Robot helicopters flying low among obstacles (ZDNet)

According to New Scientist, engineers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) have modified an unmanned commercial civilian helicopter to fly fast and low while avoiding obstacles such as buildings, trees or power lines. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Yamaha has been adapted to integrate a sensing system able to see obstacles -- and to avoid them. The article said that 'the helicopter's eye ...

'WALL-E' DVD Available for Pre-Order on Amazon.com (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

SEATTLE----With just a week to go before the release of “WALL•E” on DVD, Amazon.com is offering the Disney•Pixar's blockbuster animated film for immediate pre-order. This highly anticipated film will be released on Nov. 18, 2008, and customers who pre-order and select “Two-day” or “One-day” shipping will have their order arrive on the date of release.

Flying robots based on birds and insects (ZDNet)

A team of engineers at the University of Maryland specializing in flight and navigation, is turning to biology for inspiration to protect troops as the military's role in international dealings has increased. According to the team leader, the key to ensuring troops' protection lies in the study of birds and insects. So they're developing robots that both look and behave like wild animals, ...

The world's heaviest robot (ZDNet)

This distinction goes to a future autonomous version of the 700-tons Caterpillar mining truck. In a recent article, Discovery News reports that Caterpillar engineers and computer scientists from Carnegie Mellon University have teamed up to develop this autonomous truck. Japan-based Komatsu already has already delivered autonomous mining trucks to its customers, but these are smaller than the ...

Tech News Roundup: Google Android, iPhone Keyboard, Bum-Powered Flash Drives... (MobileMag)

What's happening in the world of mobile technology? AT&T's working on a robot, a mobile suit excretes memory, and the friendly skies are getting friendlier with free porn. Yes, it's quite an eclectic day.

New Australian land warfare robots (ZDNet)

Even if I'm not completely sure, I think this is the first time in the world that a Minister of Defense unveiled himself new robots. It happened yesterday in Australia when Warren Snowdon showed a new robot called SPIKER designed to counter improvised explosive devices (IEDs). For your curiosity, SPIKER is an acronym for 'Special Purpose IED Killer Experimental Robot.' Snowdon also unveiled a ...

Interpolytech 2008 Exhibition (Itar-Tass)

Patriot Okapi, a mobile surveillance vehicle designed for Russia's Border Guard Service, on display at Interpolytech 2008 exhibition, All-Russia Exhibition Center.

Can a robot be in a good or in a bad mood? (ZDNet)

According to the Taranaki Daily News in New Zealand, the answer is yes. Engineers at Victoria University in Wellington have developed a robot which adapts its behavior according to its emotions. Marvin -- short for 'Mobile Autonomous Robotic Vehicle for Indoor Navigation' -- can express happiness, anger or frustration. As said the lead researcher, 'We've given Marvin the emotion of anger or ...

Dr Mangaka (The Star)

ONE day, Kumako Kumada, the 48-year-old housewife of a salaryman, felt dizzy and was unable to sleep. Kumada wanted to talk to her husband about the problem, but he is a chauvinistic man who only speaks when he tells her to draw his bath, make his tea and set his bed.

Jambot, a musician robot that improvises (ZDNet)

An Australian PhD researcher from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has created a jamming robot which can improvise musical rhythms and melodies to the music it listens to. If Jambot, as it is named, is a musical robot, it's not made of metal. Here is how the researcher describes Jambot. 'It is a piece of computer software that could play along to a soloist, providing a backing track, or ...