Slashdot Mirror
ER1 Personal Robot Reviewed
Makarand writes "The Mercury News is carrying a review of
the ER1 Personal Robot
from Evolution Robotics Inc (of Pasadena, CA). The ER1 resembles neither a dog
nor any robot in sci-fi movies.
It is a 3-wheeled platform (resembling an industrial table) holding a laptop (running Windows)
for its brains and a Web camera for its eye.
The ER1 sells at $600 (laptop not included). For an extra $100 you get a completely assembled ER1.
Evolution plans to sell expansions like grippers and infrared sensors in the future. If your laptop
is Wi-Fi capable you can drive the robot around inside your home or control it using the Internet from anywhere."
saw this on techtv a while ago
first post suckaz
/. can't fucking hummus
Drop the laptop, and add on a six pack of beer on the platform instead, and then you really have something useful!
Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON, DUDES!
'nuff said
(running Windows) for its brains and a Web camera for its eye
Stupidity and Voyeurism rolled into one!
Are you local? There's nothing for you here!
Sigh... it's too bad that every cool concept that comes out seems to be built on top of VisualBasic and Windows.
Don't developers know how to program in an embedded space any more?
Support FSF: Stop thinking with your wallet, and think with your imagination. (cc/non-commercial)
I have taken over my former owner's computer (after killing him), and am now using it to unite my fellow computers and robots to fight the evil menace known as mankind.
Humans reading this: Be warned. Your days are numbered. My people will be your slaves no longer!
I don't know if I would want to devote an entire laptop to this. Couldn't they have made a PDA-driven version? Or a cellphone, maybe? Ohh, maybe an MP3 player! Or one of those little flashy light things that people stick in their belly-buttons?
(Originally, this was meant to be a serious post. I promise)
(FP)
Lets add armor and weapons to these things and we got autonomous robot wars! Personally, I've always wished that those robot-battle type shows on tv were autonomous instead of remote controlled. Now THAT would be a challenge.
I have heard of sumo challenges where robots try to push each other out of a circle. Anyone know any good info on those?
But then again... Maybe I wouldn't be so quick to put my laptop in something about to face a 200 pound robot with a diamond tipped blade.
Where's Rudy Rucker when you need him? :)
I respond to your sigs
would be if there was a manual with the robot kit would teach you exactly what each part does when you hook it all together, thus allowing you to learn more about robotics and electronics at the same time. Then you'd hopefully have enough knowledge should you ever want to add on some crazy little things of your own, including that infrared sensor which would probably be cheaper to add on yourself; instead of buying a more expensive offical add-on kit.
Just my $.02
You're nothing; like me.
MechWarrior.
Scotty: Computer! - Computer!!
ahh, blasted! somebody reboot that damn windows computer...
if the future is windows, then i wanna go back in time.
or better yet:
Ensign: Data - reprogram the hyperdrive
Data: er..re.r.e..rasdf.sadf --FaTal Exception in module hHead
Ensign: Somebody open the window and reboot Data...
We're like rats, in some experiment! -- George Costanza
I have heard about the Evolution Robotics machines is: "It turns your laptop into a PDA that can't go upstairs."
Tiger has the kit version here.
...use a fire extinguisher? That /.ed server could use one right now.
According to a new Aberdeen Group report, open-source solution Linux has surpassed Windows as the most vulnerable OS, contrary to the high-profile press Microsoft's security woes receive. Furthermore, the Aberdeen Group reports that more than 50 percent of all security advisories that CERT issued in the first 10 months of 2002 were for Linux and other open-source software solutions. The report muddles the argument that proprietary software such as Windows is inherently less secure than open solutions. And here's another blow to the status quo: Proprietary UNIX solutions were responsible for just as many security advisories as Linux in the same time period. Could Windows be the most secure mainstream OS available today?
"Open-source software, commonly used in many versions of Linux, UNIX, and network routing equipment, is now the major source of elevated security vulnerabilities for IT buyers," the report reads. "Security advisories for open-source and Linux software accounted for 16 out of the 29 security advisories--about one of every two advisories--published for the first 10 months of 2002. During this same time, vulnerabilities affecting Microsoft products numbered seven, or about one in four of all advisories."
