Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/01/15/ede_robot/
Robot set to replace science teachers
Do we actually have any science teachers in the UK?
Posted in Hardware, 15th January 2009 16:57 GMT
Watch Now : Virtual Machine Movement with Hyper-V
The day when robots overthrow the human race has taken one step closer with the launch of a break-dancing mechanoid designed to teach our offspring about physics, maths, biology and engineering.
ED-E dances, flips and jumps for money on command
ED-E can perform jumps, head-spins and back-flips thanks to 17 small motors within his semi-transparent blue body. His moves are initiated using a console-style controller.
Bundled software lets kids program ED-E to perform a set series of moves. For example, if they want him to do two back-flips followed by a jump, then they drag the required position of the robot’s joints into the on-screen movie frame and add the required time delay between movements.
ED-E's transparent body lets kids see how he ticks
The performance can be previewed on-screen and then uploaded onto the controller, from where ED-E will perform his routine.
ED-E is suitable for kids aged seven and upwards, but maker RM told us that if you’re just a big kid at heart than you can buy an ED-E online [1] for £428 ($592/€450).