One of the newest robots to debut is a “wine robot”. No, the wine robot does not de-cork wine bottles, although maybe its inventor will program it to take care of this manual operation next. And while a wine robot already exists as a wine tasting “tester”, this wine robot works in the vineyard. The wine robot machine is in the testing phases and was developed by French inventor, Christophe Millot, to be a specialized “food robot”.

Food Robots

Food robots are a new area of robotics where robots are taking over task work and labor that was previously performed by human hands or humans with tools related to food and beverage handling and production. Food robots can perform tasks efficiently, such as making espresso, rolling out dough and can handle complex operations, such as the wine robot does by trimming grape vines in vineyards.

Vineyard Wine Robot

The wine robot is a robotic machine which tackles grape vine pruning and other vineyard task work. This machine has been designed to replace the expensive manual labor required to maintain vineyards. Not only does the wine robot perform labor, but it is also equipped with GPS and special artificial intelligence features which records data about each plant in the vineyard, soil conditions and more information crucial to running and maintaining a successful and productive winery. The current cost of this specialty robot is $32,000 and while it is pricey, wineries could easily spend this on training laborers plus labor costs, soil analysis testing, plant botanists, etc. so its up-front expense could be recouped very quickly. Many famous French wineries are already interested in acquiring the wine robot known as Wall-Ye (yes, a pun on the Disney movie robot Wall-E). Robots are the future of food and beverage handling, food and beverage preparation and micro-farming.

If I had to choose one robots movie that I absolutely love, it would have to be the recently released “Real Steel” starring Hugh Jackman. In the future year 2020, robots have completely replaced humans in the sport of boxing. Boxing is no longer a human combat sport and much is like the robot toys game you might have played when you were growing up: Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots. There are still high stakes in boxing matches and this adds some intrigue to the story. However, as in most robot movies, the robots have human attributes, so you feel for the robots, especially the fighting robot trained by Jackman. Jackman’s robot was an underdog. People tend to root for the underdog in most movies. Think of “Rocky” as an example of a boxing movie where the underdog became the hero. In “Real Steel”, there seemed to be a “real” bond between man and machine, which is a common theme in many movies. But also there was a human interest story within the story of the fighting robots. And that was the story played out in the events leading up to Jackman’s character meeting the son he never thought existed. “Real Steel”, while being a robots movie, was in reality a movie about relationships, the different relationships in our lives and how they affect us.

The special effects of the robot fighting sequences were pretty cool. I saw the movie in the theater and then streamed it online, because I wanted to catch some of the details and nuances I might have missed when I first saw it and I also wanted to see the action sequences again. If you want to see a well written, well acted robots movie with a great story and superb FX, watch “Real Steel”.

Submitted by a Kiva Systems blog reader…

A Kiva Systems reader submits their list of Favorite Robot Movies…

1. I, Robot

“I, Robot” is one robot movie with one of my favorite actors, Will Smith. One of the subjects that this movie covers is the idea of a robot committing a crime against a human. No matter what fail safe measures are in place, we can never be sure about robots turning on us, and this makes this movie number one on my list.

2. Blade Runner

“Blade Runner” comes in a close second since; in my personal view this movie started the whole humanoid robot craze of today. Once again, this movie showcases what might happen, when robots commit crimes. Somehow to me all this sounds like humans have deep hidden fears of their creations turning on them.

3. Robocop

Looking at all the robot movies, “Robocop” comes into mind. This movie is older and some might not like the special effects that look outdated. Its theme brings to life what many scientists have long been dreaming about doing: Merging humans with robotic forms. Some Kiva Systems readers might disagree with me whether you are talking about a real robot movie since Robocop is half-man. However, I still believe this is a must watch if you are a fan of metal movies.

4. The Terminator

The movie that launched the career of Arnold Schwarzenegger and has kept people saying the phrase “I’ll be back” for years is none other than “The Terminator”. Many people still refer to this as the cyborg robot movie to watch and with all the spin-offs from this movie; it’s not really hard to see why. But for hardcore action cybernetic robot movies, the original is one to watch.

5. A.I.

A.I or the full name Artificial Intelligence is one heart wrenching story, the question of can a robot learn to feel is addressed in this movie and it show cases robots in a new light. Are they nothing more than things to discard once we are done with them? That question will be asked by anyone after watching this movie.

6. Wall-E

Fun for the whole family, “Wall-E” is a story about a robot, but somehow along the way, the cuteness of the movie overcame the meaning they were trying to convey. However, to be fair this movie will keep your kids glued to the screens, as everyone will fall in love with Wall-e.

