 |
SmartPal V Robot Picks Up, Vacuums Rec Room
SmartPal V, the general purpose robot created by Yaskawa Electric Corporation, was shown off a week ago at the West Japan General Exhibition in Kitakyushu City.
SmartPal is looking more and more like the sort of robot you'd like to have around your house; take a look at the pictures shown below.
First, SmartPal V locates and picks up each individual item on the floor; in this case, a small stuffed panda. Then, the robot places it on the shelf.
(SmartPal V picks up a toy, places it on shelf)
Finally, the SmartPal V robot gets the vacuum cleaner and goes over the carpet.
(SmartPal V vacuums the floor)
SmartPal V is a pretty good prototype for Heinlein's Hired Girl robot, from his 1956 novel The Door into Summer:
Anything larger than a BB shot it picked up and placed in a tray on its upper surface, for someone brighter to decide whether to keep or throw away. It went quietly looking for dirt all day long, in search curves that could miss nothing, passing over clean floors in its endless search for dirty floors.
(Read more about Heinlein's Hired Girl robot)
Read more about the SmartPal V Mecha-Gumby Service Robot; from Robot Watch.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 7/10/2008)
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 ( 1 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
DIY Autonomous Robot Detects Trash
'The search-bug detached itself and rolled forward.' - Philip K. Dick
When Robots Beg For Their Lives
"Just what do you think you're doing... Dave.'
SRI MicroFactory Of Microrobots Recalls Dick's Autofac
'Microscopic machinery, smaller than ants... constructing something...' - Philip K. Dick, 1955.
Rolls Royce 'Cockroach-Sized' Repair Robots To Crawl Inside Engines
'As if swarms of tiny animals were busily scurrying...' - Stanislaw Lem, 1954.
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.
Current News
PAL-V Liberty Flying Helicopter Car
'...lifted themselves to skimming flight upon whirling helicopters."
Space Drones - UK's Effective Space To Launch Rocket Tugs
'Twenty rocket tugs towed it from its Earth hangar out into space.'
DIY Autonomous Robot Detects Trash
'The search-bug detached itself and rolled forward.'
Ancient Russian Walking Excavator Would Be Perfect RV
I don't need it to go fast, it just needs to amble along.
ELROI Satellite 'License Plate'
Robert Heinlein was thinking about this in 1941.
When Robots Beg For Their Lives
"Just what do you think you're doing... Dave.'
Do You Still Want A Folding Screen Phone?
'A paper thin polycarbon screen unfurled...'
'Snapchat Dysmorphia' Now A Thing, Say Plastic Surgeons
'The program raced up the screen one scan line at a time, subtly smoothing, deleting and coloring.'
Quiet Electric Cars Law Finalized By US Transportation Department
'... a sound tape to supply the noise'
Drone Assassin Fails To Kill Venezuelan President
'The spotter descends, and we think it searches the vicinity, looking for the victim's face...'
Stick-On Tape Speakers, As Predicted By Bruce Sterling
Flexible tape speakers, someday.
Bezos Invites You To New Life In Off-World Colonies
'A new life awaits you!'
Amazon's Rekognition System Sees Criminals In Congress
'... the imprint of her image on the telephoto cell.'
Build Your Own Space Suit For Cheap
'I'm going to pump the air from this room... so that the interior will be like airless and pressure-less space.'
CIMON Space Sidekick For Weary Astronauts
I welcome our floating robotic assistants.
SRI MicroFactory Of Microrobots Recalls Dick's Autofac
'Microscopic machinery, smaller than ants... constructing something...'
