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Tech NewsNYPD’s New Robot Police Dog Will Get Special Arm For Opening Doors
The New York Police Department’s new robot dog will receive a special robotic arm for opening doors and moving objects next month, according to a new report from ABC7 in New York. The existence of the NYPD’s robot was first revealed in late October after it assisted in the apprehension of a suspect in Brooklyn. … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsHyundai Motors Reportedly Bought Boston Dynamics For Almost $1 Billion (Updated: It’s a Done Deal)
Update 12/11/20 9:30am ET — Boston Dynamics has confirmed that Hyundai Motor Group has acquired an 80% controlling interest in the robotics maker, while a SoftBank affiliate will retain a 20% stake in the company that was valued at $1.1 billion. Hyundai believes the acquisition will help the company transition to becoming a “Smart Mobility Solution … Continued
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Tech NewsDisney Is Teaching Robots How to Sculpt With Clay
Robots might have already taken over industries like manufacturing, but when it comes to more creative endeavors, like the arts, humans still hold a strong lead. But for how long? Disney’s researchers have created a system that allows human artists to teach aspiring robotic Michelangelos how to sculpt clay using tools to mimic various artistic … Continued
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io9Toys & CollectiblesThe Cutest, Weirdest Toy of the Week Is a Spider-Drone From the Unopened Avengers Disney Park
Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular round of the coolest merchandise on the internet lately! This week, Disney’s inability to open its Marvel-themed park isn’t stopping it from selling expensive merchandise from said park, Hot Toys continues to plumb The Mandalorian’s depths for all they’re worth, and more. Check it out! Disneyland Resort Avengers … Continued
Andrew Liszewski & James Whitbrook -
Tech NewsResourceful Hacker Invents an Automatic Crust-Cutting Robot So They Never Have to Grow Up
For many kids, crusts are the bane of a delicious PB&J sandwich, but they eventually grow up to embrace a bread’s chewy outer wrapping. There are some holdouts, however, such as Andrew DeGonge who continues to despise crusts so much into adulthood that they built a smart automated robot that can automatically de-crust a sandwich. … Continued
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Tech NewsComputer Controlled Shackles Hold You Prisoner Until You Finish a Workout
Personally speaking, mustering the will to do pushups requires a lot of psyching myself up. A lot of walking around in circles, fiddling with my music, and wondering if maybe doing an extra few sets of overhead tricep extensions or holding a plank for two minutes would be a sufficient alternative to the dreaded pushup. … Continued
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io9Toys & CollectiblesTransfomers and X-Men Collide, and More of the Most Mutagenic Toys of the Week
Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s regular roundup of all things good and plastic. This week: Hasbro turns its transforming eye to another nostalgic mashup. Mando Monday reinforcements bring The Mandalorian’s big bad to the Star Wars Black Series. Also? Warm Kirby. Check it out! Hasbro Transformers Generations Collaborative: Marvel Comics X-Men Mash-Up, Ultimate X-Spanse … Continued
Andrew Liszewski & James Whitbrook -
Tech NewsThis Robot Can Make You Boba Tea Because Of Course That’s a Thing
I’ll admit that I wasn’t the biggest fan of boba tea even before the pandemic brought my social life to a grinding halt. Tapioca pearls just taste gross to me, as does bacon, avocado, and a slew of other oft-hyped food that the internet goes crazy over, so I realize I’m very much in the … Continued
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io9Movies10 Great Sci-Fi Tropes (and 5 That Should Be Shot Into Space)
Science fiction is a genre that’s full of storylines, plot devices, and techno-jargon that would be considered ridiculous in the real world. But these tropes are effective, so we keep using them. Over and over again. That might sound like a bad thing—relying on tried-and-true sci-fi tropes instead of creating something new in a genre … Continued
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io9GamesI Would Die for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity‘s Baby Guardian
Things being the way they are, it didn’t seem likely that 2020 would follow in 2019’s footsteps in terms of ushering in new, fictional babies designed to capture the public’s heart. But then, Nintendo’sHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity demo came along and introduced a surprising bundle of joy into its already complicated story about a … Continued
