Collectible Robot Sells for Over 100K

It's official, the world has gone crazy, for robots that is. Transformers dominated in the box office. Transformers opened to $152.6 million in its first 6½ days in the U.S. and Canada, Paramount Pictures estimated.

In addition, a vintage 1980's set of the legendary toy robots just sold on eBay for over $100k. The furious bidding could very well make this the most expensive toy in history. The collection, composed of over 275 Transformers and Transformers related items, included Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Part of the proceeds from the auction are set to be donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. The auction is being conducted by the collector's widow, Phoenix Lindgren.

For more on the auction and Lindgren's story, search ebay for "Ultimate Transformers Collection."

Uterine fibroids Removal Now Easier With Robots

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that often appear during the childbearing years in women. Also called fibromyomas, leiomyomas or myomas, uterine fibroids aren't associated with an increased risk of uterine cancer and almost never develop into cancer.

According to the Mayo Clinic, as many as three out of four women have uterine fibroids, but most are unaware of them because they often cause no symptoms. Medical therapy and surgical procedures can shrink or remove fibroids. Today, a robot is now making the procedure a whole lot easier. In the past women had to have a procedure and incision similar to that of a C-section, but with the use of this robot, doctors can now perform large surgeries with very small incisions. This incisions are considered minimally invasive surgery.

With this type of procedures, patients are sent home the same day, and feel very little discomfort, and have reported very little pain.

The removal of the uterine fibroids have allowed many women to conceived where they previously couldn't. With this type of procedure women can start conceiving almost immediately.

Robots connect doctors with patience

Have you ever been bed bound at a hospital wondering what is going on with you? While at the hospital did you wish you could connect with nurses and doctors, but all you had was the buzzer commonly ignore by many nurses at your fingertips.

Fear no more, you may be ill, but now you can connect with your doctor via teleconferencing. Baltimore's Sinai Hospital is one of the first hospital to have the robot which travels from patients' bed to patients' bed allowing doctors to communicate with patients while being away from the hospital.

The smart robot is able to reposition its two cameras giving the patient the illusion that the doctor is by their bedside while being anywhere around the world, thereby allowing the doctors to communicate with patients at anytime, day or night.

This is a breakthrough as doctors could keep updated by attending seminars and still able to make their regular rounds remotely.

Thief Causes Major Robotic Pain to University

I recently had the opportunity to travel and rent a car, something I haven't done for quite a while as I don't like to drive cars that belong to others. Since I had no other choice, I felt compelled to also rent a GPS unit, a Garmin. Garmin became our trusty little friend as my wife and I got to sight see and enjoy our little vacation spot. We felt in love with Garmin and miss it terribly.

But this entry is not about our trusted little friend, but more about an Underwater robotics unit which was stolen last week from some one's car at the Dallas' Southern Methodist University. My thought is who in their right mind would leave such a valuable piece in their car to begin with. One of the first things the rental car lady adviced me to do was not to leave Garmin behind in the parked car. Garmin, although priceless to us, retails for $500 or $600. This Underwater Robot cost many, many more ducats.

The robot, created by the University's Robotics Club, was set to be entered into an international competition taking place in San Diego this week, as reported by the Dallas Morning News.

This robot was an almost priceless possession for the Club and was to become the first time the University would have been able to the Underwater category, what could have become a huge success. Instead, the robot was stolen as left behind in one of the club members vehicles.

The Club is offering a $500, no questions asks, reward for the safe return of the robot in time for entrance into the competition.

Meet the New Weed Whacker

The Danish agricultural engineers have been working on a new robot for the past three to four years to help them eliminate, of all things, weeds.

The scientists have created Hortibot, a weed pulling and killing robot that currently costs $71,000, and can run all day and night thereby decreasing the need for more manpower to run the farming fields.

The number of robotics units needed to manned a sizeable field is yet to be determined, but what is sure is that the robot can pluck, laser, burn or eliminate the weeds in a more green and efficient manner than any human has been able to in the past making produce healthier and pesticide friendlier.

Another side effect may be that it will reduce the border control problem due to lack of employment of illegal aliens, or will it? Only time will tell. Read more on this at the Ludington Daily.

Sports on a Whole New Level

I been receiving alerts all day about RoboCup 2007. At first I thought it had something to do with a robotic coffee cup until I saw the homepage of Planet Robo telling me otherwise.

The Japanese have taking sports to new height by introducing 1 foot tall robots with full mobility and flexibility allowing them to have full control of the little guys on a table top soccer field. The teams consisting of three robots per team all control by individual humans follow all the standard soccer rules. For a video clip of the live action click here.

I believe this to be a great step in the robotics arena, but I see it as yet another reason to have the teenagers stay home and work out their thumbs instead of their bodies. No wonder this society is heavier than ever. Don't get me wrong, I'm all up for automation and technology, but when it comes to sports and outdoor fun, I prefer to make mine physical. It is the one thing I admired by the latest Nintendo Console, the WII, it truly gets the kids back into becoming more physical while still enjoying the best of technology.