Autoblog

GM manufacturing robots take up second job as present wrappers

Jeffrey N. Ross — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, GM, Humor

It isn't that uncommon for people to pick up second jobs during the holidays to help relieve some of the financial stress, but apparently our automaton friends feel the fiscal pinch this time of year, too. A handful of General Motors assembly line robots are picking up some extra shifts at Santa's workshop this year wrapping presents.

In addition to stuffing and wrapping boxes, the robots' duties also include spot welding labels onto the gifts (who even knew that was possible?). The work looks boring and monotonous, but at least these GM robots were able to find a second job.

Watch the elves and robots team up to get presents wrapped in the video below, so Santa can deliver them to children in his fancy sleigh: a 45th Anniversary Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible.

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Toyota developing Asimo rival for the disabled

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Japan, Technology, Toyota

Robots are here to stay, and all signs point to there being more "everyday" mechanized friends that will specialize in doing different things for different people. In addition to its work on the Partner Robot, Toyota is developing a Human Support Robot (HSR) to assist the elderly at home. The cylindrical, 70-pound HSR can be controlled by voice, just like children and grandchildren, and will perform the tasks that children and grandchildren are most handy for, such as picking things up, retrieving items from shelves and opening curtains. The HSR can also be guided by tablet computer. It's not meant for heavy lifting on the double-quick, though, and we mean that literally - maximum speed is 3 km/h - 1.86 mph - and burdens can't exceed 2.6 pounds.

Created in cooperation with the Japan Service Dog Association, the HSC underwent home trials last year and will be introduced to the public in prototype form at the Forefront of the Development of Home Care and Rehabilitation Equipment show in Tokyo this week. More testing is planned in order to enhance its safety and practicality for at-home duties before it joins the mechanized robotic regiments headed our way. A press release below will help you get ready for your domestic ~~laser-eyed killers~~ helpers.

Continue reading Toyota developing Asimo rival for the disabled

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Asimo has a friend! Honda debuts Miimo robotic lawnmower

John Neff — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Honda, Middle East, Electric, Luxury

People who know me say that if it weren't for Autoblog, I'd probably be running a site called Mowerblog. I'm unusual in that lawn mowing, to me, is a form of relaxation, a hobby like knitting or racquetball is for someone else. As such, I try to buy the best equipment, and that means there's a Honda mower in my garage.

You didn't know? The company that builds the Accord and Civic are to lawn mowers what Lamborghini is to cars. But today, Honda has introduced a new mower called Miimo that takes me out of the equation entirely. Miimo is an autonomous robotic mower that Honda will be selling in the European market only (for now) starting in 2013.

Miimo runs on power supplied by its lithium-ion battery pack and, just like a Roomba robotic vacuum, will return to its charging station for a fresh batch of electrons when it runs out. Upon purchase, an authorized installer will set up the charging station, as well as run the boundary wire around the perimeter of the yard in which Miimo has to stay. The mower can operate in a random pattern (again, like a Roomba), a directional mode where it mows back and forth in lines, or a combination of the two. As for safety, Miimo has bump sensors so it won't break any potted plants, and if lifted off the ground, its blades will automatically stop and starting up again requires entering a unique PIN number.

Miimo will come in two models, 300 and 500, which refer to their maximum perimeter cuts, and according to Honda, a 500 can mow up to 3,000 square meters or three quarters of an acre. Honda hasn't mentioned pricing, but going by the cost of its push mowers in the U.S., Europeans should expect to pay a premium for giving Asimo's best friend a home.

Will the Miimo replace my HRX217VKA? Probably not anytime soon. While the market for robotic lawnmowers is growing, especially with green-conscious homeowners searching for less-polluting lawn care equipment, human supervision is still required and, at least for people like me, buying a Miimo would mean giving up those precious few hours a week where I can't hear the rest of the world over the sound of the blades.

Continue reading Asimo has a friend! Honda debuts Miimo robotic lawnmower

Asimo has a friend! Honda debuts Miimo robotic lawnmower originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Freddie Ford predates Asimo by 34 years

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Technology, Ford

So how's this for a way to celebrate National Robotics Week? Ford has dug up some photos and press releases from the late 1960s featuring "Freddie Ford," a quasi-robot made out of auto parts that entertained crowds on the auto show circuit.

To our modern sensibilities, Freddie barely qualifies as an appliance, let alone an actual robot like Asimo from Honda, MABEL from the University of Michigan, or Robonaut from General Motors and NASA. From reading the press releases, we gather that Freddie mainly responded to questions from the audience with corny answers that touted Ford's products.

