Aug 3 2009 Toyota Develops Running Humanoid Robot
Nice one, Toyota -- a running humanoid robot. Because that's just what we need. Please God tell me that's actually a person in a robot costume.
[The video] from Toyota demonstrates the running capabilities of the new humanoid robot. The robot takes a step every 340ms and has no contact with the ground for 100ms of that. Notice in the video how the robot remains balanced even after pushed by the human
Did you read that? Did that not sound like it was written by a robot? "...pushed by the human"? So eloquent. You know, robots DO make the best writers. BEEP BOOP BOP. Oh that? Nothing.
Toyota's running humanoid robot [make]
Thanks to Mih0, Matt and Pew Pew Jenkins, who can all run faster than the Gingerbread Man and are gonna need to when these things hit full production.
Jul 23 2009 Solar Powered Gadget Charging Wi-Fi Flowers
Toyota, in a ploy to sell more Priuses (Priusi?), is installing these solar-powered, gadget charging Wi-Fi stations in a select few U.S. cities (Boston, New York, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). Unfortunately, I don't live in any of those cities so I'm going to continue stealing my neighbor's electricity. Isn't that right, Mr. Lendoff? I said your yard looks great!
Toyota Unleashes Giant Solar-Powered Flowers On Unsuspecting Cities [ecorazzi]
Thanks to Spikey DaPikey, who charges his gadgets the old fashioned way -- with unicorn tears.
Nov 11 2008 WTF?: Toyota Corolla Ninja Cat Commercial
This is allegedly a television ad for the new Toyota Corolla. It has a bunch of weird ninja cats in it and doesn't make an ATM lick of sense. And then, to make matters worse, one of the ninja cats steals a car at the end. Now what is this teaching the nation's cat population? Whatever it is, it can't be -- WHISKERS, NO! AWAY FROM THE....*tires squealing* Goddamnit, thanks a lot Toyota.
Thanks to Jaybone the Hispanic Dude from Greenpoint who may or may not be a ninja cat simply going by Jaybone the Hispanic Dude from Greenpoint.
Oct 10 2008 The I-Foot: Toyota's New Mobility Suit
I don't really have any more information on this robotic suit except the i-foot is a terrible name, it was made by Toyota, and appears to be the lovechild of a MechWarrior that stuck it to a Tyrannasaurus Rex (wish I could have been there). Oh, and two thumbs up on the choreography, Toyota, I love the theater. Okay, strip clubs.
Toyota Mobility Suit [useloos]
Thanks to Tytus, who, in his quest to build a mobility suit, invented the jetpack.
Sep 8 2008 Seeing Is Believing: That Somebody Actually Decided To Pimp Out A Freaking Prius
Yep, somebody pimped out a Prius. To the max. The thing has 20" rims, inverted Koenigsegg doors, what appears to be an ion cannon, a billion speakers, a couple computers, alien technology, an engine, and seats. Allegedly, the powertrain is the only thing left unmodified. Wow. I mean, wow. Kind of defeats the purpose of getting a Prius in the first place, doesn't it? Seriously, WWJD were you thinking?
Hit the jump for a worthwhile video of the thing, and start around 2:00 for the good stuff.
Aug 1 2008 Segway Competition: Toyota's Winglet
The Winglet Advanced Scooter is Toyota's attempt at a smaller, more agile Segway. I wouldn't be caught dead on one, but I would ride it until I got hit by a car and launched clear off. Then I'd be caught dead on the pavement. Win-win. Skip to the second half of the video to see a woman riding it without the stupid handle in the way. It looks a lot cooler like that. Also, sweet ass-shot at 0:41. I'm not the pervert, you're the pervert. You looked didn't you? Haha, gimme that neck!
Jul 11 2008 Well, At Least He Drives A Prius Ad Campaign
This is a ad from a campaign designed by the Bed & Breakfast Advertising Agency for Toyota's Prius. It uses the tagline "Well, at least he drives a Prius" as if driving a Prius makes up for tossing a body in the river (which it totally does). There are two more after the jump, including a guy chatting it up with a hooker, and some dude's wife making out with the gardener. Man, I freaking love good advertising. Seriously, this is how you sell products, folks. Sometimes I wish I had gone into advertising, I'm always coming up with stuff like this. Like, oh oh -- I've got one. Okay: it's a picture of a pasty, overweight guy lying on a sofa. He's got a laptop resting on his chest. The keyboard is Cheeto stained and the desktop background is some chick with monster gazongas. His two-inch member is hanging out the fly of his boxers and the caption at the bottom reads, "Well, at least he writes Geekologie."