7. The Iron Giant

Thinking about animations brings the movie “The Iron Giant” to mind. Although this movie is a little older, it will still entertain the kids as it tells the story about a boy and a robot on the run from the government. This movie tries to bring a new human side of robots into the picture.

8. Real Steel

One of the newer movies to come out with robots in them is “Real Steel”. Now I have to say although there are robots in this movie, the story line is more about a little boy and his father. This would have been a great movie, if the main focus was on robots instead of their owners. Honestly, it would have been a lot better, if the robots could talk in this movie to tell the humans what they felt.

9. Iron Man

Sneaking into this list will be “Iron Man”. Now before all the hardcore robot fans start saying this movie has nothing to do with robots; I would say that the human would be nothing without the suit. Now granted that this movie is about a “Robotic Suit” it still makes this list since it is a cool movie.

10. Transformers

Last, but not least is “Transformers”. The only real reason that this came last on this list is because the very thought of robots taking over the world is scary. The worst thing about this is the fact that humans can’t do anything about this without help from other robots. This just goes to show how fragile humans really are.

msnbc.com

A look at how kids relate to robot 'playmates' msnbc.com Whatever the case, the researchers think that the results have important implications for the design of future robots. If engineers design robots to simply obey orders, the master-servant relationship that children experience may trickle into their … and more »

msnbc.com

Navy opens 'Hunger Games' arenas for military robots msnbc.com A new US Navy lab can track every movement of battlefield robots as they struggle to survive arenas built to resemble scorching deserts, wave-pounded shores and tropical rain forests. The lab's biggest environment has high-speed video cameras that … Navy Opens 'Hunger Games' Arena for Military RobotsDiscovery News all 6 news articles »

Globe and Mail

The Robot That Learns as We Do Wall Street Journal (blog) By Ben Rooney Standard humanoid robots mimic the human form, but the mechanisms used inside the robot are very different from us, and, as such, the characteristics of such robots reflect this difference. EcceRobot sets out to build a robotized form of … Robot Aims to Learn From HumansMarketWatch all 6 news articles »

PhysOrg.com

How to make ethical robots PhysOrg.com For example, for autonomous military robots, these bounds would include principles derived from the Geneva Conventions and other rules of engagement that humans use. Civilian robots would have different sets of bounds specific to their purposes.

Navy robot could fight most dangerous fires aboard ship ITworld.com Judging by the awkward state of the art in Japanese robots – Honda's gawky Asimo is generally considered among the best of the bipeds – we're still several years away from being able to build anything close to the agility, adeptness and breadth of … and more »

PhysOrg.com

Developing robots that can teach humans PhysOrg.com The team hopes their work will transform how humanoid robots and animated characters interface with people, especially in classrooms. "We can design technology that really benefits people in learning, in health and in well-being, and in collaborative … and more »

Be nice to robots. They might be your neighbors soon GigaOm This year's stars of the Robotville Festival at the London Science Museum were two super advanced humanoid robots, the ECCEROBOT-2 and iCub. Developed by the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Zurich, the ECCEROBOT-2 has realistic …

Flying Robots Play 'James Bond' Theme (VIDEO) Huffington Post Well, time to get your head out of the clouds, human! Robots, as anyone who watches the thoughtful programming on SyFy knows, are getting smarter every day, due increasingly to their own intelligence. These flying robots, or quadrotors, are yet another … and more »

For Robot Maker, the Future Is Getting Closer New York Times As sales of its vacuums and military robots grew, iRobot's earnings shot up to $40 million last year from $756000 in 2008, and its stock surged to $38 a share from $7. But with pressure mounting for budget cuts at the Pentagon, Mr. Angle told analysts … and more »

Roboticists don't speak in bleeps, bloops KTBS He and other roboticists feel compelled to deliver on the unspoken promise of anthropomorphized, or humanoid, robots, built up within sci-fi over the last 40 years. Michalowski finds R2-D2 to be the more interesting robot because it is limited by how … and more »

I’ve made a list of my top 7 favorite Top Robot Movies so I can share with you the movies that I think are excellent in this genre. They’re not ranked in any particular order, but be sure to check out all of them.

WALL-E

WALL-E is a great family movie that is centered on a robot, obviously named WALL-E. WALL-E might be a robot, but he seems to have an infatuation with a female robot named EVE. Even though he doesn’t say one word throughout the whole movie, you tend to get the feeling that he’s almost exactly the same as humans by reason of the way he does things throughout the movie, such as being romantic with EVE and showing emotion, and much more. I won’t spoil the movie by telling much more, but if you’re into conceptual movies, be prepared to understand one main concept behind the movie – our over-dependence on technology.