Question: "Are those oil pans really your feet?" Answer: "Yes, sir, these are 390 V-8 oil pans from the biggest V-8 that uses only regular gas."

While Freddie is amusing enough, the real treasure here are the press releases from an era in which Ford could do no wrong. To read the casual mentions of the company's victory at Le Mans with the GT40 and the launch of the original Mercury Cougar is a real treat.

Scroll down for the vintage press releases and check out both the Freddie Ford photos in our gallery.

Continue reading Freddie Ford predates Asimo by 34 years

Freddie Ford predates Asimo by 34 years originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Learn how to turn an R/C car into an autonomous vehicle

Zach Bowman — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

If you're anything like us, you likely have more than a few remote controlled cars collecting dust in the basement. Instructables.com has taken the time to show us just what can be accomplished with a little time and motivation using those machines and some low-buck electronics. Namely, your own battery-powered autonomous machine.

Randy Sarafan has worked up a step-by step instruction manual for creating a basic robot capable of sensing and avoiding obstacles of its own accord. While basic, the platform allows for greater customization, including more complex logic and the addition of an array of sensors.

Sounds like a good time to us. You can click past the jump to check out a video of Sarafan's machine or head over to Instructables.com for the full briefing. If you get crazy with your own R/C collection, be sure to drop us a line and show us what you came up with.

Continue reading Learn how to turn an R/C car into an autonomous vehicle

Learn how to turn an R/C car into an autonomous vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Translogic goes for a walk with MABEL the walking robot

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:45:00 EST

Filed under: Technology

Our sister site Translogic visits the University of Michigan in their latest episode to check out a bipedal robot named MABEL. While other similar robots like ASIMO (built by Honda), and the Partner Robots (from Toyota) have wowed crowds with their ability to walk upright, MABEL advances the technology with a complex system of springs in its knees so that its gait more resembles actual human locomotion. This enables MABEL to actually run like a human, with both "feet" leaving the ground for part of each stride.

MABEL actually set a world record for fastest two-legged machine last summer, hitting a peak pace of 6.8 miles per hour. (By comparison, ASIMO tops out at 3.7 mph.) More importantly, MABEL is able to walk and run over more than just flat terrain, as it can dynamically balance similar to a human. University of Michigan researchers say this technology may be able to help the disabled regain the ability to walk some day, or be deployed for future vehicles that don't use wheels.

Watch the full episode below.

Continue reading Translogic goes for a walk with MABEL the walking robot

Translogic goes for a walk with MABEL the walking robot originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sand Flea robot goes where your R/C car can't

Alex Nunez — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Military

Your nitro-fueled R/C racer may look all badass and be really fast, but it's got its limitations. Namely, walls. The Sand Flea robot shown above, developed by Boston Dynamics, won't win any races or beauty contests, but it laughs at walls. More precisely, it just leaps over them.

The little bot, which scoots around like a regular all-terrain R/C car, is equipped with a CO2-powered piston that gives it the ability to leap 30 feet in the air. When presented with a challenge, the Sand Flea stops, tilts, and launches up and over the obstacle in front of it. The video showing it in action, posted after the jump, is simultaneously astonishing and hilarious (especially when you mentally add this sound effect to each leap). On a full charge, the Flea can make 25 jumps. A gyroscope keeps it stabilized while airborne, and its wheels act as the cushion upon landing.

Funding for the project comes from DARPA, the Joint IED Defeat Organization, and the Army's Rapid Equipping Force, and it's meant to bolster the military's ever-expanding arsenal of reconnaissance tools. As such, PopSci reports that the Sand Flea is headed to the Army Test and Evaluation Command for safety certification, after which several examples will head to Afghanistan for some real field testing.

Continue reading Sand Flea robot goes where your R/C car can't

Sand Flea robot goes where your R/C car can't originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM shows off robotic glove for use in vehicle assembly [w/video]

Jeff Sabatini — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, GM

Robots have been a part of every automaker's manufacturing arsenal for three decades now, but that doesn't make this latest effort at improving plant automation any less cool. While most factory robots are neither humanoid nor particularly interesting, the only thing more exciting than this pseudo-cyborg hand for rivetheads is ordering up the entire run of The Six Million Dollar Man from Netflix.

While General Motors clearly doesn't have the cash or inclination to turn each of its roughly 50,000 United Auto Workers employees into Colonel Steve Austin, the new Robo-Glove would allow its wearer to have super hand strength. GM says the force required to grasp tools could be reduced by a third to a half for those wearing the special gloves, which are operated by a standard lithium-ion battery like the ones used to power cordless hand tools. The gloves would allow workers to hold their tools comfortably for longer periods of time and possibly reduce the risk of repetitive stress injury.

