Robots Dance Thriller, Harlem Shake and Gangnam Style

Finally, A Robot That Serves a Purpose.

Ever since I first laid eyes on the robot butler in Rocky IV, I knew I must someday have one of my own. Sure, I was intoxicated with the pounding rhythm of “Eye of the Tiger” and was on a daily workout regimen of dragging logs through waist-deep snow drifts, but I knew I was thinking clearly.

Forget about dogs, cats or gerbils, robots would someday become man’s best friend.

In Rocky IV, the domesticated android made the family a cake, delivered beer, washed cars and tended to the children. The only problem: Rocky’s robot was WAY TOO PRACTICAL.

Where was the style? The Gangnam Style…

In 1985, at the peak of the cold war, what the world needed was a gang of robots that had the dance moves of a young Michael Jackson, the comedic musical style of Psy (the Korean youtube sensation) and the athleticism of the Harlem Globetrotters. (er, maybe the Miami Heat)

Well, be sure to thank your nearest under-employed nuclear scientist, because the “NAO Robot” clearly fits the bill.

Watch these NAO Robots Dance Gangnam Style

About The NAO Robot

NAO (pronounced now) is an autonomous, programmable humanoid robot developed by Aldebaran Robotics, a French robotics company. All NAO robots feature an inertial measurement unit with accelerometer, gyrometer and four ultrasonic sensors that provide NAO with stability and positioning within space. The legged versions included eight force-sensing resistors and two bumpers.

The NAO robot also features an onboard Linux-powered multimedia system, including four microphones (for voice recognition and sound localization), two speakers (for text-to-speech synthesis) and two HD cameras (for computer vision, including facial and shape recognition). The robot comes with a software suite that includes a graphical programming tool, simulation software and a software developer’s kit.