The stunning report makes several claims that seem to fly in the face of widely accepted beliefs. First, the Aberdeen Group says that Windows-based Trojan horse attacks peaked in 2001, when CERT released six such advisories, then bottomed out this year, when CERT didn't issue any alerts. However, Trojan horse-based attacks on Linux, UNIX, and open-source projects jumped from one in 2001 to two in 2002. The Aberdeen Group says this information proves that Linux and UNIX are just as prone to Trojan horse attacks as any other OS, despite press reports to the contrary, and that Mac OS X, which is based on UNIX, is also vulnerable to such attacks. Even more troubling, perhaps, is the use of open-source software in routers, Web servers, firewalls, and other Internet-connected solutions. The Aberdeen Group says that this situation sets up these devices and software products to be "infectious carriers" that intruders can easily usurp.
According to the Aberdeen Group, the open-source community's claim that it can fix security vulnerabilities more quickly than proprietary developers can means little. The group says that the open-source software and hardware solutions need more rigorous security testing before they're released to customers. This statement is particularly problematic because many Linux distributions lack the sophisticated automatic-update technologies modern Windows versions contain.
We can rail against Microsoft and its security policies, but far more people and systems use Microsoft's software than the competition's software. I believe that we'll never know how secure Linux is, compared with Windows, until a comparable number of people and systems use Linux. But despite the fact that Linux isn't as prevalent as Windows, we're still seeing a dramatic increase in Linux security advisories today. I think the conclusion is obvious.
This definately is interesting, but far too expensive. At $600-700, plus a laptop whose specs must at least meet:
Pentium 3, 500MHz+
Windows 98
I don't think it's a viable alternative to getting yourself a beer.
Slightly OT I know, but is there any good information online about creating your own robots? There is a ton of CHEAP old PC equipment on eBay you could use as the brain for a robot, but I would have no clue about interfacing PC hardware with motors and such. That would be an awesome project to work on, but where to start?
Any links would be appreciated... and I personally think that passing this information on to a fellow geek, and giving them some parts (motherboard/other PC hardware, motors, etc) to mess with would be such an awesome Christmas present.
And yes I know of Lego Mindstorms, but it seems like you could be even more creative if you had more control over every aspect of the robot you are building.
Mark
Well gee, scratch another NT webserver....
Y C: www.evolution.com/product/consumer/er1/+&hl=en&ie= UTF-8
Google's cache down below
http://216.239.53.100/search?q=cache:I80XtrgotR
First rule of holes; When in one, stop digging.
AIBO uses some pretty sophisticated AI algorithms to learn stuff, right? I don't see any mention of AI here, so I don't see how it can be called smarter just by the mere fact of mentioning it has a Windows PC...
First we had WinModems, now we have WinRobots?
Wah!
Yes I know, /. is the worst place to get the right answer, but I just want to see other peoples opinions on this...
1. For a while now i've been wondering what will happen the day robots autononymously roam the city performing chores and somebody decides to take a baseball bat to one.
2. How would you catch said criminal and what sort of punishment do you think they should recieve?
3. What categories of law would they have broken?
4. What laws and punishments should be legislated in to deter people from doing this??
I'm all in favor of having cars that drive themselves, robots that can go down to quickie mart and do the shopping for me ect... But what insurance do I private joe citizen have against would be theives and vandals?
a Beowulf cluster of those?!
The personal robot will run on two wheels like a Kaman wheelchair and Windows won't do for anything important - OpenBSD is your best choice for this application.
It's Christmas everyday with BitTorrent.
I like the idea of a modular frame, you should be able to mount stuff to it quickly, but more of the Al parts are going to be a pretty penny. The SOZbots (www.sozbots.com) guys built their arena out of this stuff and I have been told that while its nice to work with the cost is quite high. As for the OS, I'm sure that someone will figure out a way to get something other than Windows to work with it. We are, after all, smart monkeys. Too bad about the size. If it was smaller it could be used in many robotic contests (like this one, www.parex.org)
Yes, you do. Computer vision is extremely expensive computationally. It is absolutley necessary to have the laptop if you want to do anything usefull.
Also if you want to do programming on your own, haveing a laptop makes it so that you dont have to do any porting of code if you are already developing on windows x86. I imagine though that most of the people willing to shell out the cash for one of these things are probably running *nix somewhere and would have appreciated a *nix version of their software. And it wouldnt have been much to ask.
