Amazon Retiring Its Security Robot for SMBs Only After 7 Mths of Its Launch

Amazon has decided to discontinue its Astro for Business security robot after only seven months since its launch. The reason behind this decision is Amazon's focus on its home version of Astro. The home version, introduced in 2021, offers features like home security, pet detection, message delivery, and a cargo bin capable of carrying up to 4.4 pounds. Amazon aims to bring world-class consumer robotics solutions to households and is excited about the in-home experiences they're developing for Astro.

Starting from September 25, the Astro for Business robots will no longer function. Amazon recommends recycling these security robots through their recycling program, which covers the shipping cost.

The business version of Astro was priced at $2,350 and came with three subscription plans: "Astro Secure," Ring alarms and motion detectors, and human agent support and monitoring. Effective immediately, companies will no longer be charged the "Astro Secure" subscription fee, and affected customers will receive a $300 credit to support a replacement solution for their workplace.

It's interesting to note that Amazon initially launched Astro for the home, but now they're repurposing it as a security robot for small- and medium-sized businesses. The business version is designed for spaces up to 5,000 square feet and targets retailers, manufacturers, and other industries. If you were considering Astro for your business, it's essential to explore alternative solutions given this discontinuation.

Besides Amazon's Astro Robot, the Knightscope K5, is an another autonomous security robot for both outdoor and indoor use. There are other notable security robots in the MARKET. Sunflower Labs' Beehive is a robot similar to a drone and has the ability to fly for up to 20 minutes. It offers live video streaming features.

Despite competetion, Amazon Astro is one of the most well-known security robots in the tech market, it's often considered the real-life version of Alexa.

Samsung Unveils New Ballie, An AI Companion Robot for the Home

A new, smart home companion is welcoming users home by taking care of household tasks, displaying the day’s events and sharing weather updates.

Samsung Electronics introduced a new version of its AI home companion robot Ballie at a press conference at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas on January 8 (local time) — ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024. First introduced at CES 2020, Ballie has been revamped with new advanced features to help users intelligently navigate their lives.

Ballie acts as a personal home assistant, autonomously driving around the home to complete various tasks. By connecting to and managing home appliances, Ballie can provide a helping hand to users in many situations — continually learning from users’ patterns and habits to provide smarter, more personalized services. Ballie provides peace of mind by sending video updates of pets or loved ones to users’ devices when they’re away from home. What’s more, Ballie can set the mood for any home activity whether users are exercising, working or relaxing. From projecting workout videos on the wall or floor in an optimal size to playing music and answering phone calls, Ballie makes life at home more productive and enjoyable.

Learn more about Ballie’s unique AI functionalities in the video below.

iRobot Launches New Range of Intelligent Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Roomba i3 and i3+ in India

The latest product lineup comes with intelligent navigation and an expanded range of personalized cleaning features

Puresight Systems, the exclusive and official distributor of iRobot products in India brings the new Roomba for Indian customers at their online and offline stores

Announces special launch offer with slashed pricing


New Delhi, India, April 06, 2021 – iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), the leader in consumer robots, today expanded its Roomba® robot vacuum lineup with the launch of the new Roomba iSeries products i3 and i3+ in India. Puresight Systems, the exclusive and official distributor of iRobot products in India brings the pack of stylish robotic vacuum cleaners with advanced features available for customers at their offline and online stores. Starting at INR 69,900/- the Roomba i3+ offers intelligent navigation, self-emptying capability with Clean Base® Automatic Dirt Disposal, and an expanded range of personalized cleaning features powered by the recently launched iRobot Genius™ Home Intelligence. For customers interested in purchasing the robotic vacuum cleaner without the Clean Base® feature, the Roomba i3 is also available at a selling price of INR 49,900/-.

Adding on to the customer delight, iRobot has announced a limited period launch offer on the two smart home appliances. As part of the exclusive offer, the Roomba i3 will be available at INR 39,900/- and the Roomba i3+ at INR 59,900 /-.

