Korean Engineers Create Sword-Wielding, Tai Chi Robot

The Korean Insitute of Advanced Sciene and Technology has created a robot that seems a little bit more capable than other recent offerings.

Ok, let's be honest with each other here, robots are cool. Sure, we might make joke about Skynet, but I'm willing to bet that most of you would love to see a future filled with helpful android butlers and the robotic pets scampering around. The only problem is that real robots seem a long way off being the kind of companions that we so long for, I mean, you can't play football with a robot that can't walk faster than a crawl.

Well, Hubo isn't going to be the bot that changes all that I'm afraid, but it does seem to be a step in the right direction. He's not especially quick on his feet, and to be honest, the way it can move its fingers freaks me out a little, but it can do tai-chi and it can swing a foam sword around, and that has to count for something, right?

Lt. Commander Data he ain't, but it's a step in the right direction. If only they had given him a cheery face.

Source: Engadget