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Cute Qbot aims to be Model T of robots

Qbot is a prototype home robot that can interact with its user and avoid obstacles. Developer Francisco Paz says it will be an open-source machine that will be cheap enough to garner many users.

Tim Hornyak
Crave freelancer Tim Hornyak is the author of "Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots." He has been writing about Japanese culture and technology for a decade. E-mail Tim.
Tim Hornyak
2 min read
Thecorpora.com

Where's the robot revolution already? It's 2010! Aren't we supposed to be hip-deep in droids by now? Well, Spanish robot developer Francisco Paz thinks he's got the makings of a proverbial Ford Model T for robots, a cute little number called Qbot.

Qbot may lack arms and legs, and it may look like a knockoff of NEC's perennially underemployed PaPeRo, but it's got several features that make it interesting. One is that it's designed to be an interactive home robot based on readily available open-source software and hardware for DIY upgrades. Another is that it's designed to be cheap enough to garner a large user community.

The current prototype is about 18 inches tall and weighs 19-24 pounds. It scoots around on three wheels and avoids obstacles with four infrared and ultrasonic sensors; it also has high-def Webcam eyes for stereoscopic vision and face detection, and three microphones for speech recognition. LEDs provide facial expression, while speakers allow speech synthesis.

Paz has revealed little about himself, but his Web site is registered in Madrid. He says he's been developing Qbot for about five years. As he describes on his blog, the project was inspired by a desire to create a small home robot like a cat or dog. He has quoted University of Tokyo engineering professor Tomomasa Sato's call for an open-source, globally standardized robot that will be the Ford Model T of consumer robotics. Sato believes a standard bot could inspire tens of thousands of engineers around the world to help realize the dream of having a useful personal robot in every home.

Could pint-sized Qbot become the spark for this revolution? We'll be watching for details on pricing and release date. Until then, it looks like a cute concept.

(Via SlashGear)