Introducing VIPER, a must have for roboticists.

“All good things come in small packages”. This is a famous saying that most of us are aware of.

We have now come up with our own version of a “small package” !

SP Robotic Works, the parent company of Kidobotikz is proud to unveil the VIPER series of motor drivers. VIPER is a state of the art speed control motor driver which has been developed to cater to the burgeoning demand for speed control motor drivers in both the industries and the academia. This product builds on the tradition of SP Robotic Works which has churned out several cutting edge motor drivers in the past such as Phoenix and Fireblade. 

This motor driver which has been developed by the in-house R&D team, the same team responsible for the Kidobotikz series of Robotics educational kits, packs in quite a lot of capabilities. It is a highly efficient and easy to use dual motor driver which can be used on a wide range of DC motors that are available on the market. Having a rating of 25 Amps, this can be used in a variety of applications. 

Says Ranganath, a member of the R&D team which developed the Viper, ”For students of roboting across the country, finding a high-quality motor driver with high rating has always been an issue. Not many products are available across the country and consumers always have relied upon imports from western nations for such motor drivers. As has always been with imported products, the costs and warranty has been an issue. The unavailability of such a product has always piqued the interests of the SPRW team. The efforts which culminated in this direction resulted in the development of the VIPER. 6 months of concerted efforts and testing finally paid off.” 

A key difference between VIPER and it’s predecessors is the fact that VIPER involves speed control functions that many products across the market are not capable of. Unlike other relay based controller boards, Viper has sophisticated electronics such as MOSFETS to make the control smoother, enable speed control and also generates the necessary combination of signals for the user. Such advanced features make the control of robots effortless. The functionality of Viper is rich as well. It enables 9 functions on the controls - forward, reverse, spot left, spot right, forward right, forward left, reverse left, reverse right and stop with the additional option of Speed Control. VIPER is one of its kind to have reverse polarity protection which is a feature unheard of in the market. By this feature the endurance and durability of the VIPER is maintained.

While all these features make it a formidable and impressive option for students and roboticists, there’s another major reason why SP Robotic works takes pride in the VIPER. SPRW is the first company in India and only the 4th company in the world to have developed such a product. 

So, what are the applications that can use VIPER?

“VIPER can be used in several industrial DC motors which work on a high current. Apart from this, it can also be used in applications where the speed control is desired to be accurate. These applications could range in sophistication from Unmanned Ground Vehicles to Automated Garage Opening doors.” opines Ranganath, who had himself felt the need for such a low cost speed control driver during his college days. Today he is proud to be associated with a product that actually solves a problem that had plagued his projects. 

Are you robotics hobbyist? Do you like robots that display high torque and insane speed? Is it time to upgrade your existing race robots and sumo robots?

Then this piece of news will surely have you pumped up!

If you wish to get yourself a VIPER, visit here.

Happy Roboting ! !

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3 Ways robots are helping students

Robots changing the education system? Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Well, the ground reality shows otherwise. As technologies advance, the presence of robots in our life will become more pronounced. But does this mean that we are in a rather futuristic situation where robots have actually replaced the faculty? Not currently! But, if the signs hold true, we are headed in a direction that is quite positive.

However, the current situation is not quite bad either. Robots are still primitive, less futuristic and more of wires, but they have already managed to pull off a significant impact on certain areas.

In particular, their impact on the classrooms of today are one that makes us sit up and observe. Here are three ways that robots have been used that legitimately benefit students:

1. Intelligent toy robots

In the past few years, several new innovations have led to the arrival of cute little toy robots that serve many purposes. These give company to children and take on the role of their pets. Designed to be aesthetically appeasing and cute in general, these robots are in effect stress busters for scores of adults and play buddies for thousands of children. More importantly, these robots help students balance their stressful evenings with bout of joyful interaction.

2. Teaching Students with Autism

It is a known fact that young children autism usually find a hard time in social interactions. They find it very difficult to develop rapport with their teachers and fellow students. However, studies show that they are comfortable with robots. Experts believe this connection is made more easily because autistic children prefer the lack of emotion and eye contact that they get from the robots.

