EVOLUTION ROBOTICS - E3 2002

I normally don't write about non-game products at the show, but this little company really caught my eye and that of many other attendees with their impressive robots. They had a little area setup that looked like a typical family room with a chair, carpet and fridge nearby and the robot would go and fetch beer and return it to where the 'owner' was sitting. Cool!

ER1 -The robot is sold as a kit containing the aluminum braces, drive mechanism, web cam and the software (brains) for an affordable $499. You need to supply the laptop that sits in its cradle. The system requirements are low (Pentium 2) and they are even giving out development kits so that you can learn how to create new functions for the robots, sort of a Linux like community. The robot was able to recognize CDs simply by holding the jewel case near its line of site, then the robot would start playing MP3s that were on that CD. It cold also retrieve a Mountain Dew by simply telling it to do so. It could read text on objects and interact with its owner. Very impressive.