Spring Break and Robots

SPRING BREAK!! WOOHOO!!

Let me tell you, it is a non-stop party in these parts. Actually, it’s something like going back to the Stone Age. My parents don’t even have dial-up any more, so I spend my days being a wireless nomad in various coffee shops and hotel lobbies. And to make matters worse, my folks don’t have cable, and it’s pledge week on PBS!!

While I have been sitting on my butt and binging on Chai Lattes and the best of Yanni in concert, the folks over at Virginia Tech have been plugging away. They have created a robot called Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence (or DARwIn) who will undoubtedly be the next great American hero. This great American will be competing in the 2007 RoboCup – the prominent tournament for the “traditional Japanese sport of robot soccer”. DARwIn will be the first ever American created robot to participate in this competition. When asked for a statement, he replied: “1000101110011100110110011”.

This is big. This will be like when the US defeated the Russian hockey team in the 1980 Olympics. Only with robots, so it’s instantly 5,000 times cooler. Better yet, we will have the home turf advantage. That’s right, get your tickets now for the 2007 RoboCup to be held in Atlanta! Watch out Japan, even your dancing Qrio cheerleaders can’t save you now.