robotics

What do you get when you combine a guitar loaded with robotic technology with one of the most talented musicians of this day and age? Hopefully, one hell of a show.

Guitarist/musician/former choir boy Martin Luther will be showcasing Gibson's self-tuning Robot Guitar at a free show in San Rafael, Calif.

Luther, who recorded the critically acclaimed album Rebel Soul Music in 2004 and recently toured with The Roots, will play the Bananas At Large instrument store on Monday, December 3.

Following the show, which starts at 12:30 p.m., there will be a public question-and-answer … Read more

When the iRobot Scooba first came out a couple years ago, I remember thinking, "Dang, that's just the kind of floor-sweeping/vacuuming/mopping gizmo we could use here at Camp Cheapskate" (which tends to be a messy place). But then I saw the $400 price tag and grudgingly reached for my trusty old broom.

Well, proof positive that good things come to those who wait, Woot has the Scooba for just $99, plus a very fair $5 for shipping. However, as with all Woot.com deals, it's today (Black Friday) only, and when they're gone, … Read more

Over at Boing Boing this morning, I see that uber-blogger/novelist/speaker/electronic freedom fighter Cory Doctorow is planning on speaking at the Roboexotica symposium that gets under way in Vienna, Austria, tomorrow.

I hadn't heard of Roboexotica myself until I was in Austin, Texas, last month covering the Maker Faire there. At dinner one night with some of the Maker Faire folks, I Make Things video blogger Bre Petis started telling me about the event. And as often happens when smart people tell me about amazing things, my inner geek got very excited.

If you're not familiar … Read more

After years of development, a new class of weapon that uses computer-controlled electronic ignition instead of primers to fire projectiles may be finally taking its much coveted place in the U.S. military inventory.

Brisbane, Australia-based Metal Storm has delivered a four-barrel weapon to the Naval Surface Warfare Center for testing that uses a small electrical current instead a conventional firing pin to deliver stacked rounds at an astounding rate.

How astounding? Try 1 million rounds per minute. That's the rate, by the way, not the volume; still, there's no way you want to be anywhere near the … Read more

On Thursday afternoon I was back at the Computer History Museum. The Honda Research Institute was hosting its tenth Technical Horizon Symposium and announcing this year's Honda Initiation Grant awards.

The grants are part of the Institute's efforts to stimulate collaborate research between Honda and the academic community. Since 1997, Honda says it has awarded 75 grants totalling "several million dollars" to universities in the US. This year, Honda received 300 proposals; it chose seven. This year's awards (listed here along with those of past years) cover research in safety, efficiency, emissions control, and user … Read more

While we appreciate our bosses' efforts to keep us productive at all times with such equipment as desk-equipped luggage, there's just one problem: We're too lazy to lug it around.

But those industrious new capitalists of the former Soviet Union have come up with a potential solution, much to our chagrin. They're developing a robotic suitcase that supposedly will "use its robotic brain, internal gyroscope, light detectors, and both sound and infrared sensors to follow you around without bumping into you or anything else," according to the Raw Feed. Using a special card that you … Read more

It was bound to happen, given all the madness that appears to have gripped the guitar business: the world's first robot guitar.

The "Gibson Robot Guitar," to be exact, available in its debut next month in "an exclusive Blue Silverburst Les Paul model" before the regular version comes out later next year, according to the company. The robo-tar supposedly can tune all six strings "within a few seconds," Engadget says, with commands from the "Master Control Knob."

But first things first. We're holding out for a teaching version, as it … Read more

We at Crave live for massages. In fact, if we had a choice, we'd probably spend all hours in a massage bed and personal sauna. Alas, with such luxuries out of reach, so we're constantly on the lookout for something that can satisfy our need for a quick fix--and on paper, at least, this rechargeable mini-massager looks worthy of consideration.

There's certainly no shortage of massage devices on the market, but this ergonomically designed model looks easier to use than most. As Gizmowatch notes, it has kind of an R2-D2 quality about it that could make it … Read more

The U.S. District Court of Massachusetts has granted iRobot its requested injunction against Robotic FX's Negotiator robot.

iRobot has alleged that the Negotiator robot built by Robotic FX infringes on two of its patents for the PackBot military robot.

iRobot is also suing Robotic FX's president, Jameel Ahed, as an individual. The company has accused the former iRobot employee of misappropriating confidential PackBot information he had access to while working at iRobot and using it in his company's Negotiator robot.

"The precise terms of the injunction follow in a separate Order, which shall be issued … Read more