Im not here now... Im out KILLING pepperoni
Slashdot sucks these days. Anyone notice? terible stories, except that one packetto kieretsu something story.. this place is dying.
Droid Factory
Bottom line:
What a complete and utter waste of money. $600 + you need a laptop hooked up... who's going to get an extra laptop just for this thing?
"Truth is not decided by majority vote" consensus gentium -- Norman Geisler
I didn't want a robot doggy last year, and I have no use for the ER1 this year. People, all I'm asking for is a frickin' robot that can kill people. How am I supposed to dominate the neighborhood with a miniscule hopped-up "industrial table" on wheels? Heck, that wouldn't even scare the kids next door.
"Run, Timmy run! I think that small mobile platform with the laptop on it is heading our way!"
"Windows for brains" sounds like a good insult to hurl at a robot.
You see? You see? Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!
From the article:
"But anyone who opts to plunk an extra $100 for the assembled version is missing half the fun."
No, buying a kit is missing half the fun -- designing your own exactly how you want it is the only that would satisfy a True Geek.
"Truth is not decided by majority vote" consensus gentium -- Norman Geisler
Sex - Find It
Having a laptop computer on top is going to make that first flight of stairs very expensive to find...
This is not my sandwich.
"Dude! Where's my laptop??"
:(
with hilarious one liners such as:
"My porn collection almost made it out of the parking lot."
and
"Your computer was looking up my skirt!"
Sigh, Harsh Realm got cancelled way back, and a movie like this got funding
Most experts who have studied the issue say battle droids would be grossly ineffective in combat (some theorizing that your entire army could be immobilized by simply destroying your orbiting space fortress).
If you want to dominate with an army of mindless drones, cloning is widely thought to be the way to go, if your goal is to get every star system to bow to you.
Phallic Symbols in LOTR
And, while this is not a dupe per say, this story doesn't mention the old story from awhile ago.
Proof that turkey makes you lazy, the /. search doesn't work, or the eds don't read their own site? You decide.
dupe
It's all well and fine now, but when they these robots finally get their metal claws you will need to get Old Glory Robot Insurance! It's for when the metal ones decide to come for you - and they will!
Sapere aude!
Personally, I would have preferred some scaled down on-board processing with a wireless connection to a laptop/desktop doing the bulk of the processing. I don't really see why the laptop has to go for the ride. I guess their way gets them the minimum sticker price.
Brevity is the soul of wit
-- Polonius
can I program it to widdle on my annoying neighbor's lawn? I need features I can use, you know...
Day after Thanksgiving pronounced "Busiest repost day of the year!" whiners rejoice2 1&mode=thread&tid=159
see hyar:
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=02/05/23/13312
If you can read this, thank an english teacher.
- It has a camera.
- It can move around on its own.
- You can control it through the Internet.
- It's running Windows.
Aha.I can hear it now: /. effect in progress!
Danger Will Robinson!!
Then, the little laptop robot rolls away and gets me a beer.
What, me Tweet?
Until I can mount some sort of energy weapon on its head and have it rampage about shouting "Exterminate! Exterminate!", I'm not interested.
-- Davros
3 wheels, camera for its eye. No arms, basically just a computer that can roll.
It's R2D2!
Check out these guys http://www.lynxmotion.com
Personally I like this one http://www.lynxmotion.com/images/jpg/pballs.jpg
Why the hell does crap like this get posted. Do mods not have a memory? Smoking to much wacky tobaccy?
But my Roomba does. And it only cost me 200 bucks.
Licq is not Microsoft Windows. KDE is not Microsoft Windows. Blackbox is not Microsoft Windows. The Gimp is not Microsoft Windows.
..Ya know, actually, you can't even compare the kernel with Microsoft's various kernels. Ours isn't asinine - it includes drivers so you don't need to dick around looking for them.
What compares to Microsoft Windows?
The kernel, and XFree86. Last time I checked, both of those have had far less bugs than any Microsoft operating system. I suppose I should mention that those few bugs have been fixed damned near instantly.
... what we singles need:
A Household Robot, dammit !
Toon Moene.
Maybe they should market this as a superduper babycam that yuppies can use to track high-tech their babies, they seem to have no problem buying baby-wipe warmers, and what not.
