by zygbot on Dec. 21, 2009

Hobby Robotics: Where to Buy Robot Kits and Parts, Robotics Competitions, and Robotics Projects to Watch in 2010

Hobby robotics is a great way to get a look at the future of technology and engineering – this is the experimental “playground” in which a wide variety of innovative inventions compete to see which will bloom into the next Roomba, iPhone, Aibo, or even ASIMO.

Here is a look at some Robotics Projects to watch in 2010. Some of these things might make your wish list next year:

Robotics Projects to Watch in 2010

Sixth Sense Device

Developed by Pranav Mistry at MIT’s Media Lab, the SixthSense wearable interface device might be the most mind-blowing futuristic technology you’ll see this year. It’s not a robot, and definitely not a humanoid, but this technology may become the biggest advance in robotics the world has seen. This device is a “wearable gestural interface” and offers a gestural user interface found in many Hollywood films (basically multi-touch in the air) combined with creative software to solve real-world problems. This technology will almost certainly be available in consumer products within the next year, and represents the beginning of the evolution of the computer interface.

Bridging the gap between the physical world and the digital world, “sixth sense” based technologies may soon replace your monitor, mouse, keyboard, television, and remote (probably several other interfaces also), saving energy while offering easier access to more data when and where you need it – in the physical world. The consumer potential is obvious (You want it, right? If not, you will once you see the videos below), but the implications for robot hobbyists and engineers are even greater. Much like we humans will use the device to gather more data upon which to base our decisions, robots can use the device in the same way – to collect, analyze, and manipulate information from the physical environment. As an added bonus they won’t have to use on-board processors to make complex associations or search large datasets (this can all be done on servers). You can also replace many of the laptops, PalmPilots, iPhones, and other similar devices that power current hacked-together hobby robots with a sixth sense device – imagine the possibilities…

The best part? They built this unprecedented innovation for under $400 in parts, which means mass-produced consumer versions of the SixthSense device could be as little as $300.

Here are some videos of the sixth sense device in action:

For a lot more information, pictures, and videos check out the official project site:

Sixth Sense Device | Pranav Mistry

This device will probably be mass-produced and available in the next two years. We will likely see cell phones that use projectors to display videos before the full features of the sixth sense device or even gestural interfaces are available to consumers.

Kawada Industries’ NEXTAGE

NEXTAGE (formerly known as HIRO), is not a toy. It is most definitely not a toy. This humanoid manufacturing robot can recognize shapes and even faces, put objects together, and work with other NEXTAGE robots to complete tasks. Here is a video of three NEXTAGE robots building and even “inspecting” plastic widgets:

You may not see this robot in stores or have a NEXTAGE in your home, but you can bet robots like this will someday be producing many of the products (including possibly other robots) you buy.

For technical details and more information on NEXTAGE and other Kawada Industries humanoid robots, please visit the HIRO project page (NEXTAGE’s predecessor) at the Kawada Industries Website

Dynamaid

The Dynamaid project from Nimbro, like many of their robots, has enormous potential in practical consumer applications. Who wouldn’t want a robotic maid to clean, cook, and greet guests?

This robot maid “has an eight-wheeled omnidirectional base (12 DOF), a movable trunk (2 DOF), two anthropomorphic arms (7 DOF each), and a movable sensor head (2 DOF).” (Project: Nimbro – Learning Humanoid Robots)

You can see from the video below that this project is very much in its infancy, but it has some excellent features, including the ability to pick up objects on the floor or on top of the refrigerator. Look for robotic maids within the next few years.

PDF presenting the robot at (from the University of Bonn Website):

Dynamaid: Towards a Personal Robot that Helps with Household Chores

Project: Nimbro Homepage

Tiny Wave Miniature Humanoid

The Tiny Wave miniature humanoid robot from Robo-One in Japan would be on your wish list this year if it were available. It’s a small remote-controlled humanoid robot that moves smoothly, seems to be fairly easy to operate, and just looks like it would be really fun to play with (especially if you had more than one!). Check out this video demonstration of someone (not an engineer) demonstrating the tiny wave mini humanoid:

It is not known when (if) the Tiny Wave will be available to consumers in the US, but similar technologies and specifically smaller walking humanoid robots will likely make their way into the US market in the next few years.

