Rockem Sockem b-boying robots

 

We likes them dancin' robots a lot. Especially when they look like two battling b-boys with that good Rockem Sockem robot style. These robots were spotted locking and popping at Korea's Robot Universiad Festa in Seoul where robots squared off in soccer, combat, basketball, dance, and, uh, survival. Oh…you knocked my block off!

[aDLm @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I'd love to have one of these. That's just awesome.

[Danger @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

They can pop and lock...but can they do the robot?

[dave @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

where is my video?

[gorillak @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

deja vu?

[tempusmaster @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

They're based on the same 17-servo KHR-1 platform as the Robo-One robots that battle regularly in Japan. (http://www.robots-dreams.com/roboone/index.html)

The sport has become quite popular and has a big fan base in Asia. The most recent competition drew entries from Taiwan, Korea, Canada, the US, and Japan. Although the sport has been heavily promoted in Japan, the Koreans have done extremely well recently. Taekwon V (http://www.robots-dreams.com/2005/10/donga_article_o.html) made it into the final battle round, and won the free for all rumble competition where they put all the robots in the ring at one time and let them fight it out.

[Max @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

Does any one know if there is any footage of them dancing .. still images are not the same thing!

I wanna see em move!!

I want one. no make it two!

[Ryan Waddell @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I like their little hats. But I agree with Max - this article is useless without video.

[Damo @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

Robocop vs. Rasta Korean?

[Google Nazi @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

And so it begins....

Well, it began a few months ago when a robot used his smoke defense system against a prime minister. But this is when the fun truely begins! Fighting robots :) Will this replace bumfights once and for all? Perhaps, and could there be a fat-free grill made out of these boxers?

[Tallon @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

I'm gonna steal a line and say: I, for one, welcome our dancing robot overlords. I so want one. It'd be cool to be dancing to some techno and pull these out. but waht happens if it dances better thatn I do? Not that it's hard to do that...

[tempusmaster @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

[Does any one know if there is any footage of them dancing .. still images are not the same thing!]

There are quite a few Robo-One and KHR-1 video clips online. As you might expect, most of the websites that host the videos are in Japanese or Korean since that's where the robot battle competitions have built the biggest following.

Here's a page with links to several videos - http://www.robots-dreams.com/2005/10/roboone_video_c.html

And if you're serious about wanting to see them dancing, then this page has links to what could be best described as a robot ballet - http://www.robots-dreams.com/2005/10/robot_ballet_vi.html

[Jason Anderson @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

How much, and where can I buy one?

[Tempus @ Dec 19th 2005 2:06AM]

"How much, and where can I buy one?"

Right now they are only available as kits, and the manufacturers like Kondo (KHR-1) and Hitec assume that they buyer is 150% techie-nerd type. The basic kits go for around $1,000 to $1,500 in Japan, then there are lots of extra add-ons like remote controls, special battery packs, etc.

Prices are expected to drop, and features to increase, over the next year or so. Still, don't expect it to get into the Robosapien V2 toy price range anytime soon.

You didn't mention where you live, so it's hard to recommend a local source to you. Sozbots in Burbank, California was promoting the Robo-One robots in the US, but their site doesn't appear to have been updated recently (it still says "Note: We now have kits in stock again! Nov 19, 04").

Hitec, the Robonova developer, seems to be pretty active in the States, and has a very good and informational web site that's all in English at hitecrobotics.com. But, the robot won't be released to the market until mid-November in Japan and possibly later overseas. I try to keep on top of the status, and post updates on my blog http://www.robots-dreams.com since the Robonova is at the top of my Christmas wishlist to Santa.