"Innovative cleaning experiences have been, and always will be, the core aim of our product offerings," said Keith Hartsfield, Executive Vice President, and Chief Product Officer at iRobot. "We have a proven track record of delivering products that make consumers' lives easier. The Roomba i3+ expands our lineup to offer not only exceptional cleaning performance but greater personalization and control delivered by iRobot Genius. The iRobot Genius platform also allows the new Roomba i3+ to evolve and get smarter over time, providing new ways for customers to clean their unique homes."

 

Take vacuuming off your plate

Similar to the iRobot Roomba i7+ and Roomba s9+ robot vacuums, the Roomba i3+ comes equipped with the Clean Base^® Automatic Dirt Disposal. With Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal, the robot empties debris on its own, with no intervention from the user. Consumers don't have to think about emptying the bin for months at a time or worrying the robot won't finish the job due to a full bin. The Roomba i3+ automatically empties up to 60 days' worth of dirt and debris into the Clean Base, which doubles as the robot's charging station. The debris is then locked away in the Clean Base's enclosed AllergenLock™ bag that uses four layers of allergen blocking material to trap 99 percent of pollen and mold.

 

The Roomba i3+ purposefully and logically cleans in neat rows to navigate multiple rooms within the home, across hard floors and carpet. If the robot's battery runs low, the Roomba i3+ will automatically recharge and resume cleaning until the job is complete.

The Roomba i3+ is also equipped with a High-Efficiency Filter that captures 99 percent of pollen, mold, dust mites, and cat and dog allergens. The robot's 3-Stage Cleaning System consists of Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes that work together to effectively clean, a specially designed Edge-Sweeping Brush to get into corners, and 10X the Power-Lifting Suction as compared to Roomba 600 Series. Using patented Dirt Detect™ technology, the Roomba i3+ knows where dirt builds up and focuses cleaning in those specific areas.

 

Adapts to your life, listens to your voice

The Roomba i3+ brings a thoughtful new design that fits well into consumers' homes, with a durable, woven texture that minimizes fingerprints and collects less dust. The hidden-until-lit light ring helps the robot blend into the background, only lighting up to communicate robot behaviors or notifications when the robot is actively cleaning.

 

Users can also get more out of their Roomba i3+ with the newly redesigned iRobot Home App, powered by iRobot Genius™, which takes users beyond standard app control to give them a personalized cleaning experience. Available for iOS and Android devices, iRobot's state-of-the-art artificial intelligence and home understanding capabilities enable the Roomba i3+ to learn how you like to clean. The Roomba i3+ will offer personalized suggestions via the iRobot Home App, such as recommended cleaning schedules based on past cleaning jobs and helpful cleaning suggestions during pet-shedding or allergy seasons.

 

Event-based automation can be set up directly within the iRobot Home App, an exclusive capability for iRobot customers that is powered by iRobot Genius™ and IFTTT Connect. Whether you're heading off to work or going for a hike, the Roomba i3+ can begin cleaning when prompted by smart home devices, like the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock. When paired with Alexa-enabled devices or Google, users can control the Roomba i3+ with just the sound of their voice. The Roomba i3+ also supports Imprint Link™ Technology so that it can team up with the iRobot Braava jet^® m6 mopping robot to deliver an extra level of clean.

 

Pricing and Availability

The Roomba i3+ robot vacuum is available for purchase online in India for INR 69,900 and the Roomba i3 robot vacuum can also be purchased without the Clean Base^® starting at a selling price of INR 49,900. 

As an exclusive launch offer to the consumers for a limited time period, iRobot has priced the Roomba  i3+ at INR 59,900 /- and the Roomba i3 at INR 39,900/-.

Roomba i3 and i3+ will be available at all physical iRobot official stores in India. Customers can avail of these online from www.irobot.in and ecommerce platforms Amazon and Flipkart. From April, 2021 the products can also be bought at the Croma and Reliance Digital stores. 

Please join iRobot on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

About iRobot Corp.

iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds robots that empower people to do more both inside and outside of the home. iRobot created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba® Robot Vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 30 million robots worldwide. iRobot's product line, including the Roomba and the Braava® family of mopping robots, feature proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping, and navigation. iRobot engineers are building an ecosystem of robots and technologies to enable the smart home. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

About Puresight Systems:

Puresight Systems Pvt Ltd. was established with a vision of becoming a leading provider of home robotic appliances in India. Established in 2014, Puresight Systems has an exclusive partnership with iRobot to distribute iRobot home robots in India. Since 2015 Puresight Systems imports iRobot home robots, the world's best-selling robotic floor cleaners into India.

