You are browsing the archive for 2006 December.

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by fini

Transformers Trailer

21:08 in News, Robotics by fini

Happy hollidays everyone!

If you’re into robots, im sure the new trailer could be worth a look!

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by fini

Robots soon to demand legal rights

13:28 in A.I., Robotics by fini

As if we didn’t know this already ;) I personally look forward to discussing robot rights in the near future.

Robots could one day demand the same citizen’s rights as humans, according to a study by the British government.

The paper which addresses Robo-rights, titled Utopian dream or rise of the machines? examines the developments in artificial intelligence and how this may impact on law and politics.

The paper says a “monumental shift” could occur if robots develop to the point where they can reproduce, improve themselves or develop artificial intelligence.

The research suggests that at some point in the next 20 to 50 years robots could be granted rights.

If this happened, the report says, the robots would have certain responsibilities such as voting, the obligation to pay taxes, and perhaps serving compulsory military service.

Conversely, society would also have a duty of care to their new digital citizens, the report says.

It also warns that the rise of robots could put a strain on resources and the environment.

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by fini

MS Robotics Studio released

14:30 in News, Robotics, Software by fini

Microsoft has released their first version of Robotics Studio for Windows Visual Studio 2005. Since it is free and I have a msdn subscription via my work (meaning I don’t have to pay for Visual Studio), I am going to do some tests with the LEGO Mindstorms NXT very soon.

Microsoft Robotics Group has released Microsoft Robotics Studio (1.0) for Web download (see press release). Microsoft Robotics Studio is a Windows-based environment for academic, hobbyist and commercial developers to easily create robotics applications across a wide variety of hardware. The download installs Microsoft Robotics Studio along with samples and tutorials. Tandy Trower provides this welcome letter which includes a list of changes since the last Community Technical Preview (CTP). Download Microsoft Robotics Studio and join the Microsoft Robotics Studio community through our Newsgroup.

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by fini

Urban Challenge prizes finalized

15:14 in A.I., Hardware, News, Robotics, Software by fini

If you are building big bots, why not just go all the way? Win DARPA Urban Challenge and score $2 Million cash prize!

December 8, 2006. DARPA Finalizes 2007 Urban Challenge Cash Prize Levels Top Three Finishers to Receive $2 Million, $1 Million and $500,000 Prizes The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will give $2 million, $1 million and $500,000 awards to the top three finishers that complete the course within the sixhour time limit in the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge for autonomous robotic ground vehicles, competition organizers announced today.

DARPA’s original cash prize authority for the first two Grand Challenges expired with the passage of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007. DARPA had planned to award trophies to the top three finishers in the Urban Challenge, but Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Kenneth J. Krieg approved $2 million, $1 million, and $500,000 cash prizes for the first, second and third teams to complete the Urban Challenge’s 60 miles within six hours.