原创 Amazing robots and magnificent monowheels

All sorts of things are currently buzzing in my head. For example, I recently ran across this video showing some awesome robots.

I've seen some of these little scamps before, but others were completely new to me. Even the robots with which I'm familiar are displaying ever-more sophisticated capabilities, such as Honda's humanoid ASIMO robot, which we see literally jumping around. There's even one for my chum David Ashton from Down Under -- a robot kangaroo called FESTO.

I also ran across a series of videos by a guy who refers to himself as "Thoughty²," which is a pretty clever name on multiple levels when you come to think about it. Take this video, for example, which features some bizarre human traditions.

Some of these are funny; some are interesting; some are strange; and some make one's eyes water in sympathy. I don’t know what our future robot overlords are going to make of these when they see them, but I fear it bodes ill for us.

Last, but certainly not least, do you recall this video of a guy riding a monowheel at the Burning Man festival? I have to admit that when I first saw this little beauty (the monowheel, not the guy riding it), I thought to myself "Oooh, Daddy's got to get himself one of those!" (Or words to that effect).

Of course, monowheels come in all shapes and sizes. I also like those rinky-dinky miniature personal transporter versions. In fact I saw someone scooting around on something like this a few weeks ago in Silicon Valley when I was attending ESC, and I have to admit that I experienced an "Oooh, Shiny!" moment.

And then, just this morning, someone pointed me at this column on MakeZine.com, which introduced me to the concept of a monowheel that you sit inside. The image below shows Dr. Dave Southall sitting on (or in, I suppose) one of his creations.

From the expression on Dave's face, I fear he's wishing he'd made the seat a tad more comfortable -- either that or his underwear is riding up -- but the overall concept looks sound. I can easily imagine myself tootling around my neighborhood on one of these little beauties, but I don’t have the time to make one -- I wonder if you can buy them ready built?