[MobileRatty] tag: meccano

Spykee Meccano Robot

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:59:10 +0000

I remember my Meccano set that I played with when I was growing up. Lots of nuts, bolts and pieces of metal. This Spykee robot represents the new face of Meccano that I could only wish was available when I was a kid. I can just imagine the creative hacks that we will see in the near future! Thanks to Sven for the system overview.

Spy robot. Spykee can be controlled within your home network using a WiFi connection. Just install some software on your PC or Mac and you can remotely send commands to Spykee. The video and sound from Spykee’s webcam are transmitted to your computer.
Telepresence. Because Spykee has a WiFi connection it can easily connect to the Internet. This opens up many new possibilities for the robot, such as remotely controlling your robot from any place in the world via Internet.
Digital music player. Spykee has a 2W loudspeaker. So just send MP3 music to Spykee and you can enjoy your music.
VOIP phone. Use the Spykee robot together with Skype, MSN or GoogleTalk to talk with your friends! Because Spykee is mobile, you can now talk with your friend from any place in your house.
Video surveillance. Spykee can be programmed to send you an email whenever it sees things that are suspicious. Your robot will now guard your room!
Infrared auto-park recharging. Mobile robots have a limited time to operate due to their batteries. Spykee is a smart robot that will automatically recharge itself when its batteries are low.
Processor. Details about the specific processor that Spykee uses and possibilities for further hardware extensions is currently not know. If anyone has some info then please post it on the forum.
WiFi. Spykee is WiFi enabled. According to its specifications the robot should work within a distance of 100m under optimal conditions.
2DC motors. Spykee has two motors that can be independently controlled so that it can drive forward, backwards, turn left and turn right.
Camera The camera has a resolution of 320×200 pixels and under optimal conditions it has a framerate of 15fps.
IR auto-parking recharge system. Spykee comes with a docking station to automatically recharge its batteries.
Lights and optical fibres Not only can Spykee make sound, it also has lights to cheer up your room!

Thanks Robert.

Apples iPhone Apps Approval Process

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:28:13 +0000

Ever wondered how some apps are approved and other aren’t? Check out this funky flowchart by Joy of Tech which help us understand the innovative thinking process at Apple.

After Apple’s rejection of the Podcaster app for duping “the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes” was a more dramatic blow to developers.

Source

Post from http://www.gadgettastic.com

Apple’s iPhone Apps Approval Process

Tags: Apple, flowchart, iPhone

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Spykee Debuts Next Month

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:08:31 +0000

I am quite certain that Spykee is beginning to take the route of Duke Nukem Forever, but good thing Meccano is true to their word and have not abandoned the Spykee project despite being previewed at CES 2007 (yes, that’s more than a year and a half ago). This robot not only doubles up as a bundle of fun for your kids, it also functions as a webcam, an MP3 player and even a VoIP phone, making it for one versatile security unit (although any intruder smart enough will know how to disable this in a jiffy). Meccano has lined up the Spykee for a mid-September release, citing a £200 price tag. Ah well, I guess that solves at least one Christmas gift idea for this year.

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Spykee Debuts Next Month

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 16:36:16 +0000

I am quite certain that Spykee is beginning to take the route of Duke Nukem Forever, but good thing Meccano is true to their word and have not abandoned the Spykee project despite being previewed at CES 2007 (yes, that's more than a year and a half ago). This robot not only doubles up as a bundle of fun for your kids, it also functions as a webcam, an MP3 player and even a VoIP phone, making it for one versatile security unit (although any intruder smart enough will know how to disable this in a jiffy). Meccano has lined up the Spykee for a mid-September release, citing a £200 price tag. Ah well, I guess that solves at least one Christmas gift idea for this year.

Source article | Add a comment

Digitally Hand-Encode Music with the Piano Roller!

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:09:19 +0000

watch video here - music_box_set

Here’s a cool Piano Roller that lets you digitally “hand-encode” your music.

This is the ‘big brother’ version of the Music Box Set. It has 20 notes instead of 15, so it can play 2.5 octaves. As a music box, it is quite a bit bigger, at 14.5 x 7 x 2.75cm high.

Again, like the smaller music box, it just plays the white notes, and does not play sharps or flats.

Included is the Music Box, one pre-punched strip which plays Romeo and Juliet, 2 blank strips, and a hole punch, so that you can create your own tunes! The strips are 66 x 7cm.

via bb - red ferret

Brought to you by: Zedomax.com

Digitally “Hand-Encode” Music with the Piano Roller!

