list is really boring, but that’s in part because…
7. I used to do lots of things, now I just write my thesis, and when I’m not doing that I’m worrying about not writing my thesis.  It’s not a good way to be, and it’ll be over by the end of July unless something really awful occurs.

I almost decided not to post this (oh no, this is thing no. 8, I suppose) but what the hell.  So, my life is boring (9), but one day soon maybe it won’t be so bad (10??)!  I’m certainly not going to tag anyone else, they’ll only show me up.

At last, an entertaining robot with which to enter the new year. I particularly like the interaction with the cat, and also the squeaks of surprise that result even when one knows that it’s going to jump!

Yes, I want one of these too, and I haven’t even had time to construct my other robot kits at home.
(via Engadget)