Why Not Just Build-a-Bot?
Move over Teddy Bear: now you can snap together an inexpensive toy robot
featuring customizable behaviors and unique social elements that help your child
develop skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Meet Romibo - a do-it-yourself (DIY) robot for therapy, education and fun
introduced by Origami Robotics of Pittsburgh, PA and developed at the NSFfunded Quality of Life Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University.
Robot therapy has been shown to benefit children and other individuals with a
wide range of social, emotional, and developmental disorders. Robots can create
social engagement, promote emotional response and motivate positive behavior
changes. But robot therapy is not yet widely available to the general public
because existing prototypes have been too expensive.
Romibo taps into the power of the quickly growing Maker community to inspire
youth to build their own pet-like social robots using kits that are both highly
affordable and programmatically adaptable.
Interested builders order a Romibo robot kit online. Kits include all the necessary
components and hardware needed to create the basic plug-and-play system.
The robot features a unique modular design that is optimal for flat packaging,
easy transport and quick assembly. Builders can customize the robot’s
appearance by selecting from several different robot skins.
Building instructions and other files are also available online. Engaged builders
can access mechanical part files, electronic schematics, and sample code to get
their Romibo up and running.
Romibo relies on standard off-the-shelf Arduino electronics and a USB adapter
for downloading and uploading social robot behaviors and emotional states.
Programmable interactions include touch response, attention orientation, rhythm
and gesture. Romibo’s characteristically large eyes express a range of emotions
and encourage children with social difficulties to learn how to make eye contact.
Additional hardware includes wireless; IR communication; expressive
colors/lights; speaker and microphone. Future version will add touch sensors;
color detection camera; and video camera. Built Romibos can be operated
autonomously or via remote control. The robots are designed to be both Android
and iPad compatible.
But the toy’s unique experience comes from its interactive community. Romibo
supports collaboration between robotics researchers, enthusiasts and ordinary
people by connecting builders at live community workshops and in online social
networks.
Eager fans can sign-up to host community build workshops connecting users
around common behavioral interests, therapy needs or disability-based causes.
(Look for sign-up info at www.qolt.org.)
Builders are also encouraged to share their robot code online. By posting
personal experiences on customizing or improving the robot, Romibo builders
can directly contribute to the robotics field. Eventually a full library of coded
behaviors will emerge and remain readily available for the larger community to
study and explore.
With its low cost design, viral distribution and actively engaged builder
community, Romibo aims to spark a grassroots effort for social robot therapy and
innovation. Builders can even donate finished Romibos to clinicians and parents
of children with disabilities in support of this cause.
Learn more about Romibo at the Quality of Life Technology Center’s 2012 CES
Booth #3011 or contact Kristen Sabol (ksabol@cs.cmu.edu) for information.