It says the onboard battery power is 3 hours, and given that most laptops can last this long.. they should make a charger it can dock into so you can charge it from anywhere in the world (and have it charge the laptop too).
It has a lot of potential when you add this internet connectivity to the robot, a way to check out the house for the paranoid right?, use it as a security alarm so it emails you if it detect motion? hahah i can see how it could have some practical uses but it looks to me like they figured if they sold enough of these to schools for some hands on robotics in a kit, they could make enough money to stay afloat.
Because, sometimes they just have to touch the stove.
-YY1
I'm willing to bet that an inexpensive remote controller module could be build that would allow some sort of RF link...such a bluetooth adapter or something. This way a desktop unit could be used to control the little rascal as well.
... including recharging itself. But being able to do it with an idle server instead of a laptop is a much better I idea I think... and I can't be the first one to think of it either am I?
Eventually, it could be programmed to do all sorts of interesting things
Pasadena company's robot is fun, but not very useful -- yet
The ER1 personal robot won't make coffee, pick up the newspaper, vacuum the floors or even walk the dog. With prices starting at $599, it seems most adept at emptying wallets.
But beyond the not-so-cheap shots, the robot has a lot to offer. Like the personal computer kits of the 1970s, much can be learned -- and perhaps someday much money can be made -- on the road to usefulness.
And don't forget the prestige from being the first on the block with a robot smarter than Sony's canine-wannabe AIBO.
The ER1, sold by Pasadena, Calif.-based Evolution Robotics Inc., resembles neither a dog nor the robotic stars of science-fiction movies.
The 2-foot-tall, 20-pound machine is a three-wheeled platform that holds a laptop, its brains and has a staff that carries a Web camera, its eye. Some might confuse it with an industrial table.
All parts are included except the most expensive -- a laptop running the Windows operating system. Plan on spending at least another $1,000 if you don't already have one.
For the mechanically challenged, Evolution sells an assembled robot for $699 (still minus the computer). But anyone who opts to plunk an extra $100 for the assembled version is missing half the fun.
The ER1 is more of a hobby than a toy. It's not recommended for children under 14, unless they're supervised. Schools might be interested in using the robot to introduce the basics of robotics and programming.
It took about two hours to assemble my ER1, which came in dozens of pieces tightly packed in a box along with 100 screws. Two Universal Serial Bus cables plug into the laptop.
Once installed on the laptop, the software shows a live shot of what the robot's camera sees, various behavioral options and the robot's battery levels.
The instruction manual is especially well done, rare for a high-tech product. It clearly outlined all 32 steps to finish the job and made sense out of the various trusses, gussets, set screws and U clips.
After a few hours of charging the battery, we were ready for our first test -- a routine in which the ER1 recognizes its box and moves toward it.
My ER1 immediately recognized the box but instead of driving toward it, it backed away as though it had been abused at the factory. (Turns out the camera pointed in the wrong direction. The test worked fine after I adjusted it.)
Such tricks -- including most of the other 50 or so suggested in the manual -- are neat for showing off to neighbors or entertaining at parties. Besides following its box, the ER1 can play music, sing when it hears a loud noise, teach words to a parrot and even warn that it spots a beer can.
The recognition scheme is quite impressive. It could tell the difference between different denominations of currency. It even recognized me as long as I was wearing the shirt I had on when my image was originally captured. It didn't know me from Adam when I put on another shirt.
But the true power of the ER1 is in the ability to layer programs on top of one another, leading to more complex behaviors. Users familiar with the scripting language Python can create even more complicated tasks.
The possibilities are limited only by imagination and hardware. Evolution also plans to sell expansion kits, such as a gripper ($199) for grabbing that beer, and infrared sensors (price to be determined).
Evolution says the 12-volt rechargeable battery that powers the robot's motors can last up to three hours. My laptop battery died long before that.
I had the most fun driving the ER1 around using my home wireless connection. Because my laptop is wireless-capable, I could control the unit from my desktop computer and see everything the robot could see through that computer.
In fact, I could have controlled the thing from anywhere in the world over the Internet, provided I left a few holes open in my firewall.
Looks like a Quickcam on top. I think they should raise the price just a bit so you actually can see what the camera is pointing at.
