On the weekend of March 2nd to March 4th, a Global Cloud Robotics Hackathon will be held in several cities around the world. This initiative is born in Montreal, Canada where the main event will be held but other cities are challenged to participate and to show off their robot hacking skills.

What is a “hackathon”?

The word “hackathon” is a combination of “hack” and “marathon” and designates an event where hackers, makers and tinkerers from teams and get together for a short time (a weekend for instance) to create and hack technology. The most hard-core hackers code and build during the entire event without sleeping and only taking minimal breaks.

What is this “cloud” thing?

“Cloud robotics” refers to the use of web services (that run on the internet, a.k.a. “the cloud”) in order to make robots smarter. This hackathon is focused in catalyzing the creation of cloud robotics applications by using the MyRobots.com API, Android, and ROS.

Why participate?

Many reasons: It is a fun opportunity to hack  and learn about cloud robotics, it brings roboticists to work with web developers and android programmers, and each team gets a FREE DFRobotShop Rover. If you want to be a hero in the robotics community and get started in the very exciting and emerging field of cloud robotics, register your team now! Find out more about the Cloud Robotics hackathon on roboticshackathon.com

The MyRobots.com App Store  is the first robot-specific App Store to list applications which are ready to buy! The first available applications are intended for use with the iRobot Roomba Vacuums, one of the most widely used robots in the world. All six million Roombas (estimated number of Roombas in the “wild”) can now benefit from these applications which are intended to make full use of the onboard sensors and commands to transform the little cleaning robot in to a telepresence solution. The Robot App Store is also open for roboticists and developers who would like create, submit and then sell their apps. Current apps are similar to the existing Android and iOS apps that need to be downloaded and installed into a device (a robot in this case). The MyRobots team is still working on creating and supporting apps that run in the cloud, but some hints on the site (such as the cloud icon in the top-right) lead to believe the functionality will be coming soon. The MyRobots App Store uses RobotShop’s e-commerce platform to handle transactions but it is foreseeable that in the future, transactions will go trough the MyRobots site, giving users a more seamless experience.

About Beginner Kits

 Beginner Robot Kits have the following general characteristics:

• Suitable for an average age of 8+ (see each kit for specific information)
• Easy to assembly and no soldering required
• Pre-programmed or remote controlled
• Usually one or two degrees of freedom (motions)

This category includes remote controlled fighting robots, robots that react to their environment, solar powered robots and more. Below are three sample projects you can incorporate into your classroom to teach students the basics of robotics:

What can it do? The Elenco Line Tracking Robot will follow a black line drawn on white paper by using two photo interrupters. Create different routes with black electric tape or a black marker and see what your Line Tracking Robot can do! More information
What can it do? The Owi Attacking Inch Worm Mini Solar Robot Kit has orange spiky limbs to ward off any predator who sees it as food. The sun’s rays power this mini solar kit and demonstrates alternative energy principles (no batteries required). Because its home is above ground, Attacking Inch Worm has a hard plastic body to protect itself and represents a link between biology and mechanisms. More Information
What can it do? The Wall Hugging Mouse uses a simple two-motor system to scurry along the wall. When the sensor comes into contact with the wall it activates a micro switch that causes the robot to steer away. When the mouse steers away from the wall the sensor rod loses contact, the robot will continue in a straight line. More Information

About Intermediate Kits

  Intermediate Robot Kits have the following general characteristics:

• Suitable for an average age of 10+ (see each kit for specific information)
• Smaller, more intricate parts need to be assembled (soldering may be required)
• Some kits may require programming
• Usually 2-6 degrees of freedom
• Includes Robotic Arms, wheeled robots with sensors, walking robots and more.

