There have been rumors for month s now that Google was planning something big in robotics. And according to an article in the New York Times, Google is funding a major new robotics group. Andy Rubin, the engineer who spearheaded the development of Android at Google, is leading this new robotics effort at the company. Although he did not unveil details f the project, he talked about Google's recent acquisitions of seven robot companies.

Among the companies are Schaft, a small team of Japanese roboticists who recently left Tokyo University to develop a humanoid robot, and Industrial Perception, a start-up here that has developed computer vision systems and robot arms for loading and unloading trucks. Also acquired were Meka and Redwood Robotics, makers of humanoid robots and robot arms in San Francisco, and Bot & Dolly, a maker of robotic camera systems. Autofuss, which focuses on advertising and design, and Holomni, a small design firm that makes high-tech wheels, were acquired as well.

These companies companies are capable of creating technologies needed to build a mobile robot.

We're curious about what Google is actually working on. The company's robotics group will be based in Palo Alto.