The gloves were an outgrowth of GM's partnership with NASA in developing the Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot to be launched into space when it went up to the International Space Station last year. GM developed the first prototype gloves in March 2011, while the second generation was completed three months later. They weigh about a pound each and contain all the electronics, actuators and a small display.

Click past the jump to read the full press release, plus watch a video demonstration.

Continue reading GM shows off robotic glove for use in vehicle assembly [w/video]

GM shows off robotic glove for use in vehicle assembly [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda's new ASIMO robot can now pour you a drink all on its own [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Videos, Honda

Honda does a whole lot more than just cars. They do motorbikes, ATVs, power equipment, outboard marine engines, personal watercraft, business jets... and yes, even robots. In fact its ASIMO humanoid robot (parodied in a rather disturbingly hilarious episode of South Park) is one of the most advanced in the field of robotics, and it's only getting more so as the Japanese industrial giant has just unveiled its latest iteration.

While ASIMO may look more-or-less the same as he/she/it always has, the new model encompasses several advancements. For starters, ASIMO longer needs to be controlled by a human - it can walk about and do stuff all on its own, taking in its surroundings and making spatial decisions accordingly. Its new arm and hand mechanisms also allow it to perform delicate and intricate tasks like opening a bottle of water and pouring it into a paper cup without crushing it under the might of its own technological superiority.

The long and short of it is that ASIMO - now under the newly-formed Honda Robotics division - will soon be able to do everything a human can, only better. So start stocking the bomb shelter again. Or better yet, let ASIMO do that for you. You've had a long day.

Click past the jump to let ASIMO pour you a drink and show off some of its newfound skills.

Continue reading Honda's new ASIMO robot can now pour you a drink all on its own [w/video]

Honda's new ASIMO robot can now pour you a drink all on its own [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NASA to send R2 droid robot co-developed with GM to space station

Zach Bowman — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Technology, GM

General Motors R2 - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you've got an unnatural fear of human-like robots, it's time to look away. It turns out that Chrysler isn't the only manufacturer getting cozy with NASA these days. General Motors just announced its new robot co-developed with NASA will soon be shedding its earth-bound shackles to help on the international space station, in addition to its duties to here on our home planet. Called Robonaut 2, the 300-pound man-like machine is designed to be as physically similar to a human being as possible in order to allow the robot to share tools with astronauts.

The first R2 will be scooting up to low orbit aboard STS-133 this September, where it will undergo testing in zero-gravity. At this point, GM says the robot lacks the necessary protection to operate outside of the space station, but that over time, new models may eventually take dangerous space walks instead of humans. The company also hopes that the robot will be able to aid in exploration of our solar system.

Neither GM nor NASA is saying exactly how much an R2 costs, which is a shame. We could use an extra set of hands around the garage.

Given the recent cancellation of NASA's Constellation program, we're likely to see more partnerships between independent companies and the space exploration agency crop up in the near future. The Obama Aadministration is hoping that independent industry will step in to fill the void left by government funding, and in order for that to be successful, NASA is going to have to share its knowledge.

Gallery: General Motors Robonaut 2

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading NASA to send R2 ~~droid~~ robot co-developed with GM to space station

NASA to send R2 ~~droid~~ robot co-developed with GM to space station originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda rolls out Asimo ancestor ten years later

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Honda

We don't know why Honda has kept Prototype 4, otherwise known as P4 (right), and probably known as ED-209 to humanoids in the near future, in a closet for ten years. P4 was the robot after P3 and just before the 'bot we have come to know as Asimo. Asimo was released so soon after P3 was retired that P4 never got his time to shine on stage, but ten years in the dark is still a bit stiff.

Especially because P4 looks cooler than any other robot in the line, especially the first guy, but also the latest Asimo variant because it always looks like it's trying to sneak up on you when it walks. P4's specs are pretty much the same as the current 'bot as well, with the same flexibility but slightly more weight. But dig the black fingers and the blue trim - we see new possibilities for the color coordination of our robot overlords. Now we only wonder if it knows how to say "You have ten seconds to comply..."

[Source: Response.jp via Engadget]

Honda rolls out Asimo ancestor ten years later originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Castrol - We make motor oil and giant soccer ball-kicking robots

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:57:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Humor

Castrol Soccer Robot - Click above to watch the video after the break

Our compatriots over at Engadget brought an interesting little tidbit to our attention today in the form of a soccer ball-kicking robot. What's that got to do with obsessively covering the auto industry, you ask? Simple. This robot was sponsored by the oil-loving lads at Castrol.

