Researchers at Oregon State University‘s Ebola Treatment Unit have been testing a Baxter robot to see how it might perform as a nurse. Let’s just say, hospital staff shouldn’t fear for their jobs just yet. A video uploaded by the team shows the robot as it …
Read More »Plug & Play
Pi-Based Tiddlybot Follows and Draws Lines
Tiddlybot is an easy-to-build robot that can connect to any smartphone, tablet or PC that supports HTML. Run it as a remote controlled toy, or program it using a custom Blockly interface. The robot features two servos, line sensors and multicolored LEDs. There’s even a spot …
Read More »Rokit Smart: The Educational Robot That Can Be Built 12 Different Ways
Robolink of San Diego, California has released a new product designed to teach students about robot construction and program on Kickstarter. Known as the Rokit Smart ($129), this table-top robot can be built in 12 different ways. It comes with many programs pre-loaded, and the Hacker’s …
Read More »Robot Desk Automatically Adjusts to Your Preferences, Orders Sandwiches
A novel desk that automatically adjusts its height to meet your needs has received full funding on Kickstarter. Each desk, which will be built by a company called Autonomous, will also respond to voice commands. The designers say the desk will act as a virtual assistant …
Read More »Super Awesome Sylvia’s WaterColorBot 2.0
This artistic CNC machine can work in two ways: it can paint based on completed vector artwork, or work along with you as you sketch. It can use a variety of mediums too, including pens, pencils and watercolor paints. Two little motors built into the wooden …
Read More »Coming Soon: Superintelligence
In Daniel Wilson’s book, Robopocalypse, Archos is the supremely intelligent sentient being unwittingly unleashed upon the world. He is self-aware, self- improving and bent on his own self-preservation and destroying humankind.
Read More »What Will You Do With A Nine Dollar Computer?
Meet Chip: a new computer perfect for tinkerers that’s cheaper and more powerful than a Raspberry Pi B+. For just $9, you get a pocket-sized board with a 1GHz processor with WiFi and Bluetooth, 4 GB storage and 512 MB RAM. Chip can also work with …
Read More »HUZZAH ESP8266 Breakout Makes Adding WiFi Easy
Add WiFi to your next robot with the HUZZAH ESP8266 breakout. Of course, the board includes a certified ESP8266 module with an onboard antenna. But there’s a lot of other features crammed on to the 1 inch by 1.5 inch board which make working ESP8266 much …
Read More »VeeaR’s 3.0 Voice Recognition Module and Shield Available
Give your robot the power of voice recognition with the EasyVR 3.0 shield and module. These small, inexpensive boards make it possible to enhance an Arduino project so that it responds to voice commands. (The module plugs into shield, which plugs into an Arduino.) The system …
Read More »Makeblock’s New, Inexpensive Robot for Kids
Makeblock’s mBot is perfect for STEM educators with a limited budget. It has a multitude of inputs on board, including a light sensor, ultrasonic sensor, line following sensors, a button, and an infrared receiver. The robot also includes an RGB LED, a buzzer, and two motor …
Read More »Geeetech i3 Pro C Dual Extruder 3D Printer
Build your own dual-extractor 3D printer with the Geeetech i3 Pro C Kit ($340). Once assembled, the i3 Pro C prints with ABS and PLA and is a great low-cost solution for builds that don’t require high precision. It has a layer height resolution of 0.1 …
Read More »Light Up Your Bot with the AllPixel Kit
Take control of your bot’s aesthetics with the AllPixel. This small device (2.7″ x 0.9″) makes it easy to control all major programmable LED strips via USB,including LPD8806, WS2801, WS2811/WS2812 (NeoPixel), WS2811 400kHz, APA102 (DotStar), TM1809, TM1803, TM1804, UCS1903, P9813, SM16716, LPD1886. All you need is some …
Read More »An Easy to Animate, Six Legged Robot
Meet Six, the hexapod from EZ-Robot. Six can balance on three legs and walk with four, which leaves the other legs free to push buttons, manipulate objects, or reach out for new footing. An camera in the head of the bot can identify QR codes, and …
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