Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Hexapod Emotional Spider Robot Sees Your Face
The Hexapod robot now has museum credentials to go with its acting chops. The Emotibot exhibit running at the London Science Museum shows robots at their most emotionally expressive.
(Hexapod confronts its designer, Matthew Denton [at left])
Although some people are repulsed by spiders, they are fascinated with spider robots. Hexapod has remarkable software that allows it to interact with human beings in an emotionally expressive way.
Hexapod tracks the faces of visitors, and pays attention to those who walk around it. If Hexapod is aggressively confronted, it backs away. Children love Hexapod!
If a person hold's Hexapod's gaze for a few seconds, their picture is uploaded to its website.
Take a look at the fascinating behaviors of Hexapod in this video.
(Hexapod robot also Harry Potter star video)
Prototypes for the Hexapod robot were used in the making of two Harry Potter films; they co-starred as Hagrid's pets.
"It's a very advanced robot and is really about showing children they can interact with robots," said Mr Denton. "It's amazing to watch their reaction, it's a 'wow' moment when it springs into life and follows them around. I worked hard to make it as natural as possible, so the hexapod sways as it moves, exactly like an animal."
SF readers may be reminded of the spider tripod robots from Arthur C. Clarke's wonderful 1972 novel Rendezvous with Rama.
The creature was not quite as tall as a man, and looked far too fragile to be dangerous, but that did not excuse their carelessness in letting it sneak up on them unawares. It reminded Norton of nothing so much as a three-legged spider, or daddy-long-legs, and he wondered how it had solved the problem - never challenged by any creature on Earth - of tripedal locomotion.
Also, take a look at these pictures of the Minority Report spider robots and the deadly spider robots from Runaway - see any similarities?
Regard these spider robots, if you dare:
- Hexapod Robot CNC Router
A great combination of computer numerical control device and a six-legged robot. Created as a DIY prototype by Matt Denton. - Tachikoma Robot Jumping Spider Tank
Takahashi's carbon-fiber model is only about forty centimeters high, but has nineteen degrees of freedom and runs off lithium polymer batteries. - Autotelematic Spider Bots
Ken Rinaldo's spiderlike robots are demonstrated next to the museum's collection of real spiders. - MAST Spider Robots Like Minority Report
The intent is to create swarm of autonomous robots able to get into small spaces where people cannot go.
Read a bit more about Hexapod in the Daily Mail and in This is London.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 8/5/2008)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 4 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
Biohybrid Robots Made Of Living And Synthetic Materials
'If the biological robots were not living creatures, they were certainly very good imitations.' - Arthur C. Clarke, 1972.
P1 Just The Latest Robot To Take A Beating From Humans
'...we mere people come second.'
Autonomous Robotic Dentist - Would You Say 'Ahhh'?
You might be surprised at how much more efficient this could be.
Torobo Humanoid Robot Hammers A Nail
7-axis dual arms, 3-axis waist (pitch, pitch, yaw), 3-axis neck (yaw, pitch, roll), and 4-axis undercarriage!
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Biohybrid Robots Made Of Living And Synthetic Materials
'If the biological robots were not living creatures, they were certainly very good imitations.'
Drug Induces Hibernation-Like State In Humans
'... drugged and chilled and stowed in sleep tanks.'
Poul Anderson's 'Brain Wave'
"Everybody and his dog, it seemed, wanted to live out in the country; transportation and communication were no longer isolating factors."
AI Note-Taking From Google Meet
'... the new typewriter that could be talked to, and which transposed the spoken sound into typed words.'
Qore IcePlates Are Personal Cooling Suits
'... underneath they consisted of networks of cooling tubes against the skin.'
P1 Just The Latest Robot To Take A Beating From Humans
'...we mere people come second.'
Waymo Cars Shout At Each Other, Autonomously
'My cars talk to one another. I have no doubt about it...'
Your Solar Electric Paint Is Ready, Larry Niven
'...you spray it on.'
How Long Till We Have These Tattoos?
Truth or fiction?
Seeing Faces On Grains Of Sand (AI Pareidolia)
'... the imprint of her image on the telephoto cell.'
Lunar Biorepository Proposed For Cryo-Preservation Of Earth Species
'...there was no one alive who had ever seen them. But they existed in the Life Bank.'
Tele-Driving Offers Jobs For Tele-Drivers, Not AIs
''...some bored drone pusher in a remote driving centre...'
Autonomous Robotic Dentist - Would You Say 'Ahhh'?
You might be surprised at how much more efficient this could be.
GM Scraps Cruise Origin Robotaxi With No Steering Wheel
'Ames tinkered around with something on the instrument board when he got in; and in a few moments we were off.'
Taza Aya Air-Curtain Tech Protects Turkey Workers
'I'm going to have to buy a filter-mask.'
Torobo Humanoid Robot Hammers A Nail
7-axis dual arms, 3-axis waist (pitch, pitch, yaw), 3-axis neck (yaw, pitch, roll), and 4-axis undercarriage!