  This category includes robotic arms, programmable robots, robots that require soldering for assembly and more. Below are three sample projects you can incorporate into your classroom to teach students the basics of robotics:

What can it do? The OWI Robotic Arm Edge rides the wings of the award winning OWI Arm Trainer Robot Kit. OWI has made robotic arm technology more affordable without compromising quality. With Robotic Arm Edge, command the gripper to open and close, wrist motion of 120 degrees, an extensive elbow range of 300 degrees, base rotation of 270 degrees, base motion of 180 degrees, vertical reach of 15 inches, horizontal reach of 12.6 inches, and lifting capacity of 100g. More Information
What can it do? The IZIrobot ER-6 Robot Kit is a great teaching assistant for robotics courses. It helps developing skills of microelectronics, programming and sensors . It can be used as a line tracer which detects and follow a line, a light tracer for interaction with light, a pathfinder to navigate a maze and much more. More Information
What can it do? The Ibotz Tribotz Robot Kit is 3 robots in one. This wonderful little robot can follow a line (like industrial automatic guided vehicle (AGV), avoid obstacles and react to sounds (such as hand clapping). Tribotz uses several sensors such as infrared light and condenser microphone. This fabulous robot allows you to experiment in a fun way the mechanics of a robot on wheels in addition to several sensors. More Information

About Advanced Kits

Advanced Robot Kits have the following general characteristics:

• Most kits are suitable for ages 14+
• Complex assembly may be required
• Soldering may be required
• Programming is usually required.

  This category includes humanoid robots, robots with vision sensors, complete development platforms and more. Most of these kits have small parts and prior knowledge of robotics is often advantageous or necessary. Below are three sample projects you can incorporate into your classroom to teach students the basics of robotics.

What can it do? Designed in the United States, the humanoid robot RoboPhilo has 20 servos allowing turning movement of the head, waist and thighs in addition to standard joint movement of the limbs. RoboPhilo comes with a powerful robot controller with 24 available servo channels and up to 8 I/O interfaces. More Information
What can it do? The POB Technology POB BOT robot was created to make it easy to demonstrate the POB Technology products. This robot moves using modular tracks that are powered by 2 DC gear motors. The robot’s “head” is actuated with a servomotor and the program is available in C, JAVA and BASIC. More Information
What can it do? The RobotShop Rover was designed around the Arduino Diecimila/Duemilanove and is a compact, low cost indoor mobile tracked platform. Users can customize their rover by adding electronic parts to the solderless breadboards. The pan and tilt included with the kit can be used to mount an additional sensor or sensors, a camera or even act as the base for a multi-degree of freedom robotic arm. More Information

About Solar & BEAM Kits

Solar & BEAM Robot Kits have the following general characteristics:

• Soldering and assembly required
• Demonstrates maximum motion with minimum number of parts
• Non-programmable
• BEAM acronym: “Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, Mechanics”

  A Solar or BEAM robot is the essence of a minimalist design; the frame is often a PCB, with parts soldered directly to it. Additional parts such as antennae are as lightweight as possible, yet maximize functionality. If this category interest you, you may be interested in reading through “Stiquito“, which guides you though the process of making these types of robots. Below are three sample projects you can incorporate into your classroom to teach students the basics of robotics:

What can it do? The JCM Cybug Solarfly 2 is the direct descendant of the popular Solarfly, this greatly improved kit is an easier to build, more sensitive, more functional artificial lifeform with the ability to switch between solar mode ( chloroplast solar engine ) and battery mode ( 9V battery under circuit board ). More Information
What can it do? The CYBUG QueenAnt is designed with open architecture and is easily expanded to be fully solar powered (with our optional QueenAnt SolarWings add-on kit: RB-JCM-02) or programmable by adding an optional microcontroller programmable micro- processor. This kit for advanced roboticians is perfect to start working in the BEAM robotic field. More Information
What can it do? The Solarbotics SolarSpeeder 2.0 Kit is a very quick Solaroller that can cover 3 meters (10 feet) at a time, once a minute in direct sunlight. These little speed-demons utilize the same updated Solarengine technology found in our Solarbotics Photopopper 4.2 Photovore Kit. Simple to construct and a blast to watch in the sunlight! More Information

Curriculum

  Curriculum material varies from project to project. Beginner kits are ideal for explaining the fundamentals of robotics, from sensors, to motors and alternative energy sources. Intermediate robots are best used to introduce systems integration (using a motor with a controller and a sensor) and/or programming. If you are looking to introduce robotics into an elementary or high school class, take a look at the OWI-RETC Technology Curriculum TEACHKIT and the OWI-ELEM2 Elementary Technology Curriculum. Advanced kits, as their name implies, require more advanced skills, especially programming. However, most manufacturer in the advanced category have made the process of building and programming their robots more straightforward by including pre-written code, and extensive product manuals. Robot Books such as “Robot Companions” complement the learning process  

Competitions

  Robot kits were not designed with competitions in mind because once constructed, they have equal capabilities. However, many advanced kits, such as humanoids, can be used in more advanced competitions because the winners are selected based on programming skills. Take a look at all Robot Competitions.  