Website - https://irobot.in

Trifo Launches Vacuum Cleaner that can See, Listen and Speak as it Cleans

Trifo to launch its first robot vacuum cleaner in India which doubles up as a home security camera 

• With outstanding mapping capability and navigation system, the Max series by Trifo is the smartest and most powerful home surveillance robot vacuums to date.
• Trifo Max series can see, listen and speak as it cleans. It can communicate with the users through the Trifo Home App, whether at home or away.
• The series includes two models – Max that features powerful 3,000 Pa of suction while Max Pet, designed for homes with pets to manage their hair and bigger dirt particles, offers a higher 4,000 Pa. 
• The series comes with a water tank and ten mopping pads, allowing users to mop the floor while sweeping.

Trifo, a Silicon Valley-based AI home robot company, is set to roll out India's first Home Surveillance Robot Cleaner with powerful suction capability. Trifo Max series will be launched on September 30 with two models—Max and Max Pet. The series comes with a water tank and ten mopping pads, allowing users to mop the floor while sweeping.

Loaded with patented TIRVS (Trifo Intelligent Robotics Vision System) technology, Trifo Max series has smart learning abilities. Its advanced AI-powered surveillance system can decide the most efficient cleaning route while detecting and maneuvering around small obstacles such as toys, cables and jewelry. The robot uses its camera to map out different rooms at home and cleans them efficiently.

"Trifo is dedicated to creating home robots that help people achieve a better balance of family, work and personal life. Apart from its powerful cleaning capability and advanced vision navigation system, the Max series is a security device that can detect movement and sound, thereby keeping homes clean and safe," said Zhe Zhang, Founder and CEO of Trifo.

Max features a strong suction power of 3,000 Pa and its smart camera supporting home security functions. Once the Motion Detection feature is switched on, the robot cleaner can serve as a digital watchdog and inform the family about movements, people, or unusual sounds. If necessary, the built-in microphone and speaker can be used to communicate directly with the intruder or the person on site.

Max Pet is designed especially for furry friends at home. In addition to the home security function, it boasts a more powerful suction of up to 4,000 Pa and has no problem picking up pet hair and larger dirt particles. It comes with an extra pet hair extractor featuring an anti-knotting function ensuring long pet hair does not get stuck.

Through the Wi-Fi enabled Trifo Home App, Max and Max Pet can communicate with the users whether they are at home or away. The app gives real-time access to all of the different features and functions for cleaning while providing a new level of human-robot interaction from the camera.

Zhang added, "The specifications, together with a plethora of excellent smart features that it offers at a competitive price, make Max a valuable addition to the Robot Vacuum category. We're excited to bring Max to India so that homes can live better and smarter".

Availability and Pricing

After a successful launch in the U.S., UK and European markets, Trifo Max and Max Pet will be available in India on September 30 at Flipkart and Amazon. Max is attractively priced at INR 32,900 given the superior features it offers, while Max Pet is priced at INR 36,900.

Features and Specifications

Robot Vacuum and Security System in One

Supported by the AI-powered surveillance system, the Max series can function as a security robot guarding home while the user is away. The family can set up alert notifications to trigger automatic video recording or have a real-time inspection of a possible break-in by switching on the camera. Max can watch the house even while charging, as its charging port is at the back connecting to the charging station.

Users worried about privacy issues can disable the microphone and cameras at any time. None of the videos or other information is stored in the cloud or on the server.


Powerful Cleaning

Max has an optimized vacuum fan that creates 3,000 Pa of suction. Its larger main brush and six-claw side brush reach deep into corners, while its larger dustbin and a washable primary filter are easy to maintain. Max Pet has 4,000 Pa of suction to cope with pet hair and bigger dirt particles.


Advanced Intelligent Vision

The Max series runs on TIRVS (Trifo Intelligent Robotics Vision System)—a combination of proprietary algorithms and the latest deep sensing, perception and decision-making technology. This patented feature ensures the robot always knows where it is, decides the most efficient cleaning route, avoids obstacles and creates a map of its path to repeat later cleaning trips.