For more information visit Robots Dreams.

Nao Humanoid Robot

Aldebaran Robotics’ Nao is a technologically advanced and very entertaining humanoid robot toy and development platform. Nao has 2 cameras for realistic depth perception, recognizes objects (and can do things like “put object 1 in object 2″ as shown in the video below), maintains and can regain balance, and even interacts with other Nao robots.

The Nao is so cool it has already become the new official development platform for RoboCup. Consumers will be able to buy a Nao robot in 2010 for around $12,600.

Nao features:

58 cm (22.8″) tall
x86 AMD Geocode 500Mhz processors
1 GB Flash storage
256MB SDRAM
speakers
Infrared, WiFi, and Ethernet

Read our previous post about Nao for more. You can find even more information including some technical details at the Aldebaran Robotics Homepage and at BotJunkie.

URBi (Universal Real-time Behavioral Interface)

Also not a robot, URBi is another significant innovation with enormous potential for robotics. URBi is a software platform (“middleware”) that simplifies many common tasks necessary for robotics and especially humanoid robots. Some of these tasks include parallel behaviors and reactions to external events. Using urbiScript, a roboticist can “glue” together C++ components without having to code parallel interfaces manually, similar to the way some are using Lua for both games and robots.

URBi offers

Parallel event-driven interface (whenever and at commands, & for parallel execution)
UObjects: import C++ objects to use natively in urbiScript, or use them remotely
Blend modes to resolve conflicts (similar to mutexes)
Code tagging to manipulate blocks of code (stop, freeze/unfreeze)
And a whole lot more, including many advanced features useful to robotics applications

Nao, Aibo, Lego Mindstorms, and many other research, consumer, and hobby robots and robotics platforms are already using URBi or can be upgraded to use URBi in addition to C, C++, Java, or any other language.

URBi will be open source (GNU GPL) in May 2010!
More about URBi at Gostai
URBi on Wikipedia

Emily

Possibly the most ambitious robotics project of the decade, “Emily” is a humanoid robot with a soft touch: She has hands made of a gel material that allows her to vary the force on an object and calculate the required level of force to hold but not break the object. In fact, she can hold or crack an egg, chop cucumbers, and many other tasks that seemed impossible for robots a few years ago. Emily is the first robot shown in the video below:

Emily’s ability to manipulate her environment in human-like ways is a breakthrough for humanoid robotics. The human touch has always been the most difficult sense to simulate (we’ve had speech synthesis, speech recognition, robotic vision, and even “smell” interfaces for years). The fact that we are well on our way to a robot with 5 senses (and a direct pipeline to the Internet, for six) is a good sign that we can build robotic assistants and even companions complete with personalities and emotions in the near future.

Topio

This ping-pong playing humanoid robot is, well, really cool. Rosy’s Topio has gone through a few versions, getting better at playing ping-pong with each upgrade. The goal, according to Rosy, is to build a humanoid robot that can compete with top ping-pong professionals. The reflexes are already pretty impressive, and although Topio has a long way to go to keep up with world table tennis champions, this humanoid shows off some amazing advances in robotic movement and object recognition. Look for robots based on Topio on our wishlist next year. Here is a video of the 2007 version of Topio playing ping-pong:

For more immediate shopping needs for your favorite robotics hobbyist, here is a list of cool robotics kits and parts, as well as remote control and autonomous robots for sale:

Buy robot kits and parts

Bioloid Premium Humanoid Robot Kit

Bioloid Premium Robot Kit

This humanoid features advanced walking ability on 2, 4, or even 6 legs
Gyro, distance, and other sensors
RoboPlus software (included), and more!

Quantities are limited, so order your Bioloid Premium Humanoid Robot Kit today!

Lego Mindstorms NXT v2.0

Ever wished building robots were as easy as, say, putting some bricks together? Well, with the Lego Mindstorms NXT v2.0 robotics kit, it is! It’s Lego, so you already know how to build these things, but it’s also a robot, so it can do some really cool things. As in, whatever you tell it to do. Use the included graphical software (labVIEW), program the robot in URBi, or use C++ if you’re a real hacker. This one is probably already on your wishlist, so just get it already.

