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The most talented instrument-playing robots out there just got an upgrade from Toyota's engineers, who also make some pretty good cars. Continue reading for an overview and video. Click here for first picture in gallery.

This followup to the BristleBot was designed specifically for painting applications, "uses two toothbrush heads instead of one, and a larger, rechargeable battery." Video after the break. Click here for first picture in gallery.

But they're not just for children. Cerrito notes that lots of people are intimidated about picking up a paintbrush or pen to make art. His hope is that the BrushBot will "help people get over their inhibitions about art-making.

JapanProbe pointed us to an interesting Japanese commercial that shows why "there’s need to worry about earthquakes or helicopter attacks when you live in the 'Grand Guardian Tokyo' apartment building." Video after the break.

[via JapanProbe]

For the child who loves robots, Airrobot's RINGBO is the ultimate gift. Controlled using a pair of joysticks, this device is "specifically designed for kids aged 2-3." No word yet on pricing or availability. Video after the break. Click here for first picture in gallery.

In case you're curious, the bumper-mounted IR sensors work great for stopping Junior from knocking over another vase, and the controls really couldn't be simpler.

Think of Hitachi's EMIEW 2 as a biped Segway-inspired robot. It comes complete with a "creepy child's voice, which it apparently says some unexpected things like 'What color is love?'" Video after the break. Click here for first picture in gallery.

The new video shows that his feet, tipped with wheels, give him a Segway-like way of staying upright, with little micromovements.

When is Pleo not Pleo? When a "highly destructive ComBot predator rolls around the ring and rips little Pleo to shreds." Video after the break. Click here for first picture in gallery.

Poor little Pleo. The innocent and uber-cute robot dinosaur suffered at the hands of your DVICE narrators, sure, but that mild session of humiliation pales by comparison to this whipping Pleo took at Maker Faire last weekend.

Reseacher "Sylvain Calinon and company at the Learning Algorithms and Systems Laboratory in Switzerland" have given Fujitsu's HOAP-3, a biped robot, a cooking upgrade. Continue reading to watch it make an omelette.

By manipulating HOAP-3's hands, its trainers can show it how to whip eggs, cut ham and toss it in a bowl, and grate cheese. Instead of simply memorizing the movements, the 'bot generalizes the actions and is able to identify when to properly use them.

Put simply, the Sysyphus V is a "kinetic sculpture by Bruce Shapiro looks like a Zen Garden" and uses a steel sphere to create patterns in the sand. Continue reading for an interesting video of related projects, courtesy of CoolHunting. Click here for first picture in gallery.

A magnet on an arm on a two axis plotter sites underneath the half-ton set up, and Sisyphus is making its first appearance here, at Maker Faire 2008

Futuristic and accommodating, these high-tech wheelchairs aim to make daily tasks, such as climbing stairs or even trekking through bad weather, a breeze for the elderly/disabled. Continue reading to see more. Click here for first picture in gallery.

Having just received a $38-billion contract from the Army Research Lab, BAE Systems will lead the "Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology project to develop the technology." Video after the break. Click here for one more picture.

The intention is that the consortium led by BAE will perform research into developing an "autonomous, multifunctional collection of miniature intelligence-gathering robots" which will operate in places "too inaccessible or dangerous for humans."