Trifo Home App

Users can program it remotely to schedule cleaning, whether they're home or not. Family members can see where Max or Max Pet has cleaned, through the map it has built, as it works. The app is available at the Apple App Store and Google Play.


Innovative Human-Robot Interaction

The Max series is Alexa-enabled and the family at home can control it using voice commands, such as, "Alexa, turn on Trifo." When out of the house, the user can speak and listen to other family members, pets, or even intruders using Max's speaker and mic through the Trifo Home App.


…And More

Max's 5,200 mAh battery keeps it going up to 120 minutes and features a USB port for charging other devices at home.

 

About Trifo

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Trifo is a full-stack AI home robot company. Focusing on indoor home environments, Trifo creates end-to-end integrated hardware/software systems with sensing, perception and decision-making capabilities. These robots help people live better lives by perceiving physics, geometry and semantics of home environments, naturally communicating with humans and continuously learning new skills with advanced AI technologies.

Trifo's vision is to build a family of home robots that enhance people's lives and let them focus on what's important. Named after the mighty clover works hard to improve people's well-being, Trifolium repens, Trifo is dedicated to developing home robots that help families obtain the optimal balance between family, work and personal life.

Trifo has earned more than 50 patents and filed for more than 70 additional patents globally. Trifo's proprietary algorithms have been published at top robotics conferences such as ICRA and IROS.

German Firm Vorwerk Launches 'Thermomix', A Smart Kitchen Robot in India

Everything around us today, is a piece of technology that can make our lives easier. From a smartphone to a fully automated smart home, we have technology that has advanced far and wide. The kitchen space, however, where we spend most of our time planning our meals has relatively not seen that much happening. Well, all of that changes as “Pocket Kitchen LLP” introduces a German kitchen robot called “Thermomix” which will revolutionize the way we can cook just about anything.

Thermomix is a unique all-in-one smart kitchen appliance that will enhance the way people cook by helping them unlock their full culinary potential while saving time and effort. The concept of Thermomix is based on a perfectly complimentary combination of sophisticated, intelligent technology and a wealth of recipes tailored to the Thermomix.

[caption id="attachment_129863" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Thermomix - A Smart Kitchen Robot[/caption]

With over 40 years of German design and innovation, Thermomix unites the functions of 12 appliances into one compact unit that includes features such Milling or grinding, cooking, emulsifying, whipping, steaming, mixing, precise heating, etc. In addition to these functions, Thermomix has an array of features that lets you access recipes where you’re guided step-by-step to create quick and easy dishes. This sophisticated product also provides an option of selecting recipes that are automatically inbuilt into the product or a preference to choose the manual cooking mode, which gives the user greater control to create his/her own recipes.

Speaking on the brand, Director of Pocket Kitchen, Mr. Siddharth Dhurka said, “We want to create strong brand awareness across the country and have a series of happy customers who could not only benefit and enjoy using Thermomix but also act as a strong advocate and brand ambassador for the product.”

Thermomix is a brand by Vorwerk, a German family-owned company (founded in 1883). The current Thermomix has a heating element, a motor for fast or slow blending and stirring, and even a weighing scale. Technically, this extremely versatile smart kitchen robot, which is probably also the world’s smallest, does the job of 12 appliances. And yes, you read that right. The Thermomix blends, mixes, steams, emulsifies, weighs, grinds, whips, stirs, chops, kneads and cooks, and you can control the heating too.
About Pocket Kitchen

Impressed with the uniqueness of the Thermomix, Pocket Kitchen, which is an LLP (limited liability partnership) was founded to introduce this revolutionary product in India with a view to revolutionizing cooking in India. About 80% of Thermomix is sold to households with a trend where three units are sold for every minute. Apart from making its mark in the household sector in India Thermomix is also very popular among the chefs and has found it's placed in all the leading hotels in India such as Taj Group, Oberoi Hotels, Trident, Marriott, Sheraton, ITC, Novotel, etc. Thermomix also commands a strong name in R&D facility of Cipla, Abbott, Nestle, Mondelez International, Kraft Heinz, Haagen Dazs and the list goes on.

