Billy McCafferty wrote in to let us know about a new blogging community called SharpRobotica that focuses on robotics software (get it?), as opposed to robotic hardware, which is what we here at BotJunkie tend to write about. In their words, “this blog aims to fill a much needed void of providing adept guidance on the software side of robotics with an emphasis of portability of ideas amongst hardware platforms.” It’s pretty hardcore stuff, with articles like Architectural Paradigms of Robotic Control, Message-Based Systems for Maintainable, Asynchronous Development, and a four part series on Developing Well-Designed Packages for ROS. Since it’s a blogging community, you can contribute articles on subjects that you know a lot about. Or, you can just do what I do, which is read stuff written by people way smarter than you in the hope of learning something. Either way, check it out.

[ SharpRobotica ]

Robots Podcast episode #50 is not only their fiftieth episode (pretty impressive, right?), but they’ve managed to make it a two parter packed with interviews of twelve different roboticists. Here’s the lineup:

- Rolf Pfeifer: Embodied AI and Robotics
- Mark Tilden: Robot Toys
- Hiroshi Ishiguro: Androids
- Oscar Schofield: Underwater Robots
- Steve Potter: Brain Machine Interfaces
- Chris Rogers: Education Robots
- Jean-Christophe Zufferey: Flying Robots
- Dan Kara: The Robot Market
- Kristinn R. Thórisson: AI
- Terry Fong: Space Robots
- Richard Jones: Nano Robots

You can download the podcast as an mp3 here, or subscribe via iTunes at this link.

[ Robots Podcast ]

Thanks Sabine!

I’m heading down to RoboGames today (Sunday) to take more pics and vids, especially of the Mech Warfare and Firefighting competitions and anything that’s autonomous. I have to do some last-minute traveling tonight, so this is just an update to let you know that I probably won’t be able to edit all the video together until Monday or Tuesday… I’ll have it up as soon as I possibly can, though, I promise!

RoboGames, the world’s largest robot competition, starts TODAY! Over 50 different events featuring hundreds of robots from all over the world. We’ll be there if you can’t be, taking pictures and video of every single event, even the ones that take place at the same time in different parts of the venue. How? I don’t know how. But I’ll make it happen. Geez, if only I had some kind of system that would allow me to be in two places at once…

Last year, I apparently managed to put together highlight videos of the events every evening, and I’ll try my damnedest to do that again, so it’ll be worth checking back on a day to day basis over the weekend. I mean, either that, or I’ll a.) sleep or b.) relax and enjoy myself at the event. But be assured, that neither of those things have the least appeal to me, the professional journalist that I am (or pretend to be, anyway), so please feel free to berate me for not posting stuff fast enough.

Or, YOU could come experience RoboGames in person, which is a WAY better idea! The event starts today (Friday) and runs though Sunday, 12-7 in San Mateo. Get tickets here.

[ RoboGames ]

The 2010 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation takes place next month up in Anchorage, Alaska. From May 3rd to May 8th, the who’s who of the robotics industry will be exhibiting their innovations, showing off the latest research, and putting on workshops and tutorials. ICRA features the likes of iRobot, Willow Garage, Aldebaran Robotics, Boston Dynamics, and Kuka, as well as research institutions like Stanford and MIT and CMU, and even DARPA will be showing up. And, as long as you can get yourself to Alaska, ICRA is something you (you!) can participate in as well.

IEEE has a Robotics and Automation Society that’s open to anyone who’s interested in robots and (more specifically) interested in meeting up with other people in industry or research at events like ICRA. It’s easy to join, especially for students, and if you’re thinking about a career in robotics, ICRA isn’t a bad place to start.

Plus, Alaska is fabulous this time of year… You might even be able to catch your very own Paro, I hear you can find ‘em just wandering around up there.

[ ICRA 2010 ]
[ IEEE Robotics and Automation Society ]

If you find that robots are arousing you slightly more than normal this week, that’s because it’s National Robotics Week.

I said, it’s NATIONAL ROBOTICS WEEK!

What does this mean for you? Well, it means that you now have an excuse (if you needed one) to wander around everywhere with your robot(s) educating and/or terrifying the public. If you don’t have a robot, fear not, because there are all kinds of incredibly awesome events going on this week where you (you!) can get up close and personal with them.

Here in SF, Stanford is hosting a robot block party (where we’ll get to see this and this, among other bots), and Adept (maker of this crazy thing) will have an open house.

If you live in a less interesting bit of the country, there’s a complete schedule for NRW events here.

[ National Robotics Week ]

I’m not sure that either the internet (or robots) actually existed 10 years ago, but somehow, that’s when GoRobotics.net got their start. 10 years is a looooong time for a blog to be around (I got pretty excited when BotJunkie turned 1, myself), and to celebrate they’re giving away a bunch of cool stuff.

Congrats to William Cox et al!

Also, GoRobotics is starting a new website called RobotBox, which a cross between a community website and portfolio for robot builders. It looks pretty cool, take the tour here.

[ GoRobotics ]
[ RobotBox ]

Happily, there has been a ton of robot news as of late. Unhappily, I’m just one poor guy who isn’t a blogging robot (oh, if only!) and it’s not physically possible for me to keep up with it all. Luckily for me, I’m about to get some help, since Greg Intermaggio is going to be writing some BotJunkie posts on what I hope is going to be a semi-regular basis. Be nice. -Ed.

Hey there!

My name is Greg Intermaggio. I’m a dedicated robotics geek, and I’ve recently taken to blogging. My experience includes a bit of everything, from building ComBots to building robotic flamethrowers to toast the perfect marshmallow. I’ll be contributing articles here and there as I find cool stuff to write about, so sit back, relax and stay tuned!

-Greg

In a world where robots and humans struggle together in the fight against boredom…

Only one event ends up with the robots dancing “The Human” while the meat puppets (you) end up singing the praises of RoboBartenders.

BarBot is a celebration of cocktail culture and man-machine interface. Get a drink from an actual robot. Chat up a snarky electronic bartender. Listen to some graceful tunes being played by robotic music makers. And, after downing your sixth martini, you can finally admit that it’s the geeks who shall inherit the earth.

These robots don’t clean the carpets. What they will do is much, much better. They make you a drink! Let your roommate do the vacuuming. These bots have got better programming on their mind.

Wed/Thur Feb 17-18, 2010 – 9pm-2am
21+ with photo ID $10 advance / $15 at door

And here’s a special deal for BotJunkie readers: if you donate $1.50 to RoboGames at the door and say you’re a BotJunkie reader, it’s good for 10% off the cover. How ’bout that!

Buy tickets here.

[ BarBot ]

Just a brief note to let you know that our contact form has (hopefully) been fixed, and some issues with old posts have also (hopefully) been fixed. Let me know in the comments if you notice anything wonky, and you can always email me personally (evan (at) botjunkie (dot) com) with tips and stuff.

Thanks!