OLLO: A little bit LEGO, a little bit Meccano, a whole lot cute robots

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 11:49:24 +0000

Frankie writes:

During the Tokyo Toy Show the Japanese company Robotis (famous for the Bioloid robot kits) showed the final version of the OLLO build system.
OLLO is a mix of Lego Technics, Meccano and Tamiya educational model kits.

The pieces are pretty small but the special tool made by Robotis is pretty helpful. I'm playing with a beginner kit and it's really fun (I confess that, being a Lego maniac, at the beginning I was a little bit sceptic about OLLO).

His post on the product is all in Italian, but you get the gist. If I'm not mistaken I'd seen the larger set of "Bioloid" kits from the same company at the New York Toy Fair. They were really neat, but also quite expensive, so seeing a smaller, cheaper set of kits is great news. Hopefully we'll get these in North America!

Robotis Ollo: Il modellismo robotico incontra il Lego… [HobbyMedia.it]

60ft Meccano skyscraper in Manhattan

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:48:07 +0000

Manhattan's newest skyscraper is a mere 20m tall. It's still wonderful, however, because it's made of Meccano. From the BBC:

"The construction is artist Chris Burden's latest project and was assembled by 30 people using screwdrivers. The project began in late 2006 in California and was then trucked across the US in two parts. Mr Burden said the The 16,000 pound (7,250kg) building was a "poetic interpretation" of the 30 Rock Building at New York's Rockefeller Center.

Meccano skyscraper in NY [BBC]

Powered Front Wheel For Any Bike

Tue, 20 May 2008 23:51:21 +0000

Neodymics' Ciclomotor is a quick and dirty electric conversion for your pushbike. The ugly but effective unit is a straight swap-in for your existing front wheel, and uses four DeWalt power-tool batteries to drive the one Horsepower motor to 28 mph, giving a range of 10-20 miles per charge – although you can carry spares to extend your range.

I'm not a big fan of electric bikes. A pedal bike is easy enough to drive and also helps you get fit. Powering the thing almost defeats the point. But if it means getting more people out of cars, that can only be a good thing. Ditto for those too weak to pedal but who want to convenience of a bicycle. The Ciclometer scores here because its clamp-on design means fast and easy setup, and it also leaves the rear drive train unaltered, useful for power failures.

The Neodymics guys are looking for help to bring this to market. The timing is certainly right, with gas prices going crazy. They might want to make it look a little less like a Meccano kit, though.

Product page [Neodymics via Bike Hugger]

Meccano Spykee Cell Robot with iPod/iPhone Dock and Speakers and control it with your iPhone!

Wed, 07 May 2008 04:26:14 +0000

Lol, this is a great gizmo. You can control the robot via Bluetooth, change music, or even move the robot. iPod-World is taking pre-orders of this item, I’d get one if it was available in the US. Even better, they might just send us a sample?

iPod World is taking pre-order for the Meccano Spyke Cell Robot, an amazing robot which has iPod/iPhone dock and stereo speakers. You control the robot and your iPod wirelessly by using your cell phone via Bluetooth technology to change tunes, move the robot, take picture and send them to your cell phone… It costs £159.99.

via hifi-ring

Rovio Wi-Fi Robot

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:06:26 +0000

The Rovio WiFi Robot has a webcam that easily moves in any direction and can be controlled via a remote control so that you can use it to check on your family around the home.

Just like a micro-GPS system the Rovio knows where it is and locates the positions of other objects, and accurately navigates through under its own control.

The Rovio Features:

Easy to install & easy to use software USB connectivity
Wi-Fi connectivity
3 omni-directional wheels
1 VGA cmos sensor
Keep an eye on your home from anywhere in the world
NorthStar Navigation System
Built-in rechargeable battery
Built in microphone
1 speaker

You can pre order the Ravio here which is expected to be available in August 2008

Check out the video clip below

Written by Kerry for Product Reviews
In Sections: Gadgets & Technology
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[MobileRatty] tag: meccano

Spykee Meccano Robot

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Spykee Debuts Next Month

Spykee Debuts Next Month

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Related posts

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Meccano Spykee Cell Robot with iPod/iPhone Dock and Speakers and control it with your iPhone!

Rovio Wi-Fi Robot