2013 The Year of Roboy

Those crazy Swiss researchers at the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the University of Zurich.  are up to it again, building “one of the most advanced humanoid robots,” affectionately known as “Roboy”.  As reported last year, the Japanese at the University of Osaka have already been harvesting his mate.   Roboy is a a “tendon-driven robot modeled on human beings” vs the typically path of building robot joints out of motors.  The 40 researches in Zurich promise that Roboy will move as swiftly and elegantly as my son.

However, unlike my twelve year, Roboy will have a job our of the womb as a “service robot” to work with the elderly (very Hollywood, see: Robot & Frank). While, we have reported on the increase of service robots over the past two years, Roboy crosses the threshold into the humanoid experience.  Even his unveiling is very human, in nine months he will be launched at the Robots on Tour March 8 and 9, 2013 in Zurich.  Until then, you can play your part by joining the baby shower registry on the crowd funding site on their website, see: Roboy  or Facebook.