The Terminator

The Terminator stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is a programmed cyborg with only one directive – killing a woman named Sarah Connor. The Terminator is an action-packed film that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, including some scenes of where the Terminator kills everything in sight while searching for this Sarah Connor.

Robocop

Robocop is another excellent robot movie simply because of two main robots in this movie – Robocop (who is actually a cyborg, but we’ll call him a robot for this review’s sake), and ED-209, which is one hell of a monstrous robot, outfitted with machine guns, a very intimidating voice, and a demeanor that can make even the most emotionless objects whimper. I can remember one scene, vividly to this day, and that’s where ED-209 sprays the hell out of a guy in an office meeting. Robocop is a pretty good movie, and one that’s enjoyable for many cop film fans and robot movies fans alike.

I, Robot

I can’t leave I, Robot off of this list. The main character in this movie is Sonny, who is a robot that wants to get rid of his original programming and try to become one unique robot that’s not simply programmed to do the same old boring stuff every day. This movie will make you feel several emotions, such as sympathy, sadness, happiness as well as a few others. If you’re into movies that are not only about robots but are excellent at depicting a robot’s capability of human emotion, then be sure to check out I, Robot.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

I’ve watched this movie over and over again because I absolutely love the graphics, special effects and everything about this movie. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is action-packed and very enjoyable for most people, even if they aren’t hardcore robot movie fans. From the war between Autobots and Decepticons to the scene where Optimus Prime is killed, you will find yourself holding your breath in anticipation of what’s next, while waiting for the scene to be over. Regardless if you have ever seen a Transformers movie or not, this one is a must see.

Bicentennial Man

Bicentennial Man is a movie about an android that a family purchases to perform simple day to day tasks. The family that purchased the android (named Andrew) realizes within just a few days after purchasing him that he is beginning to develop human feelings and emotions, as well as a real thought process that robots really don’t have. What the family does not know is that Andrew is almost 2000 years old and has watched human civilization develop, grow and evolve, and he wants to stop the people that created him from completely destroying him. This is an excellent movie that can stir many emotions, so be sure to check it out if you want to see an excellent movie.

Surrogates

The Movie Surrogates is about the future, when humans live isolated while robots act as their social surrogates. These robots are designed to be just like the humans that control them, and the concept behind this movie is the main character ends up being forced to go out into civilization in his real, human form as an FBI agent to find a killer that the surrogates haven’t been able to find. This movie is a great, action-packed robotic based thriller that is great for more mature audiences and people who have a respect for movies containing or based on robots, such as myself!

Official Surrogates Trailer featuring Radha Mitchell and Bruce Willis

Video: Japanese Robots Attempt Chaotic Game of American Football Popular Science But now I can look at this — some Japanese robots playing football! Not European football, but actual, real American football! It is not clear exactly what they're trying to accomplish, though the tournament website says the rules follow the same ones … and more »

SunHerald.com

iRobot is launching new emerging technology division Boston.com … iRobot Corp. is implementing a reorganization that will create a new emerging technology division at the company, in addition to the more established businesses focusing on home robots like the Roomba and military robots like the Packbot. iRobot Aligns for the Next Stage of Innovation and GrowthMarketWatch (press release) Bedford's iRobot realigns companyBoston Herald IRobot Reorganizes To Pursue New Markets Like RetailInvestor’s Business Daily Benzinga all 20 news articles »

AZoRobotics

New Prototype Robot Traverse and Manipulates 3-D Truss Structure AZoRobotics By Andy Choi In future, robots will execute precision repairs on elevated towers and skyscrapers. With a new robot prototype, the Hod Lipson's Creative Machines Lab researchers predicted that the robots can independently navigate and maneuver a 3-D … and more »

AZoRobotics

KIT and FZI Present Humanoid Robots and Algorithms AZoRobotics By Andy Choi Karlsruhe Institute of Technology along with FZI Research Center for Information Technology will present a humanoid robot, with new algorithms and 3 D visualizations, at the CeBIT in Hanover. The ARMAR robot reacts to language and gestures … and more »

How to Profit from iRobot The Market Oracle I predict that in the near future, robots will play a much larger role in combat. So, even though iRobot's stock got hammered on fear of defense cuts, don't ignore the robotics field. Because even though robots first came into use decades ago, … and more »

Robot making the mechanics of couple's love San Francisco Chronicle "Having been involved in other events, like Japanese robots, robot soccer, combat robots, it was obvious everyone was overspecializing," Calkins said. "There was no cross-pollination." He also realized that the biggest draw was always robots battling …