What to Buy

  All Robot kits and Development Platforms: contains all robot kits and development platforms (complementary or additional components not included) Beginner Robot Kits Intermediate Robot Kits Advanced Robot Kits Solar & BEAM Robot Kits

About Gears EDS

The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System gives teachers the industrial strength tools they need to create world class engineering and robotics challenges for their students in the comfort and convenience of their own classrooms. The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System is offered as the world’s first engineering education construction system utilizing industry engineered components. GEARS LLC manufactures Mike’s Invention and Design System and provides teacher support and educational materials mapped to national curriculum frameworks. From Trebuchets to Autonomous Robots, The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System lets your students participate in the science and history of technological achievement! Students and teachers who use the GEARS Invention and Design System share in the creative excitement of inventing their own engineering games and designing the modules, mechanisms and machines to play them.

The GEARS-EDS system is a great way to learn about…

 

• How to apply basic math and physics concepts to the solution of a challenging problem.
• The process of engineering and designing modules, mechanisms and machines.
• How to work as a member of an engineering team and participate in the engineering project lifecycle
• How to use 3D solid models to communicate ideas and create and analyze design iterations
• The fundamentals of mechanics, electronics and pneumatics
• And much more……

Software

Software and programming are at the discretion of the teacher and the students. The basic GEARS system is meant to complement third part electronics including R/C systems, microcontrollers and embedded PCs. If you are looking to have your students program using the GEARS EDS system, select a microcontroller and appropriate motor controllers.

Project Ideas

Mobile Chassis

Use the GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System to create Radio Controlled Game Playing Machines (designed and built by students). Students and teachers can create exciting engineering challenges similar to those played at major engineering colleges and on TV! Students and teachers who participate in these 4 activities learn the necessary math, science and principals of engineering they need to create competitive machines.

Newton’s Cart

Use The GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System to create Apparatuses that help teach the Fundamentals of Physics. Students and teachers can create and use project based physics demonstrations that help students learn concepts through personal experiences. Students and teachers who participate in these 4 activities learn the necessary math, science and principals of engineering they need to create competitive machines.    

Dynamometer

  Use The GEARS-IDS? Invention and Design System to build a dynamometer and analyze the performance of a fixed magnet direct current electric motor. DC electric motors are found in many of the products we use daily. Some of these include; CD players, tape players, computer printers and scanners, cell phones and pagers, computer drives and countless other applications.  

Curriculum

Gears EDS was designed specifically for the classroom, and as such, the company has a significant amount of educational material to go along with their kits. The Gears curriculum covers Pneumatics, Physics, Geometry, Magnets and more while describing the curriculum objectives. A 6-week comprehensive CAD curriculum resource is also available separately. Gears makes all of its CAD files available by special request. Furthermore, Gears has developed the “Gears-EDS Program – Engineering Construction and Design”. Using the GEARS-EDS materials and components, students and teachers combine basic physical science principals with creative thought process to construct a remote controlled machine capable of playing a game designed by the students and/or the teacher. The GEARS-EDS Educational System products can be used to create a comprehensive program of study in which students and teachers participate in the engineering design and manufacturing process.

Competitions

There are currently no competitions specifically using Gears EDS, though the company has also created competitions in which their robots can be used:  

Pit Boss

  Pit Boss is an action packed robotic competition played on a 4 x 8’ plywood field. This engineering challenge requires students to design and build robotic mechanisms capable of manipulating and delivering 3 different objects up an incline and into a 10 inch diameter “Scoring Pit”.  

