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VIA-based Mobile Robot Design For Download

Posted by timothy on from the smarter-than-roomba dept.

An anonymous reader writes "This article at DeviceForge introduces the "PC-bot" -- a new mobile robotics demonstration platform design that is being made available for free download from Roboteq. PC-bot was designed to be highly flexible and extensible so that it can serve as the basis for a wide range of customized mobile robot designs featuring web cameras, motion detection software, and more. Details on the mechanical, electronic, and software design are available at Roboteq's website. Currently the bot runs Windows, but Roboteq expects that one of the first enhancements from the user community will be Linux support." Unfortunately, there's no way to download the RoboteQ motor controller the design requires -- that will cost you about $500.

3 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. LOOK TWICE!! THIS IS MAINLY A COMPANY'S ADD!! by lcsjk · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is interesting, but seems to be very little more than a companies advertisement for a product built for multi-applications and is a little off-beat for the usual non-commercial Slashdot article. Robot usage probably was not the original intent, but that is just my opinion. Although they have an impressive set of hardware specs, and could have used any X86 embedded processor, the controller seems to be someone's expensive golf cart controller set in a new application. Perhaps the most interesting thing is the 125 amps with no fan, but that is common on golf carts (and maybe Segway).

  2. remember Erector sets? by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've often thought that Erector Set construction kits would be ideal for custom robots. Unlike Legos they are strong. They are various strips and plates of metal with holes, most of them L-beams, that you bolt tegether as needed. They were sort of the Legos of the 1940's. My dad had a set from his younger years and I used them for science class projects that needed sturdy platforms.

    But, the company bellied up. Maybe some Chinese firm will resurrect them.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  3. Unfortunately... by aminorex · · Score: 2, Insightful

    it is VIA-based. And VIA will not let you
    know what you are buying when you buy their
    products. You see, if you gave customers
    your datasheets, they might be able to actually
    use the products, which could lead to all sorts
    of legal complications. It's much better to
    just sell them a product they can't use.

    --
    -I like my women like I like my tea: green-