Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
T-Rot Thinking Robot Tends Bar, Chats
The T-Rot thinking robot will make its public debut at the APEC forum underway now in Busan, Korea. T-Rot is shown below tending bar at the Robot Cafe, pouring a drink for Kim Mun-Sang, director of the Ministry of Science and Technology Robot taskforce)
(From T-Rot thinking robot tends bar)
T-Rot has two cameras which help it recognize both people and objects - like bottles, glasses and refrigerators - and see their position in three dimensions. It also has the capability of listening to customers and responding with appropriate conversational comments.
In order to correctly apply force to different objects, T-Rot has special skin developed by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. This allows T-Rot to apply the correct pressure in a handshake with a person, or in holding a delicate glass. T-Rot can even pick up eggs without breaking them. See the story Robots Get Pressure-Sensitive Skin for more information.
Fans of writer Harry Harrison will remember the robot bar from his 1965 novel Bill the Galactic Hero:
Drinky, drinky, make you stinky," a robot bar said, rolling up and whispering in his ear. It made the sound of ice cubes rattling in a frosty glass.
(Read more about Harry Harrison's robot bartender)
Learn more about T-Rot's predecessors at Koolio the Refrigerator Robot and Pressure-Sensitive Skin; read more about T-Rot the Thinking Robot Bartender.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 11/15/2005)
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 ( 5 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
Auto-Targeting Fire Sprinkler Systems Now Reality
I think every kitchen should have one of these.
LEONARDO Robot Has Legs And Thrusters, Can Skateboard, Slackline
'a walking balloon proceeded with long strides of its aluminum legs over a slant of steep upland.' - George Parsons Lathrop, 1897.
Xavier Robots On Patrol For 'Anti-Social Behavior'
'This was as close as a robot could get to a cop in uniform.' Harry Harrison, 1958.
Pengxing Intelligent Robot Horse You Can Ride
'The horse reared up, pawing the air, then sprang into a gallop.' - Christopher Stasheff, 1969.
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.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Jetson ONE Personal Electric Aerial Vehicle
Who says you can't have your flying car?
Starlab By Nanoracks, A Commercial Space Station
'Webb Foster had built his space laboratory... It was a great crystal sphere, a thousand feet in diameter.'
Auto-Targeting Fire Sprinkler Systems Now Reality
I think every kitchen should have one of these.
Monarch Tractor - It's Electric, Autonomous and Smart
'Driver-optional' and follows gestures.
'Seabreeze' Apple And UCLA Project To Beat Depression
'It's illegal to hold back information during a psyche test,' the machine said peevishly.'
Hovermap By Emesent Autonomous Mapping Works Indoors - and Out
Perfect for exploring ancient artifacts on distant planets.
Sono Motor's Sion Sun-Powered Car
'...six square yards of sunpower screens on its low curved roof.'
LEONARDO Robot Has Legs And Thrusters, Can Skateboard, Slackline
'a walking balloon proceeded with long strides of its aluminum legs over a slant of steep upland.'
Xavier Robots On Patrol For 'Anti-Social Behavior'
'This was as close as a robot could get to a cop in uniform.'
Rotating House in Bosnia
'... feel free to turn the house on your own.'
Ingenious Engineer Creates DIY Feeding Robot
'Waldo flexed and extended his fingers gently; the two pairs of waldoes in the screen followed in exact, simultaneous parallelism.'
SpaceX Creates 'Tholian Web' Mega Constellation Of Satellites
'We shall not see home again!'
Do Smart Glasses Need Forward-Facing Cameras?
'They were stylish, with yellow-tinted lenses and hip frames, but the posts were unusually thick.'
Adorable One-Seater Electric Car From Wuxi Sinotech
'Noiselessly, on rubber-tired wheels, they journeyed...'
Zoom Adds Real-Time, Live Translation
'He immediately turned the small shining disc of the Language Rectifier..'
It's Spacewalk Sunday, Thanks To The ESA
'The delicious, indescribable pleasure of being a little planet swinging through space...'
