{"id":9339,"date":"2011-07-14T11:44:42","date_gmt":"2011-07-14T11:44:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thisblogrules.com\/?p=9339"},"modified":"2011-07-14T00:10:10","modified_gmt":"2011-07-14T00:10:10","slug":"top-five-most-awesome-real-robots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thisblogrules.com\/top-five-most-awesome-real-robots\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Five Most Awesome Real Robots"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Science fiction has given us a load of awesome robots: Optimus Prime,\u00a0R2D2, the Terminator. Unfortunately, all of these are \u2013 for now, at least \u2013\u00a0fictional. Today, however, the science fiction author\u2019s eternal dream of\u00a0highly sophisticated robots becoming commonplace is fast getting closer to\u00a0fact than fiction. How long will it be until seeing a robot walking down\u00a0the street won\u2019t be worth a second glance? According to the work of the\u00a0makers of some of the mechanical marvels below, not very long at all&#8230;<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>5) BigDog<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An amazing invention (if pretty creepy to see and hear in\u00a0action) made by Boston Dynamics et al. Essentially built to function as a\u00a0robotic pack mule, BigDog is notable for being dynamically stable. Able to\u00a0navigate icy terrain and even recover its balance when kicked, BigDog\u2019s\u00a0four legs can effectively allow it to go places where other vehicles can\u2019t.\u00a0However, the eerie buzzing sound its modified go-kart engine makes coupled\u00a0with its spidery, uncanny valley plunge-inducing way of movement makes it\u00a0pretty damn weird to be around.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cNZPRsrwumQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>4) Roomba<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Roomba is a pretty awesome little machine, really. Made by\u00a0the appropriately named iRobot company, it is arguably one of the most\u00a0widely used household robots today. A small autonomous vacuum cleaner, the\u00a0Roomba can safely navigate your home by itself thanks to a variety of\u00a0intuitive sensors (including the so-called cliff sensors that stop it from\u00a0falling off ledges or down stairs). While it\u2019s certainly not one of the\u00a0robotics world\u2019s most exotic creations, it definitely gets one of life\u2019s\u00a0more mundane tasks done in a cool, science fictiony way. Additionally they\u00a0are quite popular with modders and hackers; you can even control them with<br \/>\na <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gamestop.com\/gs\/landing\/kinect\">Kinect<\/a> if you know\u00a0how.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CLIPLiQDIk0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>3) AIBO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The AIBO (Artificial Intelligence roBOt, this name also\u00a0resembling the Japanese word for \u201cpal\u201d or \u201cpartner\u201d) was Sony\u2019s\u00a0breakthrough robot. Able to operate autonomously, the AIBO can move around,\u00a0see its environment via an inbuilt camera and recognise spoken commands.\u00a0They became so popular that an AIBO convention was \u2013 and continues to be \u2013\u00a0held in Shinjuku ever year. The first model came out on May the 11th 1999,\u00a0several different versions of the robot having been released before it was\u00a0finally discontinued in 2006 (although the trade of second hand AIBOs\u00a0continues unabated to this day). However, Sony confirmed that there would\u00a0be support for the latest ERS7 model until 2013, as well as hinting at the\u00a0ongoing development of the AIBO software for use in other consumer\u00a0products.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/J9JSs-CyDPM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>2) QRIO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The QRIO (Quest for cuRIOsity) was, sadly, never available for\u00a0commercial sale (and would have cost the same as a family saloon car if it\u00a0had been). Another robot from the Sony stable, the two foot humanoid QRIO\u00a0was capable of vocal and facial recognition as well as being able to take\u00a0part in conversations, dance and run (it being awarded a Guinness World\u00a0Record in 2005 for being the first bipedal robot capable of doing the\u00a0latter). Its amazingly fluid movements meant that it soon became famous for\u00a0performing choreographed dance routines at various different events and\u00a0venues, even starring in the music video for Beck\u2019s song Hell Yes. Alas,\u00a0what could have been.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/POuxHMEM2_Q?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>1) ASIMO<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) was made by\u00a0Honda, and was first officially unveiled in 2000. Standing at four foot\u00a0three inches tall, it looks a little like a small astronaut due to its\u00a0helmet-like head and curved visor. Able to recognise faces, voices and\u00a0objects, the ASIMO can also hold conversations and carefully navigate its\u00a0environment in a manner that is both safe for itself and nearby humans. The\u00a0ASIMO\u2019s \u201cbackpack\u201d is actually where its battery is housed, the latest\u00a0model capable of around forty minutes to one hour of operating time. ASIMO\u00a0is very well travelled, having made many public appearances worldwide.\u00a0Let&#8217;s face it: robot or not, you know you&#8217;ve made it when you have your own\u00a0show at Disneyland.<\/p>\n<p><iframe width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NZngYDDDfW4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Ella is a long time robot fanatic, having been ineffectually trying to\u00a0recreate them out of cardboard boxes since she was small.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Science fiction has given us a load of awesome robots: Optimus Prime,\u00a0R2D2, the Terminator. Unfortunately, all of these are \u2013 for now, at least \u2013\u00a0fictional. Today, however, the science fiction author\u2019s eternal dream of\u00a0highly sophisticated robots becoming commonplace is fast getting closer to\u00a0fact than fiction. How long will it be until seeing a robot walking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[4,211],"tags":[2396,1723,2398,2403,2394,2406,2410,2412,2405,2409,2411,2408,2402,2404,2399,2400,585,2125,2393,2397,1516,589,106,2395,1224,2058,249,2401,378,1414,803,2407],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.9.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Top Five Most Awesome Real Robots 2023 | This Blog Rules<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Science fiction has given us a load of awesome robots: Optimus Prime,\u00a0R2D2, the Terminator. 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