short range agent communications ( srac ) are one-way or two-way short-range wireless communications used for intelligence purposes .

in the late 2000s computer wifi technology and usb flash drives had evolved into technologies that ordinary people can buy -- yet can be used in a similar way to srac systems .

srac devices were adopted by western intelligence agencies during the cold war in the 1960s , but eastern block nations possessed and used similar technologies .

the devices are miniature to ease concealment , and are capable of transmitting encrypted data .

short - range agent communications

an object of embodiments herein is to provide improved short range communications between wireless devices in a wireless communications system .
hence , there is still a need for an improved short range communications between wireless devices in a wireless communications system .
fig . 6 depicts another exemplary use of short - range wireless context - determining communications system .
short - range agent communications short range agent communications ( srac ) are one - way or two - way short - range wireless communications used for intelligence purposes . this communications technology became possible with the arrival of the transistor and small scale integrated circuits . - video is targeted to blind users attribution : article text available under cc - by - sa image source in video urltoken
fig . 7 depicts yet another use of short range wireless signals to detect context .
fig . 7 depicts a block diagram of another exemplary use of short - range wireless context - determining communications system .
communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions .
when the short range connection has been successfully set up , the first communications link may be terminated . thus , in a step s8 , the first communications link may be terminated upon having established the short range connection . however , according to an embodiment the first
according to embodiments the second communications link is a short range communications link . for example , the second communications link may be a wireless local area network , wlan , link , a bluetooth link , and an
communications link may or may not be terminated , thereby leaving only the short range second communications link present for communications between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b . hence , whether to maintain or to terminate the first communications link may depend on what triggered setting up the second communications link .
communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions . advantageously this provides an efficient means for a wireless device to decide on whether to operate in a short range communications mode for communications with a peer wireless device . advantageously this allows existing network infrastructure and communications protocols to be used for evaluating and setting up the short range communications link . according to a second aspect there is presented a computer program for short range communications in a wireless communications system between a first wireless device and a second wireless device . the computer program comprises computer program code which , when run on the first wireless device , causes the first wireless device to perform a method according to the first aspect .
fig . 5 depicts an exemplary use of a short - range wireless context - determining communications system used to detect the presence and operation of imaging equipment .
( interface converters , short - range modems , multiplexers , surge protectors ) . 2008 is patton’s 25th year in business .
fig . 1 depicts a simplified schematic representation of a communication system for determining contextual surroundings using short - range wireless signals .
the unified communications agent is available for all digital and analog models of smartnode™ gateway - routers .
12 . the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , further comprising terminating ( s8 ) the first communications link upon having established the short range connection .
27 of messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions .
fig . 4 depicts a simplified block diagram of the functional elements of a short range wireless subscriber unit capable of both transmission and reception .
short - range agent communications - wanted item the cds - 501 was a spy radio set with built - in data encryption , developed in the us in the late 1970s . it was used by the cia for short - range agent communications ( srac ) in clandestine operations during the cold war . the device was captured in cuba in 1983 and is believed to have been used in central and eastern europe as well [ 1 ] . the satellite variant is known as rs - 804 .
if the communications system includes the optional communications gateway device , also powered from the power grid , that globally communicates to a worldwide communications network external to the local area of radio communication , then this gateway device may be functionally separate from all the plurality of communications agents , in which case it locally wirelessly radio - communicates with at least one agent . alternatively , this communications device may be integrated with a communications agent , in which case it is powered from the power grid identically as is the communications agent .
usually an agent who has worked for some years with the gru will have as a minimum the following elements of communication : the secret rendezvous , long - range one - way radio link , short - range radio line or special link and a system of dead - letter boxes and signals . an agent group in addition is obliged in every case to have a long - range two - way radio link .
exchanging ( s6 ) a third set of messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions .
exchange ( s6 ) a third set of messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions .
a complete and operational cds - 501 set was compromised by cuban security services in 1983 1 and was subsequently put under scrutiny . they concluded that the set was used for short - range agent communications ( srac ) by the american cia and its operatives and agents in cuba .
there were a few possible advantages to these early short - range agent communications devices ( srac ) . srac systems could eliminate detection risks associated with face - to - face meetings . messages could be sent directly to sources , rather than left in vulnerable
dead drops
or conveyed through risky
brush passes
in public . agents could transmit instructions in text - form over short distances , using radio frequencies that were far more difficult to intercept than those used for long - range or telephonic communications .
attached to each device 102 , 104 , 106 and 108 , is an associated , short - range wireless signal transceiver 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 that is compatible with at least one communications standard by which the transceivers can readily communicate with each other so that the various transceivers can at least establish the presence of each other within the coverage area of the short range signals .
only one transmitter is shown in fig . 4 and depicted as simply the functionality of a modulator 412 and a modulated signal amplifier 414 as radio transmitter architecture is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art . for claim construction purpose , a transmitter of short range wireless signals can be considered to be embodied as the functionality of a modulator 412 and amplifier 414 . in embodiments where a subscriber unit 101 or a device 102 , 104 , 106 and 108 or a base station 118 and 120 can transmit both short range and long range signals , two transmitters can be provided such that each transmitter is separately coupled to the cpu . a first transmitter can transmit short range signals whereas a second transmitter transmits the longer - range signals . still other and equivalent embodiments include using a single transmitter which adjusts is output power level to one level ( including also output frequency , modulation and / or information encoding ) for short range communications and to another level ( frequency , modulation and encoding ) for long range communications .
1 . 3 a two - tier wireless communications network the agents and clients of the present invention implement a
two - tier
wireless communications system . the invention may thus be thought of as a
two - tier
wireless communications system , and / or to be embodied in a
two - tier
wireless communications system . the
two tiers
are tiers of a communications hierarchy : in a first communications tier the agents communicate with other agents ; in a second communications tier the local clients of each agent communicate with that agent .
summarizes the main features of the agent platforms ( first column ) that are usually used for developing multi - agent systems for ami environments . the set of agent platforms includes both general - purpose agent toolkits for lightweight devices ( such as jade - leap or andromeda ) and different agent platforms specific to an application domain or to a specific device ( such as agilla [
for example , whenever agent a3 sends , agents a2 , a5 and a6 are capable of receiving that signal . there is no client - - or at least no remote radio - communicating client , being that a client may be integrated with and agent - - associated with agent a3 . an agent communicating with a client is , for example , agent a2 that is associated with , and that communicates with , client c2 . a pair of agents associated with , and communicating with , a single client are agents a5 and a4 that communicate with client c3 : agent a5 sending communications to the client c3 while agent a4 accepts communications from the client a3 .
20 . the method according to any one of claims 17 to 19 , wherein the short range connection is established only in case said first cqi is above a first predetermined quality threshold .
17 . the method according to any one of claims 1 to 16 , further comprising acquiring ( s14 ) at least one first channel quality indication , cqi , of the second communications link prior to establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device .
the embodiments presented herein disclose mechanisms for wireless devices to initiate direct - mode or device - to - device communications by exploiting the availability of the existing network coverage . based on the communications conditions between them , the wireless devices could potentially communicate more efficiently directly using alternative technologies instead of the cellular link via the central control node . a particular object is therefore to utilize an existing cellular communications link for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between a first wireless device and a second wireless device on an alternative communications link . according to a first aspect there is presented a method for short range communications in a wireless communications system between a first wireless device and a second wireless device . the method is performed in the first wireless device . the method comprises exchanging a first set of messages with the second wireless device via a network node in the wireless communications system for establishing a first communications link with the second wireless device via the network node . the method comprises exchanging a second set of messages with the second wireless device via the network node for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range
forwarding said derived contextual information to a remote data collector using a long range wireless transmitter .
there is provided mechanisms for wireless devices to initiate direct - mode or device - to - device communications by exploiting the availability of the existing network coverage . short range communications in a wireless communications system between a first wireless device and a second wireless device involves exchanging messages between the first wireless device and the second wireless device , first on a first communications link via a network node and then on a second communications link . a corresponding method is provided . also a computer program , a computer program product and a wireless device are provided .
