HRP-2m Choromet

The Choromet is expected to be available from General Robotics in September, with price which is less then five grands. The Choromet is about 13-3/4 inches tall, and is capable of walking upright on two legs. Four companies in Japan have created a relatively low-cost, user-programmable humanoid robot targeting educational and research applications. The HRP-2m Choromet uses technology from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and is user-programmable thanks to open software running on a user-space real-time Linux implementation. AIST hopes Choromet's ability to run software-based movement programs on a real-time Linux platform will enable researchers and schools to experiment with the effectiveness of humanoid robot motion pattern applications. The Choromet is based on several technologies developed by AIST, including A business-card sized SBC (single board computer) 240MHz SH-4 processor, 32MB of RAM, "ARTLinux," an operating system that provides a user-space real-time Linux environment. Humanoid motion application software based on OpenHRP (Humanoid Robotics Project) Some other Choromet features are: Triaxial force sensors on legs, Accelerometer and gyroscope in trunk, and real-time sensor feedback.

AIBO the Dog

The Sony Entertainment Robot Aibo (ERS-110), uses a combination of robotic and media technologies with machine intelligence to generates interaction with its operator. An examination of the Aibo hardware and software reveals how an inanimate object becomes a life-like companion. The Sony product name Aibo stands for Artificial Intelligence roBOt. It can respond to voice commands, detect obstacles, plays tricks, and more.
Aibo's personality develops by interacting with people. Each AIBO grows in a different way, based on its individual experiences. AIBO becomes customized based on feedback and the software being used.
Aibo's mood changes with its environment, and its mood affects its behavior. Aibo also has instincts to move around, to look for its toys, to satisfy its curiosity, to play and communicate with its owner, to recharge when its battery is low, and to wake up when its done sleeping. AIBO is capable of six feelings - happiness, sadness, fear, dislike, surprise, and anger. There are 28 LED lights on the Illume-Face display, and Aibo shows various expressions by changing the pattern of lights. Aibo uses its camera and microphone to remember your face and voice as its owner. The owner becomes special to Aibo, and it will respond to the owner.

BigDog the Mule

Boston Dynamics has created BigDog the robotic pack mule which according to them is "the most advanced quadruped robot on Earth!" BigDog can carry four infantry backpacks while keeping its balance over different type of terrains. The following freaky video (28MB WMV) shows BigDog walking through mud, over slippery snow, over rocks, up a hill, and even keeps itself from toppling over when it's being kicked! BigDog stands about waist high, can carry 165 lbs (75 kg), can walk through most terrain and can always keep its balance. The on-board computer controls locomotion, monitors external & internal sensors and keeps itself balanced. A gasoline engine powers BigDog's hydraulic system for actuating the hydraulically controlled legs.

Sony Dream Robot SDR-4X

Sony Dream Robot SDR-4X is a humanoid robot that can walk, move, and even dance. It is only 23 inches tall and weighs 14 pounds.

Powered by a two of RISC processors, the SDR-4X is capable of 38 separate degrees of movement (older version SDR-3X had only 26). SDR-4X has a real-time adaptive motion control system and better communication technology including facial recognition and complex speech recognition.

Newer version SRD-4X-II has three RISC processors and has advanced motion control, illusion of higher intelligence (vocabulary of approximately 20,000 words), better safety and identification features. SDR-4X-II came in April 02, 2003, lets see when we will see the newer version.