A Robot to Call Your Very Own
Dateline: May 18, 1997
LAST week we discussed robots as a key element of the bodily extensions for Machina sapiens. This week, we'll look at some (relatively) inexpensive mobile robots available "off the shelf" today, and try to discern from the vendors' literature what they can do, where you can get them, and how much they cost. For now we will only look at what I will call "home and lab use" robots, leaving industrial-strength robots for a later date. Also left out, for now at least, are fixed robotic arms and other appendages.
This selection, from just three vendors chosen entirely at random, is clearly not meant to be exhaustive, and there are bound to be many fine and popular products not mentioned here. To create a complete catalog of robots would be a big undertaking, and besides, the Web itself is already a catalog. Check out the Robotics section of the Resource List for more links to robotics manufacturers.
The samples below range in price
from $95 for a simple "mouse" to $33,000 for something vaguely reminiscent
of C-3PO from
the Star Wars movie.
Trilobot Mobile Robot
"The
Trilobot mobile robot combines the latest in microcontroller and sensor
technology with a strong, lightweight frame to create an affordable, rugged
platform. Perfect for research in artificial intelligence, artificial life,
autonomous navigation, robotics technology, and even maze competition.
High-level commands can be sent to the Trilobot's on-board controller from a PC using a serial (RS-232) interface. The user can place a laptop computer on the upper deck of the robot or communicate via wireless data links. The user can then control the Trilobot using any terminal program or by using popular programming languages such as C, BASIC or Pascal. Controllers can be daisy chained together for unlimited expansion capability. The simple two-letter command structure makes programming quick and efficient."
Price: US$1900.00
Lynxmotion
"This
5 axis arm delivers fast, accurate and repeatable movement. The kit includes
all hardware, structural components, base housing, 6 Hitec standard servos,
a MiniSSC servo controller kit with adapter PC board, Quick Basic software
and a professionally illustrated assembly manual. Requires a host PC or
microcontroller to issue commands. The Lynxmotion Robotic Arm Kit makes
a great teaching aid. The mobile version adds another level of excitement.
The kit includes everything mentioned above with the addition of hardware,
heavy duty base, 2 Hitec standard servos, 2 wheels and caster. Requires
a host PC, single board computer or microcontroller to issue commands.
This makes a great foundation to add various sensors to create a full featured
robot. The Mobile Arm Kit is great for artificial intelligence experiments."
Mobile Arm Kit (5 axis): US$250.00
Assembled: US$400.00
"Don't
confuse this with toy line trackers, this kit comes with a programmable
microcontroller. The kit includes all hardware, structural components,
2 Hitec standard servos, a Counterfeit Basic Stamp microcontroller kit
with adapter PC board, Basic software and a professionally illustrated
assembly manual. Requires a host computer to program the Basic Stamp. Can
be used to do line tracking, light following, robot art, maze solving etc."
Micromouse Kit: US$95.00
Assembled: US$195.00
"The
Hexapod Walker Kit really walks. It uses the alternating tripod gate. This
kit includes all hardware, structural components, 3 Hitec standard servos,
a Counterfeit Basic Stamp microcontroller kit with adapter PC board, Basic
software and a professionally illustrated assembly manual. Requires a host
computer to program the Basic Stamp. Can be used to do simple artificial
intelligence experiments as well as obstacle course navigation. The robot
can walk forward, backwards and turn on a dime left or right."
Hexapod Walker Kit: US$150.00
Assembled: US$250.00
"The
Hexapod II Kit, nicknamed "The Beast"is a real monster. The assembled chassis
is readfor your servo controller and battery pack, so you can start your
experiments right away, or you can use 2 Mini SSC servo controllers and
a Basic Stamp II for a full featured robot. The kit will include all hardware,
structural components, 12 Hitec standard servos, Basic software examples
and a professionally illustrated assembly manual. It will require a host
computer or microcontroller for control. It can be used to do complex artificial
intelligence experiments as well as obstacle course navigation. The robot
can walk forward, backwards and turn left or right with many different
walking gaits."
Hexapod II Walker Kit: US$375.00
Assembled: US$475.00
Real World Interface
For
the seriously rich tinkerer, there are the B14 and B21 from RWI. "The B21
and B14 robots are the bread and butter of RWI's intelligent mobile robotics
products. They are architecturally similar and share many features and
options: Both are round (14" or 21" diameter, respectively), use synchronous
drives (3- and 4-wheel, respectively) coupled with integral dead reckoning
and automatic rotation-axis indexing (homing) technologies for highly accurate
motion and positioning control, and both come with a 360-degree array of
tactile (full-body bump protection!), IR, and sonar sensors mounted on
Smart Panel™ doors that surround and protect, yet provide easy,
tool-less access to the robot's internal components. 
The B14 and B21 robots carry one to three internally and externally networked (Ethernet) and integrated onboard computers with specially shock-mounted hard drives running the Unix-like, 32-bit, multitasking, multiuser Linux operating system to carry out your most demanding robotics tasks.
Both robots are designed for strength and rugged endurance, even with full payload, and come with ample battery power to run the onboard systems autonomously for hours. With a special Power Station, the robots never need to be powered down, and their batteries may be hot-swapped for continuous, nearly uninterrupted autonomous operation.
Of course, that's not all: Both the B14 and B21 come bundled with RWI's BeeSoft foundation software--open systems software based on state-of-the-art client/server architecture, as formulated and developed in collaboration with robotics researchers around the world. BeeSoft servers manage the rudimentary essentials of Bxx mobile robotics components and accessories, including drive and sensor control, integration, and processing. BeeSoft comes complete with C software libraries and source code upon which you build your sophisticated applications, as well as some advanced robotics applications, such as Sebastian Thrun's RHINO project. What's more, because they are operationally and functionally similar, software developed for the B14 will run on the B21, and the reverse, with little or no redevelopment effort."
Price: B14 starts at about US$19,000
B21 starts at about US$33,000
Enough pictures. You'll get spoiled.
Until
next week,
NEXT WEEK: Get an (Artifical) Life! ALife, as afficionados call it, offers fascinating insights and perspectives on many aspects of AI, from robotic behavior to evolutionary principles. We'll give it the broad brush treatment, with a view to revisiting specific areas of ALife research and development in future articles.