A page with links to over 60 videos, each showing a different interesting or unusual robot, showcasing the diversity of contemporary robotic and bionic technology.
This page created: January 2009
MIT's Nexi Robot
It is currently impossible to make a robotic face that is really human-like without it also looking weird or creepy. (See Eva, below.)
This robot's face is an excellent, effective compromise.
Honda's Asimo
Akiba - Japanese Humanoid Female
Kismet - The Emotional Robot
This robot reflects research into which aspects of facial movement provide cues about human emotions.
Newlaunches FT - Small Feminine Walker
This robot is 14 inches tall and has 23 degrees of freedom. The goal was to produce a robot with a sexy swagger.
Automotive Manufacturing - Kuka Assembly Robot
Big Dog - Walking Quadruped from Boston Dyamics
Very impressive, dynamic behavior. This robot is very active with a high energy level coupled with graceful, animal-like movement.
Try to download this video with a higher-speed Internet connection, so YouTube will send down a larger, non-jerky version of the video.
SARCOS - Exoskeleton for Soldiers
Shape-Shifting Swarm Robotics at CMU
Robots using Rat Brain Cells
Robots Inspired by Animals
Aiko - A Talking Head, With Pattern Recognition
This robot demonstrates more than just the ability to move; She/it can is also equiped with some voice and visual recognition capability.
Joey Chaos - A Talking Head (Delivering philosophy with piercings.)
His diatribe seems to be fixed and pre-programmed.
Jules - A Talking Head
This robot does well at replicating the lip movements while speaking, although it is clearly recognizable as non-human.
Eva - A Talking Head
It is currently impossible to mimic all the many facial muscles and complex movements in a human head.
This robot demonstrates that if not done well, the result can be creepy or disturbing.
Snake Robot
Large 6 Legged Robotic Vehicle
Transformer - Humvee Bioloid
Hexapod Phoenix - 6 Legged Spider Manipulating a Box
Cockroach - Research at Case Western Reserve University
Cots-M Spy Robot (Military Hardware)
Mule - 6 Wheeled Army Vehicle
Crusher - 6 Wheeled Military Vehicle
Giant 2 Legged Walker, Armed & Carrying a Human
Walking Rhino-like Thing
Hubo FX-1 2 Legged Walking Chair
Albert HUBA - Walking Humanoid with Einstein-like Head
Fast Pick-and-Place Industrial Arm
Wall Climbing Wheeled Vehicle
Fast Pick-and-Place Industrial Arm
Fast Pick-and-Place Industrial Arm
Fast Pick-and-Place Industrial Arm
HyDRAS Arm, with Interesting Controlling Mechanism
Snake in Water
Humanoid, Remotely Controlled by Human
Inchworm with Muscle Wire
Artificial Muscle Material
Shaped Memory Wire - Artificial Muscle Material
FESTO - Bionic Hand with Hydraulic Actuators
Bionic Wire-Framed Hand
Cronos - Two Arms on a Workbench
DARPA's Bionic Hand
Mowgli - 2 Legged Jumping Robot
Jumping Robot - Air Powered
One-Legged Hopper from MIT
I saw this one and I remember how powerful and dangerous this thing seemed to be. They kept people safe from it. This was an early and impressive demonstration of dynamic balance.
Two Legged Dynamic Balancing Robot (It does a flip.)
Running Quadruped from CMU
MicroClipper Robot - Competing in a Maze Task
Four Legged Starfish Robot - Walking
Little Dog - Four Legged, Walking over Rough Terrain
HPI G-Dog - 4 Legged Walking Dog
Bionic Baby Seal
iRobot's Looj - A Gutter-Cleaning Robotic Product
iRobot's PackBot - A Treaded All-Terrain Robotic Product
iRobot's Roomba - A Vacuum Cleaning Robotic Product
FRC Microcontroller for FIRST Robotics Competition
Robotic Facial Expression Research - Takanishi Lab
Bicycle Riding Robot
NOVA - Cynthia Breazeal Discusses Robotics
Speaking Robot at MIT - With Unusual Fuzzy Behavior
LISA - A Female Companion
This video is a hoax.
Battle Robots in Action
Fictional, from the movie Terminator 3.
Warnings of a Dark Future:
The Emergence of Machine Intelligence
by Harry H. Porter III, Ph.D.
What is the future of machines? Robots, genetic algorithms, artificial intelligence, viruses... where will all this lead? We are in the midst of creating a technology that--like the atomic bomb before it--may make the world vastly more dangerous than its inventors realize.
Before sending me e-mail, please read the following.
If you wish to point me toward videos that ought to be included,
I might be interested.
I am unable to include videos of all the many robotic projects that walk and move, but if a robot exhibits attributes or behavior not shown in the videos I have selected, or if it uses an interesting or novel technology, then I definitely want to add it.
There is a lot to say about the robots shown in these videos, but I am unfortunately too busy to read, thoughtfully consider and reply to every idea, question or opinion. I regretfully ask that you do not e-mail me your thoughts, questions or responses to these videos.