Toys expand our imagination to many different possibilities and even dictate, to some degree, the career choices we make later on in life. To that end, mOwayduino, a startup from Spain, has created a robot that is geared to give anyone interested in robotics a perfect gateway. The small robot is designed to be programmed and outfitted with different modules to give it more options. This opens a world of possibilities for the novice and the expert who wants to soup up his or her mOwayduino to do things they weren't intended to do.
Interest in robotics is very high because of the many organizations around the world encouraging young students to excel in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classes. The For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) robotic challenges are recognized as one of the premier events in robotics, with tens of thousands of participants each year.
The features as outlined by the manufacturer include: four anti-collision infrared sensors, one directional light intensity sensor, two Opto-reflective infra-red sensors for the floor, front and red rear LEDS, three axis accelerometer, microphone, wireless communication capability, rechargeable LiPo battery with two hours of operation and an SPI expansion kit.
The unit can be programmed using different languages including Arduino, Scratch, Java and Python. Each platform offers the user option to increase the range of possibilities of this little three-wheeler. Depending on your programming skills, you can create applications for solving problems, interacting with other owners, create games, and even make your mOwayduino a personal security guard when you are not home.
What looks like credit card slots on the robot are expansion slots. This includes image capturing and Wi-Fi modules so you can communicate with the unit from anywhere. The Wi-Fi module adds an intranet connection to the robot giving it a client/Web server so you can send emails and control its movements using tablets, phones or a PC.
The artificial video system provides tools to see images in real-time on the screen of your computing device and create artificial vision applications. This allows mOwayduino to be control with visual codes and programmed to recognize and find objects.
The company says they are developing different application for Android and iOS tablet and smartphone platforms. Although mOwayduino is small, it provides many tools kids and adults can use to not only play, but also create usable applications with commercial opportunities.