fig . 2 depicts a simplified block diagram of a short - range wireless transceiver for use with , and in , the system shown in fig . 1 and which is capable of transmission and reception .
overview of the multi - agent system ( mas ) architecture of the intelligent museum .
a : the main problem is likely to be the battery life for the device beneath the rock that stores the data . sending data via short - range radio is a notorious gobbler of battery power . if lots of data were being passed back and forth the useful life of the rock could be very short .
a long range wireless transmitter configured to transmit said derived contextual information to a remote data collector .
we also learnt how to use srac ( short range agent communication ) . the agent writes a message on a laptop computer , then downloads it into the srac transmitter , the size of a cigarette packet . a receiver , usually in the british embassy , sends out a low - power interrogation signal that triggers the transmitter when the agent is close enough . for many years
garfield the cat
toys were popular with agents as their sucker feet allowed an agent to stick the transmitter on the side window of a car , giving a clear signal driving past the embassy .
each agent first locally wirelessly radio - communicates with other agents in a local wireless radio communications network , second locally wirelessly radio - communicating with local clients . the agents collectively ( 1 ) register clients to the communications mesh , ( 2 ) maintain a link to external networks , and ( 3 ) self - organizing the communications mesh . the collective agents preferably further ( 4 ) adapt wireless communications upon the mesh to any of the numbers , powers and instantaneous communications requirements of the clients then connected on and by the communications mesh .
11 . the wireless communications management system according to claim 10 further characterized in that the collective agents a1 - a10 are further adapting wireless communications upon the mesh , to any of the numbers , powers and instantaneous communications requirements of the clients c1 - c4 then connected on and by the communications mesh .
according to a third aspect there is presented a computer program product . the computer program product comprises a computer program according to the second aspect and a non - volatile computer readable means on which the computer program is stored . according to a fourth aspect there is presented a first wireless device for short range communications in a wireless communications system between the first wireless device and a second wireless device . the first wireless device comprises a first communications interface arranged to exchange a first set of messages with the second wireless device via a network node in the wireless communications system for establishing a first communications link with the second wireless device via the network node . the first communications interface is further arranged to exchange a second set of messages with the second wireless device via the network node for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between the first wireless device and the second wireless device on a second communications link . the first wireless device comprises a second communications interface arranged to exchange a third set of messages with the second wireless device on the second
upon completion of step s4 ( i . e . when the conditions for setting up the short range connection have been evaluated ) the first wd2a and the second wd 2b thus initiate communications interfaces so that messages can be exchanged on the second communications link . thus , a second communications interface 11 of the first wd 2a is arranged to , in a step s6 , exchange a third set of messages with the second wd 2b on the second communications link . by exchanging the third set of messages on the second communications link the first wd 2a is able to , based on at least one of the conditions , set up the short range connection with the second wd 2b . upon completion of step s6 the second communications link has thus been established between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b , thereby enabling wd 2a and wd 2b to exchange data via a short range connection . the process to switch over from the first communications link to the second communications link may thus generally involve messages to be exchanged in a three - phase operation ; in a first phase the type of second communications link is determined and a second communications link of the determined type is set up ; in a second phase the communications channel of the set up second communications link is estimated ; and in a third phase ( at least part of ) the data payload traffic between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b is switched over to the second communications link . the three phases will be disclosed in more detail below with references to the sequence diagrams of figs 6 , 7 and 8 , respectively as well as the flowchart of fig 5 .
according to one embodiment , once the new direct link has been configured , its channel quality is estimated . in a step s14 at least one first channel quality indication ( cqi ) of the second communications link may be acquired . the cqi may be acquired prior to establishing the short range connection .
the diagram above illustrates how the messages were sent . at the right is the agent who delivers his message to the edlb at the embassy . the embassy relays the message to headquarters ( hq ) via a secure satellite link . new instruction for the agent are sent by hq directly via the short - wave
on multi agent based modeling and control in large scale wireless communication systems for improved . . .
7 . the method according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one set of priority levels relate to one of more of a geographical distance between the first wireless device and the second wireless device , a desired transmission rate for communications over the second communications link , a desired power of the transmission over the second communications link , or a desired encryption for communications over the second communications link .
an efficient scheduling mechanism for simulating concurrent events in wireless communications based . . .
currently , there exist different agent platforms , which are suitable for programming and executing ami applications as multi - agent systems . in recent years , the demand for ami systems has increased enormously , and many of these systems have been effectively developed with agent technology [ 13 , 20 , 21 ] .
the system has a number of communication agents that first locally wirelessly radio - communicating between themselves ( to such extent as wireless connectivity in a local wireless radio communications network permits ) . this first locally wirelessly radio - communicating is in a first communications tier separate from any other communications tier . each agent further second wirelessly radio - communicates with one or more uniquely associated clients ( again to such extent as wireless connectivity in a local wireless radio communications network permits ) . this second wirelessly radio - communicating is in a second communications tier separate from the first and from any other communications tier .
communications link is first set up in parallel with the first communications link . as noted above , in a step s6 a third set of messages is exchanged between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b . the third set of messages , which are exchanged on the second communications link , are exchanged for establishing the short range connection between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b based on at least one of the conditions . the third set of messages is exchanged by the second communications interface 11 of the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b .
the flowchart of fig 4 illustrates a method for short range communications in a wireless communications system 1 between a first wireless device 2a and a second wireless device 2b according to an embodiment . the method according to the flowchart of fig 4 is performed in the first wd 2a . however , as will be disclosed below , at least some parts of the method may be performed in the second wd 2b .
bickmore t . , vardoulakis l . , schulman d . tinker : a relational agent museum guide .
fans give undrafted free agent nate orf standing ovation for going yard in first hit of his career .
the first text messaging system was developed by the cia in the 1970’s but it was ahead of its time . short - range agent communications ( srac ) , as the sms predecessor was called , required two people be near each other with shoe - box sized devices to send messages . the anachronistic tech would actually have attracted more attention than the brush - pass or dead - drop techniques it was invented to supposedly supplant .
12 . the wireless communications management system according to claim 10 further characterized in that the collective agents a1 - a10 are further authenticating visiting clients to the communications mesh .
improved simulation system performance for wireless communications using efficient multi - threading a . . .
xiaowei w . ( 2011 ) the application of wireless communications and multi - agent system in intelligent transportation systems . in : zhu m . ( eds ) information and management engineering . iccic 2011 . communications in computer and information science , vol 236 . springer , berlin , heidelberg
. agents for mobile phones ( the first three agent types ) are downloaded and executed as mobile apps .
infrared data association , irda , based communications link . further . 5 examples include a near - fields communications ( nfc ) compliant link . the second communications link could provide a better option according to some criteria . such different criteria will be further disclosed below .
while fig . 2 depicts the functional elements of a “device” that is identified in fig . 1 by reference numerals 102 , 104 , 106 or 108 and which broadcasts and receives short range wireless signals ( and that these signals include information that indicates at least the presence of the device but can also include other information as set forth above ) , many of the functional elements shown in fig . 2 are also found in a short - range wireless subscriber unit 101 and 103 ( shown in fig . 1 ) .
14 . the wireless communications management system according to claim 10 further characterized in that the collective agents a1 - a10 self - organizing the communications mesh are implementing the mac protocol .
15 . the wireless communications management system according to claim 10 further characterized in that the collective agents a1 - a10 self - organizing the communications mesh are implementing the llc protocol .
capabilities . for example , the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b may determine their proximity to each other , and subsequently determine which type of second communications link to use . as noted above , in a step s4 a second set of messages is therefore exchanged with the second wd 2b via the network node 3 . the second set of messages is exchanged for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b on the second communications link . the second set of messages is exchanged through the first communications interface 10 of the wireless devices 2a , 2b . according to one embodiment the evaluation is performed by the first wd 2a which in turn may initiate setting up the short range connection . according to an alternative embodiment the evaluation is performed by the second wd 2b which in turn may initiate setting up the short range connection . that is , in general terms the evaluation may be performed either by he first wd 2a or the second wd 2b , regardless of which one of th first wd 2a and the second wd 2b that initiated the exchange of the first set of messages in step s2 . according to yet another embodiment , the first wd 2a may initiate setting up the short range connection although the second wd 2b performed the evaluation , and vice versa .
