Dan Kohn's Blog

From: http://technabob.com/blog/2011/09/30/omni-crawler-crawling-robot/
Sep 30, 2011

At the recently concluded Innovation Japan 2011, a group of researchers from the robot-obsessed, ever-innovative Osaka University in Japan presented the Omni-Ball, a ball-shaped wheel that can move in all directions. They then used the Omni-Ball to create the Omni-Crawler, a small vehicle that – yep, you catch on quick – easily move in all directions.

We can look at the Omni-Ball as an improved version of the swivel caster (the wheels that are usually attached to the bottom of shopping carts and office chairs). Compared to casters, which have multiple parts, the Omni-Ball is much simpler. It’s made up of two matching hemispheres attached to either side of an axle. The hemispheres can move independently or together as a sphere. Attach the Omni-Ball to a vehicle and you get the Omni-Crawler. Attach it to a gripper and you get the Omni-Gripper. Dip it in gel and… nah I don’t think that’ll work. Watch the video to learn more about the Omni-thingies:

It reminds me of the treads on this LEGO tank, but the Omni-Ball will probably make for a much smoother ride. As YouTuber TheExWarrior commented, it would be awesome if all cars had Omni-Balls instead of wheels because it’ll make parking much easier. It’ll also make driving – crawling? – a lot more fun.

Just got a ROVIO mobile webcam from WowWEE robotics. They are being discontinued, so they are very cheep right now. Think Geek has them on sale for $129.99 (down from $229.99).

I was warned that the robot is being discontinued due to the fact that the software (and internet interface) is not 100% compatible with WIN7…..but for for what I want to use it for, it should be fine (I also found an android app for it which is great).

Here is a video demo (WowWee’s not mine):

I will be adding this bot to my collection for demonstrations on robotics.

I will do a full review when I get the battery charged….but one note….it was supposed to come with a CD, but didn’t (but it was available online – so no problem).

From: New York Times
By JEREMY PEARCE
Published: August 15, 2011

George C. Devol, a largely self-taught inventor who drew from science fiction to help develop Unimate, the revolutionary mechanical arm that became a prototype for robots now widely used on automobile assembly lines and in other industries, died on Thursday at his home in Wilton, Conn. He was 99.

George C. Devol, right, and Joseph F. Engelberger are served by a mechanical arm they developed.

The Unimate mechanical arm.

His death was confirmed by his son Robert.

In the early 1950s, before the advent of industrial robotics, Mr. Devol (pronounced de-VAHL) built on his own work in electrical engineering and machine controls to design a mechanical arm that could be programmed to repeat precise tasks, like grasping and lifting.

He applied for a patent in 1954 and explained the concept to a fellow engineer, Joseph F. Engelberger, at a cocktail party where they discussed their favorite science fiction writers. Mr. Engelberger listened with interest and immediately seized on the significance of the new technology.
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From: Los Angeles Times
July 26, 2011

German engineering firm Festo has developed a robotic seagull that’s so lifelike it appeared to fool real birds into thinking that it was part of the flock.

SmartBird is an ultralight flapping-wing robot inspired by the herring gull, and it can start, fly and land autonomously, Festo said. It weighs less than a pound and has a 6 1/2-foot wingspan, according to a company fact sheet.

Watch in the video above as the SmartBird coasts above the crowd and attracts a nearby flock of birds. According to the YouTube post, the flight took place at TEDGlobal 2011, an annual five-day technology conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.

TED, or Technology Entertainment and Design, the organization that held the event, posted another video of SmartBird as it flew indoors. Tech geeks and aerospace nerds alike gave it a standing ovation.

“The audience watches in awe as the robotic SmartBird — powered simply by the motion of its wings — takes flight over their heads in the TEDGlobal theater,” the post says.

Now that it has gotten the attention of both human and avian crowds, who knows what’s next for the company?

“We try to mimic nature,” said Festo designer Markus Fischer in the YouTube video.

This year, AeroVironment Inc. in Monrovia unveiled a pocket-size drone, dubbed the Nano Hummingbird, which mimicked the flight of a real life hummingbird. Outfitted with a tiny camera, the little drone was developed with funding from the Pentagon. Some analysts say the technology might find its way as a mini-spy plane on the battlefield or in urban areas.