AbsolutelyNew Blog

New in robotics

 

Our loyal readers have come to know that we love robots. No, that’s an understatement—we really LOVE robots. But what kind? This is an emerging question as scientists invent different types (and looks) of robots to handle different roles… and learn all the more the nuances of how people respond to robots.

So, which of the two above suits you? Or is the robot below?

 

Perhaps a little more detail will help. The new issue of Proto has a cool feature story on the latest in robots. Highlights of note:

• We’re apparently not the only folks who already go gaga for robots. A Georgia Tech study of Roomba (the breakthrough robotic vacuum) owners in 2007 found many named and decorated their devices.

• New advances and new algorithms are now enabling the development of robots that are “socially assistive” or “socially interactive” in their ability to change their behavior based on what they sense in the people around them.

• Children take quickly to robots, whereas adults are often a little slower to embrace them. (Clearly, we weren’t in that study!). People often get comfortable with a robot faster if it mirrors their personality – ie: an extroverted person responds well to a fast-talking robot.

• There’s now a lot of research on how robots should look… and the new conventional wisdom is that a robot should look somewhat but not entirely human. One Japanese scientist even coined the term “uncanny valley” to describe it – because once a robot bears an uncanny resemblance to a human, the rapport with it drops from a peak to a valley.

Cool stuff! And since we’re only scratching the surface here, you might enjoy reading more of the details in Proto. Here’s a link!

Notes from the Consumer Electronics Shows

We’re back from the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. And let’s just say it was awesome – so many cool new technologies we can’t wait to get into our homes, our offices, and everywhere else.

PC World did a nice job highlighting some of top products, so rather than reinvent the wheel, here’s a link to check out what they wrote.
 
More broadly than any specific product, we were struck by the vast number of products and technology platforms that are built from the ground up for easy interaction and use the way we really live, without constraining “hardware.” Imagine using any surface as your keyboard, and using your finger as a mouse, a laser pointer, even a welder. It all makes yesteryear’s breakthrough devices like the Nintendo Wii controller seem downright primitive by comparison.

A couple other major trends, based on our observations and discussions with key players:

1. Managed content – like the ability to control precisely what programs even make it to your TV – is only in its infancy. Look for this to grow exponentially in the months ahead.

2. GPS technology is navigating its way into everything. And its stands to revolutionize everything from traffic patterns to fashion to global security.

To go a lot deeper, you can click here to check out CNET’s expansive coverage of all things CES.

As if duct tape couldn’t get any better

Here’s a confession: we’re addicted to duct tape.  We absolutely LOVE it.  It’s great for fixing things at home, temporary car repairs, and sealing just about every rip we’ve seemed to sustain on camping trips.  And of course we’ve also seen our share of duct tape put to use – very well, we should say – on early invention prototypes.

Our one beef with duct tape has been that not everyone appreciates the silver-gray aesthetic of it.  But this is now a non-issue, as the smart folks at 3M have introduced transparent duct tape.  It’s as strong as the stuff we love... but it’s totally clear.  Cool.  Check it out here.

Are you as excited as we are?  Or will you continue to wear (or use) the silver-gray stuff as a badge of honor?

BTW, we’re also thrilled that 3M’s Vice President for Development and Mergers & Acquisitions, Mark Copman, has just joined our Advisory Board.  We’re looking forward strategic advice that will surely be as clear (and sticky) as his company’s new duct tape.

Buying stock in You, Inc.

Looking to finance your invention success at a time when banks aren’t the most open lenders?

We’re hearing talk that banks may soon start opening their vaults again.  We’re also reading that the government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) under President-elect Obama may offer new financing opportunities to America’s inventors, entrepreneurs and other small business owners.

And BusinessWeek recently reported a creative alternative way to finance your invention right now: applying your 401k funds towards your invention without a tax penalty.  That’s right – if you believe in your invention, you can put your 401k funds to work making your invention a reality. How:

- Create a corporation – let’s call it You, Inc.
- Create a 401k plan at You, Inc.
- Roll your existing 401k funds into the You, Inc. 401k plan
- Invest You, Inc. 401k funds to buy You, Inc. shares (stock) 

Sounds complicated at first. But it's actually pretty simple -- you're just moving 401k dollars from one place to another and investing them differently... without taking a distribution that would spark immediate tax consequences.  Several firms offer to do all the set-up for a modest fee.

Click here to read the full BusinessWeek article on this approach and how entrepreneurs have successfully used it.

What do you think?  We would never advise someone to tap into his or her nest egg for any invention.  But we also think it could be a very smart decision to tap into part of a nest egg for an invention that you know will be HUGE one day.

Ready. Aim. Then Fire!

The year’s drawing to a close and the holidays are upon us.  In the world of innovation, this means lots of lists of the best inventions of the year (gotta love the new one from Popular Mechanics), which then make their way onto our own holiday lists.

What’s on your list, for yourself and the tinkerers in your life?

One invention we’re talking about... but not itching to buy: The Palm Pistol, a newly invented, single-shot 9mm handgun designed for defensive use by persons crippled with arthritis, muscular dystrophy and other conditions that leave them unable to operate a standard handgun.

Irrespective of where you stand on the issue of gun control – we’re not touching that – one could make the argument that this product is both inventive and purposeful.  But the story here gets far more interesting, and offers lessons for inventors in all product categories:

1. There are real questions about whether The Palm Pistol’s intended users will actually be able to operate it effectively.  Specifically, we’re reading that a three-digit combination lock must be disengaged and two mechanical safeties must be depressed... by someone who lacks the strength and dexterity to operate a standard handgun... in order to fire The Palm Pistol’s single shot.  Sounds like a case of Ready, Fire, Aim!  The lesson: think about who you’re targeting (couldn’t resist) as your core user and then make sure you design for this user population.  It also can’t hurt to test, test and test more to make absolutely certain you’ve optimized the design for these users.

2. The inventor sought an FDA medical device classification, which could pave the way for his handgun to be prescribed by doctors and reimbursed by Medicare.  Really!  An FDA employee even helped with the registration.  Of course, there’s a HUGE difference between registering and getting approval, so it probably wasn’t a good idea for the inventor to hastily reach out and tell the media he was on track to sell the first prescription handgun – word travelled fast, leading to all sorts of stories of wheel chair vigilantes and grandparents packing heat... and the FDA yesterday shot down (again, couldn’t resist) the medical device registration.  Do we now call this a Plaxico?  The lessons: don’t underestimate the power of a creative angle that generates awareness and differentiates your invention.  But also be sure to take a step back to consider if that creative angle might be considered beyond the pale and/or do you more long-term harm than good.

BTW, for more info on The Palm Pistol, including its official take on the FDA debacle and how it may appeal its case, click here to open Constitution Arms’ website.

The Anchor Gets Re-invented

Picture a ship anchor.  You know exactly what it looks like.  Or so you thought... as a group of ingenious scientists at MIT have completely re-invented the anchor to be far smaller, lighter and more effective than those clunky metal ones we have long known.

This newly invented anchor is called the RoboClam.  Pictured above right, it's inspired by and functions a lot like the razor clam (aka: Atlantic jackknife), pictured above left:

• It vibrates in a manner that turns the relatively solid sea bed to a quicksand-like, digging-friendly consistency.
• It then pushes down into the sea bed and expands its “shells” to lock in place.
• It then repeats this again and again... digging itself down to 15 inches with 80 pounds of force.

So cool.  And not just because it has Robo in the name!  The invention's apparently already strong enough to anchor a small sub, and there’s talk that, with tweaks and improvements, this thing could be strong enough to anchor even the largest of ships and off-shore oil platforms, and perhaps be modified for applications including drilling on dry land.

You’ve gotta love it when Mother Nature inspires great invention.  Once again we tip our hats to her... and to the folks who tinkered based on her inspiration.

For additional info, click here for MIT’s official take on the RoboClam.  Thanks also to MIT’s Donna Coveney for the photo.

Reinvented 007 Needs New Inventions

Comcast is offering 21 James Bond movies “On Demand” in high definition.  Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, I must have seen the Comcast commercial for it about 50 times.

In watching the commercial’s montage of cool inventions that 007 has put to use over the years – inventions like the wristwatch that’s so much more than a wristwatch – what really struck me is how dull James Bonds’ new inventions are by comparison.