communications link . data transmission , which was originally transmitted and received via the first communications interface 10 of the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b and occurring over the first communications link , may thus be re - configured to be transmitted and received via the second communications interface 11 of the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b and hence occur over the second communications link . the exchange of the second set of messages for setting up the short range connection between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b may be triggered by at least one trigger . one trigger may be a received ( by either the first wd 2a or the second wd 2b ) indication that the at least one second cqi ( i . e . the channel quality of the first communications link ) is below a second
although the agents are fully powered to forge such radio links as are necessary , clients are served by best available radio link to an agent , or to two agents ( with one agent for incoming , and the other for outgoing , communications ) . in this case
best means
lowest power .
tradecraft means the practical skills that enable a spy to communicate with an agent without arousing the suspicion of counterintelligence .
illustrates , by means of a state transition diagram , the principal behavior of the agent . in their initialization ,
he , j . l . : development of multi - agent systems . anhui university , hefei ( 2004 )
2 . 4 a two - tier wireless communications system in still yet another of its aspects the present invention may be considered to be embodied in a two - tier wireless communications system .
includes the features of the sol agent platform and the selfstarmas agents , which are discussed in detail in this section .
many investigation firms use custom - built devices when trying to spot insurance fraud . some have made
smart bricks
with cameras concealed in them which they toss into a suspect ' s garden . typically these use short range radio to send images back to a van close by .
for presence / reachability , the smartnode™ uca streamlines deployment of unified communications into existing business networks .
the present invention still more particularly concerns power and bandwidth management for wireless communications systems , especially as are used in the home of office , that is adaptive , and tailored to communications conditions .
the gateway communications device may be of the order of a modem , globally communicating via a physical communication channel of a wire or a fiber type . the communications device may be of the order of a long range radio or optical transceiver , globally communicating via an atmospheric communication channel of the radio of free - space optical types .
communications in each of the two tiers may be , and preferably is , separately conducted from communications in the other tier - - but need not be so separated and divided . for example , in one embodiment of the
two - tier
wireless communications system of the present invention communications between agents in one tier is at a different radio frequency than communication between an agent and its associated clients otherwise transpiring in the other tier . in another embodiment of the
two - tier
wireless communications system of the present invention communications between agents in one tier transpires during a different time slice than does communication between an agent and its associated clients otherwise transpiring in the other tier . in still yet another embodiment of the
two - tier
wireless communications system of the present invention communications between agents in one tier transpires with and at different code divisions than does communication between an agent and its associated clients in the other tier . although the communication in tiers is preferably so separated and divided in any of frequency , time division or code division , the communication need not invariably be so divided . instead , the unique address of each agent and client can be relied upon . consider first the agents . when a group of agents is initially powered on , or a new agent is introduced to an existing group , all the agents will attempt to , and will - - in a manner and procedure quite normal for wireless communications - - form an ad hoc ( wireless ) communications network . each agent attempts to communicate with every other . some communications links are enabled ; others fail . the agents serve to create ad hoc what can ultimately be expressed in a conventional connectivity diagram where , by convention , a line is drawn an the diagram between two devices that are ( radio ) communicating . where no communication is present , no line is drawn .
forwarding said derived contextual information to at least one of a remote data collector and a remote service provider using a long range wireless transmitter .
( ii ) a wireless communications system where power and / or bandwidth is allocated efficiently , ( iii ) a wireless communications system distributed among and between power - grid - powered intelligent
agents
communicatively servicing battery - powered dumb clients , and ( iv ) a two - tier wireless communications system .
the first communications interface 10 of the first wd 2a is arranged to , in a step s2 , exchange a first set of messages with the second wd 2b via a network node 3 in the wireless communications system 1 . the first set of messages is exchanged for establishing a first communications link with the second wd 2b via the network node 3 . upon completion of step s2 a first communications link has thus been established between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b , thereby enabling wd 2a and wd 2b to exchange data via the network node 3 . the first communications interface 10 of the first wd 2a is arranged to , in a step s4 , exchange a second set of messages with the second wd 2b via the network node 3 . the second set of messages is exchanged for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b on a second communications link . by exchanging the second set of messages the first wd 2a ( and / or the second wd 2b ) may evaluate ( in the processing unit 5 ) whether or not it is possible to set up a short range connection between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b .
the agents thus form of themselves , and without outside intervention or control , a ( radio ) communications mesh . this mesh , this ad hoc communications network , is the
backbone
of the two - tier wireless ( radio ) communications network of the present invention . communication between agents may transpire under the ieee 802 . 11 standard , or the bluetooth standard , or any suitable network radio communications standard .
in step 802 , the subscriber unit receiver monitors one or more radio frequencies , infrared wavelengths or audio frequencies for the presence or absence of recoverable signals . upon the detection of a carrier in step 804 , a decision is made in step 806 as to whether the detected carrier signal strength is usable , i . e . , above an empirically - determined threshold indicative of whether the carrier source is within the aforementioned “short range and which is required to sustain reliable communications . ” in many instances , a marginal carrier level will result in a determination that no short - range wireless signal source is present , as shown by the return of program control to step 802 from both decision steps 804 and 806 .
1 . a wireless communications system characterized in that a plurality of communication agents a1 - a10 , each powered from a power grid , form a communications mesh to locally wirelessly radio - communicate between themselves in a local wireless radio communications network , with each communications agent a1 - a10 further locally wirelessly radio - communicating with associated ones of plurality of clients c1 - c4 ; and a plurality of clients c1 - c4 , each performing an additional function other than just radio communication and with at least one of the clients being powered from a portable power source , locally wirelessly communicating by radio with at least one associated communications agent a1 - a10 , and with no other client nor any un - associated agent ; wherein each of the plurality of agents a1 - a10 is powered from the power grid while at least one of the plurality of clients c1 - c4 is powered from a portable power source .
13 . the wireless communications management system according to claim 10 further characterized in that the collective agents a1 - a10 maintaining the link to an external networks are maintaining a link to a worldwide communications network ii .
a long range wireless transmitter configured to transmit said derived contextual information to at least one of a remote data collector and a remote service provider .
an improved multi - agent simulation model is presented in this paper for modeling resource allocation strategies in wireless communications . it is based on a novel agent negotiation methodology based on real time event scheduling extending calendar queue algorithm . the application of the new scheme in modeling gsm cellular networks shows significant enhancements with regards to network modeling performance compared to rival simulation modeling techniques .
providing any - to - any multi - path switching , security , survivability , and presence / reachability , smartnode™ unified communication agent integrates ip - based communications with existing tdm / pstn telephony and sip / h . 323 voip systems .
fig . 8 depicts steps of a method for determining the “context” surrounding a short range wireless subscriber unit , such as the one depicted in fig . 1 and identified therein by reference numeral 101 - 1 , 101 - 2 and 101 - 3 , the functional elements of which are depicted in fig . 4 .
the local environment or context in which a wireless subscriber unit is located at any given instant can be determined from information that is broadcast to the subscriber unit from context - determinative devices using short - range wireless signals , such as bluetooth . by using short - range wireless signals , only devices that are in relative close proximity to the subscriber unit affect the determination of the subscriber unit ' s context . in one embodiment , information from devices within range of each other is used by the various devices to determine the context in which they each operate . in another embodiment , information from devices is collected by a short - range wireless subscriber unit , which preferably can be carried by a person , such as a personal digital assistant ( pda ) , cellular telephone , pager or the like , is used to determine the context in which the subscriber unit is located . in yet another embodiment , context determinative information ( i . e . , information that effects or creates or defines a “context” or from which a “context” can be calculated ) is forwarded to a data collector whereat the collected information is processed to identify or calculate ( and therefore “determine” context ) the context whereat the subscriber unit , and possibly its operator , is located . information about the present location or context can be returned to the subscriber unit . in another embodiment , context is determined by processing information within the short - range wireless subscriber unit .
upon the mri device ' s 605 determination that a subscriber unit 601 or 603 was authorized to access the device 605 , remote operation of the mri can be established using the subscriber device 601 or 603 as a sort of hand - held remote , albeit via short range wireless signals , such as the bluetooth standard .
in fig . 7 , a bluetooth - enabled and compliant mobile phone ( cellular phone , pcs phone or smr two - way radio ) enters a venue 702 and detects the short - range radio signals being broadcast by a bluetooth - enabled and compliant display kiosk 704 and a bluetooth - enabled and compliant printer kiosk 706 .
