September 7, 2007

[](https://eecue.com/p/29464/Hitachi-TM-1000-Electron-Microscope.html) Dear Santa Claus, I have been a relatively good boy this year and I would like a shiny new [Hitachi TM-100 Tabletop Scanning Electron Microscope](http://www.hitachi-hta.com/pageloader~type~product~id~450~orgid~42.html). I know what you're going to say, "Dave, you already have a microscope and it can easily fit on a tabletop." Yes, that is true, but I have an old optical microscope and if I had an electron microscope just think of the photos I could take! They would by much cooler [than these I took last year](https://eecue.com/a/1252/first-photomicroscopy.html). --- The TM-100 will be on display (hopefully a hands on display!) at the 2007 [WIRED Nextfest](http://www.wirednextfest.com/participate/buy_tickets.php).

The [WIRED Nextfest](http://www.wirednextfest.com/) is coming up next week here in Downtown Los Angeles. I am really excited about many of the exhibitions. It's one thing to read about a cool robot online, but to actually see one in real life is even better, as long as it doesn't try and chop off your arm with its sword. I have compiled a list of what I think will be some of the more interesting robots at Nextfest: * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1394361717/ "Photo Sharing")**[Keepon](http://beatbots.org/)**: This cute, yellow, dancing robot is currently my favorite robot. His little eyes are two cameras and his nose is a microphone. His mastery of expressive head bobbing is quite impressive. I want to get a close-up shot of his insides which are actually quite complex. He will also be making an appearance with [Spoon on the 10th](http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/09003ECCF63CC858?brand=goldenvoice) * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1382794430/ "Photo Sharing")**[Chroino](http://www.robo-garage.com/english/robo/chroino.html)**: This little robot is totally bad-ass. Check out his [strut](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTG_aaRsrJ4&mode=related&search=) and watch him [stand up](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5GTOESHlRY), like a person would, unlike a Robosapien 2. This will be one of my next robot purchases! * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1395455462/ "Photo Sharing")**[Kiyomori](http://kiyomori.jp/main.html)**[Warning Flash + Music]: Personally I've always thought that the world needed more robots wearing traditional samurai armor replete with swords. I hope that nobody pisses off Kyomori and loses an arm. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1381804889/ "Photo Sharing")**[Hubo FX-1](http://hubolab.kaist.ac.kr/HUBOFX-1_Specification.php)**: Holy smokes, the alpa stages of mech warriors are upon us! In Korea, "human-riding robot" doesn't ride you, you ride robot. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1395432792/ "Photo Sharing")**[HumanKind](http://www.hansonrobotics.com/humankind.htm)**: Hanson Robotics has endeavored to create expressive robot heads that appear to be human. I don't know if I'm the only person who is creeped out by this, but I'm guessing that I'm not. Their new head, Joey Chaos, is a "one of a kind humanoid rock star is known for his attitude and smart remarks," I guess that could be fairly entertaining. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1395467076/ "Photo Sharing")**[Zou Ren Ti](http://www.xsm.cn/xsmEn/about_jj.asp)**: What's creepier than an expressive robotic head? How about creating your twin in robot form. Yep, Xi'an wins. * **[Takanishi Bots](http://www.takanishi.mech.waseda.ac.jp/research/index.htm)**: There is something really retro about the assorted robots from Takanishi. The [WL-16RIII](http://www.takanishi.mech.waseda.ac.jp/research/parallel/index.htm) looks pretty original though and the [WABIAN-2R](http://www.takanishi.mech.waseda.ac.jp/research/wabian/index.htm) looks more modern than their other offerings. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1394566023/ "Photo Sharing")**[REEM-A](http://www.pal-robotics.com/reem.html)**: Pal Technology's REEM-A robot has a sense of equilibrium and if you try and push him over he will regain his balance. I wonder what happens if you push him too hard? * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1394354571/ "Photo Sharing")**[Juke Bots](http://www.robotlab.de/juke/bots.htm)**: My German isn't so great, but from what I can tell from [the pictures](http://www.robotlab.de/juke/images5.htm), the Juke Bots are a pair of what look like industrial welding robots that dance to music. Dancing robots are always crowd pleasers, and oddly enough dancing is a common robot design feature. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1394569791/ "Photo Sharing")**[Shadow Hand](http://www.shadowrobot.com/hand/)**: This robotic hand is supposedly "the most advanced Dexterous Hand in the world." It looks pretty complicated, containing 40 air muscles. * **[BodyBug](http://www.bodybug.se/bodybug_film.html)**: I'm not really sure what the point of this robot is, and [the demo video](http://www.bodybug.se/BodyBug_film.html), which was clearly inspired by, if not blatantly stolen from, Apple, confuses me even more. I guess it's a robot for playing a dancing game with your friends? I have no idea, but I suppose I'll find out more at Nextfest. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1395437912/ "Photo Sharing")**[Salamandra robotica](http://birg.epfl.ch/page65446.html)**: Ok so this isn't the most interesting robot ever, but the page has some neat motion graphs. * **[The LEMUR Robots](http://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/systems/system.cfm?System=5)**: NASA's multi-limbed bots look like a cross between robotic insects and big-eyed lemurs. Apparently they can climb walls. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1395442072/ "Photo Sharing")**[Outerspace](http://www.andrestubbe.com/outerspace/)**: This robot looks like your average desk lamp, but comes alive and responds to your input as you can [see in this video](http://www.andrestubbe.com/outerspace/index.php?lang=en&content=videoRebuild&res=4). * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1394554343/ "Photo Sharing")**[Recon Scout - Reconnaissance Robot](http://www.recon-scout.com/index.cfm)**: This little dumbbell shaped robot is remote controlled and made for military work. You can toss the Recon Scout into a battle zone and drive it around to get an idea of what lies ahead. * **[SRR: Sample-Return Rover](http://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/systems/system.cfm?System=6)**: These venerable robots created in 1997 and 2000 may be old, but they're still useful. They can even work together to retrieve samples in hazardous environments. * [[](https://eecue.com/p/29479/Safari-Keepon.html "Safari Keepon")](http://www.flickr.com/photos/eecue/1381866451/ "Photo Sharing")**[Glowbots](http://www.viktoria.se/fal/projects/glowbots/)**: These intercommunicating, interactive, LED-encrusted robots remind me of a physical version of [Conway's Game of Life](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway's_Game_of_Life). You can watch some [videos of the Glowbots here.](http://youtube.com/results?search_query=glowbots&search=Search) Wired Nextfest takes place September 13th through the 16th in the South Hall of the LA Convention Center. [Tickets](http://www.wirednextfest.com/participate/buy_tickets.php) will run you $20 if you're and adult, $15 with a student ID, and kids 2-12 are $5. **UPDATE** I have added photos of the robots I saw at Nextfest. You can check out the rest of my photos here: [Nextfest Day 1](http://eecue.com/images_archive/eecue-album-1490-1-Nextfest_Day_1.html) and [Nextfest Day 2](http://eecue.com/images_archive/eecue-album-1491-1-Nextfest_Day_2.html).