Pentax K-x Kore Ja Nai camera

October 23, 2009 @ 1:08 am

I already knew the Pentax K-x digital SLR was going to come in rainbow colors, but I had no idea that Pentax had in mind to release the K-x in the colors of Japan’s robot toy, Kore Ja Nai (I’m not even going to pretend I knew what Kore Ja Nai was before writing this post…apparently it’s a big thing in Japan).

Anyway, Pentax is making only 100 of these colorful versions and all of them will go on sale starting November. Peep the gallery below.

Video of automatic pancaking sorting and stacking machine

October 4, 2009 @ 12:49 pm

ABB Robotics installed a pancake sorter at the Honeytop Specialty Foods company to improve manufacturing time and improve hygienic conditions and the machine is nothing short of extraordinary. Watch as the pancakes get sorted and stacked at incredible speeds. It kind of reminds me of those ice cream vending machines that suck up the individual packs of ice cream. [via]

Joules the cycling robot

September 19, 2009 @ 1:23 pm

It’s not exactly doing the work by itself since it’s on a tandem bike but I guess that’s ok. Still kinda neat.

Humanoid robots practice first kiss

August 24, 2009 @ 8:40 pm

This is so weird. It’s definitely making me think of the uncanny valley hypothesis…

Anyway, Thomas and Janet above are theatrical robots in Taiwan’s Phantom Of The Opera play.

She’s a robot on the runway

August 12, 2009 @ 1:25 pm

miim-robot
Photo: REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Japanese designer Yumi Katsura used a robotic humanoid (HRP-4C) named Miim to show off a new wedding dress to crowds at the 2009 Yumi Katsura Paris Grand Collection fashion show in Osaka on July 22, 2009.

NO THANKS. I want my robots looking like robots, not humans.

The Ultimate Buzz Lightyear

August 12, 2009 @ 12:02 am

ultimate-buzz-lightyear

I’m always up for new developments in the Toy Story line of toys and here is one that I’ve never posted about before (although I’m sure to most of you, all of my Buzz Lightyear toy posts sound the same). This here is the Ultimate Buzz Lightyear, a roughly $130-$150 toy coming this Fall to Toys R Us, Walmart, Target, and the Disney online store. It measures 16″ in height making it one of the largest Buzz Lightyear toys on the market and only slightly taller than actual movie size (movie-size is said to be about 12″).

The Ultimate Buzz Lightyear is actually a fairly advanced remote-controlled robot that responds to people. It is programmable via remote control to move its hands head, arms, and legs and it features multiple smart-sensors for sound and motion detection.

If you want to see the somewhat odd Photoshop’d image above in hi-res, click here.

Here’s a video of the Ultimate Buzz Lightyear in action.