Just in time for Halloween, an amateur robotics hobbyist who goes by the handle WGhost9 posted some video in the Trossen Robotics forum of his latest creation: a six-legged, jack-o’-lantern-headed robot.

The inventor of the robot calls his creation the Creeper2, and has designed it with expansion in mind. “The Creeper2’s large body contains expansion slots for 3 additional servos for adding navigational sensors, a head, small mandibles, or even a camera,” WGhost9 explains in his forum post.

Check out the original post here and watch the video below for more info.

It’s not often that an underwater vehicle draws the interest of an artist or photographer, but such is the case with this photo. This pic — snapped by Robert Howshall and Ben Sheppard, undergrads in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge — took top honors in a Nokia Photography Competition recently held at the University.

The center of attention here is “Pebble”, a deep-sea underwater vessel designed and built by a team of students to take pictures of the briny deep. Pebble was assembled for an economical £1800 (about $3000 USD), and was deployed earlier in 2009 off the NW coast of the Isle of Lewis. According to the Project Pebble website, the vehicle was unfortunately swept up by a passing fishing vessel and lost at sea.

Here’s an excerpt from the Project Pebble website that describes the project in more detail:

In 2009 a small team at Cambridge University Engineering Department designed, built and deployed a deep-sea photographic vessel. The vessel, called “Pebble”, cost £1800 to build, making it tens of tens less expensive than commercially available systems. It is hoped that subsequent years to engineering undergraduates will develop and improve the design, to make deep-sea photography more affordable than ever before.

Sure, it’s not technically a robotic vehicle, but we can’t let such an engaging combination of art and engineering go unnoticed. You can check out more stunning photos from the competition by visiting the Nokia Photography Competition photo gallery.

(Photo: Robert Howshall / Ben Sheppard, Cambridge University, Nokia)

If you’ve visited a museum over the last decade, chances are good that you’ve come across at least one robotic dinosaur that was created by the now-defunct Dinamation International Corporation. Dinamation was founded in the mid-1980s, and quickly gained fame by supplying life-size robotic dinosaurs to museums, amusement parks, and other venues. The company dissolved in 2001, but dozens (if not hundreds) of Dinamation robotic creations are still in operation across the globe.

I came across a few Dinamation creations at the Dinosaur Journey, a dinosaur museum in Fruita, CO, funded and supported by the Museum of Western Colorado. One was barely functional (see below), but several were still in operation and entertaining visitors.

Hundreds of engineers, scientists, technicians, and designers worked to bring these amazing creations to life, but information about the fate of most of Dinamation’s creations is scattered and incomplete. After a largely fruitless quest to find an existing directory, I’ve decided to create my own — and I could use your help.

If you’ve visited (or perhaps are affiliated with) a museum or other organization that has robotic dinosaur exhibits produced by Dinamation, please drop an email to jeff@nxtbot.com with the word “Dinamation” in the subject line including the following information:

• Name and location of the museum/organization
• Name and description of the dinosaur used in the exhibit
• General condition of the robot (i.e., fully functional, non-functional, etc.)

(Photos: Jeff James)

According to story in the Yomiuri Shimbun, Panasonic is planning to pit their diminutive Evolta cycling robot against the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit in France on August 7th.

The Evolta—named after the Panasonic AA Evolta batteries that power it—will try to lap the famed road course as many times in possible in a 24 hour period.

Panasonic is on a media blitz for their Evolta battery technology, and is attempting to gain some ground against popular battery brands like Energizer and Duracell. The Evolta was awarded a Guiness World Record for having the “Longest Lasting AA Alkaline Battery in a wide range of devices” in January 2008. In May 2008, the indefatigable Mr. Evolta also clambered up 1700 ft. on a rope at the Grand Canyon.

The Evolta is roughly the size of a shoe box, and is powered by two AA Evolta batteries. Created by famed Japanese robot creator Tomotaka Takahashi, the Evolta will rely on an infrared sensor to make its way around the Le Mans circuit. (Source: Digital Arts, Yomiuri Shimbun)

South Korean robotics company Robotis is well known for their Bioloid line of robotics kits, but the firm is also positioning itself as a provider of robotics platforms for the educational market. Their new Ollo product line is a constructable robot kit aimed squarely at young robot builders, specifically those aged 7 to 10. That positions the Ollobot neatly underneath the LEGO Mindstorms NXT, which LEGO has positioned primarily for the 10+ audience.

The Ollo range currently consists of three products: The Ollo Bug Kit (~$99 USD), which includes a programmable module (the CM-100), a motor, an IR receiver, wireless controller and a host of plastic elements; the Ollo Action Kit (~$30 USD), which provides an electric motor and more plastic elements; and the Ollo Figure Kit (~ $20 USD), which just includes plastic building elements. Robotis has also developed some educational materials around the Ollo, which you can see an example of here.

