BrightSource Energy, a Google.org backed startup we covered a few weeks back, opened their Solar Energy Development Center in Israel this week, and it features an enormous test plant that looks as improbably perfect as a rendering.
The tower in the distance of this picture stands 180 feet tall and is surrounded by 1,600 mirrors that focus the sun’s rays onto the commercial boiler that sits atop the tower. In a real plant that boiler’s steam output would be used to generate electricity with a turbine, but the company didn’t put a turbine in the test facility. BrightSource estimates that a plant this scale could generate 1,500 kilowatts of power.
PG&E, the northern California utility, has agreed to buy 900 megawatt of electricity from the company, and they recently announced a $115 million round of funding.
A host of solar thermal companies are racing to construct pilot plants as a step towards commercializing their various solar concentrating technologies. For more background on the technology and various industry players, check out our previous solar thermal coverage here, here, and here.
There are a couple more awesome pictures after the jump.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revolutionised the medical world two decades ago, providing doctors with an unparalleled view inside the human body. Now, MRI-MARCB has taken MRI to a new level with a system that enhances image quality, reduces scan time and improves diagnosis. Currently in use in several hospitals around the world, the MRI-MARCB system overcomes one of the principal problems in producing MR images of the brain and heart: movement.
“Though MRI is an excellent non-intrusive imaging modality with excellent soft tissue contrast it is susceptible to motion because it can take several seconds or even minutes to acquire an image,” explains Kay Nehrke at Philips Medical Systems in Germany, coordinator of this IST-programme funded project. “During that time the patient’s heart is beating and they’re breathing – it’s like taking a photo of a moving object. If the photo takes one second the image will appear blurry. If you follow the object with the camera, however, you’ll get a clear image and that is what we’ve done in a sense.”
The project partners used two different but complimentary techniques to overcome the motion problem. In the case of heart scans a software system was developed to create a mathematical model of the pattern of movement caused by breathing and heart beat. That information is then used to compensate for the motion effects in the resulting MR image. For brain scans, where even the slightest movement of a patient’s head could cause images to be unusable, a camera system was employed alongside the software to track and compensate for motion.
“Without compensation images can be filled with artefacts, making it hard to tell whether you are looking at a clogged artery or just a poor image,” Nehrke says.
With the MRI-MARCB system image quality is greatly improved resulting in more precise diagnosis, while at the same time reducing the time it takes to perform an MRI scan.
“Trials at 10 hospitals with around 200 patients showed a 30 per cent reduction in scan time because of the compensation for movement,” Nehrke notes. “As we all know time is money so this offers important cost savings for hospitals, while patients feel more comfortable because they do not have to worry so much about not moving or even breathing.”
According to the project coordinator, the software can be easily integrated into existing MRI platforms, and the camera system is “relatively inexpensive given the advantages it provides.”
MRI-MARCB is currently being used at hospitals in Germany, Denmark, Japan and the United States, with the project partners planning further commercialisation activities and development in the future.
A fully digital 4D ultrasound system is set to provide a ‘next generation’ integrated solution for medical imaging applications, allowing practitioners to provide faster treatment and improve therapeutic success rates. Developed by ADUMS, an IST-funded project that ended in April 2005, the advanced high-quality imaging system will significantly reduce diagnostic time. In addition, the technology uses off-the-shelf computer hardware, making it a much cheaper alternative to expensive, purpose-produced ultrasound machines.
“The whole process of ultrasound devices has been moved away from the traditional hardware and is now implemented in software,” says Dr Georgios Sakas, ADUMS project coordinator. “The hardware of the device creates mechanical waves and receives the echoes. Once the echoes are received, they are converted in digital form and the rest of the processing is performed by software.”
A 4D ultrasound takes multiple images in rapid succession, creating a three-dimensional motion video, which is invaluable for diagnosis purposes.
An important factor in ultrasound image processing is the beamformer, the part of the system that provides the focusing for the ultrasound beam.
Dr Stergios Stergiopoulos, president of the Canadian National Medical Technologies, one of the project partners, maintains that even today’s most advanced state-of- the-art medical ultrasound imaging systems suffer from very poor image resolution.
“This is the result of the very small size of deployed arrays of sensors and the distortion effects by the influence of the human body’s non-linear propagation characteristics,” he says. “The ADUMS project technology replaces the beamformer of the ultrasound systems with the adaptive beamforming scheme that has been developed for the sonar array systems of the Canadian Navy. The ADUMS project results demonstrated that the new adaptive beamformer significantly improves, at very low cost, the image resolution capabilities of the ultrasound imaging systems, which will result in better diagnosis.”
Until now, every new generation of the hardware component of ultrasound devices was, effectively, a complete redesign.
“On the other hand, ADUMS technology is based on a complete software approach, using off-the-shelf PC components,” explains Dr Sakas. “Thus, a redesign from scratch will not be necessary and future improvements can be made by extensions of existing software.”
The portability and the low cost of the 4D ultrasound systems allow medical practitioners and family physicians to have ready access to diagnostic imaging systems on a daily basis and will make a valuable contribution in the field of preventive medicine, adds Dr Stergiopoulos.
Consortium partners are currently using the new technology for their businesses and are promoting it to other organisations that use ultrasound technology.
European researchers developed technology that enables a robot to combine data from both sound and vision to create combined, purposeful perception. In the process, they have taken the field to a new level. Currently, computer vision is good at recognising objects in images and videos and has been successfully employed in several specialised industrial applications, such as quality control during microchip fabrication.
But robotic perception is much weaker in less defined situations, like understanding and responding to human behaviour and even conversations. Yet, it is precisely this sort of interaction which promises the most compelling applications for future humanoid technology, where people-like robots can act as guides, or mix with people, or use perception to infer appropriate actions.
More importantly, these broad robotic applications will deliver insights into other disciplines, like cognition and neuroscience.
A truly perceptive robot, capable of acting independently and appropriately in complex situations remains a distant goal, but European researchers brought it much closer with their Perception-on-Purpose (POP) project.
Original, by design “The originality of our project was our attempt to integrate two different sensory modalities, namely sound and vision,” explains Radu Horaud, POP’s coordinator.
