[advertisment] New Product: Oculus Netbook Robot

[skyzorg]

Hi Everyone,
We've recently launched Oculus, which is a kit that converts just about any small laptop into a wheeled robotics platform. It's designed to provide reliable remote surveillance and 2-way video telepresence, while at the same time being low cost and easy to set up.
It's a flexible platform for computer vision/autonomous navigation development; eg., our open-source stock software can be swapped for RoboRealm CV software using their Oculus module.



It comes with an auto-docking charging station, and a servo-controlled tilting periscope for the laptop's built-in webcam.  The microcontroller is Arduino compatible and easily extendable to add further hardware functionality.  The server software runs on Windows 7-Vista-XP or Linux, and remote clients can connect from any PC web browser, or Android/iOS device.

For DIYers, where similar 'netbook mobilizing' efforts are a common project, Oculus represents a ready-to-roll solution, for equal-or-less cost, that can be added to in terms of hardware and software.

Please post any questions/comments, and visit our site for more info www.XAXXON.com
Thanks,
Colin Adamson
Xaxxon Technologies

[Soeren]

Hi,

[...]
For DIYers, where similar 'netbook mobilizing' efforts are a common project, Oculus represents a ready-to-roll solution, for equal-or-less cost, that can be added to in terms of hardware and software.

DIYers don't build robots because they need them, but because they find it fun, rewarding, a good learning experience etc. or simply because they cannot help it - and most of the time, the finished robots have a very short time of glory before being banned to a storage room or stripped for parts for the next project, as admittedly, they aren't really good for anything practical, so when amusement is over, it's axe time.

A ready made solution just takes all the fun away and brings it directly to a short time of glory before the ax comes down (one way or another) - Nobody really needs a note book on wheels, so you might get out of the red sooner, by selling each subsystems by itself, to people who are challenged in either mechanics, electronics or programming.


"Xaxxon"
A triple-X company... What exactly is shown on that screen?
And how would anyone not of Klingon descent pronounce that name?

[skyzorg]

Agreed - we've only moved a few dozen units so far, but we're definitely getting more interest from the software oriented types, who seem most interested in expanding on the code with autonomous navigation functionality, using OpenCV, ROS, RoboRealm etc., taking advantage of the development environment with Windows or Linux on board.
Its not as interesting to the all-round DIYers who are handy with soldering/fabricating; although we've seen a couple bots that have fitted with with sonars and lasers to help with navigation. 

Xaxxon = "Zahk-son".  The domain was available a couple years ago so we grabbed it!
The triple-X was a bonus

[Soeren]

Hi,

Its not as interesting to the all-round DIYers who are handy with soldering/fabricating; although we've seen a couple bots that have fitted with with sonars and lasers to help with navigation. 

I don't know your business plan, of course, but if you sold eg. just the chassis alone, other groups might become interested and some of them would probably go for the entire concept - if you know how to sell

Upgrades in the form of complete Plug 'N' Pray sensors might help as well - some people prefers shopping in one place and I think it would then appeal to educational institutes, who usually needs finished products (you might be able to find some networks of "educational suppliers" to tap into).

Good luck with it anyway! 

Xaxxon = "Zahk-son".  The domain was available a couple years ago so we grabbed it!
The triple-X was a bonus

Ahh, yes, the quest for a good domain makes people do strange things to the language   (I did my share though, like www.im26y.com )

[rbtying]

If you want to get the ROS guys (like me, for example) seriously interested, you'll need to provide a way to get odometry (I don't see encoders anywhere, and at least my netbook can't do visual odometry at any reasonable speed) and an upgrade path--via addon, perhaps--for more advanced sensors. Since you're shooting for the low-cost market, a way (physical and electrical) to mount a Kinect would be ideal, or perhaps a Primesense sensor.

[skyzorg]

Thanks a lot guys, we definitely appreciate the market insight.  I hadn't realized the Asus 3D sensor was now available:
http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Motion_Sensor/Xtion_PRO_LIVE/
This looks pretty exciting since it's smaller and lighter than a kinect, doesn't come with an un-needed motorized base, AND it looks like it runs on standard 5V USB 2.0 power, instead of requiring external 12V power like the kinect.   This power requirement would work well with Oculus, which currently relies on the netbook's battery power via a single USB port, and most netbooks come with 2 or 3 ports.
I think we'll pick up one of these and check it out as a possible future accessory