Some other variations include a big red power switch and the fact that the controller ports are on the left side of the console, rather than centered as they were in the eventual production model. There’s also what looks like the console’s expansion port on the front, rather than the bottom where it lived on the final design. The panel surrounding the controller ports looks yellowed — it wouldn’t be part of the SNES family without that though, would it?

Here’s a gallery of the images from the auction:

Compare that to the final release:

And the terrible thing we ended up with in the US:

Those design touches went out the window for the SNES released in the US, which ended up with a chunky, boxy design that had purple, sliding switches on top instead of the round, sloping, compact design. Nintendo released a revised SNES, the New-Style Super NES, in 1997 that came a little closer, but with a pill-shaped power switch and circular reset button.

Another lost Nintendo prototype showed up a few years ago in the Nintendo / Sony PlayStation that Pets.com founder Greg McLemore bought at an auction — which also had a headphone jack. Two years before that, an unreleased, wired version of the Wiimote that connects to the GameCube was sold in a Japanese auction for $660. The Super Famicom prototype being auctioned today is, as of this writing, sitting at just over one million yen (just shy of $7,000 USD), with more than five days to go.

In a groundbreaking development, researchers have unveiled the impressive capabilities of the Aloha Unleashed project. This project, spearheaded by Stanford Ph.D. student Tony Z. Zhao and assistant professor Chelsea Finn from the Mobile Aloha team, showcases the next level of robotic dexterity.

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The Aloha Unleashed Project

The Aloha Unleashed project builds upon the success of the original Aloha housekeeping robot. Back in January, the research team wowed the world by demonstrating the kitchen skills of an open-source Aloha robot. Now, they’ve taken it a step further, focusing on intricate tasks like knotting shoelaces, hanging shirts and even repairing other robots.

Autonomous robot (Aloha Unleashed project) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: APOLLO THE ROBOT JOINS MERCEDES-BENZ ASSEMBLY LINE PRODUCTION

Enhancements and innovations

The team behind Aloha Unleashed has made five key upgrades to the robot’s design:

1) Improved manipulator arms: The Aloha 2 manipulator arms are at the heart of this project. These arms have been meticulously developed to enhance performance and durability. Facing pairs of these arms allows for more complex tasks and fleet-scale data collection.

2) Smarter grippers: The scissor mechanism on the grippers has been replaced with a low-friction rail. This modification enables the robot to grasp smaller objects with precision.

3) Advanced cameras: Smaller RealSense cameras with a broader field of view provide better visual input for the robot’s decision-making process.

4) Gravity compensation: A passive gravity compensation setup, using off-the-shelf components, supports leader arms during teleoperation.

5) Simulation model: The team has created an improved simulation model that enhances accuracy and visual fidelity. This model aids in training the robot for various tasks.

Autonomous robot (Aloha Unleashed project) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: HUMANOID ROBOTS ARE NOW DOING WORK OF HUMANS IN SPANX WAREHOUSE

Autonomous performance and adaptability

Over the past year, researchers have pushed the limits of the Aloha 2 fleet. They’ve released a series of videos showcasing the dual-arm setup autonomously performing tasks.

Autonomous robot (Aloha Unleashed project) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Tying shoelaces

The manipulator arms deftly tie shoelaces, demonstrating their precision and agility.

Autonomous robot (Aloha Unleashed project) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Robot repair

The robot assists DeepMind’s SARA-RT model in a fascinating demo by slotting in a replacement gripper/finger. This hints at a future where robots can repair each other autonomously.

Autonomous robot (Aloha Unleashed project) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: UNFORGETTABLE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS 2024

Hanging a T-shirt

The Aloha manipulators tackle the challenge of getting a T-shirt on a hanger and placing it on a nearby rack. Despite not having specific examples of adult shirts during training, the model generalizes successfully.

Autonomous robot (Aloha Unleashed project) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

It’s worth noting that the robot adapts to real-time slips and placement issues during the demonstrations.

MORE: HOW 1X’S HUMANOID ROBOT IS PUTTING A STOP TO YOU HAVING TO FOLD LAUNDRY

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Aloha Unleashed project is an ongoing endeavor with immense potential. As we witness robots seamlessly performing complex tasks, we glimpse a future where automation and adaptability go hand in hand. If you’re intrigued by manipulator action, consider exploring the Aloha research kit available from Trossen Robotics.

What other groundbreaking applications can you envision for dual-arm robot systems like Aloha Unleashed? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Tesla’s brutal round of layoffs entered its fourth week, with more employees posting on LinkedIn and elsewhere about receiving notice that their time at the company has come to an end.

The most recent layoffs, which were first reported by Electrek and Business Insider, appear to be hitting different segments of the company, including software, services, and engineering. Employees said they received layoff notices over the weekend and on Monday.

It’s unclear how many employees have been affected. Business Insider reported at least seven employees posted about being laid off on Sunday.

On X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the company needed to be reorganized every five years. And in an email to employees, he said the company needed to be “absolutely hard core” about the cuts and that staffers working under executives who “don’t obviously pass the excellent, necessary and trustworthy test” would be out of a job.

According to Bloomberg, Musk privately expressed a desire to lay off at least 20 percent of the company because its quarterly vehicle deliveries fell by that much.

Tesla is going through one of its toughest financial situations in years, with sales dropping and profits down 55 percent year over year. The company is experiencing increased competition, both in the US and in China, while also dealing with waning demand for EVs globally.