Ellis
I was considering today what capabilities a intelligent home butler robot should have, to be worth the expense of purchasing one. Also, decide if the technology today is capable of building it at a reasonable price. What price would be acceptable if the robot provided all these functions.
To accomplish this, I first listed minimum capabilities required then wrote if the capability could be accomplished, with today technologies.
Below you will find this list and my conclusions. If you know of further information or problems with my assumptions please enter into this discussion. I am very interested to see what other roboticist think. Feel free to comment.
Visual Capability:
Real vision that will provide collision proof mobility around house. (The items necessary to accomplish this most likely already exist.)
Recognize items and faces respond appropriately. (Software and cloud capabilities are already available.)
Have sight able to understand, recognize , say what they are, their use and be able to interact with or avoid them.
(Recognition of things are available on cloud. Their use, or their ability to avoid them visually may not not be presently available.)
Recognize emotions and respond appropriately.
(Already available on cloud.)
Communication with Humans:
Cognitive Capability.
(Already available on cloud.)
Able to carry on a conversation. (Already available on cloud.)
Do a self-service test on itself when requested and report it verbally, email, or message.
(Software is available to accomplish this but needs to be coded.)
Robot Design:
Must be able to self-charge batteries.
(Already being done successfully.)
Must have totally functional hands and arms capable of lifting 25lbs and be able to do more movements than humans can do. (Materials, software and designs are already available to accomplish this. Software may need to be developed to use visual input to control actions through feedback.)
Must be able to raise up chest and arms to adjust robot height. (This is easily doable with materials available.)
Have video touch screen tablet to display requested information or apps. (Already available)
Have ability to go and do simple errands.
(The software is available but it will need the ability to see things and be able to decide what to do to interact with them.)
Needs ability to project video on walls.
(Already available.)
Must have good speaker system on-board and be able to link wirelessly with other speaker systems. (Already available.)
Must have quiet motors, servos, and other devices on-board.
(Already available.)
Must be able to go fetch things, soda, beer, candy etc.
(Capability can be accomplished but it will depend on visual capabilities.)
Robot Brain:
Must be able to search web and give spoken response to request. (Already available.)
Must be able to print documents wirelessly on request.
Must be able to communicate and control other internet of things devices. (Already available.)
Must be able to change other software voices to its own voice, selected from a list of offerings.
(Not available but could be by changing to text and robot reading text.)
Connect with all service providers for music, weather and other services. (Already available.)
Must be able to control all home automation devices by your voice.
(Already available.)
Must be able to control home security and web cameras.
(Already available.)
Must be able to make and receive telephone calls.
(Already available.)
Must have rules like the three fundamental laws of robots.
(Capability can be programmed.)
After working on this list it seems to me that almost all the technologies are available. Most of them by Ez-Robot. All that needs to be done is put them all together. I see a time in the now and in the near future that Microsoft, Goggle and Amazon will provide most of the brain capabilities free or for minimum monthly charge. If you look on Microsoft you can see that happening now.
All we really need to do is get the visual thing done, code all the interfaces, and build the actual robot with the mechanical and electronic capabilities necessary to accomplish desired results.
I think Ez-Robot is a step ahead of other companies and is working to stay ahead.
Please enter into this discussion.
Respectfully Submitted
Ellis Craig
It is a good list. Some of the items, while not native to ARC can be easily integrated (like RoboRealm for navigation/collision avoidance.
The biggest challenge is making it all work seamlessly together, while keeping a high WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor).
I don't think we are at the "plug and play" level yet on some of the more advanced items on your list, but with some programming ability to write plugins for missing features or do integrations with other existing technologies, nothing in your list really requires new innovations.
Alan
Everything listed as "not available now" are personal opinions limited by creative use of available tools :). If you're serious, extract a list of the "unavailable". Then, tackle each item as a separate task. Don't overwhelm yourself with combining tasks (Rome wasn't built in a day)
Really, the only difference between those who accomplish the "impossible" are those who split the "impossible" into smaller tasks
Prove each task separately first.
Combine the tasks later :)
I don't see impossibles. I only see challenges. The ezrobot platform has you more than half way there
I agree with everything you said. I believe all the items in my list can be made with existing technologies. What I am looking for is a list of items that are already available and then bring together for testing and evaluation to build the complete system. This way I won't be recreating something already created. I like what thetechguru posted about RoboRealm for navigation/collision avoidance. I do not know of this system will meet the needs of the project but I will now check the system out to see its performance and reliability meet the requirements of the project.
When you develop projects like this you have to first come up with an overall goal for the project. This list is a first attempt to define the outcome. Then s list of solutions need to be considered to meet the overall goals of the project.This requires the research of existing systems that may or may not be applicable to the projects goal. This list is also the first effort in that. Once systems are selected, compatibility and reliability must be tested to see if they are able to meet the systems goal requirements.
thetechguru was right in saying the trick would be to seamlessly bring these separate concepts together to accomplish the overall goal of building a robot butler with the capabilities desired.
E-Robot has researched, written and acquired a vast amount of information that will be instrumental in doing this project. Thank you Ez-Robot.
I by nature look at the big picture. I first look at the outcome I am looking for. Then I divide it is to smaller segments. Once each segment is researched each item will then be brought together and combined one at a time to create the total project. Bringing on-board the vast amount of experience ARC and its users have I will create a better system than I could have on my own.
I have already built and programmed several of these capabilities into my prototype robot Max. Max will allow the testing, in a real operating environments, to decide which technologies can provide the capability and reliability needed by this system.
I am hoping in this general discussion to discuss this project with other developers and acquire ideas I presently do not know about.
I am determined to build robot system that actually does work and provide services needed and desired around the house. My first purchase from Ez-Robot was one of the first DIY kit. I have since purchased many new items to work toward my goal. Any of your recommendations would be greatly appreciated and used to accomplish this goal.
One recommendation I have as you go down this path. As you ask for help or direction to samples, completed projects, hardware and software recommendations, etc... Keep your posts short and to the point, and make the subject relevant to the question (for example, "Looking for a recommendation for 25 amp motor controller" vs "Help please").
You will find more people read the entire post and provide answers than if you have long posts with many questions.
Alan
No problem. Thanks