Giant Robotic Spiders take Japan...

...and the thing so many mech-heads have dreamed of finally comes true.

Here are two, steampunk giants that I would travel around the world to see. Until I can travel guilt free, I'll have to settle for life-sized robotic dinosaurs.



This is a lazy post, on a lazy night, after, let's face it, a lazy year of posting.
But I have to get back on the horse sometime.

found via botjunkie

Architecture hit - The Penguin House

I live in an apartment that really needs some organization - if I could only get half the functionality of the Penguin House, I'd be happy.



Ahh, the wonder of Japanese housing. I wish I could project holograms from the palm of my hands.

Found via Future House Now

Dancing Japanese Culture Robots

A few weeks ago, I did a Science Chaser skit based loosely on the dancing robots of Japan.
Well, now due to my addictive mining of blogs through my RSS reader (I think I might have a problem) I have found a video link from the Underwire.



The Promet was designed by Kawada Industries as a humanoid robot test platform - they are even renting the robot out to other robotics researchers.

In the video, Promet is dancing the Aizu-Bandaisan, a traditional Japanese folk dance that is in danger of being lost as an art form.

The designers hope that the technology being developed through the Promet will lead to better robots in the home, workplace and public life of an aging Japanese population.

The robots ability to use motion capture techniques to mimic the dance routines, and fluidity of movement due to its "cantilevered crotch joint" have made this robot one of the premier bipedal designs today.

Promet reminds me of a video I have posted before about a fictional robo-cop in Jo'burg. Future Soon has learned that robots really do need those metallic elven ears.

Murata Boy - The Robot Bicycle Rider

Another great find on the Make: Blog - a robot that rides a bike.



I like this little guy, especially the little turning gear in his chest (I think it has something to do with balance.)



But I am concerned with the children in Japan - if you fall off your bike, you might be hypnotised by blinking lights and taken away to the Murata Boy hive.

Or at least that is what Murata Boy told me.