iRobot Plans to use Android Tablets to Power New Service Robots

[dgstorm]

The company behind the Roomba, robotic vacuum cleaner, iRobot is planning on offering a slew of additional service-style robots, with the help of 'Andy'. Apparently, an Android Tablet can become the perfect "Head" and "Brain" of their robotic designs. The iRobot CEO, Colin Angle, plans to create a market for mid-range, daily-helper, service robots, called an AVA. Here's a quote from the PhoneArena article with some details,

Angle explains how the tablet and AVA came together: "We in the robot industry realized this is a fantastic head for a robot...what was missing was the body." With the front-facing camera, microphone, speakers, and accelerometer, the XOOM requires only the body and the programming.

Some keen readers might remember that AVA was initially demonstrated with an iPad at CES. Angle explains that the change was made for features like voice and video chat. "We're tablet-agnostic...Right now, Android has what we need," explains Angle.

iRobot's hope is to sell AVA to developers this year, and enter businesses next year. And once the price comes down, AVA can enter homes, and provide everything from domestic assistance to virtual doctors' visits.

That's pretty cool... soon we will have Google Androids, that will really be Androids. What do you guys think? Would you want a robotic assistant in your home?

Source: Android.net via PhoneArena

 

[techguru]

There is an app in the market called Cellbot that can control a number of robotic platforms including Roomba and the iRobot developers platform. I have been startign to collect parts lists to start building a robot and part of my planning was whether I would use my Incredible or a netbook as the "brains". I can do more out of the box with a netbook and the Microsoft Robotics development platform, but the idea of an Android powered Android has intrigued me.

My main issue is that the affordable platforms are all for very small robots with limited weight carrying ability, and I want to make something about knee height or taller and deck it out in steampunk accoutrements, so I am going to need to scratch build somethign with bigger motors than the pre-built platforms. (a pre-built with the weight and size I need costs more than my car is worth....).

Alan

 

[SithDroid2187]

This is cool, a robotic housekeeper! This would make any wife really happy!

 

[sqchram]

Not until its robotic 'adult entertainment'

 

[xsylus]

Seems like an obvious choice; Robots and Android... :wink: What I really find ironic is that the company is called "iRobot" so you would initially think they're affiliated with Apple who puts an "i" in front of their products. Andy FTW! dancedroid

 

[white_ash143]

Seems like an obvious choice; Robots and Android... :wink: What I really find ironic is that the company is called "iRobot" so you would initially think they're affiliated with Apple who puts an "i" in front of their products. Andy FTW! dancedroid

iAgree... (lol) but I think it has more to do with the Asimov book than an Apple lookalike...

 

[cjreyes666]

Im more surprised that apple hasnt sued them for using the "i".

 

[HelpeRX]

RE

There is no way apple can have a patton on the letter i could they? From now on I wont write essays for school because I will say that I is patented and cant do it =P, I don't want to get sued hahaha.