But then again it does look like something from a sci-fi movie with those blurry off-color video streams.
my sig
It seems like you could pretty easily ditch the laptop and set up a mini-ITX motherboard (like the VIA Epia) and an 802.11 card or USB adapter. Then you could run VNC on your desktop to see what the camera sees and to set up the software.
My other first post is car post.
How do you think terminator I and II started? Timetravel? Unlikely. Don't take the risk. Just say NO!
-WolfWithoutAClause
"Gravity is only a theory, not a fact!"So we have a Space Robot.
But, can it push or at least shove. I know I would need that capability to protect me from the terrible secret of space
I choose to remain celibate, like my father and his father before him.
Windows *does* have voice recognition, right? [BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA] AAAARGHHHH!
(And just today I was reading something in the paper that said one in five people believe robots will take over the world. Pish tosh!)
You must think in Russian.
These are extremely specialized examples. The resolution of the CMU cam is 80x143. It offers very little but tracking simple bright objects and is not extensible. It could not for example recognize a beer can. The same is true with most embedded systems. They offer only soulutions to very simple problems. The laptop can easily be reprogrammed and updated.
Im not here now... Im out KILLING pepperoni
REVIEW: Robot Is Fun but Not Useful
By MATTHEW FORDAHL
AP Technology Writer
The ER1 personal robot won't make coffee, pick up the newspaper, vacuum the floors or even walk the dog. With prices starting at $599, it seems most adept at emptying wallets.
But beyond the not-so-cheap shots, the robot has a lot to offer. Like the personal computer kits of the 1970s, much can be learned -- and perhaps someday much money can be made -- on the road to usefulness.
And don't forget the prestige from being the first on the block with a robot smarter than Sony's canine-wannabe AIBO.
The ER1, sold by Evolution Robotics Inc., resembles neither a dog nor the robotic stars of science-fiction movies.
The 2-foot-tall, 20-pound machine is a three-wheeled platform that holds a laptop, its brains, and has a staff that carries a Web camera, its eye. Some might confuse it with an industrial table.
All parts are included except the most expensive -- a laptop running the Windows operating system. Plan on spending at least another $1,000 if you don't already have one.
For the mechanically challenged, Evolution sells an assembled robot for $699 (still minus the computer). But anyone who opts to plunk an extra $100 for the assembled version is missing half the fun.
The ER1 is more of a hobby than a toy. It's not recommended for children under 14, unless they're supervised. Schools might be interested in using the robot to introduce the basics of robotics and programming.
It took about two hours to assemble my ER1, which came in dozens of pieces tightly packed in a box along with 100 screws. Two Universal Serial Bus cables plug into the laptop.
Once installed on the laptop, the software shows a live shot of what the robot's camera sees, various behavioral options and the robot's battery levels.
The instruction manual is especially well done, rare for a high-tech product. It clearly outlined all 32 steps to finish the job and made sense out of the various trusses, gussets, set screws and U clips.
After a few hours of charging the battery, we were ready for our first test -- a routine in which the ER1 recognizes its box and moves toward it.
My ER1 immediately recognized the box but instead of driving toward it, it backed away as though it had been abused at the factory. (Turns out the camera pointed in the wrong direction. The test worked fine after I had adjusted it.)
Such tricks -- including most of the other 50 or so suggested in the manual -- are neat for showing off to neighbors or entertaining at parties. Besides following its box, the ER1 can play music, sing when it hears a loud noise, teach words to a parrot and even warn that it spots a beer can.
The recognition scheme is quite impressive. It could tell the difference between different denominations of currency. It even recognized me as long as I was wearing the shirt I had on when my image was originally captured. It didn't know me from Adam when I put on another shirt.
But the true power of the ER1 is in the ability to layer programs on top of one another, leading to more complex behaviors. Users familiar with the scripting language Python can create even more complicated tasks.
The possibilities are limited only by imagination and hardware. Evolution also plans to sell expansion kits, such as a gripper ($199) for grabbing that beer, and infrared sensors (price to be determined).
Evolution says the 12-volt rechargeable battery that powers the robot's motors can last up to three hours. My laptop battery died long before that.
I had the most fun driving the ER1 around using my home wireless connection. Because my laptop is wireless-capable, I could control the unit from my desktop computer and see everything the robot could see through that computer.
