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Fujitsu Releases Specs For Hackable Robot

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the 28000-pounds-heavy dept.

S. Allen writes: "According to this article, Fujitsu will release the specifications to their RT-Linux based humanoid robot next week to encourage development and research. The article states, 'The software used to program Hoap-1 will run on RT-Linux -- a version of the open-source operating system that is designed for robotic applications, as well as data acquisition and systems control functions. Simulation software will let users test their code before letting it loose on Hoap-1'"

7 of 166 comments (clear)

  1. Crash messages by oingoboingo · · Score: 3, Funny

    So instead of a bluescreen or a kernel panic message, this thing will just flail its arms about yelling "Danger Will Robinson"?

  2. Some more links... by neema · · Score: 3, Informative

    Check out this link for more info. This one is from MIT (quite a bit old, but it's still interesting read). And then of course there is the Humanoid Project.

  3. ikkle by superpeach · · Score: 3, Funny

    48cm?! How am I going to get it to reach the stuff at the top of the fridge? Does it come with go-go-gadget legs/arms?

  4. Umass videos by drDugan · · Score: 4, Interesting

    U-Mass has a cool collections of Robot videos here from their Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics: http://www-robotics.cs.umass.edu/robotics-mpegs.ht ml -- a must see for those interested in robotics.

  5. Is This Really a Good Idea? by none2222 · · Score: 3, Funny
    Let me get this straight--they admit that their robot is hackable PLUS they're releasing the specs? I don't get. Won't the specs just make it easier to hack? Personally, I favor security, even if it happens to be security through obscurity.


    I don't know that I'd want to buy a robot if I knew hackers could take control of it. The consequences of hackers infiltrating a robot could range from the merely annoying to the catastrophic (especially if the robot in question is equipped with a rotary saw, a la BattleBots).


    As well, has anybody assessed the national security risks associated with hackable robots, in light of the recent terror attacks?

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  6. more info by MbM · · Score: 3, Informative

    the fujitsu site has abit more info and a picture
    http://pr.fujitsu.com/en/news/2001/09/10.html

    --
    - MbM
  7. Re:More info wanted. by EnglishTim · · Score: 3, Informative

    You might find R/C servos fit your needs... You can control them from the parallel port directy - check out m'colleague Moose's page:

    http://www.mitt.demon.co.uk/gadgets/servo.html

    Servos have a suprising amount of power, actually. I keep meaning to get some more of them and make a four legged robot.