This printing robot allows one to print on the floor using an iRobot Create combined with an old Epson Inkjet printer. The Roomba allows for forward motion, while a carefully stripped-down printer allows for horizontal motion and something to attach the printing device to. As described, this allows “the robot to print a virtually unlimited […]
Here’s a vid of a hamster, in a hamster ball, controlling a iRobot Create. The hamster controls the robot by running in the ball in whatever direction he/she likes. The ball is supported on three rollers and an optical sensor measures which way and how fast the ball is spinning. Those values are fed into […]
By way of BotJunkie comes this robot vacuum, the Dustbot, sold by Tomy in 1985. I’d never even heard of it. The broom and dustpan is not, apparently, how it does its job. That’s just for a little light entertainment while it attempts a little light vacuuming. Tomy Vacuuming Dustbot Had Edge Sensors In 1985
In Rodney Brooks’ recommended book Flesh and Machines, he talks about his disappointment over robot lawnmowers. That was five years ago, and little has changed in the field since then. It’s pretty much still the same robomowers with the same less-than-killer-app technologies. Brooks’ iRobot obviously is hoping to change that with their “Mowba” (let’s hope […]