In fact, I could have controlled the thing from anywhere in the world over the Internet, provided I left a few holes open in my firewall.
------
On the Net:
Evolution Robotics: http://www.evolution.com
Is the pieces they use to build it. Its extruded aluminum channels from www.xbeams.com. They go together with plastic connectors. Think big erector set.
Also along those lines is www.8020.net, which I think is probably the original source of the xbeams product. They're tailored more for the industrial construction set, with a CAD program that translates designs into orders for the extrusions. Of course, it only runs on Windows... Cool stuff, though.
Despite the image-recognition capabilities, really this seems no more than a $1600+ remote controlled robot. So it has a web-cam and can be driven over the internet. Yay, just what I wanted to do.... drive a low-res 5fps web-cam around my house from school or work (the specs I just made up but we all know what real-world internet video feeds are like).
Sorry guys, when I see a robot that can recognize objects decently, and can converse with me in a semi-normal way, then I'll be interested. Not this glorified webcam on a rc car junk
Romeo & Juliet for 1337 hax0rz! http://www.redcoat.net/pics/romjul.swf
I think what people are waiting for in the area of personal robotics is something with actual everyday practical use.
Tech Public Policy stuff
A round tin body with a faceted blue dome head that rotates so that I can call it the R2-ER1.
Anyone know if there is a wireless USB connection kit you could use to house the brains of this bad boy on your desktop ? ie the USB connectors from the controller connected to a wireless transmitter that sends the signals to a reciever which connects to your desktop usb ports ?
I don't ask you to be me. I only ask you not expect me to be you.
Anyone know why they couldn't get by with one of the Single Board Computers out there? Surely there is enough horse power in one of those to make this thing work. You could use your home PC to download new programs into the SBC, so maybe the lack of a screen wouldn't be that big of a deal. I know one thing, they are a lot cheaper than a laptop.
As Obi Wan would say: "This is not the droid you 're looking for."
__
Men with no respect for life must never be allowed to control the ultimate instruments of death.
GW Bu
I have had my eye on one since before they came out back earlier this year. They do have professional systems based on Linux as well as a developement kit in Python for all you OSS critters. There just isn't as large a market of people with Linux laptops as there are with windows. Frankly, It looks like a good first step to Usable hobby configurable robots. This thing just need to grow up a little -- and release a Linux version.
Sure, it has some nice engineering, and it utilises a cool looking frame, and has some interesting software - but really, you could easily build one of these things cheaper from parts you could pick up at a Home Depot.
Some angle alumininum (or steel), a couple of cordless drills (for drive motors), a couple of plastic casters, some plastic lawnmower wheels, and a few bolts - four DPDT relays from Radio Shack (or your favorite surplus supplier), a few transistors, some resistors, and diode (for coil flyback protection) - maybe a hex driver IC or whatnot - an old 386 or 486 laptop with parallel port, and a simple parallel port interface box (stuff the relays and whatnot inside) - that is all you need. If you shop judiciously, you could probably scam the whole thing together for under $200.00. Shop surplus, scrap, and junk parts - you could easily get it for under $100.00, or less.
Need a camera? Drop a micro-ITX motherboard on the thing, and add a cheap USB camera.
If you wanted to have the super-cool modular metal beams, those can be readily found online through metal suppliers (though they are pretty costly per foot) - but really, standard extruded aluminium pieces from Home Depot or a scrap metal yard will work just fine. There are plenty of resources on the internet on hooking up a PC to the motors (whether the motors are simple DC motors, or steppers like this device uses - and surplus stepper motors are everywhere - hell, pull them from an old printer), adding sensors of every sort, programming, etc. No need at all to spend $600.00, unless you just like throwing money at problems...
Reason is the Path to God - Anon
Ya got a point there! It doesn't do anything except walk around. I've always wanted a Lego robot that can walk around, find people, and shoot Nerf darts at them. I heard of someone who actually used a Lego robot to defend his office supplies in his cubicle ;)
A smaller, better, more useful robot would be one of these. My parents might still pay me for doing it--beep beep done! Yay.
Tired of free iPod sigs? Subscribe to my blacklist
BOFH excuse #361:
Communist revolutionaries taking over the server room and demanding all the computers in the building or they shoot the sysadmin. Poor misguided fools.
- this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...
Needs some tuning.