Nissan has just announced the Dualis Cross Rider, which has been given the once-over by in-house tuner Autech. It looks a bit sleeker and if I was that giant robot in the background I’d definitely want to transform into this than the the plastic-covered stock version. I’m not sure about those wheels though. Rear pic after the jump. (more…)
Toyota is calling this new Winglet personal transportation device a new addition to its Partner Robot series. Are you as disappointed as I am to see that this purported robot does not, in fact, look in any way robotic? This Segway-esque machine is totally devoid of stair-climbing and trumpeting abilities and is instead intended for rapid transport in crowded areas like the Nagoya Airport and a seaside resort in Aichi Prefecture where it’s being tested. Sizes range from small to large and its footprint is no larger than a sheet of A3 paper. Most bizarrely, there is at least one model that Toyota is calling “hands free.” Full press release after the jump. (more…)
For further proof that Honda robots will soon be either helping humans or farming us for their own self-made Matrix, Honda’s ASIMO will be conducting the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at 8pm on May 13, 2008. Jack Roush was heard saying, “This means war. I ain’t gonna rest till we get an Amurrican-made robot to conduct the DSO.”
[Source: Honda]
Honda has developed a prototype of walking assist machine for the elderly and handicapped, unveiled at the Barrier Free 2008 showcase. It weighs only about 2.8kg and can be adjusted to fit a variety of body sizes. The built-in motors reduce the load the user needs to move with his or her leg muscles, essentially the beginnings of a giant robot you can move with a flick of your pinky toe.
[Source: Honda]