The Mobile Mac mini robot gets it some wheels

Sure, those infernally cute desktop-bound Mac minis might get all the ladies, but this here Mobile Mac mini bot hopes to make something of himself in the big city. His wheels are made for rolling, and that's just what he'll do, but he's also got a free-roaming video camera for beaming grainy webcam shots back to mission control. Along for the ride is a 7-inch touch screen, spiffy headlight, and IR range sensors to keep from bumping into things. The bot can be controlled via WiFi or Apple IR remote, and while there isn't much AI to speak of yet, there's plenty of potential with that plucky Mac mini at the helm.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

[LordOF @ Sep 6th 2006 11:51AM]

Mac mini it is very good! Perfectly!

[Ron Smith @ Sep 6th 2006 11:56AM]

I never wanted to be a robot inventor

I wanted to be....... a lumberjack!

[Dave G @ Sep 6th 2006 12:15PM]

I for one welcome our new mac mini robot overlords!!! It would be very interesting indeed if these found their way into more practical robot designs. Maybe some find their way into the space program, Apple goes to Mars? How cool is that?

[tank @ Sep 6th 2006 12:40PM]

Does it have to tow a car battery to keep it powered?

[alex @ Sep 6th 2006 1:19PM]

Overlords? nah, too small. these are underlings at best, serving the likes of the Robosapien.

BTW, those looks suspiciously similar to Lego wheels... Mindstorms gone horribly wrong! (or right?)

[glacia00 @ Sep 6th 2006 2:08PM]

Sadly the project's intent seems less about making a good min robot/rover and more about getting the Mac Mini into a mobile frame. There are many cooler projects done by starting with ITX Mini motherboards.

Having worked (many years ago) on ITX Mini projects I was pretty curious how they did some of this through the Mac OS and it turns out they didn't.

"The actual control software that resides on the Mac Mini is programmed in RealBasic" "The onboard micro-controller is programmed in MBasic"

[AdvidG @ Sep 6th 2006 2:40PM]

Sigh...
Pod-I-Mini-Mac. Whatever!
Apple's products have always equaled the very meaning of the word: 'Pretentious' to me.

"...Claiming or demanding a position of distinction or merit, especially when unjustified.."

I must endure it during every vist to my local coffeehouse. Most could careless as I mostly do...But then comes that one 'Mac-ass'...

But...On subject, with them bad battery one's they could make great bombs atleast. Mac-pod-I-Bombs!
Yea...Whatever.

[bob @ Sep 6th 2006 2:53PM]

avidG you really are pathetic, some people prefer osx to windows, get over it, (you know you secretly look at the 24" imac and get ya little willy out ;)

[Cade @ Sep 6th 2006 7:08PM]

J. Neutron, are you comparing getting a Mac to suicide? ;)

[penguin @ Sep 6th 2006 10:30PM]

Now burglars can just steal your remote and have the thing delivered right to their door :p

[bob @ Sep 7th 2006 10:11AM]

engadget, couldnt you even link to the original site which is macmod.com? rather than link to a link to alink. . . . get the point, some greaT COMPETITION ENTRIES ON THERE

[J. Neutron @ Sep 7th 2006 4:06PM]

AdvidG
I have no preference either way, but your bad grammar and general outlook on life propells me to get a Mac. And to commit suicide.