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Linux-powered Robots From France? Oui!

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the hobart-college-dept-of-egnineering dept.

An anonymous reader writes "A French start-up created to build autonomous, easily programmable, affordable humanoid robots expects to ship its first product — a humanoid household service robot running Linux — in early 2007. The walking, talking, WiFi-enabled Nao household robot will stand 21.6 inches tall, and will feature 23 "degrees of freedom" of motion — three more than the 14-inch tall Choromet android announced earlier this week by four Japanese companies. Nao's extra degrees of freedom appear to come in the form of gripping hands."

12 of 198 comments (clear)

  1. I just need a smaller one by Dark+Paladin · · Score: 3, Funny

    My 4 year old son is obsessed with making his own "Mario angel" (aka - from "Angelic Layer"), and I've started looking for small, programmable robots he can putter with - anything bigger, and I fear for the safety of my household when he tries to program it with a Butt Stomp or some such.

    --
    52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel
  2. AIEEEE!!! by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 3, Funny

    So many jokes, so little time...
    ...our new rude smelly overlords...
    ...robot army surrenders...
    ...collabrative software...

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  3. These are not the droids your looking for. by digitaldc · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aldebaran Robotics was founded in early 2005 by Bruno Maisonnier. The company employs about a dozen, is 5 percent employee-owned, and has 17 investors, led by Maisonnier, who holds a 58 percent stake.

    Wait a minute, wasn't Alderaan Robotics completely destroyed by Grand Moff Tarkin a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away?

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  4. Yes, but... by carnellm · · Score: 5, Funny

    Will they head-butt their opponents?

    1. Re:Yes, but... by doti · · Score: 3, Informative
      If you don't understand it, google for "World Cup", "Zidane" and "Head-butt"


      Simply head-butt is enough: http://images.google.com/images?q=head-butt
      --
      factor 966971: 966971
  5. Do we really want a talking French robot? by DieByWire · · Score: 5, Funny
    The software will also enable users to program their android's behavior, emotional expressions, speech synthesizer...


    I see it coming already: "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."

    Reaches for remote...

    "Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time."

    I'm not so sure this is a good idea.

    --
    Never shake hands with a man you meet in a fertility clinic.
  6. Non, non, non !!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Laissé soyez soit le premier à dire...

    I pour un, font bon accueil à nos nouveaux suzerains Linux-actionnés de robot de France !

    1. Re:Non, non, non !!! by Yvanhoe · · Score: 3, Informative

      I as one am, want merry welcome our overlorded linuxed French robot.

      That should hurt your brain like it did mine :-)

      Je suis fier d'être le premier à déclarer (correctement):
      Bienvenue à nos nouveaux suzerains robotiques tournant sous linux !

      --
      The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
  7. I, for one, by greenegg77 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, look forward to our new French robotic overlords' surrender.

    --
    --- This .sig for sale - $500 OBO.
  8. Re:obligatory by everett · · Score: 3, Funny

    since it runs Linux, it can do no harm.

    That's because the user will be spending 99% of their time updating to the latest versions of the software packages and being told to RTFM by tech support when it won't turn on.

    But at least it isn't running windows, that would scare me.

    --
    Sig withheld to protect the innocent.
  9. The French and Robots by refriedchicken · · Score: 3, Funny

    Atleast we know Isaac Asimov's Laws of not harming anyone will be followed.

  10. Link to the site, not to the blog by Animats · · Score: 3, Informative

    Please link to the actual site, not the blog. We don't need to read all the blogodreck and ads.