Voices

Google’s Schaft Robot Dominates Pentagon Contest

It may not be the prettiest robot on the scene, but the angular blue creation from Google’s newly acquired Japanese startup is poised to secure more Pentagon funding to develop a creation capable of venturing into dangerous disaster zones to help humans.

Voices

Robots’ New Challenge: Pentagon Boot Camp

Earlier this month, Google bought several robotics companies, including two participants in Friday’s Robotics Challenge Trials.

Voices

The Real Reasons Google Is Getting Into Robots (Comic)

Here is the latest comic from our Joy of Tech friends at Geek Culture, Nitrozac and Snaggy. Joy of Tech appears three times a week in the Voices section of this site.

Meet the Robot Mule Google Is Now Making for the Marines

You thought self-driving cars were cool or alarming? We have videos for you.

News Byte

Google Acquired Seven Robotics Companies for Andy Rubin

Google bought seven robotics companies in the past six months — Schaft, Industrial Perception, Meka, Redwood Robotics, Bot & Dolly, Autofuss and Holomni — for an effort to create manufacturing and logistics robots under former Android head Andy Rubin. The deals were reported in a New York Times article, and confirmed by the company. The Times says Rubin’s aims are not at creating robots for consumers, but rather for competing with Amazon and its flying delivery drones. (Robots versus drones is the ultimate endgame, after all.)

With Anki, Toy Cars Cruise Into the New Age of Robotics

Every so often a new tech product comes along that is just plain fun. Anki is one of those.

Play-i’s Personal Robots Take Shape, as Company Launches Crowdfunding Campaign

Robots are getting more and more accessible.

Voices

Humans 1, Robots 0

Cashiers trump self-checkout machines at the grocery store.

How to Make Lots of Web Video, Really Fast: Get Rid of (Most of) the Humans

Wochit’s video editors don’t need food, water or smoke breaks, which means they can crank out a new clip every 10 minutes. Maybe you saw one today.

Voices

Robots May Revolutionize China’s Electronics Manufacturing

Machines in the pipeline will supplant workers as pay soars and people age.

Jon Stewart Solves Vine’s Porn Problem