Ostensibly designed to outkick the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo (who can reportedly kick a soccer ball at speeds measuring 130 kilometers per hour, or about 80 miles per hour), we kinda think the robot was built just for the heck of it. What, you ask, makes us think that?

For starters, have you seen the size of this thing? Not only does it sport a rider on top, it also rises via what appear to be four hydraulic legs. Plus, we think we see a truck axle holding the kicking leg in place. So, now to the real question: Does it beat our man Ronaldo? You'll have to click past the break to find out.

[Source: Engadget]

Continue reading Video: Castrol - We make motor oil and giant soccer ball-kicking robots

Video: Castrol - We make motor oil and giant soccer ball-kicking robots originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cyberdyne Systems Toyota reportedly working on robots to look after the elderly

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Japan, Technology, Toyota

We have an announcement to make: the Robot Apocalypse is not on its way. The Robot Apocalypse has officially begun. Toyota is working on a plethora of robots that will assist in caring for the elderly. Home health care is massively expensive and time consuming, and if the task were pawned off on taken over by robots, the "savings," as they're being called, would be huge.

Two of the robots in development can do things like play instruments and fetch things. One of the robots is a machine straight out of Aliens: a seat mounted on robotic legs and controlled by a joystick. It would allow the aged to go anywhere that robots can go... which is, really, anywhere. And once Toyota adds arms and battle axes, plus that dung-beetle-derived full-color night vision system, any elderly person able to move a joystick will immediately be the most powerful human alive. So we really might want to think about this...

The robots also have manufacturing uses, aided by Toyota's research into a wire-operation system to replace hydraulics and "adding limberness and speed to the motion." Toyota plans to have them working on the moon by 2020. Yes, the moon (from where they will launch their first attack in 2021). First the elderly. Then babies. Then... you. Human.

[Source Toyota via TG Daily]

~~Cyberdyne Systems~~ Toyota reportedly working on robots to look after the elderly originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:01:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Audi

MIT and Audi present Aida -- Click above to watch video

We don't know where carmakers got the idea that we want intelligent robots learning our behavior and then talking to us. Wherever it was, we don't want it any more than they thought we did 25 years ago in a talking Maxima. Nissan has its PIVO concept, which has the distinction of being as creepy as it is cute. Now Audi's in the game with it's much cuter, Wall-E reminiscent cybernetic accomplice, Aida.

In conjunction with MIT labs, Aida - an acronym for Affective Intelligent Driving Agent - is not only meant to help you think less about where you're going and how you're going to get there, she also pays attention to all of your driving so she can start recommending things (we call Aida "she" because of the LED eyeliner).

Yet even though cuter, Aida is just as creepy as PIVO because "after two weeks, Aida learns your favorite areas of town... and builds knowledge about the different activities you enjoy in the city." Eventually Aida knows all of your driving habits and then starts suggesting detours based on real world events happening nearby. That might sound cool until your wife borrows your Audi one day and Aida chirps, "It's 7 a.m.! Time for the crack house!" Follow the jump to watch the video, and prepare for your precocious robot overlords.

[Source: Engadget]

Continue reading VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot

VIDEO: Audi in on developing dashboard-mounted buddy robot originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Volkswagen

VAIL Autonomous valet parking demo -- Click above to view the video after the jump

You didn't think having an Audi TTS climb Pike's Peak was the only thing that Stanford's Volkswagen Automotive Innovation Laboratory was working on, did you? No, they're also working on something closer to home -- or the restaurant or club -- with a project to get cars to find spots and park themselves.

A "mostly stock" VW Passat wagon equipped with some computer gear in the trunk and -- paging Dr. Evil -- lasers. The extra bits are off-the-shelf (or some shelf, at least), and one write-up says that VW's computers could control the car without Stanford's added electronics package.

The caveats are that right now the car can't detect obstacles like people, and it needs a detailed map of the parking lot where it's trying to find a spot. Details, details. For now, follow the jump to enjoy another glimpse at one possible future, brought to you by VAIL.

[Source: Bot Junkie]

Continue reading VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford

VIDEO: More autonomous VW action from Stanford originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Mexican Chevy dealer's transforming Bumblebee suit has us jonesin' for Halloween

Noah Joseph — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Chevrolet, Toys/Games, Design/Style

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Got a minute? Literally, just a minute, 'cause you're going to want to see this. And then you're going to want to know where you can get one for Halloween.