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Tech NewsThis Tongue-Like Robot Gripper Can Slurp Its Way Into Tight Spaces
In another example of unsettling biomimicry, engineering researchers from the University of New South Wales in Sydney were inspired by an elephant’s trunk and designed what looks more like a robotic tongue that can firmly grasp objects by wrapping around them like a snake. Biomimicry is an approach to engineering that takes inspiration from the … Continued
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Tech NewsUK Defense Chief Says Army Could Have 30,000 Robots by the 2030s
This is not a movie; this is real life. It is not a drill. In about a decade, we might see a ton of robots working alongside humans in the UK army. But don’t worry, although some of the robots will have weapons, only humans will be able to fire them. (That’s a relief, I … Continued
By Jody Serrano -
Tech NewsContact Lens-Removing Robot Requires More Faith in Technology Than I’ll Ever Have
Contact lenses offer a more comfortable alternative to wearing glasses for those with vision issues, but that’s assuming you can handle/endure the process of putting them in and taking them out. A Florida man has invented a robot that can insert and remove contact lenses for someone who can’t, although seeing it in action suddenly … Continued
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Tech NewsTake a Long, Romantic Walk With This Sweaty Robotic Hand
Real-life robots are still relatively primitive compared to those featured in science fiction, but that hasn’t stopped us from building bots that can take care of most of our physical needs. (Yes, including that.) In Japan, there’s even now a robot that can simulate going on a walk and holding hands with your significant other, … Continued
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Tech NewsWalmart To Continue Exploiting Human Workforce Instead of Robot One
The human workers whose jobs restocking the shelves at Walmart were nearly rendered obsolete by a sophisticated fleet of robots dealt a surprising retaliatory blow to the robots on Monday by, somehow, rendering them obsolete first. After a five year-long partnership, Walmart announced that it had terminated its agreement with robotics company Bossa Nova Robotics … Continued
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Tech NewsDisney Made a Skinless Robot That Can Realistically Stare Directly Into Your Soul
One of the obvious giveaways that you’re interacting with a robot is their blank dead-eyed stare. The eyes don’t connect with yours the way they would if they were, you know, human. A research team at Disney is trying to fix that using subtle head motions and eye movements that make the robot seem more … Continued
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io9MoviesUniversal’s Battlestar Galactica Movie Lives Again, With X-Men‘s Simon Kinberg
Universal has spent so long trying to get its Battlestar Galactica movie off the ground we’ve literally had an announcement about a new TV show set in its universe that’s had time to get going with its own showrunner. But now the studio is bringing the movie back to life again, with a little help … Continued
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Tech NewsBoston Dynamics Will Sell Robot Arm to Go With Its Robot Dog Next Year, Which Is Totally Fine
Back in June, Boston Dynamics made more than 150 units of its robotic dog Spot available for sale to outside companies and research facilities. The idea was to see what type of real-world applications those companies and facilities would use it for, and get feedback on the capabilities of Spot itself. While Boston Dynamics did … Continued
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Tech NewsThis Satyrlike Robot Brings Boxes to You Like a Metal Mr. Tumnus
Agility Robotics has announced a $20 million funding round for a robot that looks like a Greek myth crossed with a cyberpunk fever dream. The robot, called Digit, is designed to work alongside meat humans in environments where people congregate but that might be difficult for robots to manage. “Digit, Agility Robotics’ humanoid robot with … Continued
By John Biggs -
Tech NewsYour FedEx Packages May Soon Arrive By Autonomous Cargo Plane
It’s 2020, and while the skies aren’t full of flying cars like we thought it would be by now, something else straight out of science fiction just got closer to reality: pilotless cargo planes delivering whatever stupid shit you ordered online. FedEx is partnering with Reliable Robotics to incorporate the firm’s unmanned aircraft into its … Continued