For this reason, some special education classrooms have purchased robots that can lead autistic children in a variety of lessons to improve their fundamental skills. Though robots won’t be replacing teachers anytime soon, having them available to provide supplemental education is a plus for these students who tend to shy away from human contact.

3. Teaching STEM through robotics.

This is by far the most important intervention by robotics into the education system. Thanks to the efforts by several educators and visionaries, the world of robotics is now being used as a stepping stone in mainstream education to make concepts more relatable and easier for parsing for the innovators for tomorrow. Concepts such as robotics kits are now transforming the way students learn their educational concepts. Robotics kits promote a practical way of learning.

We at Kidobotikz are a part of this proud tradition that is using robots to change the classrooms of tomorrow.

Happy roboting ! !

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NASA's OSIRIS-REx on its way to rendezvous and capture asteroid

NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sampling mission is on its way. At 7:05 pm EDT, the unmanned probe lifted off atop an Atlas/Centaur booster from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. According to NASA, the liftoff and orbital burns went off without a hitch and the spacecraft is functioning as expected. 

OSIRIS-REx began its seven-year mission to the asteroid Bennu without any holds or other problems. After the Atlas first-stage rocket shut down and separated, the Centaur second stage ignited and executed two burns separated by a 22-minute coast phase.

At the end of the second six-minute burn, the deep-space probe separated from the booster as it sped over Australia and headed off into deep space at 25,000 mph (40,000 km/h). At 8:13 pm EDT, mission control confirmed that the solar panels had deployed as planned and the spaceship was under power.

The Origins-Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security REgolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) will rendezvous with the asteroid Bennu (1999 RQ36) in 2018, carry out an extensive survey, and return a 2-oz (60-g) sample of its surface to Earth in 2023. The acronym may seem complicated, but Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator says that, "the mission name is an awesome acronym that describes our primary science objectives."

The purpose of OSIRIS-REx is to study the origins of the Solar System, carry out direct spectral interpretations of the asteroids, identify potential asteroid resources for commercial exploitation, study how to deflect asteroids to improve Earth's security from impacts, and as a regolith explorer to learn more about the loose blanket of gravel and dirt on the asteroid's surface.

The video below outlines the OSIRIS-REx mission.

Source: NASA, New Atlas

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Geek Speak: Rakshin

It’s Sunday and weekend is already over before it began. It’s 11th hour for all those who’ve been rather lax since friday evening. Notebooks being scribbled with hurried assignments and high intensity preparations for the upcoming weekly tests are rather a characteristic of a late sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, back at Kidobotikz, it is business as usual as far Sundays are concerned. Batches of students are here taking their robotics lessons in the earnest. It is a rather leisurely class hour for them as most of them are in the middle of their learning courses where everything seems to be progressing at optimum pace. I enter the first classroom and discover someone who seems rather docile. He seems to have finished the assignment his trainer had asked him to complete and is now just quiet and unassuming. I request him to step out of the classroom and engage in a brief conversation with him. And his name is rather unique as well.

Hey Rakshin! Why don’t you temme a bit about yourself and your path to Kidobotikz?

I am Rakshin. I study in class 8 at PSBB Millennium. I joined Kidobotikz in the month of April this year. Back here at Kidobotikz I am in the advanced level.

You joined in April and are already in the advanced level? That’s rather impressive! How did that happen?

Well, I came to know of Kidobotikz through a friend of mine named Shreyas. I visited the center around the month of april and found out that there was a summer camp that was being conducted during that time. I managed to complete 2 levels within those 10 days. That’s how it happened. 

So, describe your experience of being a roboticist at Kidobotikz?

Before joining Kidobotikz, my expectation was to do something “cool”. Here, I discovered more than just “cool”. Robotics has changed a lot in me. It has made quite smart. I can actually feel myself getting smarter everyday. All thanks to Kidobotikz.

Interesting. So, how did you take part in KRG? And how was your experience?