Order your Lego Mindstorms NXT v2.0 Robotics Kit today!

Hexbug

Hexbug Miniature Robots

A great stocking stuffer, these little hexapod robots respond to touch and sound! Fun for kids and adults alike, Hexbug mini robots are a great gift for anyone!

Order Hexbugs from Trossen Robotics today!

Roboard Starter Kit

RoBoard RB-100 Starter Kit

Want to build custom robots and learn about robotics? Try the Roboard RB-100 robotics starter kit! This board includes a 1000Mhz 32-bit x86 CPU capable of running embedded Linux, DOS, or even Windows embedded! The board also has 256MB DRAM and uses microSD cards for storage. Includes an open source C++ library, interface cables, and a Mini PCI VGA card.

This gift is sure to impress any robotics hobbyist, and is meant for people experienced with building robots or wanting to move up from kit-based robots to experiment with custom robotics design and advanced robotics concepts.

Order your Roboard Starter Kit today!

Axon Microcontroller

Axon Microcontroller Board

For those who don’t need an x86 chip, or feel more comfortable using a traditional microcontroller, the Axon Microcontroller is the way to go. Containing an ATmega640 CPU, 55 I/O, built-in programmer, and power bus, this microcontroller is one of the most powerful hobby kits that doesn’t use an x86 chip. It also happens to weigh less than a 9V battery, so the Axon Microcontroller is excellent for small embedded applications.

Order your Axon Microcontroller today!

arbotiX Robocontroller Starter Kit

If you prefer to work wirelessly, or build a swarm of mini-robots to torture the cat, the arbotiX Robocontroller Starter Kit is your best bet. This kit includes the arbotiX Robocontroller (which uses a 16Mhz AVR ATMEGA644p microcontroller), 2 XBee 1mW WiFi Communication Modules, the XBee Explorer USB module, a USB AVR programming board, and a USB cable – everything you need to get started with wireless robotics!

Order your arbotiX Robocontroller Starter Kit today!

XBee Wireless Communication Starter Kit

Need to add wireless capabilities to an existing robot? Building a swarm of wireless robots that work together? You’ll need some of these XBee Wireless Communication Starter Kits. Including serial-to-WiFi modules, USB-to-WiFi modules, and a regulated XBee module (compatible with Arduino Pro, 5v compatible), this kit will get your robot on a wireless network faster than you can get out your old serial cables!

Order your XBee Wireless Starter Kit today!

Scribbler Robot

Scribbler Beginner Robot

Great for beginners, the Scribbler robot requires no assembly or even programming, and is suitable for anyone ages 8 and up who would like to explore robotic navigation and other basic robotics concepts. The Scribbler robot has a Basic Stamp 2, and comes pre-programmed with 8 demo navigation modes. Roboticists can start with the demo modes, then use the graphical editor to program the robot using a simple graphical interface. Finally, move up to real programming with a text-based Basic programming interface! Put a pen in the robot and the Scribbler will draw as it drives – a great way to visualize your robotic navigation programs!

Order your Scribbler Robot today!

Trossen Robotics Gift Certificates

Not sure what to get your favorite robot hobbyist? Trossen Robotics Gift Certificates make great last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers, and roboticists are sure to find what they are looking for – whether they need a few servos, some pressure sensors, or a whole humanoid robotics kit!

Get Trossen Robotics Gift Certificates here!

Robotics Competitions in 2010

Finally, put those robots, kits, and parts to good use – here is a list of robotics competitions in 2010 where you can win prizes and sometimes cash. And you get to work with teams of engineers, artists, and hobbyists to solve the problems of tomorrow, today.

We will post an up-to-date list of 2010 robotics competitions in a separate post. For now, here are a few larger competitions and some places to find listings of robotics competitions:

Feel free to add your favorite robotics projects, other places to buy robot kits and parts, and any 2010 robotics competitions we may have missed in the comments below.

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Tags: consumer robotics, future of robotics, humanoid robot, humanoid robotics, humanoid robots, Japanese robotics, Japanese robots, robot kits, robot parts, robotics, robotics competitions, robotics projects, Uncanny Valley, Zygbotics

Hobby Robotics: Robot Kits and Parts, Robotics Projects, 2010 Robotics Competitions