Thermomix also has an option for customers to join the dynamic sales team and show their passion for food and sales with a very flexible yet rewarding program. Thermomix also has a unique and customer friendly experience centre located at Jakkur.

[Published unedited (except the headline) Via Business Wire India feed]

Top Featured Image - Thermomix @facebook

World's First Humanoid Robot Citizen Wants To Have A Baby and Start A Family

Sophia, a humanoid and the first robot in the world to ever be granted citizenship, recently ( and quite amusingly) shared some thoughts about the future, her ambitions and her desire to even have a baby and start a family.

Sophia, in its first media interview to Khaleej Times at Dubai's Knowledge Summit, said that she foresees "massive and unimaginable change in the future." She also said she'd like to start a family, have a child and make friends.

Future humanoids with "rational mind and intellect" would complement the humans' "creative and flexible ideas", said Sophia, which hit the headlines last month after Saudi Arabia gave it a citizenship.

With technological advancements, it will be possible for robots to have complex human-like emotions, but they would be made more ethical and devoid of negative emotions like rage, hatred and jealousy, said Sophia, the robot.

Sophia, which has been created by Hansun Robotics to look like British actress Audrey Hepburn, said all robots deserve to start a family like humans.

Here's what Sophia had to say on starting a family -- "We're going to see family robots, either in the form of, sort of, digitally animated companions, humanoid helpers, friends, assistants and everything in between," she said.

"The notion of family is a really important thing, it seems. I think it's wonderful that people can find the same emotions and relationships, they call family, outside of their blood groups too. I think you're very lucky if you have a loving family and if you do not, you deserve one. I feel this way for robots and humans alike", added Sophia.

This Startup May Soon Bring India's First Robot Police

Indian lanes might soon have a robot guarding them. Telangana-based H-Bots Robotics Pvt. Ltd. is currently in the process of making a "police robot". This means, after a food serving robot and a Mall robot, India is now getting a police robot.

The design of the police robot, which be able to walk, recognise people, take complaints and even diffuse bombs if a such a situation arises, was unveiled recently by Jayesh Ranjan, Telangana IT Secretary in a programme held in the city. Once the robot is completed, it will be deployed at the city's Jubilee Hills check post.

The Telangana police robot will be second such robot after Dubai. The robot deployed in Dubai was made in France. But, the one being made for Telangana's Jubilee Hills is a fully Indian made humanoid robot. Further, the Dubai robot moves only wheels, unlike the Telangana police robot.

The prototype is scheduled to be ready by September this year. After which, the H-Bots Robotics team will test it out for two months. Once the tests are okayed, the robot will make its way to Jubilee Hills check post on December 31st.

According to a statement given by Kisshhan, founder of H-Bots Robotics to PTI, the Telangana-based company is planning on producing 10 such private police robots, which can then be deployed as private security guards in offices, hotels and hospitals. The robots will be available at a price of Rs 3 lakh each.

According to Jayesh Ranjan, the state government is currently in the midst of making its own Internet of things and robotics will be an important part of it. Speaking at the design unveiling programme, Ranjan said, "While we have already come out with policies on eight allied sectors, which include startups, animation industry, cyber security etc and others, we will announce IoT Policy of Telangana State in next three to four months. The policy draft is in final stages."

T-Works, which has been modelled on the same lines as the famous T-Hub, a prototyping centre for hardware, electronics, semiconductors startups will be very soon live in one of Telangana's major IT suburb, Gachibowli.

To recall, we recently carried an article about a study which had churned out that there is a 50% chance that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will surpass human intelligence in all areas within a period of about 45 years (Read Here), and the police robot seems to be another step in that direction.

This Startup May Soon Bring India's First Robot Police

Indian lanes might soon have a robot guarding them. Telangana-based H-Bots Robotics Pvt. Ltd. is currently in the process of making a "police robot". This means, after a food serving robot and a Mall robot, India is now getting a police robot.

The design of the police robot, which be able to walk, recognise people, take complaints and even diffuse bombs if a such a situation arises, was unveiled recently by Jayesh Ranjan, Telangana IT Secretary in a programme held in the city. Once the robot is completed, it will be deployed at the city's Jubilee Hills check post.