“This was very difficult to do, because you are integrating two completely different physical phenomena,” he adds.
Vision works from the reflection of light waves from an object, and it allows the observer to infer certain properties, like size, shape, density and texture. But with sound you are interested in locating the direction of the source, and trying to identify the type of sound it is.
Tricky issue On its own, sound is difficult to pinpoint, because it needs to be located in a 3D space. Then there is the problem of background noise, such as an open window letting in sounds from next door.
But it turned out that integrating two different senses helped the researchers in their bid to locate and tune into relevant sounds.
“It is not that easy to decide what is foreground and what is background using sound alone, but by combining the two modalities – sound and vision – it becomes much easier,” reveals Horaud.
“If you are able to locate ten sound sources in ten different directions, but if in one of these directions you see a face, then you can much more easily concentrate on that sound and throw out the other ones.”
Integrated technology This was one approach that the team took and, with the algorithms they developed, their robot, called Popeye, was able to identify the speaker with a fair degree of reliability.
“There is more work to be done on that aspect of the work, it is not completely robust yet,” warns Horaud.
Still, it was a very strong result, and what makes it even more impressive is that the team managed to integrate all the technology into a neat and compact robotic platform.
“Most often, sound research is conducted in specialised labs, with arrays of microphones and a very controlled acoustic environment. But we integrated our two microphones and two cameras onto the head of our Popeye. The idea is to have an agent-centred cognitive system,” Horaud stresses.
Powerful technology The Popeye packs a lot of powerful technology into a small space and offers purposeful robotic perception. This is important because Horaud argues persuasively that, in evolutionary terms, multi-sensory perception and cognition are linked.
By perceiving a hand-held object with their two eyes, for example, monkeys – and the first hominids after them – developed stereo vision and hence were able to learn many properties of an object from combined tactile and visual data. Over time, they developed new skills, including building tools, from this information.
Horaud feels, too, that some modern uses of artificial intelligence (AI), like chess applications, are limited because they do not learn from their environment. They are programmed with abstract data – say, chess moves – and they process that.
“They cannot infer predicates from natural images; they cannot draw abstract information from physical observations,” he stresses.
For now, POP has achieved many of its aims and developed very promising approaches. Commercial applications for this type of technology are not out of the question, and the researchers also hope to continue their work in a further project.
That project would look at extending some of POP’s results into a functioning humanoid robot. In the meantime, POP’s work means that the purposefully perceptive robot has become a not-so-distant future technology.
The POP project received funding from the Sixth Framework Programme for research.
Watch America's brightest high school science students achieve breakthroughs, set the groundwork for brilliant careers, and make extremely cool robots. They're part of the FIRST Robotics Competition, in which more than 20,000 high school students from across the country compete to reach new breakthroughs in robotics. The contest gets its name from "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology" (FIRST). Follow three diverse teams in this Science Channel original special. Feel the heat of competition, marvel at the teenagers' ingenuity, and connect with the emotion of the experience.
ROBOT is a unique publication that offers the "how to do it" for the robot enthusiast and robot hobbyist, as well as the "what's going on" in the expanding world of robotics for the interested layperson or technical professional. It offer parents, teachers and kids guidance on using and playing with the new generation of consumer, toy and hobby robot products that serve as educational tools and recreational fun.
Robot features a "Spotlight on Education" section that includes coverage of FIRST Robotics, FIRST LEGO Mindstorm and VEX kits and competitions; this will be important reading for robotics educators and involved students who wish to sharpen their competitive edge.
THE "HOW-TO DO IT"
* Include projects simple enough for the robot enthusiast to jump in and become an entry level robot hobbyist, and projects advanced enough to draw the attention of serious robot hobbyists up to a graduate school level
* Emphasize robot kits that include all the pieces needed--to involve the lay reader who wants an easily accessible, complete robot experience without having to become an engineer
THE "WHAT'S GOING ON"
* Cover a spectrum of compelling, interesting stories and news in robotics of the type that occasionally appear in Wired, Discover, Popular Science, New York Science Times and Design News. This will attract a general readership as well as industry specialists:
* Latest robot toys and how to best use and develop them. * Lego Mindstorm projects and competitions * FIRST competitions (1,000 teams, 24,000+ students) * NASA robots such as the Martian Rovers * Consumer robots (vacuum cleaners, computerized clothing) * Fighting robots as seen on TV programs * Science project robots * Latest advances in artificial intelligence * Industrial and military robots
Make: Technology on Your Time is a hybrid of a magazine and a book. It's a magazine, but not a typical one.
If you like to tweak, disassemble, re-create, and invent cool new uses for technology, you'll love MAKE the new quarterly publication for the inquisitive do-it-yourselfer. Every issue is packed with projects to help you make the most of all the technology in your life. Everything from home entertainment systems, to laptops, to robots is fair game. If there's a way to hack it, tweak it, bend it, or remix it, you will find out about it in MAKE.
This isn't another gadget magazine. MAKE focuses on cool things you can do to make technology work the way you want it to. The publication is inspired by the bestselling Hacks series of books but with a twist.
Whether you're a geek or hacker who delights in creating new uses for technology, or a Saturday afternoon tinkerer who loves to get his hands dirty, you'll keep every issue of MAKE on your bookshelf for years to come. Each issue includes 224 pages packed with tips and tricks, including:
* How to turn a VCR into a pet feeding robot * How to make a see-through potato cannon * Extreme bot builders at home * How to decipher the magnetic stripe on your credit card to find out what your credit card company really knows about you * How to build a light-seeking robot from an old mouse
Every quarter, MAKE features a unique set of innovative ideas and creations for a variety of new technologies, including mobile devices, in-car computers, web services, digital media, wireless and home networking, and computer hardware.
The magazine has a homemade yet professional feel. The photos give the impression they're taken by average people and not photographers, but they're good quality and complement the articles. Even if you don't have time to create things, you will find it an engrossing read thanks to the personable writing and easy to follow instructions.
Built for the do-it-yourselfer, Dremel's cordless MultiPro kit delivers the versatility you expect from a Dremel--with the added advantage of being cordless. Lightweight at only 9 ounces, this compact unit maneuvers comfortably in tight spaces.
