Cool. I'll start a topic on the Neato so we can get Rich's topic back on track here.

REALLY its RGORDONS topic LOL I like the idea on using GLYPH'S it super easy to add,only place it on a charger and a easy script in the EZB since there is a easy interface for it and i guess use the tracking mode

BUT in my house since the robot might be in any part of the house,plus i use to get me a drink from the refrig and more,i need a very advance design

AND i think some others might want the same thing,docking is only the small easy part ,finding the charger base is a harder part.

opps sorry Rgordon.

So if we have a glyph that says its north, and it sees it in the right hand side of the screen can we right some code to figure out that the robot is facing northwest. also if we know the size of the glyph can we not calculate how far away we are from it? That way we have a location to calculate from to get to where we need to be.

Lighting the glyph on the dock is easy. I will try to explain it in words but cannot promise it will be understood easily.

Basically, if you fit a lamp to a piece of plexiglass the plexiglass will emit the light throughout the entire material (light levels decrease over area but on such a small piece it's not important). This method is used in the dashboard of vehicles quite often.

My plan is to have a back to the dock, say 6 inches tall. It wouldn't look out of place for a robot the size of an Omnibot, Wall-E etc. So it would look like a large L shape.

The back to the dock would be a sheet of plexiglass with a lamp to light it. The back would then be covered with a material to block the light, vinyl or similar possibly even painted, or if push come to shove a thin sheet of ply.

A cut out in the blocking material in the shape of the glyph, maybe even with some text and other decorative markings. This would be clearly visable to any camera in any light yet subtle enough not to draw attention while not in use (and if it does it would look pretty cool).

Coloured lamps can be used to set the colour of the glyph etc. for aesthetics.

If funds permit, the lamp could be controlled by another EZB, linked in ARC to the robot and only turn on when the robot enters low power mode.

This can be expanded on further with different coloured lamps controlled by the extra EZB to display different colours for different charge levels, red for low, green for charged etc. Plus countless other possibilities of optional extras.

would the camera be able to read the glyph lit up like that vs on a sheet of paper with light shinning down onto it?

I assume so, but unchecked. The other option is to reverse the back and have the glyph on the backlit plexiglass. It would certainly be able to see the glyph clearly.

Light shining down on it is another option however would have a light shining down on it (obviously), I like things hidden when possible.

Ithink he meens you place the glyph on top pexiglass and it lights up the GLYPH light shinning down will work too,

They have picture frames that you buy a light for it makes the photo bright

i have one on my frame,tonifght will take a photo of in the dark and then with the light on so you can see the difference

No I totally agree it would be so much better lit up like you said with the light in the plexiglass. That would look so much cooler.