Sure, we humans can probably stand on the left or right leg interchangeably without even thinking about it, so you might not think it too impressive that we have a robot that can do the same thing.

This is AIST bipedal humanoid robot, the HRP-2 Promet, which can do just that. Now, I’m sure it can do other things, like walk or talk, but generally, I have noticed that robots these days can usually do one thing. That or something that it can do very well, like figure out how to hold things.

I suppose it is a matter of time before someone takes all the concept robots that can do one thing and just merges them into one superior robot that can do just about everything that we humans can do.

Yeah, we are getting into science fiction territory with that one, but if we ever have that robot in real life, we can look back to his day and say “it all began when the HRP-2 Promet stood on one foot”.

Actually, from what I have been reading from my sources, this robot, also known as “Pincher” is designed to disable Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) from a long distance. It apparently uses rockets the size of pencils to destroy the explosive charges, which will make them burn, not explode in a process known as “deflageration”.

I’m guess that it does this via remote control with a video camera and laser pointer. Then it uses “pyrophoric” rockets for its job.

In other words, this is not designed to be a weapon. Sure, I suppose that you could reprogram the thing so its pyrophoric pencil-sized rockets could be targeted at us fleshy mortals, but you can always use something technological to hurt someone. Heck, you can do that with a dang brick.

In a way, the Pincher is unique as it is designed to disable weapons, not shoot weapons. It is designed by Israeli roboticists, and I don’t have any word about when it would be used on the battlefield.

Hummingbird Robot

The people out at Chiba University has developed a new type of robot, which they believe will be very useful for rescue operations due to a very compact size.

Dubbed as the Hummingbird Robot, Chiba staff believe that a small robot, which features four wings that surprising thirty times per second, a miniature motor to move the angry pack, and control schemes involving infrared sensors, will be useful as a rescue device was a pair of micro – small camera attached to the superstructure around the year 2011.

Some questioned the value of rescue devices controlled by infrared signals, which require a clear line between the device and the controller function. Others make the dark sounds of the value of robots as a tool in domestic spying, after all, who heard a hummingbird coming?-And the others look askance at Chiba University design, given a very similar design that came out of the TU Delft in Netherlands back in 2006.

Hopefully Chiba University will answer some of these issues in the final version.

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