14 DAY TRIAL // Warning: do not attempt this at home!
Aren't you tired of hearing this? I mean, why couldn't we build our own versions of Data, The Terminator, R2D2 or some other robot that marked our childhood?
Perhaps that might be about to change, thanks to a project from a bunch of smart people at Carnegie Mellon University. They have been working on developing a series of DIY robots that can be built with off-the-shelf parts and controlled via WiFi and the Internet.
But unlike many of the university's new high-tech devices, the inner-workings of these machines aren't a closely guarded secret. In fact, the scientists want the public to copy them and build their own versions.
It's part of a project to demystify robots for the public and make computer science more attractive to students in college and pre-college, but even for big boys in their thirty's.
"Our dream was (to create) truly sophisticated robotics systems for the public," said Illah Nourbakhsh, an associate professor of robotics and director of CMU's Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment - CREATE - lab.
The robots can take many forms, from a three-wheeled model with a mounted camera to a flower loaded with infrared sensors. They can be easily customized and their ability to wirelessly link to the Internet allows users to control and monitor their robots' actions from any Internet-connected computer in the world.
The new tools that make this possible are a single piece of hardware and a set of "recipes" that people follow to build their 'bots. Both are part of the Telepresence Robot Kit (TeRK) developed by professor Nourbakhsh.
Unlike other educational robot kits on the market, TeRK is not sold as a complete set of parts. The CREATE Lab's recipes allow for a variety of robots to be built with parts commonly available through hardware and hobbyist outlets.
At the heart of each TeRK robot is a unique controller called Qwerk that combines a computer with the software and electronics applications necessary to control the robot's motors, cameras and other devices. Qwerk, developed by the CREATE Lab and Charmed Labs of Austin, Texas, also connects the robot automatically and wirelessly to the Internet so it can be controlled by any Internet-connected computer.
"The Internet connection means the robots are much more global," Nourbakhsh said. Not only can the robot be operated remotely at any location with a wireless Internet connection, but it can also send photos or video, respond to RSS feeds, or access the Internet to find information. That combination opens a wide range of possibilities. "We're hoping people notice that the sky's the limit," he added.
Among the TeRK recipes already available, there is a small, wheeled robot with a video camera that people might use to keep an eye on their home or pet while they are at work or school. Another recipe under development includes environmental sensors for air quality and sound pollution. A less conventional recipe will produce a robotic, six-petaled flower that can open and close, based on moods or use its petals to play a game of catch.
Those interested in building the robots can find "recipes" on the Web at www.terk.ri.cmu.edu. The site includes pictures of every part needed with links to online stores where they can be ordered, although most parts could also be bought at a hardware store. The total cost ranges from $500 to $800, depending on how complex the robot is.