Description
An inexpensive, multi-purpose, extensible robot designed to provide tight integration with MyRobotLab.  Simple and easy starting robot for the beginner, yet extensible to provide access to complex and advanced functionality in MyRobotLab, such as neural networks, speech recognition, finite state machines, and machine vision.  Can cradle a phone as a method to deploy a much more powerful bot.

Manufactured
by TDB

References

• Competition
• http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/11/hasbros-experimental-nexus-powered-robot-toy-hands-on-at-google/ Google & Hasbro's Tweedle (with cell phone)
• http://www.ez-robot.com/Shop/Default.aspx .Net component based system (cloud cloud cloud) 
• http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ologic/oddwerx-autonomous-smartphone-robots?ref=live
• EagleCAD library part  for bluetooth module: http://www.alfersoft.com.ar/blog/2012/01/22/protoboard-adapter-for-cheap-bluetooth-module/
• This guy shows how to upgrade the firmware on that chip in case we want access to the I/O ports, etc.: http://byron76.blogspot.com/search/label/HC05

Component Matrix

Chassis Name Image Description Link Quantity Cost Pololu 6.a Pro Nice simple "cut-out" motor & battery mount Con too expensive not fully enclosed - ugly Pololu 6.a 1 $25   Pro Cool gripper design         Motors Name Image Description Link Quantity Cost Pololu GM7 Pro Looks like a great little motor Decent "cost" Con   Pololu GM7 2 X $10 Pager Motor + Worm Drive Pro Potentially inexpensive if correctly integrated with enclosure Con needs design, integration and more components & assembly Electronic Goldmine Worm gear 2 X (1 pager + 1 worm gear + glue?) ~ $4 Servo Motor Pro They are fairly cheap and have standard mounting holes. They are also muti-use (could be hacked to be dumb gearmotor or continuous rotation). There is tons of existing hardware for them such as servo horns (to mount wheels on) and metal gears. Con They must be manually hacked by either the user or by us.   ServoCity Tower Hobbies Any hobby store either online or brick and morter. $12 Pololu - no mods necessary but expensive 2 X ~$13 Power Name Image Description Link Quantity Cost NiCad   Pro Work with common AA Batteries     ??? LiPoly   Pro Can be charged from computer USB with charging circuit   Maxim-recharging IC Sparkfun     ??? Li-Ion   Pro Can be recharged from the USB with MAX1555 circuit AA (900mAh) and AAA (600mAh) sizes available, making it easy to use with regular battery holders Good for the electronics and a few small servos Con bigger capacity needs custom battery holder DealExtreme: AA AAA  1 for the electronics  ~$2.5 Electronics Name Image Description Link Quantity Cost Pat Mccabe SMT + 1A motor controler + breakout + integrated BT Pro Very compact have initial design Con needs further design to get the breakout + integrated BT Pat  Mccabe Nano Bot 1 ??? OddBots Micro Magician   we could do without the accelerometer & usb - with of course the bt module..  The IR might have possiblities Micro Magician     Arduweeny Pro Small Con needs further design to get the breakout + integrated BT no regulator needs motor controller SolarRobotics 1   BBB - Bare Bones Board Pro has a form of breakout which matches standard Arduino Con Large in comparison to the other boards Unassembled needs motor controller BBBKit 1 $17 - unassembled PCB only - $4.50   RBBB - Really Bare Bones Board Con Large in comparison to the other boards Unassembled needs motor controller RBBBKit 1 $13 - unassembled Wheels would be nice to have encoder slots - even if they are not used - future? Name Image Description Link Quantity Cost Tracks   Con expensive Pololu Track set   $12.95 Whees with encoders         ??? BlueTooth Name Image Description Link Quantity Cost GoodLuckBuy Passive Works - tested on windows xp & Fedora Although having problems with xp now :P Seems robust - once bound have had no issues 5V here 1 $10.74 GoodLuckBuy SMT 3V? - could be good as an integrated component to a new free arduino board here 1 $6.77

Other Cost Considerations

Design, Manufacturing, Packaging, Shipping, Marketing, How to Order - PayPal overhead.  

Design #1

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Design #2

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Project Ideas

Cool Demos, Activities, or Preformances - add to marketing and further development

• Voice control
• Desk activities
• Top Camera Swarm control (dance)
• SLAM - room mapping
• BiColored LED - for yes/no visual communication
• modular plug in sensor accessories
• modular plug in actuator accessories