Hi-Lo BattleBall

  This is a game that challenges you to use the GEARS-IDS Invention and Design System kits, and some extra stuff commonly found around the house, to create a competitive machine capable of scoring either the highest, or the lowest score in the game of Hi-Lo BattleBall. It’s a game of engineering smarts and driving skill that will test your mechanical aptitude and manual dexterity.  

What to Buy

RobotShop has a category specifically for GEARS EDS kits and products. The Gears IDS package offers versatility and customization.     Gears EDS

Professional Development Platforms

  Professional development platforms are ideally suited to higher level education and research institutions. Increasingly, educational and research institutions are looking past the hardware to focus solely on robot intelligence. Professional platforms are essentially mobile computers, and have most of the components you would find in a standard PC (including video output, keyboard and mouse connections and more). These features allow you to focus entirely on programming the robot without the constraints of a low-cost microcontroller.

WhiteBox WhiteBox robots are capable of doing everything a PC does, and even have monitor, keyboard and mouse adapters if you want to use them as standard PCs. They house the same plug-and-play hardware as a PC, accept the same peripherals and drive bay options, run the same operating systems that a PC runs – but – they are mobile and autonomous. White Box robots house enough horsepower out-of-the-box to process video, AI applications, advanced algorithms, SLAM applications and more.
Coroware CoroBot was created to minimize the complexity of robot development. By combining a powerful PC-class platform with a robust, object-oriented software development system, the CoroBot empowers you to rapidly deploy and develop robotics solutions. The CoroBot also assists the hardware developer with additional physical mounting space, ports, sensors and communication devices.
Aldebaran Nao is the first step of the personal robot revolution. Self-contained, packed full of cognitive skills and high-end motions, Nao is an entirely programmable 60cm high robot. The 25 degree of freedom NAO includes a complete CPU loaded with Linux, WiFi, voice recognition and synthsis, emotions and more. Unlike most other humanoids, the NAO has functional hands.

Software

  Unlike non-professional robots, the White Box and CoroWare robots use standard operating systems such as Windows XP and Linux, allowing them to do everything your PC does and more. To get you started, most platforms come with a standard O/S setup with custom software application(s). Certain professional platforms like the White Box 914 PC-BOT (no CPU) allow you to add your own mini-itx motherboard and electronics.   Professional Development platforms allow you to install or develop your own software applications. Certain CoroWare models use Microsoft Robotics Studio, which allows you run multiple services simultaneously. Examples using the CoroWare robot have been included with Microsoft Robotics Development Studio and allow you to program and test the robot in a 3D virtual environment.  

White Box

 

914 Extreme PC-BOT Windows .NET version

There are five PC-BOT components for Visual Studio 2005. Drive, Messages, Sensors, M3, and ToolBar. A Visual Studio Developer can drag and drop these components in to any Windows forms project. The developer may write their code in any of the .NET supported languages (Visual Basic, C#, J#, C++).  

914 PC-BOT Linux Player/Stage

Player is a network server for robot control. Installed on your robot, Player provides an elegant and simple interface to the robot’s sensors and actuators over IP networks. The Player server software provides an abstract interface to multiple robotic devices, including mobile robot bases, sensors, etc as well as your 914 PC-BOT.  

3rd Party Applications

There are also additional applications that can be found on the PC-BOT community site such as B.R.A.I.N. (Beginners Robot Application Interface & Network).  

Coroware

 

Microsoft Robotics Developers’ Studio (MRDS)

CoroWare were involved with MRDS development from its early inception and are located right across the street from the Microsoft facilities in Redmond, WA providing direct access to the MSRS team. The Microsoft Robotics Studio team is in fact using CoroBot as a tool in assisting its development program. Test the Corobot FREE with Microsoft Robotics Developers’ Studio  

CoroWare Classpack

CoroWare ClassPack for Microsoft Robotics Studio is a simulation software package for the CoroBot development platform. The simulation CoroBot is physics based and supports the features of the real CoroBot model CB-WA. It has nearly identical functionality to the real CoroBot. ClassPack allows educators to put a virtual robot in the hands of every student while maintaining their department’s budget.  

