Toyota Humanoid Robot Gives Asimo a Run For Its Money

via Gizmodo by Jack Loftus on 8/2/09

Shown here is Toyota's running robot. At 7 km/h it's not going to win any wind sprints in the Olympics, but nevertheless this thing is airborne for 100ms between strides as it skirts across the floor (i.e. genuine running).

For comparison's sake, Honda's ASIMO robot can only manage a meager 6 km/h. We assume Toyota was able to squeeze the extra kilometer per hour out of their robot with a strict training regimen and what can only be described as a mild dose of physical abuse�their robot can re-balance itself when pushed lightly, as you can see in the video.

Iowa State robot learns with baby steps

via DVICE by Kevin Hall on 7/27/09

The way that we figure things out as wee ankle-biters is usually referred to as procedural learning, or the process by which we interact with our surroundings in a pre-verbal manner. In other words, imagine a baby figuring out it enjoys to play with a rattle while it rolls on the floor and drools all over itself.

A group of researchers from the Developmental Robotics Laboratory at Iowa State University are hoping their own robot � which has yet to be named � could learn in much the same way, without all the drooling. Rather than pre-program it to perform a set of tasks, the team believes that robots need to experience the same kind of development that humans and animals do.

To that end, their 'bot is equipped with two long arms and a pair of webcam-looking eyes. It can hear and see, and learns to identify objects by picking them up and performing different tests, such as shaking or dropping them. Another trick it's figured out is learning if a surface is markable or not by writing on it, such as running a pencil over paper and then looking for lead marks.

Creierul artificial ar putea fi o realitate �n zece ani

via Realitatea .NET - IT & Stiinta by Realitatea.NET on 7/24/09

Construirea unui creier artificial ar putea fi realizata �n urmatorii zece ani, potrivit unui cercetator.

Henry Makram, directorul proiectului Blue Brain, a simulat deja o serie de elemente din creierul unui soarece. Acesta a declarat �n cadrul TED Global Conference din Oxford ca este deja pe cale sa dezvolte un creier uman sintetic, care va fi folosit pentru tratarea unor boli mintale. �Nu este imposibila construirea unui creier uman. O putem face �n zece ani�, a afirmat acesta.

Dr. Makram este de parere ca cercetarea sa va ajuta �n cele din urma peste doua miliarde de oameni, din �ntreaga lume.

Grupul sau de studiu, alcatuit �n 2005, �ncearca sa realizeze o simulare pe computer a unui creier, folosindu-se de date culese �n laborator.

�n cadrul proiectului au reusit deja sa creeze o coloana neocorticale care este proprie mamiferelor. A fost construita digital folosind un model software compus din zeci de mii de neuroni.

Functionarea unui singur neuron necesita un computer, asa ca oamenii de stiinta intentioneaza sa foloseasca supercomputerul IBM Blue Gene, care are circa 10000 de procesoare, pentru a-l aduce la viata.

Primele imagini din RTS-ul R.U.S.E.

via Realitatea .NET - IT & Stiinta by Realitatea.NET on 3/29/09

Ubisoft a anuntat ca lucreaza la un nou joc de strategie care urmeaza sa fie lansat �n primul trimestru al anului fiscal 2009-2010.

Jocul R.U.S.E. este produs de catre echipa Eugen Systems, creatorii RTS-ului Act of War: Direct Action.

�Jucatorii vor avea parte de un gameplay intens pentru ca vor avea posibilitatea sa joace de la nivelul soldatilor, dar vor putea beneficia si de o perspectiva asupra c�mpului de batalie din satelit.

R.U.S.E. va beneficia de un AI superior care va asigura o miscare complexa a unitatilor�, au declarat producatorii jocului R.U.S.E.

Jocul se va lansa �n versiunile pentru PC, Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3.