German researchers at the University of Madgeburg-Stendal have developed the "OLE" robot, which like its model, the pillbug, would scurry on the forest floor with its "biosensors" to detect fires and the ability to extinguish them if found.

According to the researchers, 30 of these OLEs could protect a forest area as large as 2,700 square miles, but no word on what happens if an animal decides to eat it.

Those crazy Japanese! A group at the University of Tokyo have taught a Kawada Industries HRP-2 to dance a Japanese folk dance, the Aizu-Bandaisan. It’s a little creepy, I admit, but then again it would be better to have Overlords who appreciate a good dance, than not.

All of you sci-fi fans certainly see the similarity between this Japanese support robot, the Enryu T-53, and the exosuit that Ripley used to do away with the queen alien in Aliens. Or am I the only one geeky enough for that? In any case, this is a rather impressive piece of hardware, although unfortunately pressed into service following an earthquake in Niigata, Japan.

DARPA has been known to come up with some nice robots, but they’re usually pretty utilitarian-looking. Even the ones with large rifles and grenade launchers attached to them. But this guys looks scary, even though I gather it’s rather small. Unleashed in great numbers, it could cause any enemy force to lose its composure. Really, though, this one, called Little Dog, is just meant to enhance the capabilities of its larger colleagues, with external cameras to identify obstacles and terrain features. But boy, does it have style.

We have the 4-armed surgical robot and now an eight-legged robot designed after an insect to crawl over difficult terrain to be used in rescue operations.

From the Chiba Institute of Technology, it not only can scurry along like a spider, but it can also fold its feet away and roll like a car. Researchers hope that its usefulness will extend to wheelchairs, and perhaps even automobiles.