Aldebaran

 

Choregraphe

The Aldebran NAO is supplied with Embedded Linux (32bit x86 ELF). Choregraph Wholly designed and developed by Aldebaran Robotics, Choregraphe is the programming software that lets Nao users create and edit movements and interactive behaviours with complete simplicity. The intuitive graphic interface, the library of behaviours delivered as a standard feature and the advanced programming functions satisfy the needs of novices and experts. Everyone can compose their own behaviours by a simple drag/copy from the library or else create their own boxes and save them in their personal library.  

Project Ideas

These platforms are ideal for higher level applications including image processing, autonomous navigation, interacting with the local environment and more. As with standard PCs, these computers can be accessed and controlled remotely via the internet (WiFi), and most professional platforms come with a webcam already installed.  

Networked Mobile Sensor Platform

  The PC-BOT is already a networked mobile sensor platform as part of its navigational array. You can integrate additional multiple sensors including RFID readers, hazmat detectors, access management devices and environmental sensors.    

Remote Telepresence

With the widespread deployment of 3G networks, broadband and wireless connectivity, it is now feasible to establish remote control of the PC-BOT via a wireless device or a second PC over a public telecommunications network. This enables customer control over on-robot integrated cameras, microphones, audio channels as well as autonomous patrolling of premises to detect intrusions, fire, water leaks and so on.  

Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio Platform

  MRDS developers have worked closely with Coroware and there is a significant amount of material available for developing MRDS applications using the CoroBot robots. You can already program a virtual version of the Coroware robot to navigate and interact with a 3D virtual environment within MRDS.   Additionally, professional development platforms can be used to develop solutions for a wide range of applications including:  

• Interactive teaching for children
• In-home security and remote telepresence
• Digital Home hub/server or control station
• Eldercare and elder companionship applications
• Assistive support services
• Entertainment and gaming
• RFID asset management, supply chain management and inventory management
• On-robot sensor integration – on-robot sensor array design and test
• Security & safety monitoring
• Alternate battery and power-supply research
• Pathfinder application development and test

 

Curriculum

 

EDUCATORS

Educators can implement an affordable and flexible method for teaching robotics by purchasing the Coroware ClassPack licenses for all the students in the class and several actual CoroBots for the lab. Instead of forcing students to share time on only a few Coro-Bots, ClassPack enables each student to participate and learn as if each had their own robot. ClassPack eliminates the constraints of a lab environment.   With the White Box PC-BOT, teachers can use the same platform for introductory robotics courses right through to advanced robotics research. The White Box PC-BOT open architecture provides a common baseline for review and comparison, code-sharing and enables international peer groups to use a common lexicon. Development in either Windows or Linux is equally possible. The PC-BOT can make significant contributions to research through applied autonomy and collaboration as well as research into human-robot interaction.  

STUDENTS

Students have the flexibility and freedom to learn at their pace and schedule without the constraints of sharing a CoroBot or learning only when the lab is available. By using the ClassPack simulator, the students can write code for the CoroBot that will run both in simulation and on a real robot. Projects and experiments can be completed outside of the class and lab setting. Using ClassPack, students can create objects and environments to test their theories.   With tight budgets, an educator will immediately appreciate the White Box 914′s relatively low price and high reliability. Instead of buying a single expensive platform you can now purchase several robots per class resulting in less time-sharing. The PC-BOT is also an ideal baseline platform for a new category of robot competitions.  

RESEARCHERS

Researchers can affordably create and test the Coroware Robots in the Microsoft Robotics simulation environment. Completing research in the simulation environment enables researchers to lower project costs without effecting the long-term results.   It is now easier than ever to build exciting new robots leveraging the well known and documented “white box” architecture. Thousands of inexpensive, off-the-shelf parts can be integrated using industry standard interfaces (USB, Serial, Firewire) and modular, readily accessible 5 ¼” bays. By adding mobility to the PC, the 914 opens a whole new world of possibilities to a global community of robotics and PC enthusiasts.

Competitions

Professional development platforms are used mainly in competitions where programming (“intelligence”) differentiates the competitors and determines the winners. Take a look at a complete list of robot competitions.

What to Buy

RobotShop has a category specifically for professional development platforms.