ASIMO - The Next Generation

Recently, Honda has unveiled the new version of ASIMO. Although, it looks quite similar to the previous model, improvements in its mobility and control systems have been done. 

Mars Rovers: Curiosity

The Mars Science Laboratory, also known as MSL, is the more recent mission that has been sent to explore Mars. Like Pathfinder and MERS missions, the MSL consist in place a rover with a scientific load on the Mars surface aiming to find more information about the past and present environmental conditions, and based on this information try to understand if Mars were capable of supporting life in the past, and also, if there is any chance to be inhabited. Curiosity is expected to arrive in August 2012 and It's been planned that the mission last one Mars year (23 Earth months).

Mars Rovers: Oportunity And Spirit

The Mars Exploration Rover mission, also known as MERS, is the second mission sent to Mars that involved rovers. MERS aims to study Mars surface looking for clues about the past water activity on Mars. This information is vital to accomplish one of the goals of the mission: to find out whether life ever existed in Mars.

To do so, twin rovers, Opportunity and Spirit, were sent to different locations on opposite sides on Mars that were apparently affected by liquid water in the past, the Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum.

Spirit was launched on June 10, 2003 and arrived to Mars on January 4, 2004, and Opportunity was launched on July 7, 2003 and arrived on January 25, 2004.

Mars Rovers: Sojourner

Sojourner was the first exploration rover sent to Mars. It was part of the Mars Pathfinder mission which consisted in sending to Mars a lander and rover. Sojouner traveled inside the lander, later named Carl Sagan Memorial Station, for almost seven moths arriving to the red planet's Aris Vallis region on July 4th, 1997.  The main goal of the Pathfinder mission was to demonstrate that it was possible to send a lander and a rover to another planet at a lower cost than previous missions. One day after the landing, on July 5th, the small rover was deployed, and made its first run on Mars soil.

Mission Acomplished, Evolta completed the Ironman Triathlon

It’s been a long week, and Evolta's staff worked day and night helping the small robot to complete the course of the Ironman Triathlon. And they did it in time. 

My Keepon Will Hit the Stores This Fall

Keepon is a robot used to study children’s social behavior with an special focus on developmental disorders such as autism. The robot was design by Dr. Hideki Kozima, an expert in artificial intelligence and robotics, around 2003 while he was working at National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT).

Evolta’s Challenge 2011: The Hawaii Ironman Triathlon

Panasonic has recently announced the new challenge for its batteries’ mascot Evolta robot. This is the fourth challenge for the small robot. The first took place in 2008, when the robot climbed a 530-meters high cliff in Grand Canyon. In 2009, it ran the LeMans Circuit in France during 24 hours, and in 2010, it walked throughout the Tokaido road in 49 days. This year, Evolta will race the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon.

Photocopier Transformer

Another not very recent tv commercial, but it is funny.

Lesson: Don't bother your machines if you don't want them to upraise against you.

Robot in an advertisement

It's a little old, but I like it

Tomotaka Takahashi

Here is a small biography about Tomotaka Takahashi, the creator of Evolta's robot. He born on March 27, 1975. Is a Japanese roboticist. After completed a degree in sociology, he started his studies in robotic. He said that his inspiration was Astroboy (a Japanese cartoon about a robot that looks like a kid).

Takahashi likes to built small-humanoid robots, because they are easier to handle, and pople has more realistic expectations about them.

He founded Robo-Garage in April, 2003, and he is the CEO of the company.

Some of the robots he has built are Chroino, Tachikoma, FT, MANOI PF1, and Evolta.

Actually, He works as a Research Associaate Professor of the University of Tokio and Visiting Professor of Fukiyama University and Osaka Electro Communication University.

waziwazi website published an interview with him. Here is the link

Evolta Robot

A few days ago I went to a local supermarket. On the battery display, something got my attention. I saw a small figure inside each Panasonic battery bundle. I took one packet and looked carefully at the small robot-like toy. I recognized it. It was Panasonic Evolta batteries's mascot. The small robot, also called Evolta, was designed by Tomotaka Takahashi, a famous roboticist in Japan, and it has been used for Evolta batteries publicity in Japan. Evolta robot has gone through a series of challenges to show the endurence of Evolta Alkaline AA batteries.

The first challenge took place in Grand Canyon on May 2008. The small robot helped by a rope had to climb a 530m cliff. It took three attempts to achieve the goal. The first try was on May 22, but a mechanical problem cause the robot couldn't complete the task. On May 23, the ascent had to be stopped due to rough weather. Finally, on May 24, the robot reach the top of the cliff in 6 hour and 46 minutes, and the Guinness World Record recognized Evolta batteries as the Largest lasting AA Alkaline battery in a wide range of devices.