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Robots get real

May 27, 2009 4:00 AM PDT

Robotics is an industry in which managing simple tasks and goals is paving the way for the grand visions of science fiction. But first, the floors need to be cleaned.

In this three-day special report, CNET News takes a look at the growing world of commercial and do-it-yourself robotics. We check in with the top robotics researchers in academia, as well as the hobbyists who are showing off their projects at this weekend's Maker Faire conference in Silicon Valley.

Day 1: Look out, Rover. Robots are man's new best friend

The Roombas and LawnBotts of the world are getting better and smarter at pitching in with the chores. Soon you won't imagine a household without them.

Robots make themselves at home

photos From the Roomba to Lego Mindstorms, and from living room to garage, robot technology is becoming integrated into our day-to-day lives.

Day 2: A users' guide to robotics higher ed

We asked a high-profile CEO in the robotics industry for his insider tips about where prospective college students interested in robotics ought to look--and what they should consider.

Robots on campus

photos CNET News looks at some of the coolest and weirdest robotics projects to come out of universities' R&D programs over the years.

Day 3: In search of a do-it-yourself Wall-E

Robots will be one of the largest categories of DIY projects at this weekend's Maker Faire, but the movement of hobbyist robotics goes much further than the popular festival.

My uncle's quest for a beer-fetching robot

A chip engineer's simple dream--to build a robot that can bring him a cold one--turns into a years-long home-brewed robotics project.

DIY bringing robotics to the masses

photos At this weekend's Maker Faire, do-it-yourself robots will be one of the biggest attractions. The hobby has grown into the mainstream.

Stories

Day 1: Look out, Rover. Robots are man's new best friend
Roombas, LawnBotts, and others are getting better at doing chores. Soon you won't imagine a household without them.

Robots make themselves at home
photos From the Roomba to Lego Mindstorms, robot technology is becoming integrated into our day-to-day lives.

Day 2: A guide to robotics higher ed
A high-profile robotics CEO discusses where prospective college students interested in robotics ought to look--and what they should consider.

Robots on campus
photos A look at some of the coolest and weirdest robotics projects to come out of universities' R&D programs over the years.

Day 3: In search of a do-it-yourself Wall-E
The hobbyist robotics movement seen at Maker Faire goes much further than the popular festival.

My uncle's quest for a beer-fetching robot
A chip engineer's simple dream--to build a robot that can bring him a cold one--turns into a years-long home-brewed project.

DIY bringing robotics to the masses
photos At this weekend's Maker Faire, do-it-yourself robots will be one of the biggest attractions. The hobby has grown into the mainstream.

Images

The evolving LawnBott
The gas-free, robotic lawnmower cuts and mulches grass, and knows to return to its "home" when the battery is low or the job is done.

BattleBots duke it out
Sparks fly, literally, at the high-tech, twisted-metal robot-engineering competition for college students.

Rolling robots at RoboBusiness
Players large and small in the robotics industry descend on Boston with some of their spiffiest gadgetry to put on display.

The robot designs of iRobot
Best-known for its Roomba and PackBot designs, iRobot is thinking big with its new Warrior--and has tried its share of insectlike bots.

Raising CB2, the child robot
Japanese researchers are working on a child robot that can mimic real kids' behavior to teach lessons about early development.

Learning from a school of robofish
Carp-shaped robots equipped with chemical sensors will swim a Spanish port detecting pollutants as part of a European Commission research project.

Audio slideshow: Bot-off
High-school engineers compete in the FIRST Robotics Competition, honing their skills in design, engineering, machining, and programming.

Honda's thought-controlled bot
Honda has come up with a system that lets humans control a bot through thought alone. But don't start telepathing your Scooba yet.

Robots get friendly with humans
At London's Science Museum, robots Berti and Erwin show how, with the wave of a hand or a smiling face, they can mingle with people.

WowWee toys for 2009
They've got roving telepresence robots, animatronic baby seals, pocket-size iPod projectors, Robosapien offspring, and more.

Videos

New robot replaces remote control
Chip capacity is no longer an issue for artificial intelligence. Robots now need time to learn from humans, which is what the QB1 aims to do as a personal DJ.

Robotic device aids walking
Honda uses robotics to create an assisted-walking device aimed at stroke victims and the elderly. Dr. Jennifer Ashton demonstrates a device prototype.

Revolutionizing prosthetics
In all the wonders of modern medicine, building a robotic arm with a fully functioning hand has not been remotely possible. But that is starting to change.

Roving robots explore moon, desert
At Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute, CNET News' Kara Tsuboi gets up close and personal with the Scarab, Zoe, and a Lunar X Prize Challenge entry.

A snake-inspired robot
CNET News' Kara Tsuboi dropped by professor Howie Choset's Robotics Lab at Carnegie Mellon University to see his latest creation, the Snakebot.