Hit the jump for the other two ads.
Continue Reading " Well, At Least He Drives A Prius Ad Campaign "
Jul 7 2008 Toyota Prius May Get Solar Panel Treatment
Toyota already plans to roll out a plug-in version of the Prius in 2010, and now there are rumors of the company installing solar panels on upcoming models. The panels, if they do become a reality, won't power the engine, but rather the air conditioning, stereo, windows, television, coffee maker, massaging seat covers, etc. As you can see from the artist's rendition of the new Prius, Toyota will likely go with one large solar array protruding from the vehicle's roof. Kidding, I just made that in Photoshop. It does look good though, doesn't it? Strap a wind turbine on there somewhere and you've got a real green-machine. Say, that gives me an idea. Picture of new Solar-Wind Prius added after the jump. But don't worry Toyota, you can just pay for the idea in, well, euros. Lots of them.
Hit the jump for a picture of a Prius Toyota hasn't even thought of yet.
Continue Reading " Toyota Prius May Get Solar Panel Treatment "
Jun 10 2008 Hood Airbags To Help Save Pedestrians?
Let's face it, getting hit by a car sucks unless the person driving is filthy rich and you don't get hurt but can fake a good neck or back injury. Well now Toyoda Gosei has begun the testing of hood and grill airbags to help protect people on foot. They're activated via some combination of camera and radar sensors and may or may not launch pedestrians even further than you would have been without them. Whether they make it to actual production awaits to be seen, but if you're regularly running over people I recommend rigging a mattress to your hood during the interim. Or you could, I don't know, STOP DRIVING ON THE FREAKING SIDEWALK.
One more picture of the car after the jump.
Apr 21 2008 Corolla Rocks NES Controller Engine Cover
This is a Corolla with a custom NES controller engine block cover. It looks good and I wish my piece of crap Metro had one. That would easily double the car's value. Now if entering the ↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A Konami code gave you 30 gallons of free gas, then we'd really be talking.
Car Engine Meets NES Controller [gizmodo]
Dec 26 2007 3D Projector System Is Wicked, Scary
The Musion high definition projector system "uses unique HD video projection, producing three dimensional moving images within a stage setting." It looks like it involves some sort of strange glass pyramid. And magic. A lot of magic. And not the fake shit that ass-clown Criss Angel is into, oh no. I'm talking legitimate 'sell your soul to Slavin the evil warlock' magic here. The real deal. The videos are from Toyota promoting their Auris vehicle at a shopping center in Europe. So yeah. I'm not sure what the first video of the ghost woman has to do with selling cars, but I think it has something to do with harnessing the power of the dead. Wait a minute -- that's my great aunt Gertrude! She says she's going to kill me if I buy domestic. I knew it!
Another video showing the Auris after the jump.
Dec 10 2007 Toyota's Pod-Car Thingy With Fancy Lights
Toyota recently displayed a new concept vehicle they've been working on. This is what it looks like -- a lounge chair that will suck your brain out while you're cruising. With lots of neon-ish lighting thrown in for good measure. The thing stands upright at slow speeds and then reclines at higher ones. You can even adjust the color of the thing to whatever suits your fancy with the push of a button. Apparently it can drive itself on special highway lanes in Japan. No word if those 'special' highway lanes are kin to the 'special' bus I used to ride to school, but if they are you'll probably have to wear a helmet.
Two more pictures of the thing showing its colors, along with a video showing transformation, etc. after the jump.
Continue Reading " Toyota's Pod-Car Thingy With Fancy Lights "
Aug 22 2007 Steve Wozniak Breaks Sound Barrier in Prius
Steve Wozniak (Apple co-founder) confirms he was pulled over doing 104 mph in a Toyota Prius and fined $700 a few months ago. Which is shocking for a couple reasons. 1. What was he doing driving? I thought people with his kind of money were carried everywhere. 2. I have never seen a Prius top 45 mph, so this seems near impossible. Although, the longer I look at the picture the more I can imagine it. "Officer the sign said 6 miles to Cracker Barrell and I knew the country ham and gravy simply could not wait."
Steve Wozniak Breaks Sound Barrier in Prius [therawfeed]