This was my first KRG. Thereby, it was a wonderful learning experience. I took part in almost all events- Autotransbot, Autonomous race, Balloon Bursters, Temple Run seniors. I knew I wasn’t gonna win in these events, but it did give me a wonderful learning curve.

Impressive! So, what kinda robots capture your imagination?

I love all kinds of robots, but I have a major liking towards Bionic Arms. According to me, they represent the future way of how we will work and use robots. I am actually planning to try and build one of these when I gain the required resources. 

My best wishes for you! To conclude our chat, I’d like to know your future plans and ambitions when you graduate from Kidobotikz and high school

Well, I haven’t figured out much. But, I wanna be able to join MIT. Ever since I saw their four legged robot gallop across obstacles, i’ve been inspired to do my robotics studies there.

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Lowe's introduces LoweBot, a new autonomous in-store robot

"Hello, I'm NAVii. How can I help you?" This is how the store associate of the future may greet you.

Starting in the fall, Lowe's shoppers in the San Francisco Bay Area will be greeted by autonomous robots. The LoweBot speaks multiple languages, and will be deployed to 11 stores to help guide home improvers to find items in store. "This is a response to things people wanted since retail began, but up until now there just wasn't the technology to be able to make that happen," said Kyle Nel, executive director of Lowe's Innovation Labs.

The robots, made by Fellow Robots, use a 3-D scanner to detect people as they into stores. Shoppers can search for items by asking the bot what they want or typing items into a touch screen. The bot can guide them to those items using smart laser sensors, similar to the technology used in autonomous vehicles, said Marco Mascorro, chief executive officer of Fellow Robots.

As customers follow the bots to find items on store shelves, location-based special offers show up on a second screen on the back of the LoweBot. The LoweBot is the younger sibling of the OSHBot, an earlier version which Lowe's tested in Orchard Supply Hardware stores over the past two years. The most surprising query OSHBot had to deal with? "Where are the restrooms?" said Nel.

The LoweBot is not a fancy looking device with a lot of bells and whistles. Its role is to find solutions to consumers' most basic problems, said Nel.

"The LoweBot solves and serves our common cold problems," he said. "When I walk into a store and I want to know where something is I want to know right then — I don't want to have to download an app — a robot can really help with that."

The LoweBot also scans shelves using computer vision to send up-to-date information to store associates, even while it is showing people around the store. Inventory tracking may seem mundane and boring, but is incredibly important to a retailer, said Nel.

It never calls out sick and doesn't need to take coffee breaks. That said, the goal is to augment the work of store associates and free them up to work on advising customers on products and delivering a more personalized service overall, not replace them, said Nel. For example, the LoweBot can serve as a translator, since it is impossible to find store workers who understand every customer, he said.

Could the LoweBot one day eliminate jobs? "Most definitely not — my phone doesn't make me obsolete," said Nel.

"Having had this in stores for two years, I was shocked at how fast customers and store associates got used to it," he said.

Video:

Source: CNBC, Engadget

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Geek Speak: Mukhil

It is Saturday and brings with it comes a weekend of catching up with friends and partners in mischief. However, as far as Kidobotikz is concerned the mischief and shenanigans are usually limited to the robots. The students take pleasure in enabling them though. Meanwhile, we are back at the makerspace to meet up with a duo who have been working on their respective schools projects since yesterday evening. We met one of them, Ahilesh, who was a rather interesting lad. His buddy, Mukhil is with us today and we’re going to try and find more about him.

Hey Mukhil! May I know why’re you here today?

Well, as my friend Ahilesh told you yesterday, there’s a project expo that is about to be held. That is why we’ve slogged since last evening to get our respective projects up and ready.

Interesting. So, I assume Ahilesh and you go way back?

Well, not really. While Ahilesh and I are schoolmates, the two of us are actually in different sections. He’s in the ‘A‘ section while I study in section ‘B’. so, until I joined Kidobotikz, I really had no inkling as to he was here. Besides, he’s been at Kidobotikz for a long time now. I’m a relatively new comer. But, the time we spend time at Kidobotikz is one I try to know more about robotics from him.

So, do you mind describing your journey to Kidobotikz?