What will you use it for? Remove old grout in your bathtub, polish your flatware, remove a broken tile, etch glass, hang miniblinds, cut out a pet door, install a new car stereo, sand off a spot of hard-to-reach rust, clean your boat's outboard engine parts, refinish ornate woodwork, install a mortise lock, and much, much more.
The kit comes with 50 bits, including a high-speed cutter, a bristle brush, a cutoff wheel, sanding discs, a felt polishing wheel, a grinding wheel, and more--all the tools you need to tackle projects around the home. The tool's ball-bearing shaft affords minimal vibration. The shaft-lock button and unique knurled collet nut make changing bits easy - with no wrench required.
This lightweight, compact unit features speeds of 7,500 or 15,000 RPM. A battery charger and a carrying case are included. You'll want to keep it charged up and handy at all times.
Every robotics laboratory needs a good set of basic tools. Check our selection below and see if there is an essential gadget that will simplify your work and make your hobby more fun.
Designed with the hobbyist and the do-it-yourself enthusiast in mind, this kit features a high-quality, lightweight pencil iron with variable power control, a cushioned foam grip with a replaceable heating element, and a safety guard iron holder. And it's from Weller, the world leader in soldering since 1945.
At the heart of the WLC100 Soldering Station is a high-quality lightweight pencil iron with an iron-plated copper tip. The tip is constructed of solid copper and plated with iron, as well as nickel and chromium to protect against corrosion and solder creep. The iron has a cushioned foam grip that sits comfortably in your hand as you work.
The WLC100 features a variable power control that lets you adjust the power level from five to 40 watts with a simple turn of the knob on the base unit. The base also includes a "power-on" indicator light and on/off switch to help keep you from leaving a hot iron on accidentally.
This soldering station is UL-listed, which means it has been tested and meets independent safety standards. It is backed by a one year warranty against manufacturer's defects in material and workmanship.
Every roboticist needs a good set of basic tools, and kits are a great way to get them at a considerable savings. Three things make Denali's kit stand out - the price, an exceptional selection of quality tools, and the custom heavy-duty nylon bag. It's hard to find a set of tools as extensive as this for anywhere near this price. If purchased separately, these items might cost $150.
The Denali tool kit is about the size of a breadbox and it has both a shoulder strap and hand-straps that Velcro together, making it easy to carry around. The mouth of the bag has metal stabilizing rods in the zipper, so it opens wide and stays open. There are several pockets lining the inside and outside of the bag to carry things like nails, screws, tape, etc. This is a well-appointed set of quality tools that should outfit you for just about any household need.
What's In The Bag: * 16-ounce ripping hammer with heavy duty fiberglass handle * 9-inch, aluminum torpedo level * 3/4-inch wide by 16-foot long tape measure * Heavy-duty zinc utility knife with rubber grip
Wrenches: * 16pc hex key set (Allen wrenches). eight metric and eight English sizes. * 6-piece combination wrench set with steel clip
Pliers: * 8-inch needle- nose pliers with wire-cutting blades (meets or exceeds ANSI standards) * 8-inch diagonal pliers (meets or exceeds ANSI standards) * 8-inch groove-joint pliers (meets or exceeds ANSI standards) * 7-inch nickel-coated locking pliers * wire cutters
Screwdrivers: Denali's kit includes a ratcheting handle with a selection of interchangeable bits to provide an exceptional array of screwdrivers in all sizes and head shapes. * 14 flat head: 4, 5, 6, and 7 mm and 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-, 3/16- (x3), 7/32-, and 1/4- (x3) inch * 9 Phillips head: 1x2, 2x5, and 3x2 * 3 square head: S1, S2, and S3 * 10 star head: T6, T7, T8, T10, T15, T20, T25, T27, T30, and T40 * 10 hex: 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 mm and 1/8-, 5/32-, 3/16-, 7/32-, and 1/4-inch * 4 Pozidriv: PZ0, PZ1, PZ2, and PZ3 * 14 nut drivers
Drill Bits: * 13-piece titanium-coated high-speed steel with steel case: 1/4-, 15/64-, 7/32-, 13/64-, 3/16-, 11/64-, 5/32-, 9/64-, 1/8-. 7/64-, 3/32-, 5/64-, and 1/16-inch * 50-piece chrome vanadium steel 1-inch screwdriver bit set can be used with either a cordless drill or the ratcheting screwdriver * 5-piece masonry bit set with steel case: 5/32 to 3/8-inch
Modify your robots or make your own from scratch with these high-quality motors and raw materials. Online metals is a great place to get the raw materials for your robot because they specialize in sales of small quantities. They stock aluminum and steel in every size and shape you might need. Titanium and tool steel are also available for the high-performance builder, and so is polycarbonate (Lexan). They also have a great selection of 4130 Chromoly tubing, and convenient "Metal Pack" assortments.
An ideal product for people with disabilities, busy families, or individuals who'd rather drink a Manhattan on the patio than cut the grass!
The Robomow RM400 is an automatic lawnmower that cuts the grass all by itself. It comes with an optional base station and it will depart at the pre-set scheduled days and times. At the end of each operation Robomow returns to the base station for charging until the next scheduled operation. Your lawn will be maintained even when you are away from home. The Robomow is designed to handle lawns of up to 4300 square feet. Simply set a weekly program for the days and times you want the lawn mowed and it will do it automatically for you, day after day and week after week.
The Robomower features a compact one blade mulching system and theft protection including an alarm system. A tilt sensor stops the blade immediately when Robomow is tilted. This unit is equipped with a rain sensor which will prevent it from coming out of its docking station and mowing in the rain. Dimensions: 25" long x 21" wide x 12" high. It weighs 39 lb. Mowing height is adjustable between 0.8 to 3.1 inches.
A revolution in home exploration and telepresence, Rovio is a WiFi enabled robotic webcam that moves in any direction and can be controlled remotely. View and interact with Rovio's environment through its streaming video and audio from its built in camera.
