(Right) HOVIS bot. (Via Robotshop) (Left) A less advance HOVIS.
Beware Android’s apps are COMING ALIVE!
A South Korean company, Dasarobot, invented a HOVIS humanoid robot. The HOVIS can only be compatibility with any 3.5-inch Android-based smartphone. When the phone is connected to HOVIS, the app then become the robot’s commander. Several Android control apps are planned for the HOVIS bot, though availability outside Korea is not clear. However, when searching through your Android app market, I recommend avoiding the violent ones, unless you want a vicious robot.
The HOVIS humanoid robot added some new kicks. The leading telecommunications company in South Korea, SK Telecom, has made it possible for the robot to use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for control. It not only can retrieve data through thin air, but it can also see, hear and even speak. In order for it to become an eye seeking robot, a camera (computer vision), microphone and speaker (speech recognition, speech synthesis), and the processing power of a fixed PC were added to it.
Wondering how much it would cost for developing a humanoid robot hobby? The phrase, bang for your buck, holds truth with these robots. You have your choice from inexpensive robots to expensive academic humanoids. The price tag attached to these remarkable robots start only at $620 for the basic. The HOVIS brand gives you many styles to pick from. When choosing the style all of them have complete-with-exoskeleton to DIY kits, and one of four levels of software for beginners to knowledgeable programmers.
