Man makes Robotic (remote control) Snowplow

I just saw a post on DPRG about the same thing. Pretty neat idea, and
in the line of telepresence again.

Can you give a reference to the AP article?

--
Randy M. Dumse
www.newmicros.com
Caution: Objects in mirror are more confused than they appear

A telepresence robotic platform for exploration (checking out the
neighbor's garage), environmental
manipulation (pushing trashcans down the stairs) and recreation (world-
class indoor robot racing).
I've often  thought this would be a great boon to someone confined to
bed or otherwise immobile.

The vehicle:

<http://www.geology.smu.edu/~dpa-www/robo/camcar/index.html>

Manipulating the environment (pushing a trashcan down the stairs and
running away)

<http://www.geology.smu.edu/~dpa-www/robo/camcar/camcar_short.mpg>

World-record setting indoor robot racing:

<http://www.geology.smu.edu/~dpa-www/robo/camcar/
camcar_worldrecord.mpg>

cheers,
dpa

Here is the link.  I didn't post it before, because I didn't know how
long the link would be valid;

http://ap.lancasteronline.com/4/robot_plow

Joe Dunfee

Just how loud an event was that? And why didn't anyone come to see it?

I've started working on a wheelchair to make a base for a telepresence
robotics. I intende to teach/take classes remotely and drive it into
classrooms. First discovery, a set of batteries for wheelchairs is
$240 at Sam's. Oh. A bit more than I'd expected. So already repairs
have exceeded cost of chair to restore. Suggests a few extra hundred
on the initial purchase to ensure you start with a working chair isn't
a pretty good idea. We'll see.

Watching your video gives me a new system requirment. I guess I'll
need a finger to be able to push the elevator button to return to
upper levels should I take the same trip as the trashcan.

--
Randy M. Dumse
www.newmicros.com
Caution: Objects in mirror are more confused than they appear

I found I could communicate with humans even without an audio link
because the camera can
pan up-and-down and back-and-forth much like nodding it's "head" yes
and shaking it "no."

So the robot can stand by a heavy door or the elevator or whatever and
"make eye contact" with
people passing by (i.e. follow them with the camera) and they will
usually open the door, push the
elevator button, or whatever, with a bit of prompting by way of
nodding and head shaking to get
the right one.

However, once inside the elevator, the TV/radio link goes away.

cheers,
dpa