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Marvin Intel's Self-Charging Robot
Marvin, the resident robot at Seattle's Intel Lab, now has a sensor to detect the electric field emitted by a standard AC power outlet. Marvin then takes a page from the 1960 short story Callihan and the Wheelies by Stephen Barr:
Of course, little Roombas have been recharging themselves in special stands, but you've got to admire a robot that just uses an outlet like everyone else. Take a look at the video.
Amanda glared at the little object on wheels - it was about the size of a rollerskate and it seemed to be considering what to do next. It turned its photoelectric scanners this way and that, waving its jointed grappling arms about. Then it appeared to make up its mind, and trundled over to a wall socket in the baseboard, plugged itself in and proceeded to recharge itself.
(A self-charging robot)
(Marvin, Intel robot, plugs itself in - video)
From Intel: Robot, Feed Thyself via Gizmodo.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 9/30/2009)
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