Click here to learn
about this Sponsor:
Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Polls  |  Forum

Keywords: Match:
Artificial dinosaur may have Linux on its mind
Sep. 13, 2007

The world will learn more about an artificial baby dinosaur at the ARM Developer's Conference two weeks from now in Santa Clara, Calif. There, Ugobe CTO John Sosoka is expected to reveal long-awaited details about the $350 Pleo and it's "Life OS," which is probably based on Linux.

Spread the word:
digg this story
In a "special lunchtime keynote" at the ARM conference, CTO Sosoka is expected to "introduce the company's Life Form Operating System (Life OS)," according to ARM. Sosoka will also introduce "Life Forms," described as a "designer species" incorporating the basic traits of autonomous life.

Additionally, Sosoka will demonstrate Pleo, a device "specifically engineered and enhanced to mimic life and to assist, entertain, and relate to humanity on a personal level," according to ARM.


Ugobe's Pleo

In Feb. 2006, Ugobe representatives at a DEMO event confirmed for LinuxDevices that the Pleo was then based on an embedded Linux operating system. However, company marketing spokespersons subsequently recanted that statement, and declined our request for further details.

The Pleo is an autonomous replica of a week-old Kamarasuarus dinosaur. The foot-tall device is not remotely controllable, but rather designed to imitate life by learning from its environment, showing emotion, and interacting with the animals around it. During its first couple of battery discharge cycles, it plays out a 5-10 minute "birth" session and 45-minute "hatchling" phase, after which it enters a juvenile stage and is ready to learn tricks and display a unique "personality," the company says.

The Pleo will soon be somewhat user-modifiable, thanks to a Pleo Developer's Kit expected to launch "this Fall," Ugobe has said. The Kit is expected to provide a C++ API (application programming interface) for adding new sounds and behavior patterns via an SD flash memory card. Additionally, a PC and Mac utility may allow some interaction with the device's sensors, which appear to include a camera and a nose-mounted IR transceiver.

Here are a few more photos of Pleo:


(Click each thumbnail for a larger view; source Ugobe)

And, here's a YouTube video:


(Click to play)

For now, further details and a few short videos about Pleo are available here. More details about the ARM Developer's Conference can be found here.


-- Henry Kingman




Related Stories:


(Click here for further information)


FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.

Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.

Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.

High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.

Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.

Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.

Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.

 


Got a HOT tip?   please tell us!
Free weekly newsletter
Enter your email...
Click here for a profile of each sponsor:
PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
(Become a sponsor)

ADVERTISEMENT
(Advertise here)

Check out the latest Linux powered...

mobile phones!

other cool
gadgets



BREAKING NEWS

• Multi-core networking stack ported to PowerPC
• Major Mono rev ships
• ETX module targets military apps
• Linux netbook return rates higher?
• Italian carrier ships Linux MID
• 5-second Linux boots on low-powered hardware
• MontaVista "Summit" concludes
• Freescale to jettison cellular chip business
• Open-source server appliance is "free"
• MontaVista Linux drives Dell's quick-boot feature
• "Virtual platform" targets Linux device developers
• Mobile Linux platform supports Cortex-A8 SoC
• Linux design targets 802.11n-enabled homes
• Virtualization design targets wireless base stations
• Linux virtualization tech tapped for telematics


Most popular stories -- past 90 days:
• Open source phone goes mass-market
• Tinest Linux system, yet?
• Garmin Nav devices run Gnome Linux
• ARM9 board boots Debian in 0.69 seconds
• Low-cost laptop runs Linpus Linux
• Linux-friendly Beagle fetches $150
• Mini Linux PC breaks $100 barrier
• Open source camera records geotagged video to SATA HDD
• Open set-top box ships
• First $100 laptop runs Linux


DesktopLinux headlines:
• Google rev's photo editor for Linux
• Major Mono rev ships
• Intrepid Ibex beta-tests
• Linux netbook returns higher?
• Open-source image editing project launches
• Linux Foundation launches end-user conference
• GNOME 2.24 gains "Empathy" IM
• gOS 3.0 goes gold
• Linux Foundation courts individual members
• Netbook version of Mandriva thinks small


Also visit our sister site:


Sign up for LinuxDevices.com's...

news feed

Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Polls  |  Forum  |  About  |  Contact
 

Ziff Davis Enterprise Home | Contact Us | Advertise | Link to Us | Reprints | Magazine Subscriptions | Newsletters
Tech RSS Feeds | White Papers | ROI Calculators | Tech Podcasts | Tech Video | VARs | Channel News

Baseline | Careers | Channel Insider | CIO Insight | DesktopLinux | DeviceForge | DevSource | eSeminars |
eWEEK | Enterprise Network Security | LinuxDevices | Linux Watch | Microsoft Watch | Mid-market | Networking | PDF Zone |
Publish | Security IT Hub | Strategic Partner | Web Buyer's Guide | Windows for Devices

Developer Shed | Dev Shed | ASP Free | Dev Articles | Dev Hardware | SEO Chat | Tutorialized | Scripts |
Code Walkers | Web Hosters | Dev Mechanic | Dev Archives | igrep

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.