Meka girl robot takes a step closer to the uncanny valley

Meka girl robot takes a step closer to the uncanny valley | Ubergizmo window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '139683546053659', status : true, // check login status cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml : true // parse XFBML }); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; e.async = true; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); Network:Ubergizmo English, French, SpanishUberphones Subscribe to RSS Ubergizmo ReviewsMobileGamingAndroidAppleComputersGadgetsConceptsPhoto/VideoEvents |  Jobs Home > Robots > Meka girl robot takes a step closer to the uncanny valley Meka girl robot takes a step closer to the uncanny valley Edwin Kee 10/12/2011 09:19 PDT

I would suppose that sometime down the road, there will be another barrier that needs to be breached – that of human-robot relationships. We’re talking about interaction and relationships on a far more physical level, instead of robots merely being subservient to us. That’s still a long way off even if it is remotely possible, but efforts like Meka Robotics’ S2 Humanoid Head certainly help the cause.

Boasting up to seven degrees of freedom, high-resolution FireWire cameras in each eye, zero-backlash Harmonic Drive gearing in the neck, and the ability to achieve human-like movements and postures, this might be the catalyst or blueprint for future robots – at least from the head’s point of view. Tipping the scales at 7.6kg, she will feature two luminous, waggling doggy-like ears that can be hooked up to a Meka torso and arm.

I suppose the $300,000 or so that it costs to purchase the S2 Humanoid Head might be better spent wooing a real life human, where that kind of money will be enough to net you a house, car and cover the costs of your wedding as well.

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Sony Video Unlimited Takes Content Browsing to the Next Level

Sony Video Unlimited window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '139683546053659', status : true, // check login status cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml : true // parse XFBML }); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; e.async = true; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); Network:Ubergizmo English, French, SpanishUberphones Subscribe to RSS Ubergizmo ReviewsMobileGamingAndroidAppleComputersGadgetsConceptsPhoto/VideoEvents |  Jobs Home > Breaking > Sony Video Unlimited Takes Content Browsing to the Next Level Sony Video Unlimited Takes Content Browsing to the Next Level Hubert Nguyen 09/27/2011 05:26 PDT

Sony is launching a preview of Video Unlimited, a new user interface that lets PlayStation3 users browse PlayStation Network content in a whole new way. It is fair to say that the PlayStation 3 is extremely more powerful than a set top box or smart TV, yet the user experience of the current PlayStation Network doesn’t really reflect that. Video Unlimited changes the paradigm, forever.When Michael Aragon (Vice President and General Manager, Global Digital Video and Music Services) showed us the live demo, I found the user interface to be impressively fast. I have included a video for you to watch, and I think that you will agree with me (drop a comment). The reason why Video Unlimited is so fast is because it uses the hardware potential of the PS3 by leveraging the superior graphics capabilities and extra memory that the platform has to offer. Video Unlimited does not sit around and wait for your next command, it will actively pre-load data that you are likely to use next, and it will keep previously loaded data in case you retrace your step. The end-result is an amazingly fast content browsing on PlayStation 3.

But there is more than speed: Sony has also improved the whole design and browsing experience in a big way. You can now find related content by tags, actors, directors, channel, studio, etc… at a level that was previously not possible – or practical. If you happen to know exactly what you are looking for, Sony has also updated its search with “Tumbler”, a new search system that is PS-controller friendly (vs. keyboard). Within a few clicks, Michael showed us that he can search for something as complex as “The Shawshank Redemption” – try that with your smart TV…

PlayStation Plus subscribers are the first ones who can download Video Unlimited and this new experience will start as an application, which may (or may not) replace the current PSN UI down the road. What do you think?

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Jack Ma Takes His Own Advice for Yahoo: Alibaba Splits Taobao Into Three Parts

In an interview I did with him at the recent ninth D: All Things Digital conference, Alibaba Group CEO Jack Ma suggested that Yahoo would be better off splitting itself up into smaller pieces.

Today, he did that for one of the key units of the Chinese Internet giant, cleaving its Taobao e-commerce unit into three new companies.

Said Alibaba:

Alibaba Group is reorganizing Taobao into three separate companies to capture the Chinese consumer e-commerce opportunities. Effective June 16, 2011, the three companies, which remain wholly-owned subsidiaries of Alibaba Group, will begin operations as: Taobao Marketplace (www.taobao.com), China’s leading consume-to-consumer (C2C) platform; Taobao Mall (www.tmall.com), China’s leading business-to-consumer (B2C) shopping site; and eTao (www.etao.com), a product search engine designed to make it easier for consumers to find goods and services offered by all e-retailers.

We believe this move will benefit our customers, as each of the three companies will be able to focus on its own unique consumer experience. The board of Alibaba Group is fully behind this decision, as the move will create more value to shareholders by fostering innovation and capturing more opportunities in China’s fast-growing e-commerce sector.

Interestingly, the move means no massive IPO for Taobao, which some investors have been hoping for.

Here is Alibaba CEO Jack Ma’s email to employees on the change:

Ma Letter on Taobao Reorg –

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