PR2: Personal Robot 2

[nianfong]

This is actually a robot I've been designing for the past year. the client is Willow Garage, http://www.willowgarage.com
It's meant to be an open-source robotics platform for the colleges/research facilities to use. The informal goal of the robot is an ability to autonomously get a beer from the fridge, open it, and hand it to the user.

[fuga]

The informal goal of the robot is an ability to autonomously get a beer from the fridge, open it, and hand it to the user.

What other goals would one envision for a robot?

[Darthwing Teorist]

I thought that MIT was using LEGO Mindstorms-like platforms.

[Darthwing Teorist]

The informal goal of the robot is an ability to autonomously get a beer from the fridge, open it, and hand it to the user.

What other goals would one envision for a robot?

If you put a vacuum cleaner on it, it may give blow jobs...

[nianfong]

I thought that MIT was using LEGO Mindstorms-like platforms.

mindstorms are a lot more limited than two 5 degree of freedom arms with sensor-tipped gripper end-effectors, attached to an elevating platform with stereoscopic vision (head has two d-o-f) and two laser rangefinders. And the platform rides on 4 independently rotating "caster" wheels, so it has full 3 dof translation/rotation in the horizontal plane. plus the whole thing can be commanded via wifi.

the arms are also counterbalanced, so moving them requires very little motor torque at each joint. that said, the payload is rather small at like 1 kg or something haha. a 1L bottle of water.

[Craig]

dude you need to had that to the top of that dog thing that can walk over any obstacles.

[jaskey]

The informal goal of the robot is an ability to autonomously get a beer from the fridge, open it, and hand it to the user.

hate to break it to you, but they already invented that. (it was on late show, a refridgator that chucks beer at you.)

really cool. although I wondering if it's AI or person controlled? (I had the sound off so I might have missed that detail) isn't robot suppose to be self thinking? what's the real difference between robots and machines again?

[nianfong]

it's telerobotically controlled right now--the whole point is to have a larger talent pool to research autonomously doing these tasks, like opening a spring loaded door.

[meeks]

wow Fong - after watching the video I realize you've really changed... your natural tan is gone and your hair is blonder...

[nianfong]

http://www.willowgarage.com/blog/2009/0 ... ilestone-2
the robot can now plug itself into the wall and open doors autonomously

[meeks]

at about 1:50 it reminded me of a 17 year old boy getting laid for the first time...

[nianfong]

we made gizmodo!
http://gizmodo.com/5288994/

[Dmitri]

Very cool.

How does it plug in, is it search/adjustment by proprioceptive feedback, I mean during the plug-in operation (once it's close enough/the plug is in contact with the socket), where it tests around slowly? Can he actually feel when the plug starts going in and looks for the path of least resistance?

"If all the outlets were being used, I wonder if the PR2 is smart enough to figure out how to yank out other plugs for an empty socket." -- Huh? Wouldn't that be stupid, unplugging god-knows-what in order to plug yourself in?... Although I guess that's how some people operate so it wouldn't be too big a stretch.

[nianfong]

it has binocular vision at the head, and two laser range finders--one in front of the head, one at the base level. I believe it uses vision guidance primarily. that's why there's the checker-board pattern on the plug.