This brand new video shows an i-SOBOT robot being controlled by arm gestures with the help of the Nintendo Wii controller and the Nunchaku attachment. At the heart of the video is the free Robodance 4 software.

System requirements:

• Windows PC running Windows 2000 or better (Windows XP is recommended for the Skype control system)
• Infrared transmitter: USB UIRT or Lego Mindstorms SERIAL tower (not USB)
• Nintendo Wii Controller and Nunchaku attachment (Wii console *not* required)
• Bluetooth transceiver (note many systems, especially laptops, already have a Bluetooth transceiver)
• Microphone headset (for voice control usage)

A “pre-test” version of Robodance 4 will be out before Christmas, by December 23 of this year. While somewhat lacking in polish and sporting a fair number of bugs, it is fully functional.

The formal release will be the end of February 2008, but if you’re adventurous and would like to help test Robodance 4’s WiiMote support and gesture recognition capability, you can get that chance in about a week.

Related Resources:

• Roboquad Skype Integration demonstration video
• Robosapien V2 WiiMote and Voice Control demonstration
• i-SOBOT information
• Robodance home page

Thanks to Robert Oschler at Robots Rule!

Video footage of i-SOBOT, the world’s smallest mass produced humanoid robot, in a no holds barred battle up against Godzilla:

While many celebrate the triumphant arrival of Takara/Tomy’s tiny humanoid robot upon American shores, a disturbing development comes with it. All across the USA, i-SOBOT fight clubs have been forming. These clubs have only one dark purpose; to pit hapless i-SOBOT robots against wild, primitive and aggressive creatures in caged death matches where the audience wagers on who will live and who will die! RobotsRule managed to get live video of one of those matches and several tragic photos too.

Check out i-SOBOT Fight Club: The Shocking Truth! for more pics and info.

Thanks to Robert Oschler at Robots Rule!

This official Tomy/Takara i-SOBOT video shows the tiny talented humanoid robot doing flips, talking, and gives a brief overview of several of its features:

In other i-SOBOT news the official i-SOBOT web site now has some of the Japanese web pages up; still waiting on the English language pages. Also, Amazon has changed their quoted expected delivery date for preorders from October 22 to October 10 to 24. This may be a sign that the robot will ship earlier than previously expected.

Thanks to Robert Oschler, Pleo Dinosaur and Robots Dreams.