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Segway-Based Robot Opens Doors

Roland Piquepaille writes "In this short article, Technology Review tells us that Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have built a new robot, named Cardea, which is able to push open doors and has the bottom half of a Segway scooter. Cardea will be five feet tall with a torso, three arms, a variety of sensors, and a human-like head with expressive features and vision, and mounted on a Segway base. More details and references are contained in this review which also includes several pictures. For even more details, go to the Cardea Project homepage."

13 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. Johnny 5 is Alive! by Aqua+OS+X · · Score: 4, Funny

    Holy %$#@.... it's the robot from "Short Circuit" !!

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  2. Robot that can open doors. by nilsjuergens · · Score: 4, Funny


    This is such a good thing, as somehow nobody has ever been able to invent a door that opens on its own. But now Johnny 5 comes to the rescue!

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  3. Re:Battery life? by kfg · · Score: 4, Funny

    But what if it runs into stairs?

    Ah, the most fearsome killing machine in the universe, foiled by a staircase.

    Well, at least this robot can thank its lucky stars it isn't made by gluing tennis ball halves all over the outside of an upsidedown dustbin.

    KFG

  4. Think tank... by Parallex · · Score: 3, Funny

    - Five feet tall
    - 3 arms
    - a variety of sensors
    - mounted on a segway base

    Oh and let's throw in a human-like head so that people can feel at home with it rolling around...

    Innovation I tells ya!

  5. stupid robot-joke by Harald+Paulsen · · Score: 4, Funny

    Two Cardeas roll into a bar..

    ..which is really stupid since the second one should have seen it.

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    Harald
  6. It should have been called Marvin by Toutatis · · Score: 2, Funny

    It doesn't have a brain the size of a planet, but it's job is suitable for Marvin.

  7. Re:Balance? by rf0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I would hope it would come pre-programmed and already know how to balance. Last thing you want is your shiny nice new robot falling over and smashing your priceless ming vase

    Rus

  8. Third arm? by nacturation · · Score: 3, Funny

    Cardea will be five feet tall with a torso, three arms...

    Dare I ask where the placement of that third arm is?

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  9. Run upstairs! by pubjames · · Score: 2, Funny


    Distressed damsel: Help, help! These new door opening robots have gained self-awareness and are trying to take over the world!

    Hero: Quick, run upstairs!

  10. Can it open revolving doors... by corebreech · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...without ending up in an endless loop?

  11. The Terrible Secret of Space! by bdowne01 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Does this qualify as a pusher or shover robot?

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    -brain
  12. Third arm? (Can't you feel it?) by geschild · · Score: 3, Funny

    Dare I ask where the placement of that third arm is?
    If you don't know, you're not standing close enough... :-D
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  13. The importance of being overly geeky by Scodiddly · · Score: 2, Funny

    You all are missing the point of this new Segway-based robot.

    If you don't already look suffiently dorky riding around on a Segway, now you can have a matching robot servant to open doors so you don't have to EVER dismount. ;) ;) ;)