Looking for a hiking partner, someone to entertain your kids, or a gambling buddy guaranteed not to cheat? Look no further than the RoboDevelopment Conference and Expo in San Jose, Calif., organized by Robotic Trends.
The two-day event, which kicked off on Thursday, is meant to give people developing robots for sale a place to gather and showcase their work.
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Austin, Texas-based National Instruments, which recently started working in collaboration with Lego Group, shows off the all new Lego Mindstorms NXT. The new Mindstorms are equipped with NI LabView graphical development software, which is compatible with PCs and Macs.
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Dexter the bipedal robot makes an appearance on the show floor. Created by Anybots, this robot can walk, run and jump, after a fashion. For the outdoor enthusiast who needs hiking company, Dexter can handle outdoor terrain as well as stairs and ladders, the company says.
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If you want a gambling buddy who is programmed not to cheat, then this is the robot for you. National Instruments has created a robot that can play dice with you and tell who won. But don't think that just because it's a robot it won't rub your loss in your face. This guy will jump up and down in victory if he rolls a winning number.
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In a recent partnership with Wowee, Evolution Robotics has equipped three new consumer toy robots with its Northstar technology. This technology uses triangulation to measure positioning in relation to infrared light spots that are projected from the robot to the ceiling in an indoor environment.
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Monty, another human-size robot at the Anybots booth, shows off a bulky arm that is remotely operated. He can perform a wide variety of manual labor tasks. In this photo, he shows us how he can pick up a ball and put it in a cup.
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Albert's Equation displays its Dynamic Move Sequencer. This robot will be going head-to-head with others at next year's Robo Games in San Francisco.
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All Motion, a manufacturer of Stepper Motor Drives and Stepper Motor Controllers, illustrates how its product can be used in the medical field.
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Hagisonic, a Korean sensor manufacturer, displays its ultrasonic sensor and indoor localization system for intelligent robots. The ultrasonic sensor in this iRobi-Q helps the robot avoid obstacles and accurately find its recharging station.
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There's even something for the kids at the RoboDevelopment convention. Zeno, an interactive robot, can walk and talk with children through wireless PC controls, and has his own moods (and his own blog). In this photo, Zeno looks up contemplatively to decide what he will say next.
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Ever wonder what careful hands put together the car you just bought? It could be that a company called Schunk had something to do with it.
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Galileo mobility instruments has created a robot that can handle the rough obstacles in yard work. Hailing from Israel, these little machines are all-terrain, have a minimal footprint and can climb stairs.
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Microsoft showcases its Robotics Studio software on the screen/head of a robot. The software allows developers to create applications for their robots. It also allows for interaction through windows or Web based interfaces.
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