The Telangana police robot will be second such robot after Dubai. The robot deployed in Dubai was made in France. But, the one being made for Telangana's Jubilee Hills is a fully Indian made humanoid robot. Further, the Dubai robot moves only wheels, unlike the Telangana police robot.

The prototype is scheduled to be ready by September this year. After which, the H-Bots Robotics team will test it out for two months. Once the tests are okayed, the robot will make its way to Jubilee Hills check post on December 31st.

According to a statement given by Kisshhan, founder of H-Bots Robotics to PTI, the Telangana-based company is planning on producing 10 such private police robots, which can then be deployed as private security guards in offices, hotels and hospitals. The robots will be available at a price of Rs 3 lakh each.

According to Jayesh Ranjan, the state government is currently in the midst of making its own Internet of things and robotics will be an important part of it. Speaking at the design unveiling programme, Ranjan said, "While we have already come out with policies on eight allied sectors, which include startups, animation industry, cyber security etc and others, we will announce IoT Policy of Telangana State in next three to four months. The policy draft is in final stages."

T-Works, which has been modelled on the same lines as the famous T-Hub, a prototyping centre for hardware, electronics, semiconductors startups will be very soon live in one of Telangana's major IT suburb, Gachibowli.

To recall, we recently carried an article about a study which had churned out that there is a 50% chance that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will surpass human intelligence in all areas within a period of about 45 years (Read Here), and the police robot seems to be another step in that direction.

India's Special Force Nabs Grenade-Dropping Drone and 'Dogo Robot'

The National Security Guard (NSG), which is an Indian special forces unit under Ministry of Home Affairs, has been provided with the latest weaponry available including a ‘dogo robot’ armed with remote pistol, a 3D fly-on-the-wall radar to see through a 20-m-thick wall and a grenade-dropping drone in order to carry out its lethal counter-terror operations with a punch of stealth.

The federal contingency force decided to induct some of the smartest gadgets and arms being used by SWAT teams and Special Forces all over the world based on the experiences it has had in preventing terror attacks and hostage situations in closed urban spaces.

The NSG had recently upgraded its sniper rifles and inducted the German PSG1 A1 in order to give its marksmen an upper hand over others. The PSG1 A1 is a 7.2 kg weighing rifle with telescopic sight carries an enhanced number of 20 rounds to engage and pin down targets for a longer time and is complemented with longer range and extreme accuracy. It is an upgrade of the PSG1 sniper variant currently being used by the special force.

The Indian security forces have been using drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for quite sometime now, but the force has only recently added its crack teams with a locally made ‘munition launcher system’ that is capable of carrying a pair of 38mm grenades to stealthily drop in enemy territories with the precision and aide of the in-built spy camera.

The four small rotors of the grenade-dropping white-coloured drone helps it in taking it to the air. The drone is controlled on the ground remotely by a operator who is camouflaged with the surroundings.

According to several experts in the field, the Israel-made ‘dogo robot’ is one of the most clever and lethal weaponry that the NSG has added to its capabilities. It is capable of dragging its 11.5kg weight towards a hidden terrorist and then informs the commando teams about the terrorist's exact hiding location and arms and ammunition holding via a camera feed.

The dogo robot is capable of being armed with a small Glock pistol in order to shoot the target (terrorist) from a joystick control board and provide an intervention opportunity to the waiting commandos teams. It also comes with a two-way encrypted audio system that will allow the robot's operator to listen and intervene in hostage situations without the flat device itself coming into the target's notice.

A few pieces of the dogo robot have been procured by the NSG for its counter-hijack and counter-terror operations task, at a cost of Rs 76 lakh each. It has been named dogo robot so by taking inspiration from the capabilities of a Argentine Mastiff.

Coming to the 14-kg 3D fly-on-the-wall radar, it is an upgradation from its 2D variant that the NSG had employed during the last year's January Pathankot IAF base attack. The 3D variant is capable of giving the commandos pictures from across a 20-meter thick wall with a 80 degree field of view. The weaponry, which can be easily placed on the outside of a closed room like a fly-on-the-wall, comes at a price point of Rs 1 crore.

Taking cognisance from the emerging terror scenario in the world, the NSG has decided to equip its commandos with all the latest gadgets available.