If you’re looking for a smallish example of a tiny robot, feast your eyes on this little critter. I found this over at TechRepublic.com, featured in a gallery depicting unusual uses for dead PCs.

According to the picture caption, this miniature robotic vehicle was created using the “floppy eject motors from a mac.” Want to see more? Click over to the Creative uses for dead computers photo gallery.

Building a small robot these days is far easier than it used to be, thanks in part to the introduction of products like LEGO Mindstorms and the Vex Robotics Design System. But what if you’re looking for something even simpler to construct, or perhaps you want to introduce robotics to a young child? A new robotics product dubbed roBlocks may be just what you’re looking for.

And I do mean simple: There aren’t any gears, sensors, tiny plastic pieces, or other microscopic bits or geegaws you have to fiddle with to contruct a functional robot. Using a variety of actuator, sensor, and operator blocks, roBlocks claims that you can simply snap them together to create simple robots. Each block is a 40mm cube, and magnets help the blocks snap together easily.

According to the roBlocks Web site, the product began as a research project led by PhD candidate Eric Schweikardt and Professor Mark D. Gross at Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh’s WTAE-TV recently aired a story which shows the roBlocks in action, and also provides some additional background info on the project from the CMU team that developed the roBlocks system.

The roBlocks Web site indicates that the product will be available for sale in December 2008, and pricing wasn’t yet available.    

_{(Photo:© roBlocks Source: roBlocks) [- Jeff James]}

While we’re not quite to the level of teleporting cancerous growths from a patient to the medical waste bin yet, Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital (JGH) has taken us a step closer to a future where robotic surgeons may be commonplace.  

Surgeons at JGH will reportedly use the new robotic, assisted-surgery device to treat gynecological and prostate cancers. According to a news release from JGH, use of the da Vinci surgical robot will lead to “shorter operation times, less blood loss, and a decrease in possible complications.”

“It has become increasingly evident that prostatectomies performed with robotic technology lead to a significant decrease in incidence of sexual dysfunction and incontinence improving the daily lives of our patients,” said Dr. Jacques Corcos, Director of the Robotics Program and Chief of the Department of Urology at the Jewish General Hospital. “This knowledge is based on current research being conducted at the JGH, and is part of a larger design, a Robotics Program in affiliation with all six of Quebec’s universities.”

Check out the JGH da Vinci robotic page for more info.

_{(Photo:© JGH Source: Montreal Jewish General Hospital) [- Jeff James]}

Okay, this may not be breaking news: The Tyco NSECT came out in late 2006, so those of you who’ve heard about this gadget can move on to something more timely. I did come across one of these R/C bugs not long ago while shopping at a local big box store, and the thing looked suitably cool enough to write a bit about.

The six-legged gizmo can scurry forwards and backwards, and its plastic mandible can be opened and closed. The two features that stood out for me were the carapace-mounted missle launcher (that fires those little foam Nerf darts with the sucker tips) and a eye-color changing function. You can see the NSECT in action via this corporate NSECT video on YouTube, or you can check out the Amazon.com listing.

Other R/C robots may offer more functionality, but the prospect of having a missile-firing, eye-color-changing monstrosity smash through a miniature LEGO city is an image that appeals to me. (Source: Tyco RC) [- Jeff James]

Timed to coincide with the release of the new Simpsons movie, a Homer Simpson-skinned version of Wowwee’s Robosapien toy has just been sighted trampling Springfield in various gadget shops on the Internet. It appears that the product is primarily available in the UK, as I’ve yet to find a North American shop that’s selling one.

Regardless, Homersapien features a bevy of features that Simpsons fans should recognize. Here’s an excerpt from a product description over at UK-based retailer Gadgetshop:

With 67 new pre-programmed functions, Homersapien can pick up objects, throw objects, kick objects and dance around the room as well as the more expected “Homerisms” such as belching, snoring, farting, and the classic Homer “Doh!” – he’s even programmed with a number of Kung Fu moves! Homersapien is pre-programmed with catchphrases galore taken from all manner of shows from various series’ and even has his own Krusty Burger cup which he holds so dear.

Now that everyone’s favorite underachieving (albeit lovable) slacker had been roboticized, will he go the way of Futurama’s Bender and turn to the consumption of alcohol for energy? Or perhaps the Asahi beer-bot can be modded to dispense Duff-brand beer? Regardless, it’s clear that Homer has more technical wherewithal than we’ve previously given him credit for. (Source: Gadgetshop) [- Jeff James]