Lego-Based Tele-presence

Back in 1998, I experimented with the use of LEGO as a prototyping platform for experiments in tele-presence. I've constructed motorized LEGO models and built a control circuit to turn the motors on and off under control of a Macintosh using the ADBIO Box from Beehive Technologies.

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Cambot I

This was my first remotely-controlled LEGO vehicle. With only one motor, it can only move forward and backward. The on-board QuickCam sends back black and white images via the Macintosh's serial port. I installed CamBot under my worktable at home and had various colleagues attach to a web server running over ISDN. A CGI written in AppleScript allows visitors to the web site to control the robot remotely (screenshot).

Cambot II

This second vehicle uses two copies of the control circuitry from CamBot I, so that two motors can move independently. Driving the motors in opposite directions allows the vehicle to swivel in place. The treads allow CamBot II to drive over some obstacles (i. e., small books and magazines), but low ground clearance remains a problem.

SensorPup

With help from Dan Walkowski I mounted some sensors and LED's in LEGO bricks using silicon aquarium sealer. Since I haven't yet attached them to longer wires, they're all grouped together into what I call SensorPup. I intend to mount them on a future version of the mobile vehicle.

Wireless CamBot

Dan and I disembowled an old Radio Shack radio-controlled car, added our own rechargable battery pack, and our own enclosure for the transmitter. The 9-pin DIN on the bottom of the transmitter plugs into the ADB I/O controller.

Comments to walker@shout.net.
Last updated 2/22/98 by WFW