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Remember The Heathkit HERO? Check Out '912'
moorley writes "The 912 Mobile Platform built by White Box Robotics based on VIA motherboards as part of their PC Bots program. Still in prototype but they are projecting to have it out by Summer 2004. They have no prices yet, but estimate 'building or buying the 912 for about the cost of a decent PC.'"
And the Rev. B "security" models will contain combat programs to rid your business of unwanted Time Lords, just like real Daleks... Exterminate! Exterminate!
This sure wouldn't fit anywhere in my house.
No that I'm big on interior decoration, but still. Ew.
Treehugger? Treehugger... Treehugger!
Is there an add-on kit so I can use this to complete my dream of building a robot.....a GIRL robot/
This is Slashdot, do you expect me to click links?
So this thing is a toaster, correct? Will it finally solve the problem that is switching between toast and Pop-Tarts? I don't want to give either of these delicious foods up and I don't have space in my dorm for two toasters set to different levels.
True story.
The "HMV" patrols your home or office, recording any disturbances and e-mailing your PC, cell phone, or even the authorities!
Great, so by the time you check your email the intruders are already gone and have your TV, jewelry and other valuables.
WWJD.... for a Klondike bar?
Other than looking like C3P0 and R2D2's bastard child, what exactly are these for?
-CowboyNick
Because I really need to hug my DVD player ...
..."
Wait a sec. "The 912 "MP3" also features fighter jet technology "video glasses" to view e-mails
Ignoring the "fighter jet video glasses" for a second, isn't this some sort of jwz corollary? All home appliances expand until they can read e-mail.
Xbox reviews.. We think they're funny.
Cause, as we all know, large grills (Especially on robots) make them more durable.
Their pre-order page says "Estimated retail cost on a "bare bones" platform should fall between $599 to $699."
HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
it looks like all you have to do to stop these is to tip the thing over. The other question... what would an intruder actually have to stop it from doing? running into its legs?
Wow, this story brings back a few memories. That HERO robot was the coolest thing I'd ever seen when I was a kid. I remember there was an episode of that "whiz kids" show where they built one. Of course I've never seen one in real life so don't anyone shatter my dreams!
Have you ever played System Shock 2? I imagine that it will be something like that.
True story.
A robot needs to be more then a computer on wheels. The essence of what makes a robot neat is the idea that it can interact with its surroundings.
For this to be really fantastic, it needs an arm, and by arm I mean something better than a piece of plastic with a cupholder on the end of it.
For something really interesting, offer to put a mounting point on the front for an arm to attach to and an industry standard servo controller. Total investment, $100, and now your users can build their own arm. This is assuming that the company doesn't have the expertise to make the arms themselves.
I would probably start with some very cheap circuits. You can program them to do simple movements or simple lcd displays. If you want a "brain", you could add it on. Most of these circuits can be connected to by a serial cable.
If anyone is interested, there is a ton of information here: http://www.rentron.com
Rosco: "If brains were gunpowder, Enos couldn't blow his nose."
"I'm sorry Dave, a can't do that. Would you like to download a naked picture of Anna Kournikova?"
Xbox reviews.. We think they're funny.
If it can move around a vacuum cleaner it would be of some use..
The least
Trolling is a art,
It's a PC with wheels and sensors. Which is why it will cost about as much as a PC.
It's as fully programmable as any PC, which means you can make an 802.11g beowulf cluster that will chase the cat around the house.
Obviously the big thing here is the propriatary AI programing, so I can't tell you anthing about that, but other than that you could whip one of these things up yourself for a few hundreds of dollars of used parts.
The "other than that" clause is a biggy though, if you don't have a few years to dick with AI software.
If you do you'll have more fun building one than buying it anyway, but already know that.
KFG
A now that I see what the Robot looks like, I vaguely remember it. Looks cool but just the computer would have been enough. And I don't remember goot girls hanging around with kit robots either. That photo is mesleading!
Looks like I got the short stick. I have to pay my parents!
That's not a sentence you retard, it just might work with a verb.
It's a Banana Jr! Will it worship the TV?
I went to CCOC for a brief stint in my education for an electronics class. Our lab had 2 Hero's in it.
This was around 1989, 1990. I'm not sure if anyone else had battled robots before (maybe japanese anime?) but one day we when the teacher went out for a phone call we got it in our heads to arm the Hero's grip arm with hammers, and have gladitorial style combat.
By the time the teacher got back one Hero drove victory circles around the disabled hero. Couldn't warrenty the thing because of physical damage, so the teacher locked both hero's up in a closet for the rest of the semester.
Just a warning.. Geek teenagers + 2 > Robots - Teachers Presence = destruction.
I can see the FAQ list for this robot...
1) How often should I perform "Windows Update"
to get the service packs required to keep
my robot "functional"?
2) What happens when my robot crashes? Will
it shoot me or commit suicide?
3) What brand of Virus Scanner Software is
compatible for my robot? Also how often
should I update the Virus Software?
4) How ofter should I change the
"administrator" password?
5) Can I reformat and install Linux?
if (!sig) { printf("Signature Unavailable\n"); }
The price? $599-699 for preorders. That's cheaper than an AIBO...
.: 2+2 = PI SQRT(1+N)
Also that rentron company doesn't sell very interesting stuff.
Build your own AVR starter kit is going to be a better price than any PICbasic thing and you can program it in C, asm or basic.
Basic Stamp is extremely weak. A robot desigened around a basic stamp is going to be as primative as your first LOGO program. (Turn left here.. weee).
A VIA C3 800 board, despite being an ugly evil x86 is going to have some serious power behind it. You can then have some of the following features on your system:
The processing power, expandability and cost make the x86 an ideal canidate for a robot like this. Of course a cheaper robot becomes attractive when you want to have multiple robots that communicate. Really the average budget for a hobbot robot project runs around $1000. So if you drop $700 on this chassis and a motherboard you're set. If make AVR or PIC based robots that cost $50 to build you would probably build like 4 or 5 of them and have them work together. (or worse, build 4 or 5 revision until you were satisfied with it and have three robots that don't really work very well and one good one)
“Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire