Bob Built On Bits

Bobs put on weight. Bob now weighs in at a hefty 6.1 Kilos. That's 3 times his original weight simply by accommodating a slim netbook on him. The tank tracks still move him around even at that weight but I'm not sure how long they'll last. I'n now running Windows 7 Ultimate and everything flows wonderfully.

UPDATE: SOUND BEAUTIFUL SOUND ! Tried different Mic's and the best one by far is a Guitar Hero mic from Austins Guitar Hero set. It has a cable with a USB that plugs into the netbook and WOW. You can talk to Bob from across the room - it's awesome. I'm trying out commands for Bob to play music tracks of different sorts (depending on my mood - not Bobs). So far I've had absolutely no feedback problems I was expecting. I;m as excited about all this as when we first made him....

Bob is fun companion in the kitchen and seems to be developing his own personality.

Today I moved his arms up to a more respectable level and installed some soundproof sponge around his speaker amp. Today I fully tested the voice recognition by having him play music tracks by voice command, tell jokes and give me weather reports whilst I was washing up. This worked excellent with one strange twist. If I made a clang with a plate or dropped a folk on the tiles - a particular sound fx chirp I gave him would come on and then it would return to the music. It was kind of like Bob was telling me to be careful each time there was a clang. For a bit of fun I set him up with a sponge and T-Towel to pass to me when I asked for them. Now I'm waiting on my timers to have him wake up in the morning, motor from the lounge to the kitchen and give me a bunch of reminders and reports - then track back to the lounge and switch off.

Excellent hazbot, I think we all expect a video soon!

I love it!

Thanks Bret.

The netbook apron on Bob has been major breakthrough in robotics for me. There is no space issue because the 10 inch netbook drapes over the robot like an apron (on the outside) not the inside. The monitor makes a perfect chest to display emotions , radar weather reports, slide show of loved ones. just about anything you can think of.

It's just awesome what can now be done with him with the only added weight of 1.1 kilos. I urge everyone out there to seriously think about it. It's like going from a single engine wind up toy train to a full on scalextric race car set. Mp3 triggers, mini motherboard construction alternatives alternatives to windows 7 are out there but this works and voice command directly to the robot rocks. I havn't even touched on using skype to control him and use the camera on the monitor he now has for a chest. Brains on Board with a netbook works - I've proven it !

My current quest is to have Bob wake up in the morning and motor his way from the lounge room, stop and wait for my voice commands (Bob, give me the weather forcast etc) then have him return to his corner in the lounge room and switch off.

Bret if you have any navigation tips on how to achieve this I would greatly appreciate it. Cheers

Bobs (Brain on Board Netbook - new discovery)

THE FUN GETS BETTER !.

Now I can get inside our Robot ! Using Skype.

I recently discovered Bobs brain (netbook Apron) has an excellent telepresence feature using Skype. The idea is nothing new, it's used in popular mobile Telepresence robots and as a Nanny device for Parents to check on their kids etc.

You simply set up 2 accounts, set the one on the Robot to auto answer, call him from another computer anywhere and then look through the camera on the netbook and talk to people. It's really funny seeing myself or friends talking through Bobs chest (very much like the situations where people were captured inside Robots in the 1960's the TV show "Lost in Space".

I could not believe how clear and powerful the tiny camera is on the netbook. I'm going to get a wide angle lense so when you call into Bob, you can look out with a much wider veiw of wherever he is. One last thing that I'm about to try is using my voice via Skype to steer Bob around - now that's going to be interesting.

A video on all this stuff will be coming in the next few days.

:D

Bob Update.

Since adding Bobs brain (netbook) his potential has grown 1000 times. I've been messing with him as a voice activation Juke box, a Skype Bot and a crazy dancer giving all kinds of information and holding sponges and T-Towels for me when I wash up in the kitchen.

I have some footage but I'm so busy running so many scripts with him that the video has gone on the back foot. Also Richie from Richies RC and Robotics is working on some new tracks for him (he now weighs in at over 6 kilos). I'm also looking at giving him some skin here and there. Bob has consumed me...I've become a slave to the Robot already.....

Sound like you are having fun with the EZB based robot.

Goody for you!