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Top 10 Linux Powered Robots From Around The World
Linux have a special place in Robotics. Many Robots built by multi
billion organizations like NASA for advanced space exploration and other
complicated tasks are powered by Linux. Robotics and automation is the
key for human progress and it is good to know that Linux holds a special
advantage when advanced Robotics is concerned. Here is a nicely
compiled list of Robots powered by Linux from around the world.
K-10 - NASA's Linux Based Space Exploration Robot
K-10 was created
by the Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) at NASA's Ames Research Center,
as part of a project to build exploration rovers for future robotic
missions to the moon and to Mars.
K-10 runs Red Hat Linux, which NASA says was chosen for
its large user base and application compatibility. According to NASA,
"Linux's flexibility and scalability enable us to easily add, remove,
and extend devices with minimal difficulty."
Scout - NASA's Yet Another Space Exploration Robot
The Scout is
a fully autonomous vehicle that can also be teleoperated, or controlled
by touchscreen and joystick.
Its control system is based on a pair of Dell D400 laptops
running Gentoo Linux.
Low-cost,
user-programmable humanoid robot targeting educational and research
applications.
The Choromet stands about 13-3/4 inches tall, and is
capable of walking upright on two legs. It can also assume supine or
prone positions, and stand up from either.
The Choromet is based on several technologies developed by
AIST, including an operating system said to provide a user-space
real-time Linux environment called "ARTLinux".
Humanoid Robot
called HOAP-1 (Humanoid for Open Architecture Platform) developed by
Fujitsu is designed for wide range of applications in research and
development of robotic technologies.
Fujitsu miniature humanoid Robot runs on RTLinux. The basic
simulation software and user-developed programs are designed to run on
RTLinux.
Owned by
Switzerland-based Neuronics. The Katana Robotic Arm is typically used
for handling, measurement, or testing applications in assembly,
production, and laboratory automation, says Neuronics.
Operating system that runs on Katana is Linux 2.4.25 with
Xenomai hard real-time extensions. The robot is billed as an
"intelligent" industrial robotic arm with safety features that "allow it
to work directly hand-in-hand with human operators without the need for
any additional safeguards or fences," says the company.
Nao - Humanoid Household Service Robot Running Linux
Aldebaran
Robotics, of Paris, created Nao - a humanoid household service robot
running Linux.
"Nao" household robot will compete with robotic research
prototypes in terms of functionality. The walking, talking, WiFi-enabled
bot will stand 21.6 inches tall, and will feature 23 degrees
of freedom of motion.
ROB-1 is actually
a robot with a built-in digital camera that you control from your Sony
Ericsson mobile phone using Bluetooth.
It is equipped with a VGA camera (640x480) that will
transmit the video back to the mobile phone. The camera is a mini
computer running on Linux, powered by a 200Mhz ARM processor and 2MB of
memory.
Robosoft RobuROC Autonomous Vehicle
French transport
and cleanliness robot specialist RoboSoft has used real-time Linux in a
six-wheeled outdoor autonomous vehicle aimed at reducing human risks in
reconnaissance, monitoring, and safety operations.
RoboSoft says that despite its relatively small size, the
RoboROC 6 boasts "incomparable crossing capabilities" thanks to its
flexible, articulated design.
The 17-inch, 4.5-pound humanoid robot can speak, learn, interact
with its surroundings, and even recognize faces, according to creator
Hanson Robotics.
Linux is responsible for the robot's "physical brain,"
controlling its animation, while Windows XP is responsible for its
"verbal brain," controlling its voice recognition and interaction with
others.
Sony's AIBO
(artificial intelligence bot) platform with a canid design and an open
API (application programming interface), was among the most widely used
platform in robo tournaments like Robocup.
However, Sony announced in January of 2006 that it would discontinue
AIBO.
der neue Roboter
(the new robot), the would-be AIBO replacement, also had a canid design
similar to the AIBO. der neue Roboter is much larger than the
AIBO and has 15 joints, including three for each leg, and three for the
neck.