With Rovio, you will always be just a click away from the people and places that are important to you. Rovio is the Wi-Fi equipped mobile webcam that enables you to view and interact with its environment through streaming video and audio, wherever you are! Easily control Rovio remotely 24/7 from anywhere in the world! Use any web-enabled device: PC or Mac, cell phone, smartphone, PDA or even your video game console.
The TrueTrack Navigation System allows you to use the Rovio interface to store waypoints with one click and Rovio will automatically navigate itself to the chosen point. Rovio's built-in LED headlight will help you guide it even in dimly lit locations, so you'll always know what is going on at home or at the office. No need to worry about Rovio running low on power while you're away the self-docking function allows you to send Rovio back to the charging dock to recharge (dock includes an AC power cable with US plug and UK adapter), with the click of a button on your browser. When its done charging, Rovio is ready to take its next tour.
If you think one robot is interesting, wait until you see two of them battling for control Sumo-style! The new SumoBot is a competition-ready robot designed within the Robot Mini-Sumo Tournament rules. This little pusher will locate and knock its opponent right out of the ring while detecting the outside circle should an escape move be necessary. Here are the design specifications:
The Mini-Sumo Tournament Rules dictate that the robots must fit within a 10 cm x 10 cm square and weigh less than 500 grams. The electronics consists of a surface-mounted BASIC Stamp 2, infrared sensors to detect your opponent and the edge of the Sumo Ring. The hardware package includes the black anodized aluminum chassis and scoop, servo motors, wheels, 4AA power pack (batteries not included) mounting standoffs and screws. The documentation takes you from basic moves to one-on-one combat.
THE SUMOBOT CAN: * Teach you the basics of embedded control * Compete in Sumo Bot competitions * Avoid or seek objects using infrared light reflection * Interface with additional digital, resistive, and frequency sensors of your choice.
Now you can manipulate the world roboticly with one of our robot arm kits. Control your robotic arm remotely or add some intelligence by connecting it to you computer. You can even add the arm to your own mobile base - these kits make it easy! The Robotic Arm Trainer teaches basic robotic sensing and motion principles, and tests your motor skills as you build and control the arm. You can command this unit with its five-switch wired controller with corresponding lights to grab, release, lift, lower, rotate wrist, and pivot sideways 350 degrees. You can observe the dynamics of gear mechanisms through the transparent body. Five motors and five joints allow flexibility and fun! For educators, home schoolers and hobbyists.
The optional computer interface allows for dual (computer and manual) control of Robotic Arm Trainer. It features programming, saving, editing, and downloading capabilities using your USB port. Operating System: Windows XP or VISTA
Five Axes of motion: Right / Left 350 degrees; Shoulder 120 degrees; Elbow 135 degrees; Wrist rotate CW & CCW 340 degrees; Gripper Open & Close 2". Dimensions: 14" Max Length Outwards; 20" Max Height Upwards; Max Lifting Capability = 130g. No Soldering Required.
Selected by The Institute For Childhood Resources as one of the "100 Best Children's Products"!
The Physics Solar Workshop explores the topic of solar energy, focusing on photovoltaic cells. By building 12 models and conducting 30 experiments, kids will learn how solar cells transform light into electrical energy, and how motors and mechanical devices can optimize the work done by this energy.
Build 12 models, including solar-powered tractor, truck, treaded vehicle, car, elevator, drawbridge, fan, airplane, mobile crane and construction crane. The Solar Workshop demonstrates how gears can convert and transform solar power for different needs. There are 320 parts. The 64-page book offers illustrated instructions for the projects. Ages 8 and up
The 6 in 1 Educational Solar Kit teaches children the benefits of solar energy while they create toys that are fun to play with and requires no batteries. This kit is an excellent beginner building kit designed to teach how solar power is used to drive a small motor. Children use the 33 snap together parts (no tools required) to build six different working models including an airboat, windmill, puppy, and two It's very inexpensive for individuals or groups. Includes clear easy to follow instructions that motivate students to learn about solar energy. This is a great self-contained set of projects for boys or girls that challenges young people to be technically precise with miniature parts. It also teaches students to follow precise visual diagrams while having hours of fun experimenting with solar energy.
Assembled Size: ( L x W x H / mm): - Airboat: 121 x 61 x 86 - Windmill: 154x 153 x239 - Puppy: 68 x 46 x 64 - Car: 70 x 54 x 34 - Plane: 154 x 61 x 94 - Revolving plane: 218 x 61 x 166
Sleek, powerful, unearthly, and very cool... this futuristic solar car is an exciting way to demonstrate the use of alternative energy. It features an aerodynamic sports car design, a 4-wheel chassis, a powerful 1.4 volt, 350mA solar cell (included) and transparent plastic body that can be painted or left clear to display the car's inner mechanical construction. The steerable front axle, rear wheel and adjustable (directional/angle) solar panel mount are all independent parts, allowing for separate solar projects.
The Triple Action Solar Car kit is also convertible: (1) The two-way battery source allows for battery or solar power; (2) The kit design is an aerodynamic racer or a tractor, and; (3) It features a multi-speed transmission. This is a marvelous educational science project for ages 9 and up.
Specifications:
Body Size: 14.5 x 22.5 x 4.5cm. Power Source: 1) Solar Cell Battery - Output Power / 1.4V - 350mA (max) 2) Dry Cell Battery - "AA" x 1 pc (not included)
The Solar F1 Race car kit illustrates how the power of the sun (or a bright lamp) can be used to propel a solar racer. You can switch to a single AA battery on those cloudy days. Soldering is not required.
Comes with everything you need including motor, gearbox, solar cell, and easy to follow instructions. Requires basic hand tools to assemble. Order two and stage some real solar races!
This kit is a great introduction to mechanical gear and motor operation. Can be powered via solar cell or one AA battery. Power is selected by a switch. Includes all parts to build a working Solar Inch Worm. Soldering is not required.
Comes with everything you need including motor, gearbox, solar cell, and easy to follow instructions. Requires basic hand tools to assemble. Direct Sunlight is needed for solar operation. Use an AA battery for use indoors or on cloudy days.
Learn how a solar module or single AA battery can power a walking robot. The Solar Astronaut Kit illustrates how an automatic transmission and motors work together to actuate the legs. Slide switch changes from solar to battery power. Soldering is not required.
