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Intelligent Mobile Robots |
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Mobile Robotics
Robochair
Robochair
project is a mobile
robotics open platform
for Assistive Technology applications. In other words, Robochair aims
to be an open framework for future assistive applications
and wheelchair-based robotics developments. It has been
developed as add-on
module for commercial powered wheelchairs. Its design is
highly modular
and based in open standards for easy extension, robust and low
cost
enough to be affordable to the most of people with disabilities.
Environment sensing and information processing are done by means of low cost sensors and small form factor single board computer (SBC). The coupling between environment constraints (detected obstacles and target to reach) and wheelchair’s power module is implemented by using the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus which is a standard in the automotive industry and other kind of vehicles.
The Robochair system is developed around Player robotics framework and implements all the components needed to be fully Player compatible. This way third-party Player developers' source code could be run in Robochair. In addition, and from hardware developers point of view, Robochair defines a low level communication interface based in CANopen, that allows the interoperability and exchangeability among third-party robotics devices.
Lego Mindstorm NXT
Building
upon the success of the globally-renowned Robotics Invention
System, the next generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS makes it quicker and
easier for robot creators to build and program a working robot in just
30 minutes. Simultaneously, new technologies and expanded sensor
capabilities add a level of sophistication to excite and challenge more
experienced robot creators.
The heart of the new system is the NXT brick, an autonomous 32-bit LEGO microprocessor that can be programmed using a PC, or for the first time in the retail offering, a Mac. After building their robots, users create a program within easy-to-use yet feature-rich software, powered by LabVIEW from National Instruments.
Downloading programs to an invention is easy. Users with Bluetooth®-enabled computer hardware can transfer their programs to the NXT wirelessly, or anyone can use the included USB 2.0 cable to connect their computer to the NXT for program transfer. The robot then takes on a life of its own, fully autonomous from the computer. The inclusion of Bluetooth technology also extends possibilities for controlling robots remotely, for example, from a mobile phone or PDA.
"When LEGO MINDSTORMS launched, we fundamentally changed
the way people
viewed LEGO building and play and helped spark the trend of affordable
and attainable consumer robotics," says Jørgen Vig
Knudstorp,
CEO, LEGO Group. "Eight years later, we’re ready to improve
upon
the single best-selling product in the company’s history.
We’ve developed the new toolset with expanded components and
capabilities to challenge our existing community of dynamic fans.
Meanwhile, the system’s new software, design and 30-minute
quick-start program are geared toward recruiting a new, younger
generation of robotics enthusiasts."
iRobot Create
Out-of-the-box
programming capabilities: No assembly is required to start controlling
iRobot Create. Send it commands from a computer or add the fully
programmable iRobot Command Module for onboard control.
Open-access payload bay: An accommodating payload bay makes iRobot Create an open platform for adding off-the-shelf sensors, actuators, and 3rd party electronics.
Reliable design: iRobot Create won’t fall apart after all your hard work. Based on the iRobot Roomba® Vacuuming Robot platform, iRobot Create has been extensively tested for reliability and durability.
Content is available under GNU Free Documentation License 1.2
Copyright © 2008 irobotics.org