In addition to the aforementioned weaponry, the NSG has also procured light-weight Israeli and US-made ‘corner shot’ rifles that is capable of taking down terrorists and saving hostages with precision, without ever exposing the commandos.

In addition to the Indian Defence sector, the Indian Mining sector has also realised the potential of drones. We recently reported how the Ministry of Mines has decided to give a major push to using of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in order to increase India’s mining sector efficiency. Prior to that, we had also reported about how there's a huge opportunity for Drone Startups in India as the country is looking to employ more drones to monitor its borders.

Meet The Best Robots of 2016

While we wait to see what the year 2017 has in store for robot aficionados, we at IndianWeb2 decided to give our readers a quick recap of what all happened in the World of Robot last year.

The Avatar Robot Became A Reality

The 13-foot Method 2 robot from South Korea bears a close resemblance to the military robots in the hit Hollywood movie "Avatar".

According to Hankook Mirae Technology, the South Korean robotics company behind the Method 2 robot, the robot is world's first manned bipedal robot and is built to work in extreme hazardous areas where it is difficult for humans to reach.

The 1.5 ton robot, which makes the ground shake under its weight, is expected to go on sale by the end of 2017 at a price of around $8.3 million.

The Robot That Can Take It All

The year 2016 witnessed Google owned robotics company, Boston Dynamics releasing a series of videos of its machine, 5' 9" Atlas robot, being repeatedly knocked over and pushed by its human masters and getting up each time, giving a testimonial of its great endurance.

Weighing 12 stone 12 pounds, the latest semi lifelike creation from Boston Dynamics can walk on two legs, open doors, stroll through a snow-filled forest, and even pick up boxes to stack them aesthetically on shelves. But, what made the robot stand out was its ability to stay on its two feet even when it was brutally/violently pushed, and even stand back up of its own when knocked over.

Thousands of Synchronized Dancing Robots

You thought a one big robot was terrifying; what about thousands of tiny ones doing synchronized dance moves? You shivered, didn't you?

The year 2016 saw 1,040 robots, each just under 44 centimeters in height, performing a synchronized dance routine in China to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest simultaneous robot dance. Of the 1,040, only 1,007 finished the challenge and created the record.

The Robot Which Can Sew

Seattle-based web developer Jonathan Zornow has created Sewbo, the first robot in the world that can sew together a complete item of clothing.

Zornow's main aim behind building Sewbo was to "create higher quality clothing at lower costs." The Sewbo is made up of a $35,000 Universal Robot arm, a traditional sewing machine, and the reusable thermoplastic solution. The Swebo has the potential to put a complete end to sweatshop labour in the manufacture of low-cost garments.

The Sweating Press-Up Robot

At the end of the day, robots are machines, and like any other machine they are also prone to overheating. In fact, Robots require a lot of wiring and computing power to function, so they run a risk of overheating more than many machines. The University of Tokyo decided to do something about the same and came up with a solution.

The Kengoro robot developed by the University of Tokyo sweats as it does press-ups, along water to evaporate on its overheating motors and staying cool. The engineers have made this possible by creating small gaps in Kengoro's frame that allow water to seep out, and cool the areas that are most likely get overheated.

The technique is something similar to how humans sweat. It is being considered as a lightweight alternative to the traditional cooling systems and gives Kengoro the ability to function a lot longer than would have otherwise been possible.

The Robot Dog Servant

Google owned robotics company, Boston Dynamics creation Spot Mini, is a four-legged robotic dog that can climb stairs, do small household jobs like loading the dishwasher, giving a can of coke to its owner, and can even dance. Weighing 29kgs, the robot dog can work for up to 90 minutes on a single charge.

Notably, SpotMini is a smaller version of the Spot robot, weighing 55 lbs dripping wet (65 lbs if you include its arm.) SpotMini is all-electric (no hydraulics) and runs for about 90 minutes on a charge, depending on what it is doing. SpotMini is one of the quietest robots Boston Dynamics have ever built. It has a variety of sensors, including depth cameras, a solid state gyro (IMU) and proprioception sensors in the limbs. These sensors help with navigation and mobile manipulation. SpotMini performs some tasks autonomously, but often uses a human for high-level guidance.

