The Robots Around Us
Asimo
Honda’s Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility could walk 1 mph, climb stairs, interpret hand gestures, detect hazards and recognize faces. About 100 were built.
The Robots Around Us
Robots can be fun toys or serious tools. Sometimes both. And all are endlessly fascinating.
Building and selling robots for industrial and consumer use is now a multi-billion dollar industry. Whether humanoid or machine-like, their seemingly intelligent behavior can be helpful, amusing, annoying, provocative, and, sometimes, frightening.
Hexapod walker
Machines with legs can travel over difficult terrain, but are challenging to control. Ivan Sutherland built this one at Carnegie Mellon University, “more as a learning exercise than with any utilitarian goal in mind.”
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Furby
This furry toy ignited a 1998 holiday season buying frenzy, with resale prices reaching $300. Each Furby initially spoke only “Furbish” but could gradually learn English commands. It communicated with other nearby Furbies using an infrared port between its eyes.
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Hero Jr.
Heathkit made several home robot kits. Hero Jr. could roam hallways guided by sonar, play games, sing songs and even act as an alarm clock. The brochure claimed it “seeks to remain near human companions” by listening for voices.
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RB5X educational robot
This educational robot was programmed using the computer language TinyBASIC. Sonar and “bump switches” helped it maneuver. A prototype attachment for vacuuming floors sadly proved impractical.
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Officer Mac educational robot
Officer Mac was an ambassador for the police. Operated by remote control, the mobile robot visited schools and showed videos about public safety. It also was used as a non-threatening aide to help counsel abused children.
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My Robot OMS-B toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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Verbot toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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Programmable toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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Toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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Compurobot programmable toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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Robot insects
Rodney Brooks at MIT’s Mobile Robotics Lab used insect-like reflex behavior instead of a central “brain” to create purposeful behavior. Brooks was a co-founder of Roomba-maker iRobot.
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The World of Furby
Furby toys were a craze that lasted only a few years. Its 2005 sequel, the “Emoto-Tronic Furby,” failed to rekindle the phenomenon.
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Omnibot 2000
This remote-controlled programmable robot toy could move, talk and carry objects. The cassette player in its chest recorded actions to be taken and speech to be played.
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AIBO robotic dog
The $2,000 “Artificial Intelligence RoBOt” was a robotic pet dog designed to “learn” by interacting with its environment, its owners and other AIBOs. It responded to more than 100 voice commands and talked back in a tonal language.
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Crackbot toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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F.R.E.D. Andy toy robot
Nolan Bushnell founded Androbot with former Atari engineers to make playful robots. The “Friendly Robotic Educational Device” (FRED), designed for 6-15 year-olds, never made it to market.
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Hubot robot
This mobile servant was advertised as "the first home robot that's a personal companion, educator, entertainer and sentry ...and he can talk!" The voice synthesizer could speak 1,200 different words.
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Toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
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Big Trak programmable toy vehicle
This six-wheel tank was used to teach simple programming. Commands such as “turn 30 degrees” or “fire phasers” could be combined to create action sequences.
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Toy robot
Popular since the 1950s, early robot toys are now expensive collectibles, with some models that sold for $3.95 reselling for over $10,000. They range from simple push-toys to programmable companions.
View Artifact Detail