Some app ideas and questions

[SoftForge]

I am a web developer in London, UK and am looking for a new challenge. I have always been fascinated by robots and have been exploring myrobots.com with great interest. I have ordered an Arduino kit and plan to build a bot that can tell me the temperature and set the central heating at my home remotely. I could then build an Android App that allows my to switch on the heating before I leave work so it is nice and warm when I get back!

However, I don't want to stop there. I would love to get a Nao when they are released to the public and start building Robot Apps that anyone can use. My first idea is an app that lets the Nao solve a Rubik's Cube from any configuration. Another idea is an app that lets a Nao play chess with someone on a physical board (although this would be much more complex). So I have some questions...

Would a Nao be physically capable of turning the sites of a Rubik's cube? Maybe by holding it with its feet and turning with its hands.

I have been looking at Webots which appears to be able to simulate a Nao. Would I be able to start developing the Rubik's Cube app using Webots without actually owning a Nao?

Am I able to join the developer beta program to learn more about developing an app that will work on myrobots.com?

Is anyone else planning to develop these apps? I don't want to duplicate work.

Thanks in advance, I look forward to building Robot Apps!

Joe

[Casmat]

Your apps sound very interesting and could definitely be very popular.

Nao can move chess pieces and could probably manipulate a Rubiks cube but the latter might be difficult because a cube is usually too stiff and too big for Nao.

There are no such apps in development as far as we know. Nao development is at the stage of picking up an object and and depositing somewhere else. we will soon have more information for the developers program for MyRobots.com

You might want to have a look at Aldebaran's developer program in order to know the latest about Nao development.

[Casmat]

Your apps sound very interesting and could definitely be very popular.

Nao can move chess pieces and could probably manipulate a Rubiks cube but the latter might be difficult because a cube is usually too stiff and too big for Nao.

There are no such apps in development as far as we know. Nao development is at the stage of picking up an object and and depositing somewhere else. we will soon have more information for the developers program for MyRobots.com

You might want to have a look at Aldebaran's developer program in order to know the latest about Nao development.

[SoftForge]

Thanks very much for your response. I will investigate the Aldebaran's developer program and continue my research.

Thanks again!