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Top 10 Awesome Robots

By Jamie Mulvey

In this collection of Supernova's Top 10 favourite amazing robots there are robots that run faster than usain bolt, play football like Pele (well almost, but much funnier), look creepier than Freddy Krueger, pour you a nice drink, complete an obstacle course, Throw a concrete block 20 feet, Rock out like Motorhead, even a Robot who looks and sounds remarkably like Albert Einstein, although he's slightly less intelligent. Check out the videos below, they have to be seen to be believed, let's just hope they don't have the same tendencies as Skynet such as becoming self aware and taking over the world!!.

1: Asimo 

Asimo is the most famous Robot in the world today, created by Honda he has taken almost 2 decades and countless millions of pounds to develop. Asimo was designed with the end goal in mind of eventually being able to help assist Human's with mobility problems. He has received several upgrades over the years and his reportoire includes running at 9kmh (as a human would with both feet leaving the ground), hopping on one leg whilst simultaneously changing direction, playing Football, opening flasks and pouring drinks, He can climb up and down stairs, avoid hazards and interact with humans on a level surpassing all other robots, He even has his own show at Disneyland Florida running since 2005 (video below right). All of these factors combine to just give him the edge as our Number 1 Awesome Robot in the world today, Check out the Videos to see him in action.           

Video Courtesy of The BrianV1 & Honda

Video Courtesy of Saravee28 & Honda

2: Nao Next Gen.

Project Nao was launched in 2004 by Aldebaran Robotics, a French startup company, The latest version is Nao Next Gen which was introduced in 2011 with enhanced Software, a more powerful CPU and two HD Camera's for his eyes, he is capable of voice recognition, facial recognition, can play music, dance and even brace himself for impact if he falls over before climbing back to his feet, he is also an excellent (well he tries anyway) football player as the clip demonstrates. Standing at just 58 Centimetres tall he is the most diminutive Robot to make it into our Top 10. Nao was pipped to the number 1 spot by the narrowest of Margins, it was a close call and if the Top 10 had been for the most fun Robot, Nao would have taken top spot. Nao next gen is likely to be on sale to the general public sometime in the next year and could quite possibly be the ultimate gift, if you have several thousand pounds to spend that is.

Video Courtesy Of Kicksla and Alderbaran Robotics

Video Courtesy Of Arab Scientific and Alderbaran Robotics

Nao at the (Football) Robocup in Singapore 2011

 

Video Courtesy Of "SuperRoboHead"

3: LS3 (Legged Squat Systems) & Big Dog.

LS3 & Big Dog although are technically seperate machines we are counting them as one as they both follow similar principles. They are the first Robots that make it into our Top 10 created by Boston Dynamics with funding from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa). Big Dog and LS3 were designed as a rough terrain Robots capable of accompanying soldiers and carrying up to 400lbs of gear, A modified version of Big Dog can be seen below throwing a concrete block almost 20 feet. LS3 is able to carry enough fuel to complete a 24 hour mission or cover 20 Miles. These two Robots could just be man's or at the very least a soldiers new best friend. Also if you scale them up 100 times we would have something similar to the Walkers from the Star Wars films so if anyone from Boston Dynamics is reading this article there is a project for you.

Video Courtesy of Boston Dynamics

Video Courtesy Of DARPA & Boston Dynamics

4: Petman.

Petman is another creation by Boston Dynamics and is eerily fluid in his movements, and when wearing protective gear could easily mistaken for a Human. He was designed for testing Chemical Hazard Protection Clothing to ensure it is both durable and flexible enough for use by Human Soldiers, It even simulates human physiology within the protective suit by controlling Humidity, Temperature and even Sweating!, yes you heard me correctly Petman sweats, Lets hope he is not Skynets T-800 Terminator in the early stages of development.

Video Courtesy Of Boston Dynamics

Video Courtesy Of Boston Dynamics

5: Atlas.

The Atlas Robot again was a creation of Boston Dynamics, he is designed to negotiate rough outdoor terrain, he is incredibly strong and is capable of climbing using both his hands and feet and will eventually be able to handle tools designed for human use, Check out the video to see his prototype in action. The below video is featuring Atlas's Prototype Pet-Proto, I can't wait to see the finished product if this is just the prototype.

Video Courtesy Of Darpa TV & Boston Dynamics

6: Compressorhead

Compressorhead are quite literally the Heaviest Metal Band on the planet, created by Kernschrott Robots, the band consists of Fingers playing guitar, Bones on the Bass, The four armed beast of a Drummer Stickboy and his illegitimate love-child Stickboy Junior on the Hi-hat Shuffle. They love to cover rock favourites such as Motorhead (below right) and The Ramones (below left) and it is safe to say they rock pretty hard.

Video Courtesy Of TheRobocross1 & Compressorhead

Video Courtesy Of TheRobocross1 & Compressorhead

7: Cheetah.

Cheetah is the final Boston Dynamics created Robot in our Top 10, it is the fastest legged robot in the world and can run at speeds of up to 28.3Mph which is faster than Usain Bolt, who I believe is pretty quick, the current version is restricted to running on a high speed treadmill whilst being held to run in place however the next generation (Wildcat) is designed to run untethered and is scheduled for outdoor testing sometime in 2013.

Video Courtesy Of Boston Dynamics

8: Albert Hubo.

Albert Hubo was created by Professor Jun Ho Oh at The Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). This robot has something the others don't, the face of legendary Theoretical Physicist Albert Einstein and he also speaks in a German accent however don't expect him to be solving any equations just yet as his intelligence is still being worked on. Albert Hubo's head was designed by Hanson Robotics and he is capable of 30 Facial Expressions.

Video Courtesy Of Plasticpals1 & KAIST

Video Courtesy Of David Hanson

9: Hrp-4

Hrp-4 nicknamed Miim is a feminine robot created by the Japanese research facility AIST (Advanced Industrial Science & Technology) later versions have been created with an animatronic face and eight facial expressions, she is also capable of singing using a voice synthesizer.

Video Courtesy Of ForeverSupernova & AIST

Video Courtesy Of Yoonseok Pyo & AIST

10: Diego San.

Diego San (Baby Diego) is without doubt the creepiest Robot in our Top 10, A modern day Pinocchio, Diego is designed to look childlike which it succeeds in to a worrying degree, the Legs and Torso are still in development but we still thought you needed to see it. The head again was designed by Hanson Robotics and the long term aim of the project is to help understand the development of sensory motor intelligence. Check out the videos to see for yourself just how creepy this Little Robot is.

Video Courtesy Of "Featurednewschannel"

Video Courtesy Of David Hanson

Others That Caught Our Eye

There were two other Robots that caught our eye but didn’t quite make it in to our top 10, they are the highly anticipated Roboy who's creators are attempting to make a child like robot with Human like tendons. Roboy is still in development and although he was due to be introduced at Robots on Tour in Zurich on March 8th he doesn't seem to have appeared, check out the video (below left) to see him still in the development phase. The second Robot to just miss out on our Top 10 is by far the cutest out there which goes by the name of Leonardo, with it's Gizmoesque look it's certainly worth seeing for yourself, Check out the video to see Leonardo meeting Cookie Monster who apparently want's to steal Leonardo's Cookies, Cookie Monster wouldn't really do that though I'm sure.

Video Courtesy of "Zhdkcast" 

Video Courtesy Of Rainer Falle

The above list is purely a reflection of the Author of the article Jamie Mulvey's views and are in no way an official ranking.