Well, I have to thank my dad who found out about Kidobotikz through a friend of his. He then asked me whether I was interested in getting myself enrolled here. I was all yes for it. I even remember the week I joined Kidobotikz. It was on the 3rd week of January this year. I know that because the next week was KRG.

Interesting. So, how does it feel to be a kidobotikzian? And could you elaborate on your school project?

I love it here at Kidobotikz. The teachers are quite wonderful and they take efforts to ensure that we get our concepts right. Moreover, I am always aware that the things I do here at Kidobotikz puts me ahead of my classmates back at school. That, for me is quite exhilarating. 

Impressive! So, what kinda robots capture your imagination?

Racerobots are my passion. It is impressive to see them run. Another huge favourite is Quadcopters. They are such a marvel. And with drone technology coming into its own, I hope to see more of these around.

My best wishes for you! To conclude our chat, I’d like to know your future plans and ambitions when you graduate from Kidobotikz and high school

Well, I haven’t planned much. I just like to take things as they come. So, as of now, my plans are to learn robotics. Let’s see what comes after that. 

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Geek Speak: Ahilesh

Friday is here and along with it has descended the weekend mindset. Far more that the weekend, it’s the weekend which brings the feel of peace and serenity, for people know that they have a whole weekend of joy ahead of them. Meanwhile, back at Kidobotikz’s classrooms, students have started to dot the classroom with their excited faces. They are here to attend their classes. But the makerspace of Kidobotikz paints quite a different picture. It bears a rather deserted look and has only two young students who’ve taken the corner to themselves. While the makerspace being empty could simply be attributed to the fact that it is still 4:30 PM on a friday evening, the presence of these two young kidobotikzians who seem to be unto themselves seems rather intriguing. Turns out they’re here for a purpose and their hands are full. I decide to strike up a chat with one of them and the other concedes to talk to me tomorrow. Meet Ahilesh who took some time to indulge in the “Geek Speak”.

Hey Ahilesh! May I know why’re you here today?

Well there’s a project expo that is about to be held at our school in a few weeks from now. That is why I’ve come here to Kidobotikz to develop a project for the expo. 

Which school do you belong to, if I may ask?

Well, I am a 9th Grader at Kolaperumal Chetty Vaishnav Senior Secondary School. 9B to be precise (laughs). 

Well, that’s a rather long school name for me to remember. But I guess I won’t be asking much about your school, so I guess that saves me the trouble of remembering the name. 

So, do you mind describing your journey to Kidobotikz?

Well, my introduction to Kidobotikz is a rather interesting story. I have always been obsessed with robotic sciences and have even tried to do a lot of experiments as Kid. But, I had always longed for a formal robotic training course. Being a school kid was a major impediment. But, as chance would have it, I once was having a stroll on the street and happen to stumble upon a pamphlet that was lying down on the street. I saw the name Kidobotikz on it and immediately took home the pamphlet. (I) used the number given on the sheet and gave them a call. Not long after that was I a Kidobotikzian.

Interesting. So, how does it feel to be a robotics hobbyist? And could you elaborate on your school project?

Roboting for me is a passionate experience. Thanks to Kidobotikz now I can actually do roboting the proper way. Also, it helps me see things on a holistic level. Things of everyday life don’t appear as just magical gadgets but actual marvels of engineering. As for my school project, it is a gesture controlled cleaning robot. We’ve used the stock robot and incorporated functionality into it which makes it capable of being controlled using gestures. This way the user can clean the surrounding using nothing but gestures.

Impressive! So, what kinda robots capture your imagination?

Well, I’ve always felt amazed by Honda’s ASIMOs. They represent the hotbed of cutting edge innovations that is Humanoid robotics. Another major inspiration is the work of Boston Dynamics. Their work is truly magnificent.

My best wishes for you! To conclude our chat, I’d like to know your future plans and ambitions when you graduate from Kidobotikz and high school

Well, I wanna be a robotics engineer. That much I am sure about. Where I plan to study and what I plan to specialize in is something that I am still not sure of.

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