Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Palm Powered Robots, Again

Posted by michael on from the berserker dept.

Okay, we give up. Even though we ran this story a few months ago, it seems that Reuters has picked it up and slathered it all over the world, and now everyone is submitting this New! Improved! Palm Pilot Robot. Read the current story anywhere that has a Reuters feed. The design was purchased by a company called Acroname, which has a few neat pictures on their website. Personally, I'm putting in my application to be Goodlife as soon as possible.

3 of 48 comments (clear)

  1. $300 too much? try these by studboy · · Score: 3
    For what you're getting, $300 isnt bad. If you want something cheaper, or prefer to build your own, check these resources:
    • Skatebot - A Cheap Fun Development Platform
      Robert Jordan hacks up a toy to use as a robot base.
    • "Build Your Own Robot!" (book), by Karl Lunt
      excellent book discusses mid-level robotics. Practical robots made from everyday components are featured in a realistic manner.
    • FirstBot
      Good discussion, with in-depth instructions on building a few robots from simple materials.
    Basically you cant build much of anything under $100, and the Acroname bot is much better (more sophisticated, more professional-looking, more $) than the others -- it all depends on what you want to do with it. The Palm offers a small display and input device, plus a bit of memory. For debugging, this is a big deal! Alas it cant control motors etc directly, that's why you need a PIC or Atmel or the special-purpose SV203 chip.
  2. Weren't the plans for this free before? by Omicron · · Score: 4

    Wow, $300. That's unbelievable, when you consider if you check out this page it's got the part's list and the prices the guy got them for. You get a whole $40 off if you buy the "bare bones" kit from this company. You'd be better off building your own from scratch with the plans that you can find at the site of the guy who originally built it.

  3. Credit is due by male · · Score: 5

    It's kind of pathetic that reuters never mentions who created this monster.

    Greg Reshko made this when i was still in high school with him. He wasn't even a cmu student then, although he was working with the robotics department. This kid deserves more credit than the blurb '...developed at Carnegie Mellon University ...'

    Give greg another pat on the back, and if you are a cute girl in pittsburgh give him a call, i think he is still lonely.

    JustinC
    -- note: greg: it's now official, you owe me lunch.