Robot of the Week: TOPIO

TOPIO 3.0 Shown at IREX in Tokyo (2009)

Now I know the name TOPIO doesn't sound too intimidating. But be warned, it's pretty scary.

TOPIO is a ping pong playing robot from Vietnam, essentially. It premiered first in IREX (International Robot Exhibition) 2007 with the TOPIO 1.0. Since then it's been stirring up the world of robotics.

This bot stands at a mean 188 centimeters tall (6'1" approx.) and weighs a staggering 264 lbs (120 kg). Combining this with the 39 degrees of mobility you've got an incredibly versatile athlete of a robot with a dominating athletic figure.
But it's not all about looks.

Under the hood, so to speak, TOPIO can recognize incredibly fast object objects, lightning fast reflexes, an advance artificial intelligence designed to mimic that of the average human, AND is capable of balanced walking on two feet. Just try to grasp that for a second, there are animals that can't even do that well.

For more about TOPIO you can check out their official page here, the wikipedia article here, and for a look at TOPIO's early sibling TOPIO 1.0 playing some table tennis, check out the video below.

Weekly Flash: QWOP

Flash Games

Flash Games
Controls: Q- Right Thigh W- Left Thigh O- Left Calf P-Right Calf

If you haven't heard of QWOP, then you must have been under a rock. QWOP is one of the most popular, most funny, most difficult, and POSSIBLY the most annoying game on the internet. However, if you manage to advance at all, it feels so rewarding.