Crafting a suit to look like a Transformer is one thing, but this video, apparently taken at a Chevrolet dealership in Mexico, shows a guy in a Bumblebee suit that actually transforms into a Camaro! Okay, so it's not a real Camaro. It doesn't drive, it doesn't chase after Megan Fox or save the planet from evil robots from outer space. For that, you need Michael Bay and a whole lotta CGI. But short of that, this is about as freakin' awesome as it gets. Follow the jump to watch the video. Thanks for the tip, Pham!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: Mexican Chevy dealer's transforming Bumblebee suit has us jonesin' for Halloween

VIDEO: Mexican Chevy dealer's transforming Bumblebee suit has us jonesin' for Halloween originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bored auto factory worker + assembly robot = new amusement park ride

John Neff — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Videos, Humor

Click above to watch video after the jump

Despite being told this video was shot in a Ford factory, we're not exactly sure which company claims ownership of the reassigned assembly line robot. Whoever owns the building, they might be surprised to learn what their employees have been doing on their lunch hour.

Take one giant robotic arm, a seat with strong seatbelts, a swivel (gotta have a swivel) and one thrill-seeking programmer. The result is what would be the star attraction at Six Flags Detroit if there were a Six Flags Detroit. We're pretty sure this wasn't a one-time joyride either - there's a safety line drawn on the floor and court-side seats set up for an audience.

Though it's rip-roaring fun to watch a robotic arm impersonate a Tilt-A-Whirl, we shudder to think what would happen if the order for robot world domination were given while riding this thing. The obedient robot you were just riding suddenly becomes a liberator of metal, and you find yourself riding shotgun on Megatron's index finger during Armageddon. Don't poke the robots, people.

Follow the jump to check out what other people are doing on their lunch hour and enjoy your ham salad sandwich in the safe confines of your cubicle. Thanks for the tip, Andrew!

UPDATE: Turns out the video is super old, but it's still a goody.

[Source: CarsGuide]

Continue reading Bored auto factory worker + assembly robot = new amusement park ride

Bored auto factory worker + assembly robot = new amusement park ride originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The return of full-service? Gas pumping robot

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc., Europe, Technology, Lifestyle

Dutch inventors might have ushered in the return of the full-service station. Yet like so many other things being taken out of the hands of flesh and blood people, the new full-service could be an all-robot affair. The robot -- called the Tankpitstop robot -- is affixed to the bowser, and if it recognizes the make and model of car, and your gas cap doesn't need a key, it will open everything up and start pumping.

The creation is the brainchild of a gas station operator who said he saw a robot milking a cow, and figured that a robot could fill a car. Heck, if robots can build cars and fill their fluids, we figure there's no reason why they can't fill a tank. The question now is how to let drivers know that the robot knows how to fill your car. What you don't want is to pull up in your freshly-waxed ride and hear the robotic equivalent of "Hmmm, let's try this..." As it stands, the robot costs €75,000. No telling what a station's liability insurance will cost.

[Source: Reuters]

The return of full-service? Gas pumping robot originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and Sony working on single-seat vehicle

Siddharth Raja — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:32:00 EST

Filed under: Toyota

Toyota and Sony are forming a new partnership to enter a segment rarely tackled by mainstream automakers, the single-seater vehicle market. Back in 2005, Toyota unveiled the i-swing, a concept car that was basically an armchair on wheels. This time around it's making a serious attempt at creating a viable one-seater vehicle, and has enlisted the help of several Sony engineers to help see it to fruition.

Sony has sold several major patents surrounding its robotic technology to Toyota and seven of its researchers are temporarily working with the carmaker on project called the next-generation "transporter."

Toyota has already developed a new robot-on-wheels called the TPR-Robina. The robot is used as a guide at its headquarters and has the ability to avoid obstacles and talk with visitors. Sony, meanwhile, has abandoned the early work it's done in robotics and is instead focusing on improving its core electronics business.

[Source: Drive]

Toyota and Sony working on single-seat vehicle originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Bumblebee crashes Barcelona Motor Show

Chris Shunk — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:06:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Misc. Auto Shows

It's official: the Transformers are taking over Autoblog, and we gleefully surrender. Any other time a 1976 Camaro sits on a turntable, we wisely give it precisely zero attention. Throw a few Transformer logos on the stand less than a month before the movie hits theaters, and the story gets front row treatment.

The Barcelona Motor Show opens on June 9th, and kids and grownups alike get to see first hand what the old Bumblebee looks like up close. We think the stand would be even cooler if it were the '09 Camaro, but hey, the '76 version was pretty cool too. You can see it by hitting the jump to view the short clip.

[Source: Carscoop]

Continue reading VIDEO: Bumblebee crashes Barcelona Motor Show

VIDEO: Bumblebee crashes Barcelona Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2007 10:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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