if at a later time , the subscriber unit 101 has moved to a different location , identified in fig . 1 by reference numeral 101 - 2 , whereat there are no short - range wireless signals recoverable , the service provider can reasonably determine that the subscriber unit 101 has left the context proximate to the first device 102 .
alo communicating upon a worldwide communications network ii external to the home or business ; wherein wireless radio communication between the agents al - a10 may be further globally communicated by the gateway device alo to the external worldwide communications network ii .
it should be apparent that from the foregoing , that by periodically broadcasting information from various kinds of equipment and devices via short - range wireless signals using a recognizable protocol such as bluetooth that the detection of such signals inherently provides usable information that is potentially useful . the resources of such equipment and devices can be more readily used and recorded .
aiello f . , fortino g . , gravina r . , guerrieri a . a java - based agent platform for programming wireless sensor networks .
a processing unit configured to recover , from said detected short range wireless signals , information that conveys at least the presence of said at least one device , said processing unit further configured to derive contextual information from said recovered information , wherein said derived contextual information includes at least information relating to one or more service capabilities of said at least one device .
communications interface 10 . however , once the wireless device 2 has been activated for inter alia wlan , bluetooth or irda transmission , data packets may be forwarded between the application handler 8 and the second communications interface 11 by the interconnection module .
according to one embodiment the predetermined distance is dependent on the available alternative transmission capabilities . for example , wlan transmission may allow for a longer range than bluetooth transmission ;
interconnection module messages , illustrated by double - lined boxes in the sequence diagrams of figs 6 , 7 and 8 , may thus be generated and / or terminated at the interconnection module , and may hence never reach the application handler 8 . when transmitted over the first communications link , the messages associated with the interconnection module may appear as regular data traffic to the network node 3 . according to an alternative embodiment the wireless device 2 ( and hence also the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b ) is arranged to handle the message exchanges relating to establishing the short range communications without a dedicated
volume 3993 . springer ; berlin / heidelberg , germany : 2006 . agent factory micro edition : a framework for ambient applications ; pp . 727–734 .
acquiring at least one first cqi may be based on at least one probe signal which is transmitted , on the second communications link , from one of the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b and received by the other of the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b . the at least one probe signal may comprise pilot symbols known to both the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b . that is , a pair of unique probe messages may be used in each direction . the short range connection may be established only in case the first cqi is above a first predetermined quality threshold . additionally or alternatively , also at least one second channel quality indication , cqi , of the first communications link may be acquired , step s16 . in fig 7 this is illustrated by the first wd 2a transmitting probes both over the first communications link and the second communications link . the probes are received by the second wd 2b which also may transmit its own probes to the first wd 2a both over the first communications link and the second communications link . thereby the cqi of the second communications link may be compared to the cqi of the first communications link . that is , one set of probe messages ( either in one direction or in both directions ) may be exchanged via the existing ( i . e . , the first communications ) path while one set of probe messages ( either in one direction or in both directions ) may be exchanged via the newly configured ( i . e . , the second communications ) direct - link . a similar value of the cqi of the first communications link and the cqi of the second communications link may indicate a sufficient quality of the second communications link . that is . the first predetermined quality threshold may be dependent on the at least one second cqi . the embodiment of estimating channel quality is not dependent on whether or not addressing and / or encryption is performed . the embodiment of estimating channel quality may furthermore be readily combined with embodiments relating to priority levels of different types of available second communications links . the result of the channel quality estimation may be used as a parameter when determining which one of the available second communications links to prioritize ; the at least one first channel quality indication may thus be acquired for all available second communications links .
in order for the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b to be able to establish the second communications link a number of parameters may be exchanged , | 0 such as which type of second communications link to establish ( for example by exchange of wireless capabilities ) , and if it is even possible to set up the second communications link ( for example by exchange of positional information ) . further information exchange between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b may therefore take place . different alternative wireless technologies have differing range and
the system further includes a number of communication agents . each agent is powered from a power grid . the agents first locally wirelessly radio - communicate between themselves in a local wireless radio communications network . the agents second locally wirelessly radio - communicating with the plurality of clients .
next , the same re - partitionment simultaneously beneficially conserves local radio frequency bandwidth . a client , especially a battery - powered mobile client , wirelessly communicates only with that agent to which it is electrophysically closest , normally over a distance of but a few meters . very little radio frequency power need be used and , in accordance with the present invention , is used . the communications of other clients with other agents elsewhere in the same home or business is non - interfering ( by action of agent - network - controlled agent - client communication , as will be explained ) .
the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b may also exchange their alternative wireless transmission capabilities over the first communications link .
an optional communications gateway device , also powered from the power grid , controls local wireless radio communication ( i ) between the agents upon the network and ( ii ) an external worldwide communications network ( e . g . , the internet ) .
in fig . 6 , bluetooth enabled subscriber units 601 and 603 are equipped with short - range wireless signal transceivers . the subscriber units not only detect the presence of a bluetooth - enabled and compliant mri device 605 but also send signals to the mri device 605 using the short - range wireless transceiver 210 ( as shown in fig . 2 ) with which the mri device is equipped . in such an application , the mri can determine its context with respect to the subscriber units 601 and 603 but the subscriber units 601 and 603 can also be used to control the mri 605 if the subscriber units 601 and 603 are provided with knowledge of the operation of the mri 605 by way of an equipment or device profile .
to avoid looking suspicious , those involved in the alleged data theft might have turned to a widely available gadget because the basic data transfer capabilities would have been built in and it would need minimal tweaking to get working . many phone and pda users regularly swap data , such as contact details or images , via bluetooth short - range radio or via infra - red .
long before cell phones , the cia ' s office of technical service was developing what it called a short - range agent communications systems or srac . when two officers communicated securely with each other using a srac device , they didn ' t need to risk being spotted in the same location , melton and wallace explain in
spycraft .
an early srac device from the 1970s had code names like “discus
and “buster ,
and resembled a large calculator and contained a keyboard with a stylus for punching in 256 characters , wallace said . using “burst transmissions ,
these systems allowed agents to transmit messages across about a quarter - mile range , communicating in bursts through coded messages that were automatically deciphered and displayed . although the signal could potentially be intercepted , this communication technique represented a significant advancement in tradecraft . “this meant that you didn ' t have to meet an agent to get information ,
wallace said . “you could actually transmit it in real time .
17 . a two - tier wireless communications system characterized in that a plurality of communication agents al - alo first locally wirelessly radio - communicate between themselves to such extent as wireless connectivity in a local wireless radio communications network permits , the first locally wirelessly radio - communicating transpiring in a first communications tier separate from any other communications tier , with each agent al - alo second wirelessly radio - communicating with one or more uniquely associated clients c1 - c4 to such extent as wireless connectivity in a local wireless radio communications network permits , the second wirelessly radio - communicating transpiring in a second communications tier separate from the first and from any other communications tier ; and plurality of clients c1 - c4 each locally wirelessly radio - communicate in a local wireless radio communications network to one or more associated agents a1 - a10 , only , with no communication transpiring to any un - associated ones of the plurality of agents a1 - a10 , this locally wirelessly radio - communicating transpiring in the second communications tier ; wherein the plurality of communication agents a1 - a10 are self - organizing to produce a communications mesh while each of the plurality of clients c1 - c4 is capable only of identifying , and communicating to , one or more agents a1 - a10 ; wherein the plurality of clients c1 - c4 become communicative from one to another only by communication links proceeding through one or more of the plurality of agents a1 - a10 .
fok c . l . , roman g . c . , lu c . agilla : a mobile agent middleware for self - adaptive wireless sensor networks .
with the help of wireless communications each automotive vehicle will be a unique node on the global communications network in the future . this vehicular communications network , in turn , will support interactions within the automobile , with the surrounding environment and directly with nearby vehicles . in summary analysis , using the multi - agent technology in the traffic control and guidance can effectively alleviate the problems which computing collaborative too concentrated and the computational load big . in traffic control and traffic guidance systems , its consultative mechanism can collaborate with multi - objective optimization goal conflicts .
predetermined quality threshold . the second communications link may thus be established to provide an alternative to the first communications link . another trigger may be that the amount of data to be exchanged between the first wd 2a and the second wd 2b is larger than a predetermined threshold . the second communications link may thus be established to add data resources . another trigger may be the availability of the second


kidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys , vinyl art toys and collectibles founded in 2002 by paul budnitz , specializing in artist-created toys and imports from japan , hong kong , and europe .

kidrobot also makes kidrobot mascots , which are figures of their main logo .

these figures are usually nicknamed kr ( kidrobot 's common nickname ) and the number of the mascot .

for example , the first mascot was kr1 .

some figures also have names ; for example , kr1 was called brooklyn .

in august 2008 , kidrobot collaborated with jewelry designer , tarina tarantino , to launch a limited edition jewelry line , kidrobot by tarina tarantino .

in november 2014 , national entertainment collectibles association inc. ( neca ) acquired boulder-based art toy company kidrobot .

terms were not disclosed .

artist-driven kidrobot remains headquartered in boulder , co . frank kozik , the famed concert-poster artist and creator of kid robot 's labbit vinyl toy products , joined the company as creative director in 2014 .

the company has since closed its retail stores in boulder , new york , london , and los angeles .

kidrobot

the post an important announcement to our kidrobot family… appeared first on kidrobot blog .
the post kidrobot & south park release new figures appeared first on kidrobot blog .
the post now available from kidrobot : cryogenic blue infected dunny by scott wilkowski appeared first on kidrobot blog .
looking for local retailers that carry kidrobot ? simply enter your location below to find kidrobot retailers near you . if you notice a kidrobot retailer not included in the store locator , let us know .
kidrobot recently teased this image of sketracha t - shirts , which begs the question : is kidrobot getting back into apparel ? longtime fans will remember kidrobot ' s neon hoodies and even their . . .
kidrobot is acknowledged worldwide as the premiere creator of signature apparel including clothing , hats , t - shirts and stunning accessories . shop kidrobot clothing now !
enter your city or postal / zip code to find kidrobot retailers near you .
kidrobot is closing in soho . where will labbits go ? ! - racked ny
toy maker kidrobot has been sold , and designer frank kozik will lead the company .
kidrobot is the world’s premier designer and retailer of limited edition art toys and apparel .
kidrobot boulder will say goodbye to their beloved friends , artists and fellow toy lovers with one final event . please join the entire staff of kidrobot boulder tomorrow , friday , august 8 th at 7 pm to celebrate the past , present and future of kidrobot !
in the meantime , you will continue to find kidrobot items at the amazing specialty stores throughout new york . and of course , we invite you to visit kidrobot retail locations in san francisco , los angeles , las vegas , and boulder or online at kidrobot . com .
kidrobot creates and retails limited - edition art toys , apparel and accessories . kidrobot ' s products , a cross between sculpture and conceptual art , have become a medium for international fashion designers , illustrators , and graffiti artists , merging street trends and pop art . kidrobot operates stores in new york city , san francisco , los angeles and miami . kidrobot products can also be found at numerous specialty retailers around the world and online at kidrobot . com .
here to operate feedback on the new 8″ plush guts dunny by kidrobot is our . . .
we have a big grin on our faces for this kidrobot throwback thursday by our . . .
perfect for comic con season the kidrobot x dc comics harley quinn medium art figure . . .
the post frank kozik’s labbit the barbarian screen print now available ! appeared first on kidrobot blog .
here is another kidrobot blog by our good friend chris holt aka the toy viking ! . . .
new releases of designer vinyl art toys & collectibles designed by kidrobot . shop kidrobot ' s newest art toys including dunny , munny , labbit , vinyl art toys , phunny , yummy world , signature apparel & more .
at the end of the day , doesn ' t everyone want to be a dunny ? kidrobot and luke chueh sure think so , and they ' re ready to prove it with the kidrobot . . . read more
the store is located at a prime spot— 118 prince street between wooster and greene—so it probably won ' t be long until somebody scoops it up . · dear kidrobot community . a letter from the president [ kidrobot ]
) - - feb . 28 , 2006 - - wild brain , a leading independent animation studio , today announced a majority stake acquisition of new york - based , limited edition art toy creator and pop - culture phenomenon kidrobot . wild brain and kidrobot plan to develop animated television , feature film , direct - to - video and other entertainment properties , utilizing the existing popularity of kidrobot characters and the
kidrobot style
to develop future projects .
get creative with your ‘bot design , but remember , the final artwork must still be recognizable as the kidrobot mascot .
kidrobot is the world’s premier creator and retailer of limited edition art toys , apparel and accessories . kidrobot’s limited edition products , a cross between sculpture and conceptual art , have become the perfect medium for international fashion designers , illustrators , and graffiti artists , merging street trends and pop art . kidrobot operates stores in new york city , san francisco , los angeles and miami . kidrobot products can also be found at numerous specialty retailers around the world and online at urltoken .
kidrobot is the premier creator and retailer of limited edition art toys . the toys sold at kidrobot feature urban street trends mixed with creative design and fine art to produce limited edition , collectible pieces of art . world - renowned artists design many kidrobot toys with backgrounds in graffiti art , fine art , industrial design , graphic design , illustration , and music . kidrobot operates three store - galleries , one at 126 prince street in soho , new york city , another at 1512 haight street in san francisco and a third at 1407 third street promenade in santa monica . kidrobot is also online at urltoken .
wild brain provides kidrobot with the opportunity to extend its creative energy into the world of digital animation . this is a logical next step for kidrobot , as much of our inspiration comes from animated media . wild brain is bringing cutting - edge technology and the very best production team to the mix ,
said paul budnitz , owner and founder of kidrobot .
kidrobot is thriving , thanks to you . we will continue to bring you exciting new product and the kind of experiences only kidrobot can provide in the most effective way possible . this means through a growing variety of outlets , rather than only through a few select ways . so look for us at new locations and kidrobot pop up stores in cities everywhere…even near you !
paul budnitz is the founder of kidrobot , the world ' s premiere creator of art toys , fashion apparel and accessories .
in 2006 budnitz co - designed much of kidrobot ' s acclaimed limited edition apparel line . with clothing pieces priced between $ 175 and $ 3000 , kidrobot apparel can be found in barneys new york and many other high - end retailers worldwide .
san diego comic con exclusive you say ? kidrobot will be launching the # sdcc exclusive bob ' s burgers equestranaut bob only at the # kidrobot booth # 5145 . see you there ! @ bobsburgersfox # bobcephala # vinyl # comiccon @ comic _ con urltoken
cryptid sighting . coming to full form 7 . 27 . 18 . # kidrobot # dunny # citycryptid # scotttolleson # cryptid urltoken
drop in on huge savings at all kidrobot stores and online at urltoken right now to pack your closet without emptying your wallet .
founded in 2002 , kidrobot is acknowledged worldwide as the premier creator and dealer of limited edition art toys , signature apparel , and lifestyle accessories . an innovative cross between sculpture and conceptual art , kidrobot offers not only a powerful medium for today ' s international fashion designers , illustrators , and graffiti artists , but also the creative canvas for emerging street trends and pop art . kidrobot showcases and sells its unique take on contemporary culture at specialty stores in new york , san francisco , los angeles , miami beach , boulder , and las vegas . kidrobot can also be found at numerous retailers around the world and online at kidrobot . com .
get your magic sea star this friday , july 6th 2018 . # kidrobot # nick # spongebob @ spongebob @ nickelodeon # mermaidmanandbarnicleboy urltoken
kidrobot and jordan elise collaborate to create the horrible adorables collection ! this blind box collection features strange and wonderful wonders . . . read more
want your favorite toy & collectible store to carry kidrobot ? let us know ! send us the store information and we will reach out .
budnitz has also co - designed all of kidrobot ' s retail stores and the kidrobot room bar ( within peter gatien ' s circa mega - nightclub in toronto ) . he has authored i am plastic : the designer toy explosion and i am plastic , too published by harry abrams press .
kidrobot has a long history with amanda visell , most recently working together on the 10
scaredy labbit & ferals 3
blind box mini series .
kidrobot headquarters will remain in boulder and continue to produce unique , art driven product that we and our loyal fans have a passion for . as we look to the future , kidrobot is excited to continue to bring art to life through our website , urltoken and through specialty retailers found all over the world !
unfortunately we have some sad news to announce . but it’s true…our awesome kidrobot location in miami is closing at the end of the month . this was not a fun decision , but as part of our plan to build our brand and get kidrobot in more hands in more places , we’ve made the tough decision to close our kidrobot miami location . kidrobot miami has been a fantastic store , and a real asset to the brand . the miami staff is phenomenal and have worked tirelessly to create a vibrant venue and artistic outlet in miami . from gallery shows to release parties and beyond , they have cultivated a vital community of talented artists , dedicated fans and a passionate network of customers and collectors . we thank them for their tenacity , talent and time . you are kidrobot family forever .
where would crash be without his little sister coco ? kidrobot is ready to rock with everyone ' s favorite highly intelligent and spirited bandicoot . . . read more
after an amazing decade - plus year run , our beloved kidrobot new york city location will be regretfully closing its doors at the end of this month . kidrobot new york is an iconic store , a global destination for kidrobot fans worldwide , and a tremendous asset to our brand . the incredible staff ( both past and present ) , whom we are so thankful for , engaged with a talented network of artists and a passionate community of fans and collectors that we have grown to call family .
founded in 2002 by designer paul budnitz , kidrobot is the world ' s premier creator of limited edition art toys and apparel . kidrobot creates toys , apparel , accessories , and other products in collaboration with many of the world ' s most talented artists and designers , and the company also regularly collaborates with many of the world ' s top brands to create unique limited edition items . kidrobot ' s products are the centerpieces of a global movement that exemplifies the cutting edge of both pop art and mass culture
