Lumpy
Hey All,
I scooted (1 1/2hour drive) to the EZ-Robot open house tonight.
The new digs look awesome! DJ has done well!
So the Revolution has begun!
As DJ stated in the presentation the new ARC Revolution will be out June 1st or so.
It's main new feature is the integration of 3D printing and using "EZ-Bits" as a way to
create your own robots. Bits can be printed on your own 3D printer and/or some will be
available to purchase. This open source offering of 3D printable files allows anyone the
opportunity to create a robot. Step by step assembly instructions built in, and a new
Mobile SDK (Ver. 2) coming out shortly. I see this being a great feature for educational
settings. More and more schools are purchasing 3D printers.
Down the road, as 3D printer prices continue to drop, I see this opening a door for us EZ Robot builders here on the forum. The open sharing of designs, maybe group printings of parts (To create our drone armies). The possibilities are endless, it may not happen overnight but I can see this growing. Someday we will all have 3D printers on our desks.
The EZ-B mini, although briefly mentioned, is what I'm excited about. It's roughly 2"x2". If you look at DJ's suitcase pictures on Facebook you'll see the new EZ-B Mini (Not sure if anyone else caught that?). I like the new compact size. DJ says they are still a few weeks off but he's trying to keep the pricing in the current range ($70). I'd definitely be in for a few more at that price range. Cross our fingers.
Anyways, not a whole lot more than what you probably saw on the webcast.
A big thanks to DJ. It was a pleasure to see you again. Thanks for taking care of that issue!
Lori saw nothing!
Oh, I forgot to mention the laugh of the night. I went to use the washroom. Big sign on the entrance door says "Keep Door Closed", so I closed it behind me. Did my business in the bathroom, then realized I was now locked out in the small closet like space! After a brief moment of panic, I knocked on the door and someone let me out. I felt like an idiot! Nothing new there. ;-)
Kris
Pic of suitcase (EZ-B Mini)
An EZ-Bit creation.
Another EZ-Bit creation
An EZ-Bit creation with the EZ-B Mini
Upgrade to ARC Pro
Synthiam ARC Pro is a cool new tool that will help unleash your creativity with programming robots in just seconds!
We will be manufacturing some of the key EZ-Bits and providing different bundles and packages. Even though this will be coming, we still want people like yourself and the rest of the EZ-Community to express your creativity by engage in designing, printing and creating your own amazing parts and bots!
I'm so excited to see the cool parts and projects that you guys can create
I guess to use EZ-BITS you need to buy a 3D printer not a problem for me ,but most will have a hard time buying one.
So big question will you be selling the printed parts ?
Alan are you from the EZ-ROBOT support staff you are nice looking guy
And an after thought, what about something to spur on newcomers to the world of solidworks, some template pieces and whatnot? Starting a new part from a blank canvas can be daunting.
I for one cannot wait to see what the future brings with the community. I saw some very very cool stuff happen with pepakura when the exploit was found for using it to build cosplay armours, I hope to see the same happen with ARC and the EZ-Bits. Community driven stuff rocks
As much as the hardware of a robot is cool and all, I think what people are really impressed by is the "intelligence" the software of a robot. Especially kids, they are always curious to talk to robots and see how smart it is, how it interacts with them. Even adults are. Seeing a fancy robot mold that only moves around is only cool for so long.
The problem of AI and Machine learning is not something I know anything about. But I do know that is what people are really fascinated by when they see the robots in the movies. They might think its the hardware, but its really the software.
The AI that comes as standard in ARC beats any other robot software that I've used, while it may seem basic it is pretty advanced and a lot can be done to make it work for your robot (I want to avoid saying work better as it works very well as it is).
As DJ said, EZ-Robots is about amalgamating everything under one roof, hardware, software, platform. In 2 years look at what has become. Throw in an awesome community and in another 2 years just imagine what we will have.
Bicentennial Man may have been Robin Williams dressed up 14 years ago, we will have something very close in not so long I am sure of it.
I am shore very soon in a few years we will have robots living like us like SONNY from IROBOT movie.
I even bought the SONNY HEAD from a guy who worked on the IROBOT movie set.,that makes 93 robots now
The real question is whats the difference between a machine and a robot? Is my coffee maker a robot? Is a remote control car a robot? Is a coffee maker attached to a remote control car a robot?
The same goes for my toaster, coffee machine, everything
She said if didn't love me so much she would leave me,and i guess also she waiting on a new car for wedding gift.
SHE even found a robot in bed with us.
It would be very cool for us to have an avatar/butler on site to keep tabs on stuff on a rotational basis. the quasis streaming video is ok...but to interact with people would be awesome
IROBOT you need to let others know whats creepy on what i said.
THATS what bad about posting comments as a ghost,very few see it because they don't know i am ghost and ones who see it and answer my posts it looks wrong or nobody know what you are talking about.
One reason i can't post photos or my projects yet,only a few like you and technopro will see it,so i hope DJ will put me back on the forum very soon .
IT makes the posts look kinda stupid.
Also i think the same thing about machines like a dryer and washing machine and toaster its a machine not a robot.
TOASTER only has a heater and thermal switch,like on dryer its a timer and motor and heater coil.
"ro·bot [ r? bòt ] 1.programmable machine for performing tasks: a mechanical device that can be programmed to carry out instructions and perform complicated tasks usually done by people"
The other way to think about it is this, as What does a robot do?
A robot carries out tasks automatically, programmed or autonomously (usually programmed).
What does a kettle do? What does a toaster do? What does a calculator do? What does a computer do? The answers, if you take out the specifics and strip it down to the extreme basics, are all the same... they carry out a task as instructed by a program.
Oh and Is a washing machine a robot?
Thanks for joining us ... and we'll get that little bathroom problem in to the next release - I promise.
~Lori
All is good. All you *need* to know is DJ offers great customer service and truly cares about his customers.
In return he has a customer for life and another loyal ambassador for EZ-Robot.
I'll be back to visit soon. I don't do well with crowds.
but you two were so popular.
I tried voice commands to un-lock the bathroom door but it simply wasn't working!