Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments
Search

News for nerds, stuff that matters

Slashdot Log In

Log In

Create Account  |  Retrieve Password

Cheap, Open-design Humanoid Bot - Runs Linux, Too

Posted by timothy on Mon Jul 17, 2006 06:18 PM
from the small-in-japan dept.
Robotics Software Linux
An anonymous reader points out Linux Devices' coverage of a new Linux-based humanoid robot: "Four companies in Japan have created a low-cost, user-programmable humanoid robot targeting educational and research applications. ... The HRP-2m Choromet stands about 14 inches tall, and is capable of walking upright on two legs. It can also assume supine or prone positions, and stand up from either." As the reader summarizes, "It runs user-space humanoid motion application software and real-time Linux on a business-card-sized computer with a SuperH processor. Be sure to check out the video of the little guy without his plastic batman suit."
+ -
story
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

Cheap, Open-design Humanoid Bot - Runs Linux, Too 25 Comments More /

 Full
 Abbreviated
 Hidden
More
Loading... please wait.

  • hmm (Score:5, Funny)

    by coaxeus (911103) * on Monday July 17 2006, @06:21PM (#15734216) Homepage
    I, for one, welcome our new japaneze seizure robot overlords.
    Be sure to check out the video of the little guy without his plastic batman suit
    nsfw?

  • Picture this: your mother-in-law comes over. You open the front door, and just as she's about to cross the threshold 40 of these things come running down the hallway armed with foot-long kitchen knives.

    A robot walking slowly is a toy. A robot, even a tiny one, pistoning down a hall, leaping obstacles, maybe tripping and catching itself with one hand without breaking stride... that's just plain scary. I believe that no invention is complete until it's capable of its own starring role in a nightmare. We're getting there, let's get it done this decade.

  • Why Windows Media? (Score:4, Funny)

    by bryanporter (847667) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:29PM (#15734256) Homepage
    If it runs Linux, why does the video clip of it in action require Windows Media Player?

    I sincerely hope this is the result of the video hosting service, and not the company itself. Sometimes you have to wonder at the schizophrenia endemic to the corporate world.
      • If you're qualified to work on a humanoid robot, you can probably figure out how to use linux on the desktop. At least, I sure fucking hope so, since these days it pretty much boils down to "boot from LiveCD, run installer, pretend it's Windows"
  • Imagine a Beowulf cluster^H^H^H^H^H^H^H platoon of them!

  • Your plastic pal who's fun to be with! (Score:3, Funny)

    by stsp (979375) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:32PM (#15734277) Homepage
    I want one with a Genuine People Personality so it can take over when I have to talk to people I don't like.

  • Why walking? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by jours (663228) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:37PM (#15734305) Homepage
    1. Build walking robot
    2. Install Linux
    3. ...
    4. Profit???

    Seriously, why so much interest in building a walknig robot though? Sure it's an interesting research project, but what's the real application of a robotic biped? IANARE (I Am Not A Robot Engineer), but it seems to me that there are a lot more efficient ways for a robot to move - wheels, treads, etc - than trying to master walking. By the time you're done adding motors, sensors and processing power to make it walk, I imagine there's precious little left to make it actually *do* anything useful.
    • Because many of the environments we want these devices in
      are better suited to bipeds (like us).

      Stairs and ladders, for example, are two of the many
      environments they will need to be proficient in.
      Not to mention robotic soccer.

      And besides - the look cool and cool sells.
      (although at $170k - probably not too well.

    • Re:Why walking? (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Wind_Walker (83965) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:51PM (#15734383) Homepage Journal
      More efficient ways? Sure. More practical ways? Nope.

      For better or worse, the human world is designed around bipedal movement. Steps, doors (especially revolving doors), chairs, curbs, desks... They all assume certain things, amongst which is bipedal movement.

      The more we program robots to be bipedal, the more we learn about bipedal movement from a purely analytical perspective. And the more we learn about bipedal movement, the closer we become to making real "helper" robots that are seen in countless Sci-Fi stories.
        • Except upstairs or downstairs in any two story home. Or even up the steps to get in a single story home. Most people would buy a mini robot, or a full sized robot that is designed for personal use, at HOME. Not at fully modern government buildings and malls which are subject to the laws you speak of.
    • or what's involved in getting one to move, but I have to say, after watching the video I'm impressed that with only 32M of memory it can do what it can.

      Of course, right now it's probably preprogrammed in, so I don't suppose it'd need much.

    • If the robot were not bipedal, it wouldn't have a shiny metal ass to tell you to bite.
  • Defend yourself in the Imminent Robot Rebellion [slashdot.org]

    That's right. Imminent.

  • hmm (Score:3, Funny)

    by hurfy (735314) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:43PM (#15734342)
    Ok, the plans for world domination will have to be reworked to account for the 14" bots. Get back to you later on that ;)

    Dang it, I said 14 FEET tall...subcontractors never get ANYTHING right :(

    Ok, its cute...umm what does it do?

  • I can see it now (Score:4, Funny)

    by i8puppies (910027) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:46PM (#15734355)
    An army of linux-robots marching to the gates of Microsoft headquarters, all fitted with chainsaws and laser eyes.

  • But does it... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Nom du Keyboard (633989) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:51PM (#15734381)
    /usr/bin/sex

    File not found!

  • I could only see an .asx in TFA. Anyone have something the non-robot linux user can view?

  • Scripting languages? (Score:5, Funny)

    by wowbagger (69688) on Monday July 17 2006, @06:56PM (#15734405) Homepage Journal
    So, will this be programmable via scripting languages?

    Sort of a "TCL-me Elmo?"

  • Cheap (Score:3, Insightful)

    by slashkitty (21637) on Monday July 17 2006, @07:44PM (#15734613) Homepage
    You can't say it's cheap if it doesn't even have a price yet. It's for us to decide if it's really cheap when it's priced.

    If it's $100, then it would be cheap. It's probably more like $20,000, which, I would not consider "cheap"... More accessible for some, yet, cheap, no... and, it's not even accessible yet.

  • I hope the firmware is open too (Score:3, Insightful)

    by alegrepublic (83799) on Monday July 17 2006, @10:11PM (#15735177)
    Running Linux would not be good enough unless the firmware is open source too. It would not be fun to have to call a close-source API that implements pre-programmed routines instead of providing raw access to sensors and motors. Otherwise, I would think they use Linux for two reasons: propaganda and freeloading... I hope they are honestly and carry on the promise to deliver a really open system.

  • Correct link, real tech details (Score:3, Informative)

    by Animats (122034) on Monday July 17 2006, @11:09PM (#15735381) Homepage

    Company site, with translation to English [google.com]. Actual technical details. Pricing.

All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 1997-2009 Geeknet, Inc.