Learning about Pleo at Georgia Tech

When TDT toured Georgia Tech in Atlanta, last month, members enjoyed learning about Pleo, the robotic Camosaur.  Bob Christopher, one of Pleo’s creators, is now heading up Anybots, and leading development of another generation of robots with QB, a “mobile telepresence robot.”

In Anybots QB Robot is a Telepresence for the 21st Century, PC Magazine reports:

…this 5-foot, 9-inch, 32 lb rolling bot, combines a computer, the Internet, mobility, and some self-awareness and autonomy to replace the frequent phone calls, instant messages, and even some video conference calls that distant co-workers have to make to stay in touch and keep on top of work and ongoing projects.

Rolling around at up to 3.5 mph (approximately human walking speed) on two, 12-inch aluminum and rubber wheels (company execs insist this is actually more stable than a three-wheeled robot), QB is a self-balancing robot stuffed with a full Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, as well as numerous mini computers. It uses the technology to capture video though its 5-megapixel eye and deliver it to a browser-based interface on any Mac (Windows support should arrive by the time QB ships in the fall) or PC.

You can read the full article and see video of QB at http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2363866,00.asp   But …

SkypeBot prototype being driven in FL by a friend in CA

Before you start hyperventilating over the $15K cost, consider  SkypeBot , the creation of one of our Team Duct Tape members.  Developed by 17 year old Chris Willingham  over the course of the last couple of months,  out of simple curiosity and his desire to try out a Java API,  SkypeBot will debut at  coolTECH in June. 

If QB is an Anybot, SkypeBot is more of an Everybot – open source, accessible, affordable and fun.  And a great testament to the skill and inventiveness of the type of highly capable students that participate in FIRST robotics .

Visit back regularly to keep up with Chris’ progress on SkypeBot, and drop him a line at clwillingham@gmail.com if you’d like to be a SkypeBot beta tester.