Comes with everything you need including motor, gearbox, solar cell, and easy to follow instructions. Requires basic hand tools to assemble.
Mr. Personality is an amazing personal robot from Wow Wee. This innovative and interactive talking companion is more than just your average robot. Mr. Personality exudes personality in everything he does and says. Like a real life cartoon character, he can tell jokes, read your daily fortune, and even answer questions about your future. Enjoy endless hours of his company and interact with him through his multiple sensors and activity modes.
Mr. Personality full color LCD screen displays his personality with animated and synchronized facial features. Create personalities using the included companion PC software and store them directly on Mr. Personality or an external media card through the built in SD memory card slot, or simply download new personalities directly to Mr. Personality from the internet via the integrated USB connector.
Specifications: Fully-animated upper body; Three-wheeled omni-directional motion base; 7 motors; 4 IR sensors; Built-in microphone; Color LCD screen; 64 Mbyte of built in memory; Speaker; LED battery indicator; Remote controller; Requires 6 "C" size batteries (not included)
Tribot is one of the latest in the line of personal robots from WowWee. This innovative talking companion is more than just your average robot -- Tribot is fresh off the robot assembly line and is ready to interact with you whether it is playing with his built-in games or telling you jokes. Remember though, he's only a young robot so he will need help from you to give him commands using the remote controller.
The Tribot features numerous sensors and built in wheel encoders that enable him to keep track of his position. The unique three wheeled Omni directional drive system lets Tribot move in any direction - even sideways. The robot features multiple activity modes and alarm modes, and driving games.
Tribot comes with a full-function remote control. The learning mode enables it to record your inputs on the remote control and then play back the exact sequence of commands.
Requires eight "AA" and three "AAA" batteries, not included. Measures 9"L x 8.5"W x 15"H.
Create the smartest, strongest and most advanced Lego robots ever, in as few as 30 minutes! Lego Mindstorm's highly versatile palette of Lego Technic elements combines with state-of-the-art ultrasonic, sound, light and touch sensors in the next generation of intuitive robotics. With included Quick-Start guide and step-by-step building instructions, beginners and experts alike can create humanoid, vehicle and animal robots that obey every command!
Execute daring missions with the strobing light MegaBlimp. The vessel is activated and controlled by a removable triple-fan silent electric propulsion system. This three-axis control system means it can be flown forward, backward, up and down and perform 360 degree turn-on-a-dime maneuvers. Full control and maneuvering of the air vessel is maintained from a hand-held transmitter with a range of over 100 feet. It is recommended you use your blimp indoors but on a calm day it can be flown outdoors using the included tether and tether hooks.
This set includes the Airship-1 Blimp Air Vessel, 1-lighted triple fan gondola, transmitter with antenna, 3V lithium battery, 9V alkaline battery, tether and manual. Air vessels can be filled with helium at any florist or party shop.
Pleo is a new type of autonomous life form: a scientifically accurate dinosaur. Pleo looks, moves, sounds and behaves like a living creature. Fully aware and cognitive, he explores his environment and interacts with people, accessories and other Pleo dinosaurs.
Equipped with senses for sight, sounds and touch, Pleo processes numerous stimuli before expressing himself. He feels joy, sorrow, anger and annoyance with realistic dinosaur sounds. And when he's tired, Pleo gets drowsy and sleeps -- sometimes even dreams.
Pleo's sophisticated sensory system consists of nearly 40 devices that enable him to see, sense, touch and detect objects in order to move autonomously and explore his environment without requiring any remote control. This robotic dinosaur includes a color camera with a white-light sensor that allows him to detect bright light from dark, see colors, detect motion, track a moving object, and perceive objects in front of him. This unit also includes microphones on the left and right that give him stereophonic hearing, allowing him to detect sound direction and loudness through both ears. An infrared receiver and transmitter allows Pleos to identify, communicate and interact with one another, while another infrared interrupter allows Pleo to detect when something is being placed in his mouth. Meanwhile eight touch sensors on his chin, shoulder, legs, back and head are triggered by touch and allow him to "feel." This dinosaur has skin that is constructed of a custom-formulated, soft thermoplastic material that's painted with an incredibly realistic and lifelike coloration.
The Pleo Life Form has over 100 custom-designed gears, and 14 motors for highly-articulated movement. Each motor has a force feedback sensor that makes them sensitive to forceful grabs at the dinosaur's legs, neck, tail and torso, causing him to shut down during trauma to avoid internal damage. Pleo will actually react to being hurt, perhaps exhibiting a limp, and can recover over time depending on the level of nurturing you exhibit. Ground sensors allow Pleo to know when a foot is on a solid surface or when he has been picked up, while tilt and shake sensors allow him to know if he has fallen or is being held upside down. The sensors will also wake him up after he has "fallen asleep." Front and rear speakers enable Pleo to communicate via cute honks and hoots, as well as other fun and natural sounds.
Pleo has two 32-bit microprocessors for central and image processing, and four 8-bit sub-processors for motor control. This robotic life form also has multiple built-in data ports, including a mini USB port for online downloads, an SD card slot for Pleo add-ons, and the infrared transceiver that allows Pleo-to-Pleo communications.
Just like a real animal, his behavior cannot always be predicted. Pleo has internal motivations to eat, drink, rest, seek social interaction and more.
The Pleo robot weighs 3.5 pounds, and stands about 7.5 inches high and 21 inches long when on all fours. Pleo is rated E for Everyone and is designed for children over eight, teens and adults. Pleo requires 4 NiMH batteries, included.
Wrex is a mischievous robotic pal and a real junkyard dog. Built from discarded mechanical and electrical parts, Wrex is the ultimate loveable Frankenstein pooch, despite a few loose nuts and bolts. He can roam around autonomously.
Wrex the Dawg's behavior depends on his three moods: Happy, Angry and Crazy and his three desires: Exercise, Call of Nature and Hunger. You will always know what he is thinking and feeling by watching his crazy slot machine eyes. Lift up his back panel to reveal the programming buttons. You can program him to behave like a cat, perform wild actions or even dare to disobey your commands. Take him for a stroll or let him roam around freely and he will change his moods and desires, just like a real dog.
