White Box Robotics' 914 PC-BOT on the loose

It's been a long seven years for the folks at White Box Robotics, but it appears that the company is all but ready to start pushing a limited production lineup of 914 PC-BOTs out the door. While a past interview with White Box's CEO showed (false) promise of seeing shipments in 2005, an official pre-order page typically means business. Those anxious to get their hands on a maid that won't demand a raise once or twice annually will be forced to pay substantially more than the company's target price (which seems to vary from time to time), but will receive a 55-pound motorized personal assistant reminiscent of R2D2 that comes prepped and ready to learn. The 21-inch tall 'bot sports a differential drive train with independent front suspension, two DC "stepper" motors, dual M2-ATX PSUs with automatic battery monitoring and auto-shutoff, head-mounted webcam, eight integrated IR sensors, an IO board rocking a myriad of control inputs, a VIA motherboard, 1GB of RAM, 40GB 2.5-inch SATA drive, DVD burner, WiFi, Windows XP Home, and most importantly, PC-BOT software (code name "Brian") to get those wheels moving in the right direction. The company boldly claims its robotic companion can do "anything you want it to do" -- so long as you can program it -- and should begin shipping "anytime" for around $5,000 (or $5,599.99 for the mounties in Canada).

[Via GoRobotics]

[Mirwy @ Sep 20th 2006 2:37PM]

Are you kidding? This thing runs Windows? It's automatically not worth buying unless "Brian" works flawlessly under Wine.

[William @ Sep 20th 2006 6:11PM]

Mirwy,

You seem to have missed the huge point (unless, of course, you're joking) - it's a PC. You can put whatever OS on it you want. I believe the Player/Stage software (http://playerstage.sourceforge.net/) runs on Linux and there's also the possibility of doing your own custom software.

[Brian @ Sep 20th 2006 2:40PM]

I've been replaced!

[booger62 @ Sep 20th 2006 2:40PM]

first post woohoo!

I want the yellow one, /w a death ray!

[Vertigo @ Sep 20th 2006 2:41PM]

Noone here to welcome them? You will pay for that when I program mine for evil!

[PodMonkeys @ Sep 20th 2006 2:44PM]

Daleks! :D

[disciple83 @ Sep 20th 2006 2:45PM]

I find it hard to think that something without arms can be my personal assistant? It runs WinXP, well, that's fine, I already have a machine without arms that runs XP and it cost less than half of this junker's asking price, and weighs about half too...

[Nith @ Sep 20th 2006 2:51PM]

Since no one else does,
I, for one, welcome our Windows powered overlords.

Until the take over though, I want mine with a slot for a light saber, and a small fridge for beer.

But since it is Windows powered I dont see them taking over yet. "Prepare to be dominat....Fatal System Error, shutting down" :-p

[Brian from Texas @ Sep 20th 2006 3:07PM]

"Window-powered overlords" will one day be an oxymoron. Just like Microsoft Works.

[Ras Thavas @ Sep 20th 2006 2:55PM]

I'll take three. They will be named Huey, Dewie, and Louie.

[Jim @ Sep 20th 2006 2:55PM]

I, for one, welcome our 914 PC-BOT overlords.

[Jeremy S. @ Sep 20th 2006 3:05PM]

What was the name of that movie where these space ships were carring large geo bubbles of earth enviorments? One ship was called Valley forge. The robots looked alot like these.

I cant remember the main actor of that either.

Anybody?

[blot @ Sep 20th 2006 3:17PM]

The movie was Silent Running with Bruce Dern. Hence the reference to Huey, Dewie, and Louie above (the names that Bruce gives the three robots).

[CharlieX @ Sep 20th 2006 3:16PM]

Silent Running. Zang!

[Luntao @ Sep 20th 2006 3:57PM]

HEY! IT'S THOSE MACHINES FROM DR. WHO!

[Jonathan Cohen @ Sep 20th 2006 4:02PM]

Looks like the Zenith/Heathkit Hero 1:

http://www.robotswanted.com/robotgallery/heathkit/

[Chi @ Sep 20th 2006 4:32PM]

Dalek-clone: Exxxxxxterminate!!!

[BZArcher @ Sep 20th 2006 4:39PM]

Anyone else think these things look like the old Heathkit HERO robots?

[dave-o @ Sep 20th 2006 5:31PM]

What is with all the stupid robots lately? Who the heck cares about these lame devices besides Star Wars fanatics? Can you guys find something useful to blog about? I cant decide which is worse of late, the robots or all the DMB devices that are useless in North America. Leave this stuff on the Engadget Asia site or whatever.

[Aaron @ Sep 20th 2006 6:55PM]

dave-o... Engadget is a technology site. If "stupid robots" isn't what you want, then go somewhere else. I think this story fits in just fine here.

Sounds cool, even if I'm not exactly sure what I would do with one.

[Braxton Perry @ Oct 3rd 2006 2:21AM]

They should go ahead and ask George Lucas for the rights to build an R2D2 or other R2 model clone. That would sell and get a jumpstart on the business.

They could build quarter scale and full scale sizes.

Do they need to run Windows... Windows Mobile would be better. Linux is heartier but much harder for kids. With Windows Mobile you can ditch the hard drive and DVD/CD unit. It can just stream from a home machine or server.

This would be a good chance to bring back LOGO. Let the robot be the turle. Then add the smarts that if your doing a square that you scan to see if a square can be done.

These are toys not tools. We haven't built the have to have application yet. Even if they could watch Grandma, they can't help her get back up. If it watched your kids, it couldn't stop them.. It would simply give you the video.

If these machines were strong enough to be AGV's and carry 80KG's in a bucket on their backs.. then you would have something interesting.

R2.. carry this to Johny.. Beep beep and it contacts Johny on his PDA or Cell phone and tells him what is in the bucket.. Do you want this brought to where you are or to your workspace? When it gets an answer it delivers.