sega and kidrobot pair up to present the sonic the hedgehog key chain series ! this blind box series celebrates the legacy of the classic sega genesis . . . read more
kidrobot introduces the street fighter v vinyl mini - figures ! this series of mini - figures features classic characters like chun - li and bison and . . . read more
mgm has tapped robert rugan to direct a film based on popular toy brand kidrobot , sources confirmed for variety . “the last airbender” producer scott aversan is producing the project .
paramount pictures has teamed with w ! ldbrain to develop a feature film based on the popular kidrobot characters for its nickelodeon movies family label , the first in a planned series of projects based on kidrobot limited edition toys . the feature film will be produced by former paramount exec scott aversano , as part of his overall production deal for the studio .
kidrobot is acknowledged worldwide as the premier creator and dealer of limited edition art toys , signature apparel and lifestyle accessories . an innovative cross between sculpture and conceptual art , kidrobot offers not only a powerful medium for today ' s international fashion designers , illustrators and artists , but also the creative canvas for emerging street trends and pop art . kidrobot toys retail anywhere from $ 5 to $ 25 , 000 , and many appreciate in value over time . our products can be found online at urltoken and in select retailers worldwide .
behold the mysterious kuba ! limited to only 1 , 300 pieces worldwide , this remarkable kidrobot kuba dunny by mike fudge 5 - inch vinyl figure presents . . . read more
kidrobot and madballs have teamed up to introduce the madballs 4 - inch foam figures ! featuring the eye ball with no focus and bloodshot veins , occulus . . . read more
andy warhol and kidrobot meet ! 8 - inch tall dunny warhol masterpiece vinyl figure . packaged in a flocked window box with a magnetic closable flap . . . . read more
kidrobot relocated to boulder from new york in 2010 . the company closed its retail stores in boulder , new york and los angeles this year . paul budnitz , who created the toys in his garage in 2002 , no longer works at kidrobot . he started budnitz bicycles in vermont in 2010 and co - founded boulder - based social network ello this year .
why just play with your madballs when you can also wear them ? madballs and kidrobot are ready to show you our pin game is strong with the madballs . . . read more
alien and kidrobot teams up to take your breath away with the alien facehugger hugme plush ! the first stage of the alien life cycle for you to hold . . . read more
alien and kidrobot teams up to take your breath away with the alien xenomorph hugme plush . the second stage of the alien life cycle for you to hold . . . read more
who ' s ready for the care bear stare from the commander of care - a - lot himself ? from kidrobot and artist tara mcpherson comes this spectacular care . . . read more
“it was impossible to explain to people what i was doing with kidrobot . people would ask , ‘are they art or are they toys ? ’ , and i’d say , ‘both . ’”
pour some extra nostalgia into your vinyl collection with the new kidrobot x nick 90 ' s green rugrats reptar medium art figure . available this friday , july 6th at 10 : 00am mst on
slide your way over to the thirsty step to celebrate the next adult swim x kidrobot wild ride ! standing at 7 - inches inches tall , rick and morty hitch . . . read more
kidrobot x south park is so excited to introduce the south park vinyl series 2 mini - figures display tray , featuring new figures of
the boys
, as . . . read more
artist - driven kidrobot will remain headquartered in boulder . frank kozik , the famed concert - poster artist and creator of kid robot’s labbit vinyl toy products , will join the company as creative director .
adult swim time ! all kids out of the pool ! ready to tackle your insomnia with a series of blind box buddies ? adult swim x kidrobot are back at it . . . read more
crash is back and that means the evil dr . neo cortex is up to his old tricks . kidrobot is ready to rock with everyone ' s favorite villain with the . . . read more
not the same store , the selection was mediocre and quite strange . this is not a store for kids . i use to visit the height mainly for kidrobot . i will not be back .
kidrobot x south park is so excited to introduce the south park vinyl series 2 mini - figures random 4 - pack , featuring new figures of
the boys
, as . . . read more
yee - haw ! crash is back and he ' s enhanced , entranced and ready to dance ! kidrobot is ready to rock with everyone ' s favorite bandicoot with the crash . . . read more
executive producers on the project are paul budnitz , president and founder of kidrobot ; bob higgins , head of creative , w ! ldbrain ; and charles rivkin , president and ceo , w ! ldbrain .
exec producers on the project are paul budnitz , president and founder of kidrobot ; bob higgins , head of creative , w ! ldbrain ; and charles rivkin , president and ceo , w ! ldbrain .
can anyone name which artist this monster is a creation of ? the city cryptid dunny mini series comes to life 7 . 27 . 18 # kidrobot # dunny # citycryptid # citycryptiddunnyseries # guesswho # scotttolleson urltoken
that combination of entrepreneurial spirit , a keen aesthetic sense and encyclopedic love for global popular culture , and a well - developed talent for hacking would characterize all of budnitz ' s future ventures , including kidrobot .
dunny is a collectible pop art toy created by kidrobot . kidrobot has released collectible dunny designer art toys featuring the art of the worlds most groundbreaking artists , graffiti artists , fashion designers and the dunny has become an iconic art platform to bring the artistry of emerging artists to the public eye with limited edition runs offered on urltoken and select retailers world - wide . browse our collection of limited edition dunnys now at urltoken .
just in time for the grand re - re - re - opening of bob ' s burgers comes the bob ' s burgers x kidrobot blind box vinyl mini series ! collect all your . . . read more
kidrobot broke some sad news on its blog today : after ten - plus years in business , the soho boutique is closing up shop . ( hat tip to an eagle eye tipster . ) the letter explains :
kidrobot and otto björnik ' s collaboration culminates today with the release of the 20 - inch reyna dunny and a brand new t - shirt design . the reyna dunny is an enormous version of björnik ' s black . . .
budnitz called upon the talents of friend tristan eaton , the illustrator he ' d worked with on his previous animated films . together they created dunny and munny , two of kidrobot ' s best selling characters . with a philosophy of collaboration , budnitz brought in dozens of other fine artists , graffiti artists , and illustrators to work on toy projects with him . kidrobot produces roughly 60 new toy projects each year and its toys are sold in thousands of stores worldwide .
i am reptar . hear me roar !
scary , isn ' t he ? yay or nay , it ' s time to take home tommy pickle ' s favorite tyrannosaurus rex . kidrobot and nickelodeon . . . read more
so the kidrobot store just opened on the beach ! if you know kidrobot , i ' m sure your going to be as excited as i was . kidrobot is a relatively new company with a massive following . think edgy , urban , designer toys and apparel . i think this is their third or fourth store and growing . they have a pretty cult - ish following and i ' m sure more people down here are going to know their name now that they just opened their miami store . most of the toys are limited edition pieces , so kidrobot gets my vote for . . .
best place to get a gift for someone who has everything !
some items can get pricey . . . but how can you put a price on art . . . wait , i mean limited edition pieces . no , i mean toys . . . no , art ! oh never mind . you guys get the idea .
the mishka dunny series may have dropped last month , but kidrobot keep bringing the goods , this time with two new t - shirt designs . a black shirt sporting l ' amour supreme ' s eyeball design and a . . .
paramount pictures has teamed with w ! ldbrain , the award - winning entertainment company that develops and produces television programming , motion pictures , commercial content and licensed merchandise , to develop a feature film based on the wildly popular kidrobot characters for its nickelodeon movies family label , the first in a planned series of projects based on kidrobot limited edition toys . the feature film will be produced by former paramount exec scott aversano , as part of his overall production deal for the studio .
my girlfriend is like a kid in a candy store in kidrobot . she wants everything . i think its the creative outlet the toys provide as a blank canvas . it is great to take inspiration from the overpriced collectibles . last time we went we ended up getting a lovely bunny with bubble gum , which i plan to paint as a cherry blossom tree . kidrobot toys have been used all around the world for exhibitions in malls and art galleries . fantastic gift for any age .
kidrobot is excited to release south park : the fractured but whole mini series & the coon 7″ medium figure ! the brand new mini series features the superhero group assembled by the coon . each mini figure stands 3″ tall and comes packaged in a … continued
the collaboration reinforces wild brain ' s commitment to becoming a leading digital animation studio and a haven for the industry ' s most talented artists and executives . budnitz will continue as both president of kidrobot and as an executive producer at wild brain animation studios .
in addition to developing projects based on kidrobot limited edition toys , w ! ldbrain produces the hit series yo gabba gabba ! , now entering its second season on nick jr . w ! ldbrain has offices in los angeles , new york , and san francisco .
well , what do you see ?
a pretty butterfly
? i see kidrobot ' s slow but sure return to the apparel game . titled
rorschach dunny ,
their newest shirt is an ink - blot - style illustration of a dunny . . .
uhm , i have always , always loved kidrobot . it basically embodies some major things i love - - good design , quirkiness , and art , in the form of figurines and keychainsssss . sooo basically being in a kidrobot store irl was super exciting for me ! ! ! it ' s fun to check out all the bizarre but awesome things so many artists end up creating and i think it represents so much of what haight is . check it outttt and bring money if you ' re like me and love these things . . . .
part art gallery , part store , if you ' re interested in art , design , toys , or are just nearby and bored ( or any combo of the above ) , be sure to stop by ! it ' s a small space but it ' s still definitely full of all the latest kidrobot merchandise and collections . i love spending time going from piece to piece and observing all the details . kidrobot designer toys can be cute , quirky , or just plain weird . i thought the workers there were really informative and happy to talk to you about any of the stuff in store . i came here specifically to buy something since kidrobot merchandise isn ' t readily available in my home town and i didn ' t want to buy online . i was really happy to see they had the item i wanted in stock .
