Videos from ROPO-1

ROPO-1 was a whimsical robot event that took place last week in Tokyo.  The event is a lighthearted parody of the semiannual Robo-One competition.  Robots-Dreams has posted a number of videos from the event; here are some of my favorites, gathered together for your viewing pleasure.

First, check out this unusual biped called BIGU.  It has very long, flexible legs, while its arms are stiff and mounted out in front like gun barrels.  Yet it meets the stricter Robo-One competition rules, and has some impressive moves, such as hopping clear off the floor.

Next, watch this battle between Sagaa (the small white robot) and Aerobattler (the large black one).  Sagaa is one of the fastest humanoid robots I’ve ever seen, and uses this speed to its advantage.  (You can see Sagaa’s solo demonstration here.)

Finally, let’s wrap up with another motion demonstration — this time, from a robot with two very different modes of motion.  It’s the Brave Robot transformer from Kenji Ishida, fully functional in both humanoid and car modes.

These videos demonstrate the range of true artistry these dedicated hobbyists bring to their robots.