Personal Robot Building

[Daniel Brim]

Originally Posted by KenWittlief

I have an idea. Make a telepresence robot.

It would be something that you can drive around remotely, or program to goto a certain place, and it would have stereoscopic video cameras and microphones, with an RF link, so the operator can see what the robot sees

it would be like you are where the robot is, instead of where you are.

the operator would wear a headset, and 3d vision glasses, like the V920 on this website : www.icuiti.com

you could also have a speaker on the robot, so the operator can talk to people through the bot. If you make the bot somewhat humaniod in apperance, people would be more likely to interact with it as if they were talking to a real person.

I can think of lots of applications for this. People who are shut-ins or bedridden could send the bot out - it would be their eyes and ears and feet.

to make it easy, the drivetrain could be like a wheel chair, which would look familar to people, and allow it to go most places that anyone else could go.

To extend the range you might be able to operate it though a cell phone link.

I think this would be an excellent platform for experimentation and learning.

In fact, I would like to have one myself :^)

if it worked over a cell phone link, you could have remote meetings through these - you could be in NY and the tele-you could be moving around a factory or lab in LA, and it would be like you were there.

if you are going to build something like this, let me know. I might be able to help you out with the video stuff. If so, email me at work: kenneth_wittlief@icuiti.com

Ken, that would be really, really cool, and very practical! I would love to help on something like this (inbetween the SATs, ACTs, APs, and travel) during the offseason. I don't know much about building robots (just extruding, revolving, and constraining using Inventor), but it would still be "an excellent platform for experimentation and learning" as you said.

-Daniel