most of all , we thank you , the kidrobot cult in miami . your support has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated . we’ll miss your boundless energy , the creativity of the local customizers , and the many artists who brought imagination and art to our miami events over the last 6 years .
your challenge is to bring kidrobot’s ‘bot to an original t - shirt design . take cues from the cheeky , fresh , hard - living , and artist - inspired style of the ' bot to create your own ' bot infused work of wearable art that will proudly hang in any scene .
budnitz has designed or art directed virtually every product created by kidrobot since the company ' s inception . budnitz ' s original creations include dunny & munny with tristan eaton , zoomies , moochypooty ( animated for wildbrain ' s brilliant yo gabba gabba on nick jr . ) , and many others .
andy warhol and kidrobot meet to create a limited edition collection of andy warhol vinyl art toys and plush based on iconic andy warhol art pieces from campbell ' s inspired art to the velvet underground banana . shop andy warhol keychains , andy warhol plush , andy warhol art figures and andy warhol collectibles .
if you are a kidrobot fan , this is a slice of nirvana . everyone in the store knows the products , understands why we collect them , and are super helpful . the same is true of the los angeles store on melrose . really great customer service . i am plastic too . . .
kidrobot turns playing with your toys into an artistic endeavor , cranking out vinyl figurines with cutting - edge flair and undecorated creatures waiting for your unique stamp to make them pop . and overseeing every sinister hop of a dunny or bare glare of a munny is their shape - shifting mascot , the ‘bot .
in 2010 , 10 dunny toys and 3 munny toys created by budnitz & eaton , with paints by various artists , were accepted into the permanent collection of the museum of modern art in new york city . kidrobot’s innovative toys were also the centerpiece of the 2008 cooper - hewitt smithsonian museum design triennial .
last week , kidrobot relaunched their store featuring their own brand new apparel collection . similar to most of their toy and figure designs , a lot of the kidrobot clothing line features playful and colorful prints , such as their logo , rainbow colors , and even their figures . the new line consists of hoodies and tees , as well as bags and fitted caps . the mob that formed in front of the store during their re - launch should signify that some of these pieces are highly sought after , especially the limited edition items . so hurry on up , if you’re trying to get your hands on some of these items .
in december 2007 , 10 dunny toys and 3 munny toys created by budnitz & eaton , with paints by various artists , were accepted into the permanent collection of the museum of modern art in new york city . kidrobot ' s innovative toys were also the centerpiece of the 2006 cooper - hewitt smithsonian museum design triennial .
last week , kidrobot relaunched their store featuring their own brand new apparel collection . similar to most of their toy and figure designs , a lot of the kidrobot clothing line features playful and colorful prints , such as their logo , rainbow colors , and even their figures . the new line consists of hoodies and tees , as well as bags and fitted caps . the mob that formed in front of the store during their re - launch should signify that some of these pieces are highly sought after , especially the limited edition items . so hurry on up , if you’re trying to get your hands on some of these items . info : freshness
from october 24 - 28 , get 25 % off selected hoodies , jackets , tees , hats , & more at all our kidrobot locations . and check us out online at urltoken from october 26 - 30 for even more outrageous bargains and astounding savings ! don’t sleep–once this sale’s over , these deals will be gone forever !
the attempt to turn the popular wildbrain - backed brand into a film began at paramount , which several years ago optioned the property with aversano the catalyst . kidrobots are branded collectible character creations . the limited - edition vinyl figures are designed by kidrobot founder paul budnitz and then painted by a group of graffiti and graphic artists and musicians . the figures , along with an apparel line , are sold in high - end stores around the country . in this franchise - hungry climate , where we are getting more teenage mutant ninja turtles , a power rangers film and a play - doh feature being molded by paul feig at fox , why not a kidrobot feature ?
shop limited edition designer vinyl and resin art toys and customs from kidrobot and artists across the world . featured artists include andy warhol , frank kozik , j * ryu , ron english , horrible adorables , amanda visell , jason freeny , mark dean veca , brandt peters , scott tolleson , jeremyville and shiffa , just to name a few .
in addition to developing projects based on kidrobot limited edition toys , w ! ldbrain produces the hit series “yo gabba gabba ! , ” now entering its second season on nick jr . and has been recognized for over a decade as a leader in animation . w ! ldbrain has offices in los angeles , new york , and san francisco .
budnitz called upon the talents of friend tristan eaton , the illustrator he’d worked with on his previous animated films . together they created dunny and munny , two of kidrobot’s best selling characters . with a philosophy of collaboration , budnitz brought in dozens of other fine artists , graffiti artists , and illustrators to work on toy projects with the brand .
aligning wild brain ' s award - winning animation with kidrobot ' s cutting - edge art and design opens up a whole new world of possibilities ,
said charles rivkin , chief executive officer of wild brain .
paul budnitz is a creative genius and a brilliant entrepreneur . we look forward to helping him realize the enormous potential of his vision .
wild brain is a sanctuary for independent artists that value creativity and innovation ,
added budnitz .
at kidrobot , we strive to elevate toys to the level of art . charlie and the wild brain team have a similar philosophy . of all the studios that have approached us about creative partnerships , we feel that wild brain is the perfect home .
mgm has tapped robert rugan to direct a film based on popular toy brand kidrobot , sources confirmed for variety . “the last airbender” producer scott aversan is producing the project . plot details are being kept under wraps , but sources say the robot - focused project will be live action — not animated . matt ember and tom astle , whose recent work consists of animated [ … ]
he recognized the quirky , intricate toys as works of popular - art that mixed many aesthetic movements he loved — including fashion , cartoons , graffiti , comics , music , and fine art . budnitz sold minidisco and sunk the proceeds into founding kidrobot in a california garage in 2002 , leveraging the technology he’d developed for his older businesses . he moved the new company to new york city in 2003 .
i feel like this kidrobot store is very similar to other kidrobot stores , except the employees are cooler , less stuck up and way friendlier . they even allowed us to take a picture of an art piece they had which they were not selling but was a collections edition art piece . they had sales . i feel like that alone qualifies the five stars aside from the sheer selection they had which i thought was better than other stores . they also had a ton of archived items which were super awesome because you couldn ' t get them anywhere else anymore . this store is centrally located in the shopping area on collins , so it ' s easy to browse and find other stores in nearby areas . it ' s also right next to a parking garage , which thankfully wasn ' t super pricey !
paul budnitz is an american artist , designer , and entrepreneur . he is well known as the founder & ceo of superplastic , the world’s premiere creator of art toys & accessories . he is also the founder of budnitz bicycles , the luxury city bicycle brand , and is co - founder of social network ello . in 2002 budnitz created the designer toy brand kidrobot ( which he sold in 2012 ) .
i collect a lot of kidrobot stuff , so naturally i decided to give kr sf a visit while i was in the area . i expected a lot from this store , rare items i can ' t get online , great customer service , great prices . a lot of what i get from the online store or dealing with the kr message board . i was sadly wrong though . the place was definitely rammed inside with tourists and collectors alike . i was hard to get a good look at all the items let alone find an employee to help out . as i searched through the store though , i found nothing out of the ordinary . there wasn ' t anything that i wasn ' t about to buy at my local retailers back home or just simply order online . also i noticed the prices were fairly high for non kidrobot stuff . there were a few kaws pieces and they were marked up significantly higher than normal . overall if you ' re a hardcore kidrobot fan there ' s nothing really any different at this location other than the fact there are a few giant dunny and labbit sculptures throughout the store . also there are opportunities to visit signings by artists and things like that . unfortunately none of that was going on when i was in sf , but maybe next time !
i love this place . chance is the name of the game at kidrobot . you never know what toy you are going to get because it is random with each box . i been collecting the bunny ' s and i got the one with a knife in its back super rare ! as lucky as i might have been , i have seen the opposite . i saw a grown man cussing and screaming
why , why , why , i already have this one .
he demanded they take it back , but they do not do that at kidrobot . another collection i love is
the things that hurt
zipper pull collection . i got the gun zipper pull and use to wear in on my pants zipper . the girlfriend hated it , but i thought it was hilarious . as an adult , it definitely brings me back to my childhood or is it i never grew up ? not sure .
he recognized the quirky , intricate toys as works of popular - art , pieces that mixed many aesthetic movements he loved - - including fashion , cartoons , graffiti , comics , music , and fine art . budnitz sold minidisco and sunk the proceeds into founding kidrobot in a california garage in 2002 . leveraging the technology he ' d developed for his older businesses and moved the new company to new york city in 2003 , and then to boulder , co in 2010 .
i don ' t think there ' s a single thing to dislike about kidrobot . the novel combination of gambling and collectibles is sure to lure you in with a ravenous fury . my girlfriend ' s sister has been a fan of kidrobot for some time , but this was my first time actually going into the store and understanding what takes place . the sister took the lead , and marched us into the store . there are larger , and rarer collectibles available straight for purchase , but the main draw are the small boxes filled with random collectibles in a given line . some of the more recognizable series include the simpsons and futurama , but there ' s an array of other cute , strange , scary , and straight messed - up collections . i quickly got into the feel of the shop , and purchased a futurama collectible . opened the box , and got leela . but . . . but she looked so lonely . about 2 minutes later , i was back to the counter to buy another box - this time i got bender . i kept eyeing the boxes , tempted to buy more , but my wallet wouldn ' t let me at the time ( each box is about $ 10 - cheap , but i don ' t have the money to buy 20 boxes and hope for the best ) . i ' m sure this isn ' t the last time i ' ll be stopping by a kidrobot .
