Bot takes a spin on its own Segway

(Credit: Fareastgizmos)

A few months back we cited a Segway designed for robots but didn't really think we'd see it in use, at least not so soon. That was before researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science introduced "Hubo," which, so far as we know, is the first robot to have mastered the art of the twin-wheeled scooter at more than 12 miles per hour. That's nearly 20 times faster than its walking speed, just enough to get it in trouble.

At present the bot's driving must be directed by humans via remote control, according to Fareastgizmos, but the next step is for Hubo--whose name is a mashup of "human" and "bot"--to tool around on its own. (Let's hope the Segway people have worked out all the kinks from the human version.) We have even more ambitious plans, however: teaching Hubo to deal with the endless lines and paperwork at the DMV.