Posted in | News | Military Robotics | Humanoids

New iPad App Shows How Robots Are Becoming Reality

Reviewed

Nov 28 2012

Robots have long captured our imagination. Now a new iPad app will show how robots are becoming reality.

Robots for iPad, a fun and engaging app featuring the world's coolest robots, is now available in Apple's App Store. Created by IEEE Spectrum, the award-winning technology magazine, the app lets users explore 126 robots from 19 countries, with 360-degree views, interactive animations, technical specs, and hundreds of photos, videos, and articles.

Among the amazing robots included in the app are Honda's famed humanoid Asimo, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover, and Google's self-driving car. There are also androids, drones, exoskeletons, quadrupeds, and snake robots. The app offers countless hours of exploration and entertainment to anyone interested in learning about robotics. Robot enthusiasts can review in-depth, technical data about each robot, while beginners can learn how robots work and how to get started in robotics.

Dancing humanoids, lifelike androids, and toy robots come alive on the iPad screen with the app's interactive images. Created exclusively for the app, the interactives let users "play" with robots by spinning them 360 degrees or moving them through a variety of actions. Just by swiping the screen, a user can get the little humanoid Nao to perform tai chi or make the child robot iCub crawl back and forth. The interactives offer a unique, hands-on experience that's possible only with the iPad.

The app also stands out for its rich catalog of robotics data. For the first time, users can find detailed specs—dimensions, sensors, actuators, cost, and more—about the world's most advanced robots all in one place. Each robot has its own "profile page," with technical details, fun facts, and related articles. Not only can users learn about the robots, they can also rate them. All the votes are tallied into rankings that show the top rated, most wanted, and creepiest robots.

The humans behind the robots are also part of the app. Rodney Brooks, Dean Kamen, and other leading roboticists provide insights about their creations—and even some career advice—in exclusive audio interviews. The app also features a detailed glossary of robotics terms, a timeline of robots and artificial intelligence, and a section where users can choose which robot wins in a "face-off match." All this makes Robots for iPad an unmatched source of information that will inspire and enthrall its users with the possibilities of robotics.

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