Wrex the Dawg is the ultimate loveable "cross-wired" pooch, despite a few loose nuts and bolts!
Requires 4 "C" batteries and 2 "AA" batteries, not included. Includes remote control. Measurements: 14.5"L x 14"H x 8.8"W.
The Robosapien Robot is a full function fast moving robot minion suitable for all your world domination needs! Designed by a NASA scientist, the Robosapien is simple enough for kids and advanced enough for adults. Features include real, multi-speed fast dynamic walking, running, and turning; fast, full function arms with two types of grippers; 67 pre-programmed functions including pick-up, throw, kick, sweep, dance, and half a dozen kung-fu moves. Robosapien has programmable "reflexes" to touch, pickup, and kick, and up to 84 program steps, with 4 program modes for advanced operations.
No computer is required, all functions are handled by a remote control which runs on regular batteries for over 6 hours. Includes three demonstration modes: Disco dance, Rude behavior, and Kung Fu. This robot comes fully assembled and ready to go. Requires 3 AAA and 4 D Batteries (not included)
This U Command Wall-E is a programmable remote control robot that features realistic expressions, light-up eyes, original movie voice, and even sound effects. You can send an instant order or preprogrammed action sequence to Wall-E via the wireless remote control and it will carry out your command.
Using the infrared controller, U-Command Wall-E comes to life with animated movements, voice, sound, and light effects as you maneuver him forward, turn in reverse--or have him dance. Program options enable over 1,000 action combos. Wall-E Features realistic eye motion with light-up effects, moving arms and turning treads. Easy to use IR controller includes button for signature Wall-E expressions. Requires 7 "AA" batteries, not included. Measures over 9" tall.
Explore the world of robotic science with the Soda Can Robug science kit from Green Science.
Kids age 8 and up can recycle a soda can and turn it into a working robotic bug. You will be delighted to see it slide across the floor just like a real bug!
It even makes a buzzing sound as it travels along. Kit includes plastic mechanic body, wire wings, wire legs, motor with wires, screws and detailed instructions.
The Soda Can Robug is an imaginative way for children to explore mechanics and electricity. It's also ideal for showing children creative ways to recycle everyday items. Ages 8 and up.
The classic Rock'em Sock'em Robots are back! The original robots Red Rocker and Blue Bomber are still at it - trying to knock each other's blocks off after 35 years!
Long before TV shows like BattleBots, there were these guys: two plastic boxers battling it out in a ring, tirelessly jabbing at each other. Years go by and these fighters are still at it, still operated by two players working simple controllers, and still madly punching in an effort to knock loose the other fellow's spring-loaded head.
Muscle Wires are thin strands of a special nickel-titanium alloy that actually shorten in length when electrically powered. They are easy to use, and they can lift thousands of times their own weight. The direct linear motion of Muscle Wires offers experimenters a source of motion that is very similar to that of a human muscle, providing possibilities not available with motors or solenoids. This is an ideal material for making small, simple walking robots! Compared to motors or solenoids, Muscle Wires (also known as nitinol) have many advantages: small size, light weight, low power, a very high strength-to-weight ratio, precise control, AC or DC activation, long life, and direct linear action. These features let you create whole categories of amazing new devices that would be difficult or impossible to do with anything else.
Luckily for us robot hobbyists, there are great books available about making nitinol powered walking robots. The best part is that each of these books comes with all of the nitinol you need to make your own walking robot! Take a look at each book to see which one is best for you.
The Ladybug Robot moves with its six legs and makes use of infrared emitting diodes as its eyes to avoid obstacles along its path. Ladybug automatically makes a turn the moment it detects an object in its path. It continues to move forward again when no obstacle is in the way.
Specifications:
Power: Four AAA batteries (not included). Includes motor, gearbox and all parts Easy to follow instructions Soldering is required Requires basic hand tools to assemble
Gakken's Mechamo kits are more complex than kits intended for younger hobbyists (though of course with adult supervision, there's no reason a bright youngster can't put them together). This metal centipede comes with everything you'll need to build it.
This is a very hard to find robotic kit from Japan.
This is a great kit! Ages 15 and Up For Intermediate Builders No Soldering Required Tools Required: None (Included) 6 AA Batteries not included
All the kits share the same wheels and speed reduction hardware. The light weight kit is the simplest and lightest possible 4-wheel-drive configuration using our custom hardware. It includes two dual-wheel drive modules, aluminum bulkheads, and a base plate. The motors are located in the center of the drive modules and each wheel has its own two-stage speed reducer.
The base plate is drilled and countersunk with all the holes required to mount the speed controller, batteries, and other components - a total of 62 holes.
Available options: E-150 or S28-150 motors Feather Pack or MC-1250 batteries AmpFlow speed controller Mini speed controller High-speed gearing
Specifications: Ships fully assembled (except for electrical connections) Length: 17.7" Width: 15.6" Weight Bare: 20.9 Lbs. Weight with two E-150 motors, one Feather Pack battery, AmpFlow speed controller: 33.7 Lbs.
One of the hardest things for a robot builder is locating sources for robot components. Here is a list of vendors. I have done business with most of them, and I haven't included any companies that didn't treat me right. Call them up and ask for a catalog. Some of them only send catalogs to companies, so give your enterprise a name. I hope that you'll forgive me for keeping some of my sources secret.
ROBOT KITS No need to search any further. BattleKits.com has what you need!
ROBOT MOTORS We recommend our own Magmotor.
ROBOT METALS Check out the Robot Parts section of RobotBooks.com for a link to a great source for small quantities of metals and plastics for building robots.
GENERAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES
The first thing a robot builder should do is get a catalog from McMASTER CARR. They have everything. You can build excellent robots using just parts from this catalog. 99% of their products are in stock, and if you order today, you can expect the part to be at your doorstep tomorrow. (562) 692-5911
MSC INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY is the largest catalog in my office (4075 pages). They carry many of the items that McMaster Carr does, plus a large selection of cutting tools (potential weapons), and machine shop equipment. (800) 645-7270
The GRAINGER catalog has 4106 pages but in a smaller format than the MSC catalog, so they come in second, sizewise. They sell many of the same items as the above two companies, but they also carry many items that you won't find in the other catalogs. http://www.grainger.com
SMALL PARTS INC. Has a wide range of many hard to find parts. Ask for catalog #17. It has a picture of our "STEALTH" robot which won the 1995 "FIRST" competition at Disney World in Florida. (800) 220-4242
POWER TRANSMISSION
Power transmission equipment includes things like belts, chains, sprockets, pulleys, bearings, and gears.
W.M. BERG should be your first phone call. (800) 232-2374
BOSTON GEAR carries some heavier-duty parts than Berg. (617) 328-3300
METALS
See the BioHazard Materials page for more info. Here are the sources listed on that page:
C AND B SALES (800) 926-2600 (Magnesium)
METAL SUPPLY (800) 638-2521 (Magnesium)
MARK METALS (800) 955-6404 (Magnesium)
TICO (800) 521-4392 (Titanium)
PRESIDENT (800) 225-0304 (Titanium)
CARPENTER (213) 587-9131 (AirMet 100)
PLASTICS
INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS (800 362-1000
LAIRD PLASTICS (407) 689-2200
RYERSON PLASTICS (800) 242-2114
U.S. PLASTICS (800) 537-9724
CADILLAC PLASTICS (800) 274-1000
COMMERCIAL PLASTICS (800) 325-1262
POLYMER PLASTICS (650) 968-2212
RADIO CONTROL EQUIPMENT
This is where you will find items like radio transmitters, Small motors, electronic speed controls, and tons of parts that could be used in feather or lightweight robots.
The largest is probably TOWER HOBBIES. (800) 637-4989
HOBBY LOBBY has a large selection of small motors and other items that Tower Hobbies doesn't handle. (615) 373-1444
FMA Direct. R/C equipment. (800) 343-2934
VANTEC. Low voltage, high amperage, electronic speed controls. The choice of most of the heavyweight competitors. (805) 929-5055
ASTROFLIGHT sells some powerful rare-earth magnet motors. They also carry Nicad battery chargers and high amperage connectors. (310) 821-6242
AVEOX. Powerful and efficient small brushless motors. (818) 597-8915.
Bargain hunters might want to check some of the following sources. Their products are similar to those of Tower Hobbies:
SIG MANUFACTURING CO. (515) 623-5154
AMERICA'S HOBBY CENTER. (800) 989-3989
SHELDON'S HOBBIES (408) 943-0220
MISCELLANEOUS MECHANICALS
NORTHERN has a wide range of products, including gas engines, electric motors, hydraulics, and tools. (800) 533-5545
KART WORLD sells go-cart parts, including wheels with sprockets already attached, variable ratio transmissions, high performance engines, and tons of hardware that could be used in robots. (440) 357-5569
A little history Way back cica. 1987 I decided building a robot would be a way cool idea. I set out building a beast of a brain for my creation. I put together the excellent Talking Electronics TEC-1B Z80 based computer. After weeks of building and testing (I was only 13!) I had it up and running. Ah, those were the days, programming a Z80 in hex... So my Dad helped me put together an aluminium light weight frame. It was slightly modelled on the old Hero robot from Heathkit. Luck was not on our side, and Robbie Mk I got destroyed before he every really came into being. A non fatal car accident saw Robbie Mk I thrown from a trailer - ending up in pieces all across the highway. The electronics were not hurt, but the shell was destroyed beyond recognition. So died the dream of Robbie Mk I.
Many years later the idea of building a robot again seemed like a good idea. This time I began experimenting with the PIC series of microchips, namely the very popular 16F84. Again my father came to the rescue with his woodworking skills and built me a platform on which we mounted some geared motors. I still laugh thinking back how i tried to control the motors using a complex array of relays to change the current direction. You should have seen the sparks fly! I was truely a happy man the day I discovered what an H-brige was :)
So Robbie Mk II was born, on a chipboard base with 2 geared motors. I got it to the stage where it could drag itself *very* slowly around the room aided by an infrared proximity detector circuit. I have a few old photos of the base which i will upload in the coming weeks.
My brother having declared Robbie Mk II as being an insult to the eye offered his services as a model builder. He came up with the stunning design you see below.
The motorized platform for Robbie III is almost complete.
Over the Christmas break i will start adding the electronics.
The under belly. A big thank you to brother Nathan for his tireless work in getting the platform up and running. As you can see the boy has got skills!
I plan to add the electronics in the following order: PIC 16F877A (20MHz) based main controller. An Olimex prototyping board. 2 x SRF08 Range Detectors. MD22 Motor Controller. A Knight Rider LED scanner to make it look pretty. SP03 Text to Speech module. Amplifier for loud speech. CMUCam camera tracking system. Voice Extreme Speech Recognition Module.
Keep checking back here - as i add electronics i'll update the photos.
Sinewinder is an attractive, easy to use lighting system for your R/C vehicle. Just plug the Sinewinder light into a spare receiver channel, or use a separate 5V source.
Sinewinder has 12 bright LEDs that scan from side to side, with a short trail after the leading light. The lights can be switched on and off by using your radio. If no signal is present or the signal wire is cut, the lights will default to being on.
Specifications
Input voltage: 3V to 6V Current draw: 30mA max 4" / 10cm long
Overview The USB-RLY08 provides eight volt free contact relay outputs with a current rating of up to 1Amp each. It is powered from any standard USB bus and has an exceptionally low maximum current consumption of approx. 90mA with all relays on. The relays are SPCO (Single Pole Change Over) types. The normally open, normally closed and common pins are all available on the screw terminals.
LED indication The USB-RLY08 provides a red LED mounted immediately next to each relay to indicate whether it is in a powered state (LED on), there is also two LED's which will flash with USB transactions to and from the module, green indicating reception of data from the PC and yellow the transmission of data to the PC. Finally there is red power LED mounted on the opposite side of the board to the USB connector.