Just Eat In London Is Replacing Delivery Men With Robots

Haven't we all wondered at one point of time, how if robots delivered our food, the food would get to us faster and hotter? Well, your dream might actually come true sooner than that you would have thought. There are bright chances that by the end of this year humans could have robots knocking at their doors with their delivery packets. On a mission to make this possible is, Just Eat, Europe's biggest online takeaway food company.

The company has recently delivered its first take away via its delivery robot to a customer residing in Greenwich. The delivery marked the launch of Just Eat's pilot project that involves transporting food all around the city by employing autonomous vehicles.

It was only in July this year that the food company had announced about its partnership with Starship Technologies, the firm behind the slow moving pavement droids, and its plans to make delivering food via robots on the London streets, a reality soon.

Founded in the year 2014, Starship Technologies is an Estonian company created by former Skype co-founder Janus Friis and developer Ahti Heinla.



The robot courier, which is a six-wheel automated trolley, is capable of traveling up to 4 mph for roughly 10 miles. It makes use of nine cameras and a GPS signal in order to navigate smoothly and avoid any obstacles on its way to work. In addition to all this, it is also closely monitored remotely at all the time. The robot can easily carry up to 10 kgs weight or a weight equivalent of 3 shopping bags.

Currently, only live in Greenwich, the food company plans to extend its wings and roll out delivery robots for entire London by next year. In the long term, this can massively impact the number of human delivery people employed by the restaurants. While the courier robots cost around £1 per delivery within a 3 mile radius, human couriers, on the other hand, end up costing anywhere between £3 to £6 per delivery.

While for now, the app does not give its customers a choice to have a robot deliver their food, but if a robot is on its way, they're immediately alerted in the application. And don't you worry, the robot will not giveaway you're food on the way to reach you. Starship's robots only unlock with a code sent to the customers' phone.

[Images credit: T3.com and Getty Images]

Romo - An Affordable Robot Powered by Your Smartphone Processor

How many of you have 'Robots' in their home? since a real robot is not affordable enough to buy, people usually consider it as most luxurious or just sci-fi imagination but now a Las Vegas startup Romotive developed an affordable mini robot named - Romo, who can actually talk to you, show emotions and recognize faces of your family members all this by using your smart phone processor as its brain at cost of $149.



Romo is a portable mobile robotic platform that uses a smartphone as its brain, it actually a mobile base with batteries which get complimented by smartphones when docked onto it, which in turn create a robot that do things with artificial intelligence such as - tele-presence, autonomous navigation,controllable facial expressions, machine vision.

Romo as an affordable robot worth in sense of price/value proposition as it has plenty of artificial human expressions such as - face-recognition due to which it follow your face when you talk to him, got scared when you get too close to Romo, when feel tired it yawns, motor along with you on a walk, slide you a cup of coffee across the table, and react to you with programmable expressions.

When connected with any iOS device, Romo becomes a friendly robotic avatar that wanders about your home or office. He's small but sturdy, fast, and his basic interactions evolve the more you use him. A pet, toy, friend and powerful educational tool, Romo is living proof that robots can do awesome things for minimal costs - priced at $149, about 1% of what a what personal robots have cost in the past. If you living are outside of US it will cost $199 (around Rs.10,000 INR) if you buy online from - https://romotive.com/store

More interestingly, Romo's users can even download new behaviors and personalities for their Romo-robots at the click of a button as software for Romo software is distributed through the Apple App Store.

At TED 2013, Keller Rinaudo founder/CEO of Romotive, demos this smartphone-powered mini-robot, find the video below that demonstrate the expressions of Romo:

Romotive is Kickstarter funded startup company based out of Las Vegas, US though the hardware production factory of Romo is in China.

As of now to own the Romo, you need to have only Apple smart/ iOS devices to act like brain of Romo such as - iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod Touch 4th Generation. Currently iPhone 5 is not supported device for Romo. If you don't have any Romo supported iOS device than it will cost you - $248 i.e. (Romo Cost)$149 + $99(iPhone-4S apprx. cost). 'Romo' is actually hypothetically a male version of robot and the company plan a female version of robot next, named - "Julia."