14 DAY TRIAL // Not so long ago Microsoft revealed its own secret Robotics Studio, developed to be a huge kick-ass programming environment to control anything from simple Lego Mindstorms to complex car-assembling industrial bots like cute Kuka.
Today, based on Microsoft's new software development kit, ZMP has finally rolled out the first robot available for sale. Even though the robot does not target the mass consumers yet, it still looks cool and does a bunch of nifty tricks. Named "e-nuvo WALK", the bot was exclusively developed in a Japanese lab, by the same brainy folks that also built the e-nuvo WHEEL.
At a first glimpse, the robot is nothing to cry for. It measures about 14 inches tall and ain't that fun as expected, as it's said to be designed for research and education purposes. Although, as Engadget puts it, the robot could easily compete on the next RoboCup event. The Futurama-like bot version 2.5 is said to be the only bipedal walking robot that permits users to put into practice the technologies they might have learned with some other models on the market, such as the BASIC, ARM and WHEEL.
To get an accurate image, you should also know the robot was given a distributed processing structure composed of 4 CPUS, as well as 12 joints, a.k.a motor degrees of freedom. Which makes it motion flexible.
As ZMP says:" We concentrate on controlling the whole system with a PC, system that consists of serial links similar to our robot ARM. We also have started producing an alternative version with the exterior covering of nuvo that joins together the educational value of e-nuvo and the futuristic design style of nuvo! e-nuvo WALK (formerly known simply as e-nuvo ver 2.5) has -we are pleased to say it- been very much well received since it was presented to the public in 2004 and promoted as one of the most suitable tools for engineering education. "
This robo concept is not fresh on the market, since more than 300 units are already being used in Japan and overseas, as well as in universities, colleges and industry laboratories. For whom it may concern, there is a full specs list available on ZMP.co.
And if you want one of those marvellous robots, you'll have to wait for a while. The biped-bot is only available in Japan, for the time being. Oh yeah, you'll also need about 5.345 bucks, as well. It's so hard to believe it will actually be able to control huge industrial monsters! One should never underestimate the infinite resources of the robotics industry!
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