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Sony Claims First Running Humanoid Robot

Posted by michael on from the jump-for-joy dept.

News for nerds writes "Sony Corporation announced the new development of Sony's humanoid robot, enabling integrated motion control for walking, jumping and running on feet. By applying this technology Sony has created the world's first running humanoid robot 'QRIO'. Japanese PC watch has an article with pictures and movies of QRIO running at 14 meters per minute, sometimes with both feet leaving the floor (= running)."

5 of 496 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Calling Bill Joy by Clinoti · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Lets not go overboard here, women in some countries still do not have the right to vote or have basic human rights.

    The uproar from giving those same rights to animate/inanimate objects before humans opens the door to so many arguments it's not even funny.

    Of course the preceeding statement is contradicted by the fact that seemingly every conglomerate seems to have rights....

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    Let's keep in mind that patents are in place to keep lawyers employed and keep them litigating. -CatGrep

  2. Prosthetics for amputees by AndrewCox · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I was just watching some news program (60 Minutes, 20/20 or the like) about recent Iraqi war veterans that have lost limbs in combat. Since their medical expenses are covered by the government, they were being fitted with the best prosthetics available (containing micro-processors that make adjustments based on the user's movements).

    What surprised me was that although the legs did seem to work fairly well for walking, there's still a lot of room for improvement (climbing stairs was very difficult and running was out of the question). Advancements in robotics like this could be a great step forward for prosthetic limbs.

    How soon before robotic limbs become so efficient that people are voluntarily amputating their legs for the better robotic counterparts?

    --
    The Red Pill ... all I'm o
  3. Fuel Cells by G4from128k · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is where fuel cells will really come in handy. All jokes aside, a robot that can down a jug of methanol (and dump its waste water) and be refuelled in 30 seconds would be vastly superior to a robot that must be tethered for an hour or more to recharge its batteries. The superior energy density and speed of "recharging" make fuel cells the way to go.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  4. Because legs are all terrain by XNuke · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Try getting a wheeled vehicle to go everyplace you can go. Upstairs, climb a ladder, move in any direction from a dead stop. Wheel are great if you want to go fast, but legs are better if you want moderate speed and maneuverability.

    Ask someone in a wheel chair what they think of wheels instead of legs.

  5. Re:Admit defeat by AKnightCowboy · · Score: 5, Insightful
    why can't you just do the nice thing and say "Good Job guys keep it up!" instead of "crap we better get our arses in gear before the japs send their robots to control us"

    Because humans are all about competition. Don't even pretend that's not the truth. Everywhere from schools to offices to sports to global politics... everyone competes with everyone else. It's human nature.