so they have a kid robot on haight in sf . . but here i am , going all across the nation to miami beach and buying stuff from this location . . why ? idk - i ' m a retard . . my husband and i love kidrobot ' s adult toy collection figurines munny - whatever you want to call them . depending on the collection you pay around 6 - 8 for a blind assortment . you pick a box and according to the odds on the box you get some awesome character to showcase on your desk or bookshelf . it totally reminds me of digging into the cereal box for a prize at the bottom . i love the smorkin labbit and munny dolls that you can draw on . i also love their plush yummy breakfast dolls . . the clothing is quirky and super fun looking , but too kiddie for my taste . lets just say kidrobot is random , creative and fantastic . this is not a place to bring toddlers - its not a kid ' s toy store , its an adult toy store - no sexual reference intended
i ' ve been a fan of kidrobot since the beginning and it was sad to see the store closed . i thought woot bear would be a good substitute , but after my first visit , it was just not the same . the store is small and just empty . i understand they want to keep things simple and clean , but there was nothing to buy . here ' s my wallet , i want to spend $ , but there were barely anything to browse . i guess i ' ll just have to shop online now .
exclusive : mgm has acquired the film rights to kidrobot , a collectible art - toy company , and the film company has hired matt ember & tom astle to write the script for a film that will mix animation and live action . they are coming off the dreamworks animation hit home . the film will be produced by scott aversano . the producer and scribes also worked together on the paramount film failure to launch , which starred matthew mcconaughey and sarah jessica parker . the writers’ other credits are get smart and the chris wedge - directed epic .
kidrobot is excited to announce their new line of collectibles , phunny ! not dunny , but phunny , a line of 8” squishable plush figures featuring creeps , monsters and frights . the first wave of phunny has a few familiar creatures you may remember from the 80’s . you may want to avoid feeding them after midnight , getting them wet , and exposing them to light . gizmo , stripe and mohawk are the first to join the phunny line and will soon be available at your favorite toy retailers in august . each plush figure will retail $ 16 . 99 a piece .
for the young to old , highly skilled to first - timers , each munny is a blank 3d canvas , ready for scribbling , painting , dressing up , and designing into whatever your imagination desires . this customizable figure is available in a variety of sizes , colors and styles , with some including fun accessories such as reusable markers or heroic stickers , making this the perfect artistic canvas for everyone from kids to professional artists . the essence of creation lies within . kidrobot’s munnyworld is a one - of - a - kind design experience that lets you create your own art toy !
kidrobot is probably one of the best toy makers in the business right now along with funko . this store even sells some funko products ! it ' s a very unique toy store and they really have some of the best quality figures you can find in the bay area . there is always a constant flux of new products so you might need to come here often if you ' re looking for a particular line . service is friendly and they really know their stuff . if you ' re a toy collector and are in sf , you need to check this place out .
as we scout our new location and go through this transition we want to thank all of you for your past , present and future support . we thank the fans and collectors that only new york can bring . we thank the committed artists and customizers who give of their time and talent and who have grown to be mentors and teachers . we thank the local partners , sponsors , and collaborators whose relationship and camaraderie we value working with . we could not be here without you and we will continue to bring you exciting new art , products and brands as well as the kind of experiences that only kidrobot can deliver .
only one word to describe kidrobot - one of the coolest store in the district with a distinct character , haight - ashbury . for those of us who grew up with the ninja turtles , futurama , simpsons , family guy , and gundams . this place has all the nostalgia and more . a store doubles a museum , one can spend hours in here peeking through the glass cabinets to find high quality figurines with flawlessly detailed paintwork . on my most recent expedition , i found the butters paladin from south park ' s stick of truth game . score ! having one of these guys being the resident of a corner of the room definitely adds something rocketeeriness to the atmosphere .
upon taking pictures of the storefront i was asked by another customer
are you a fan of kid robot
. . . . am i a fan ? words cannot explain my dorky inclinations to this store . in hawaii we don ' t have kidrobot or any other vinyls store , so when i get to stop by here i become like a kid in a candy store . pure excitement is flowing through my veins upon walking in and seeing the showcases of dunny ' s , labbits , blind boxes , and so on . i also noticed they had a impressive series of teenage mutant ninjas and marvel munny ' s , which i couldn ' t help but to buy a whole bunch . the selection of clothes is awesome , not a lot but what they do have is pretty sick . they have clothes for mostly mens but they do carry a few pieces for women ' s , kid ' s , and baby ' s . to my surprise there was a good selection of clothes that was on sale , i ended up buying a nice mens sweater for half the original price . everything is neatly displayed and organized , so things are easily accessible . which is unfortunate for those such as myself who lack self control in kidrobot and end up buying a ton of things they don ' t need . so if you ' re into pop art , street art , vinyls , japanese inspired trinkets , etc , then kid robot is definitely the place to go .
kidrobot is a dream for people like me , who love anime , comics , comfort tv , superheroes , scary - cute things , food personified , and mashups of any and / or all of the above . i wish the inventory would turn over a little faster - - often times i go months between visits and they still have mostly the same items . but i can usually count on them to have a new dunny series every few visits . dunnys are great , because the detail on many of them is striking , and at 3
you can collect dozens of them and they don ' t take up very much space . i ' m glad that they decided to keep this one open ( or rather , spin it off to someone who kept it open ) when almost all the other ones have been closed . fingers crossed .
not much by way of clothing but there are loads of
artwork
for sale . definitely a niche market . i used to subscribe to their email group , but opted out of the membership a few years ago . it ' s rare to come across a kidrobot store , so when walking along collins and noticing the store front , i was compelled to walk in . i knew that the clothing was going to be overpriced . yes , it ' s cool looking , but it ' s also not sophisticated . t - shirts in general aren ' t sophisticated as a genre . it ' s a cool spot to purchase a little gift for your hipster friend . they ' ll love it , obsess over the genre for a few months , and then be over it . but at least you kept them occupied for a while . . .
amanda visell grew up with a crazy love for vintage disney . mousketeers , war era cartoons , a different time . she spent her teens in the pacific northwest during the riot grrl music movement and was captivated by the large community of independent artists and their overall message of equality . she moved to los angeles to pursue a career in visual development for animation , eventually becoming a designer and sculptor on stop motion segments for shows like the simpsons and the feature film elf . her career took a sharp turn when she started showing her paintings publicly . since 2005 she has exhibited her work , lectured , and taught workshops at galleries and museums internationally ( not just canada ) . she has partnered with brands to develop product lines based on her artwork including disneyland u . s . a and kidrobot . in 2007 she formed her own design brand , switcheroo with notable artist michelle valigura . she currently lives in northern los angeles with chickens and dogs , she did not go to college .
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dia’s terminal is in for more than 3 years of construction . here’s how it will play out , and what to expect .
national entertainment collectibles association inc . subsidiary kr purchase has acquired boulder - based art toy company kid robot . terms were not disclosed .
noah colbert is kind of an expert on clinical trials . he ' s participated in many over the 12 years of his life . he admits he likes the gift cards he gets in return — he used a recent payment to buy a laptop so he could play fortnite during his daily lung therapy — but he also likes the idea of . . .
at the time sharon magness blake ' s first husband , tele - communications inc . founder bob magness , died in 1996 , she estimates they had a ranch with about 900 arabian horses .
the university of northern colorado will soon be led by a 50 - year - old expert in hotel management who aims to extend a welcoming hand to anyone who wants to help raise the profile and steady colorado ' s fiscally challenged underdog university .
residents near rocky mountain metropolitan airport say they ' re fine with noise from slurry bombers that land and take off from the airport to assist in fighting wildfires across colorado .
more importantly , we are human . we are a group of dreamers who want to create a space where art , design and surprise meet . in a store . on our website . in a conference room . or living room . where the conversations about art and design take place . but it ' s the element of surprise - the nod , the magic - that finds its way into all we do , which creates our point of difference . it keeps things interesting , making people want to stick around to see what ' s next .
between artists and collectors . parents and kids . stores and shoppers . between one another . about new products . emerging artists . the backstory behind a creation . we get people talking . we get them excited . we bring art to life .
that feeling when you come across something new , unexpected , shocking , offbeat . a raw reaction that drives you to keep exploring and discovering - it ' s pure childlike wonder that you can experience over and over . we want to make you react . positive or negative , but never indifferent .
boulder goes out in style with a special signing and toy release with san diego based artist colus ! the impundulu , a 7 - inch resin figure comes to life here in boulder with an early release of 20 figures . these eye - catching , beautiful pieces do not deviate from the strong , crisp black and white work we have all come to love from colus . the impundulu deserves a spot in your collection next to the hunted dunny and the harvester dunny and can be yours for $ 150 !