Did you see Quantum of Solace?  Cool car.  Cool computer.  But nothing I couldn’t kit out on my own given a little extra cash, the right tools and parts, and the help of my mechanically savvy best friend MJ.

What’s going on here?  Is Q, or MI-6, slacking off?  Or do you think, as some others are saying, that technologies are now so advanced that movies no longer need to make them up (which sounds a lot like saying everything good has already been invented)?  Or is this a matter of Hollywood finding that audiences want their Bond with less contrived gadgets and more real violence?

Whatever the case may be, I’m feeling like the reinvented Daniel Craig 007 is falling a tad short of Bond proportions... and needs a few new inventions to spark my interest.

BTW, on this topic, a really fun article on James Bond inventions, published in 1966, is circulating on the web. Click here to give it a read.

And 2008's top invention is...

What’s THE coolest invention you’ve seen this year?  Does just one come to mind?  Maybe two or three that you’re torn between?

Well, the folks at TIME have their answer to this question, as they’ve just published their annual picks for the best inventions of the year.  Among the 50 for 2008: a collection of sweet cameras, multiple Wii and Apple products, several stylin’ cars that are likely a little (or a lot) too pricey for me, and of course the requisite robots and NASA spacecraft.

And TIME’s top pick: 23andMe, the home DNA test kit that will map your genome and, to use the TIME editors’ words, revolutionize how society views healthcare and personal health information.

You can click here to check out TIME’s online content.

So, what do you think?  What’s missing?  Have you figured out your #1 yet?  And what will you now be adding to your list for Santa?

And most importantly, what are you doing to get on the 2009 list?

Freddie + Britney = Invention

We at AbsolutelyNew truly LOVE invention.  It’s in our hearts and souls.  We look at a person’s home workshop and see beauty and possibility amongst the tangle of parts, tools and sketches.

For a while, we often felt pretty alone in holding these sentiments. The world around us often looked at the garage or kitchen table inventor as an odd solitary figure, more Unabomber than Edison.  But not anymore!  Invention is now hot, hot, HOT:

• Hollywood is releasing Flash of Genius, a David vs. Goliath story about the inventor of intermittent windshield wipers and his battle to protect his patent from infringement by Ford, Chrysler, and 24 others.
• The Discovery Channel is broadcasting a new program, Prototype This!, focused entirely on inventing cool things.  At least one of the guys on the show is reported to have pin-up good looks.
• Google too is stirring invention buzz.  The company recently launched 10 to the 100th – an invention contest that promises to reward $10 million to fund up to 5 inventions that can change the world.

Coincidence?  Not at all. I’d argue that invention is moving towards center-stage pop-culture status because Freddie and Fannie collapsed, Britney Spears fell from grace, and Paris Hilton so overexposed herself that we all – okay, 98.3% of us – lost interest… and these developments have sent everyone looking for a new road to fame and fortune… and they’re looking for that road well beyond Wall Street or MTV.

Thus the Plato quote “necessity is the mother of invention” now holds true for invention itself.  Cool.  We can’t wait to see what emerges from all those beautiful home workshops.

The newest hands-free device in California

California’s “hands-free” law went into effect in July, making it illegal to drive a motor vehicle while holding a cell phone to your ear.  I haven’t seen any impact on the roads, but I can’t miss the impact in stores – from my local Costco to the Verizon Wireless stores, I’m bombarded with hands-free headset products and images.

Yet the newest hands-free device in CA has nothing to do with the phone – it’s the Pribot, a hands-free (actually, driver-free), robotic Prius that hit the streets of San Francisco and successfully crossed the Bay Bridge earlier this month…with police escort.

We love this kind of innovation – an inventor (Anthony Levandowski) with a full-time “day job” pursuing his dream in his spare time, trying to move the needle in a big way, in a direction that could have significant consumer benefits.  We’re also suckers for anything involving robots and radar.

I’m trying to get the inventor on the phone so I can get you his perspective on his experience – including perspective on filming a segment about his invention for a new Discovery Channel show, Prototype This! – so stay tuned for more.  In the meantime, I’m left wondering how soon before Dominos orders up a Pribot or two to test for pizza deliveries.  I’ve got to believe this will be a reality within 10 years, tops.