robots

MentalFloss reports that this real-life Optimus Prime Transformer was created by a Turkish company named Letvision. This beast is dubbed Letrons, and you've gotta think that happened cause of some folks over at the Transformers franchise.

Want room service but don't want to have to talk to another organic being? There's a robot for that! This delightful robot butler will bring you room service with a smile series of super cute beeps.

There's even a fun game of dodgeball! I don't think the robot is very good at it though...

Seth R. Goldstein is an MIT grad and retired biomedical engineer from the National Institutes of Health who now spends his time creating really cool gadgets at home.

One of the 75-year-old man’s latest inventions is called the “Re-Bow.” It’s basically a robot that plays a violin, and you can watch it perform an Irish jig in the video above.

Goldstein first inputs a MIDI music file he has played on his electronic keyboard. This triggers a set of mechanical fingers and bow which are moved by electromagnetic actuators.

In addition to “Re-Bow,” he’s also created a number of other pieces which he calls “kinetic sculpture machines.” “Why Knot?” continuously ties neckties, and a robotic student called “Cram Guy” tries to focus on his work but is constantly distracted and gradually falls asleep, only to be awoken again by a gong.

Pixar technical director Alonso Martinez made this adorable little robot that's sure to give you the awwws. Described as a "desk companion," Mira is capable of tracking faces in order to play a game of peek-a-boo with the user. According to Martinez, 

Mira is a desk companion that makes your life better one smile at a time. This project explores human robot interactivity and emotional intelligence. Currently Mira uses face tracking to interact with the users and loves playing the game “peek-a-boo”. As her understanding of the world and people's emotions get richer so will her ability to interact with people in a more meaningful way.

When Mira sees you during a game of peek-a-boo, she wobbles and chirps with excitement, which surely makes long days stuck at a desk easier. There's no word on whether or not Martinez plans to bring Mira to the consumer market, but if he does, you can bet I'll be first in line to buy one.