Relay power rating If the contact load voltage and current of the relay are in the region enclosed by the solid and dotted lines in the figure below, the relay can perform stable switching operation. If the relay is used at a voltage or current exceeding this region, the life of the contacts may be significantly shortened.
First Step - Get The Drivers The USB-RLY08 module uses the FTDI FT232R USB chip to handle all the USB protocols. The documentation provided by FTDI is very complete, and is not duplicated here. Before using the USB-RLY08, you will need to install FTDI's Virtual COM Port ( VCP ) Drivers. These drivers appear to the system as an extra Com Port ( in addition to any existing hardware Com Ports ). Application software accesses the USB device in the same way as it would access a standard Windows Com Port using the Windows VCOMM API calls or by using a Com Port Library. Drivers are available for Windows, Apple, Linux and Open BSD systems directly from the FTDI website. You should get and install the drivers now, before you connect the USB RLY08 to your computer. The Drivers page is here.
Which COM port? After installing the drivers, and plugging in the USB-RLY08 module to a spare USB port, you will want to know which COM port it has been assigned to. This will vary from system to system depending on how many COM ports you currently have installed. To find out where it is, right click on your "My Computer" desktop icon and select the "Device Manager" tab. Now scroll down and open the "Ports (COM & LPT)" tab. You should see the USB serial port listed - COM2 in the example below. If you want to change the COM port number - just right click on it, select properties, select advanced and select the COM port number from the available list. The COM port should be set up for 19200 baud, 8 data bits, no parity and two stop bits.
Commands The USB-RLY08 operates with an easy to use command set as described in the table below. Most commands are only a single byte and if applicable the USB-RLY08 will automatically send its response. The only exception to this being the "Set relay states" command which requires and additional desired states byte to be sent immediately after the command byte.
Test program and example source code
To get the USB-RLY08 up and running in the minimum amount of time we have put together an example program to demonstrate the functionality of the module.
Overview The RLY08 provides eight volt free contact relay outputs with a current rating of up to 1Amp each. It requires a 5v supply and has an exceptionally low maximum current consumption of approx. 100mA with all relays on. The relays are SPCO (Single Pole Change Over) types. The normally open, normally closed and common pins are all available on the screw terminals.
Relay power rating If the contact load voltage and current of the relay are in the region enclosed by the solid and dotted lines in the figure below, the relay can perform stable switching operation. If the relay is used at a voltage or current exceeding this region, the life of the contacts may be significantly shortened.
Operating Modes There are two operating modes for the RLY08, I2C mode and Serial Mode. This is set with the Mode pin, and is connected to 0v Ground for Serial Mode or unconnected for I2C Mode. These are documented on individual pages. Specifications Number of Relay's - 8 Power - 5v @ 100mA max. Control interface - Serial or I2C. Relay current - Up to 1Amp @30vdc or 60vac. 500mA@110vac. 250mA@250vac Connections - Screw Terminals for N/O N/C and Common contacts. Expansion - Up to 8 modules on Serial or I2C bus.
Specifications SRF02 Specification Voltage - 5v only required Current - 4mA Typ. Frequency - 40KHz Range - 15cm - 6m. Analogue Gain - Automatic 64 step gain control Connection Modes: - 1 Standard I2C Bus. - 2 Serial Bus - connects up to 16 devices to any uP or UART serial port. Full Automatic Tuning - No calibration, just power up and go. Timing - Fully timed echo, freeing host controller of task. Units - Range reported in uS, mm or inches. Light Weight - 4.6gm Small Size - 24mm x 20mm x 17mm height.
Description Sabertooth 2X5 is the motor driver of choice for small differential-drive robots. It is ideal for smaller robots- up to 3lbs in combat or 25 lbs for general purpose use. It is also a great choice in any application where you need to control two brushed motors.
Out of the box, the Sabertooth can supply two DC brushed motors with up to 5A each continuously. Peak currents of 10A are achievable for short periods. Because Sabertooth 2x5 incorporates soft current limiting and thermal protection, you need not worry about killing the driver with accidental stalls or by hooking up too big a motor.
Sabertooth allows you to control two motors with: analog voltage, radio control, serial and packetized serial. You can build many different robots of increasing complexity for years to come with a Sabertooth. Sabertooth has independent and speed+direction operating modes, making it the ideal driver for differential drive (tank style) robots and more.
The operating mode is set with the onboard DIP switches so there are no jumpers to lose or complicated programming sequences. Sabertooth features screw terminal connectors - making it possible for you to build a robot without having to solder.
Sabertooth is the first synchronous regenerative motor driver in its class. The regenerative topology means that your batteries get recharged whenever you command your robot to slow down or reverse. Sabertooth also allows you to make very fast stops and reverses - giving your robot a quick and nimble edge. In certain operating modes Sabertooth can process up to 3000 speed commands per second.
Sabertooth has a built in 5V BEC that can provide power to a microcontroller or R/C receiver. It also features a lithium cutoff mode allowing Sabertooth to operate safely with lithium ion and lithium polymer battery packs - the highest energy density batteries available.
Sabertooth's transistors are switched at ultrasonic speeds (32kHz) for silent operation.
Use of our motor drivers with cheap AC adapters is not recommended. Use a battery or at least put a battery in parallel with a DC supply.
Specifications
19g / 0.7oz
Input Voltage: 6V to 18V, 6-12 cell NiMH or NiCd, 2s-4s LiPo, 6V or 12V lead acid (not 18+V lead acid!)
5A continuous per channel, 10A peak
Synchronous regenerative drive Ultra-sonic switching frequency Thermal and overcurrent protection Lithium protection mode
Input modes: Analog, R/C, simplified serial, packetized serial
Go inside the creative world of the R2 Builders Club thanks to an extensive profile in the May 2008 issue of Servo magazine for the robot innovator.
Craig Smith advises prospective members about the amount of time it takes to create a droid: “R2 built from scratch or built from club parts is not a quick project. It will take months to complete a static, non-moving display — even years for a motorized version. When I look at the parts on my droid, I recall the week it took to make the shoulders, the days it took to make the ankle covers, the days it took to re-make the ankles themselves because I did not offset them correctly. And there are dozens more parts on the droid with similar memories. A project such as this is a huge commitment!”
