OLPC XO and iRobot Create brought together for telepresence hack

While the project is still classified as "ongoing," Damon Kohler nonetheless looks to have made some considerable progress in his OLPC XO / iRobot Create combo, which together forms a makeshift telepresence robot. Among other things, if you decide to build your own, you'll apparently be able to control the robot via a web interface, and make use of the OLPC's webcam and microphone to monitor its surroundings. Some of the more recent additions include some text-to-speech capabilities to totally freak out your pets, and a high-tech night vision system (pictured above). If that's enough to tempt you, hit up the links below for the complete details on how to put together your own.

Read - Instructables, OLPC Telepresence
Read- Project Blog

[Via Gadget Lab]

[Isaac @ Nov 14th 2007 2:58PM]

This is so stupid. If you are gonna hack something make the hack do something useful.

[nikola @ Nov 14th 2007 9:53PM]

Remember when this "thing" was supposed to help poor children in schools who couldn't even afford books or desks?

I really hate OLPC. Its the biggest scam I've ever seen.

[martin blank @ Nov 15th 2007 3:03AM]

@nikola
Yeah because the project is really raking in SOOO much money. You should see the OLPC yacht Negroponte's got out here.
WTF are you talking about? How is this well designed effort to get digital divide gap decreased a scam?
Do you think because someone is using ONE for a silly hack the whole project is stupid?

[applefreak @ Nov 14th 2007 3:15PM]

what is not useful about being able ot sneek into a room and wisper 'Luke, I am your father."

[Scott McQueen @ Nov 14th 2007 3:17PM]

I dig the odd use of the Gorillapod...

[Robert Preseau @ Nov 14th 2007 3:19PM]

high-tech night vision system made me giggle.

[Toadlet @ Nov 14th 2007 3:21PM]

The One Laptop Per Robot project seems to be off to a good start...

[Advice Network @ Nov 14th 2007 3:45PM]

Isaac, you don't get it. Hacking is about the doing, not the results.

[Isaac @ Nov 14th 2007 5:44PM]

I clearly don't. If you want to hack something just to do it, more power to you. Go right ahead. But I will only spend my time hacking something if I can really use it. Just me becuase I am lazy.

[grjohnston @ Nov 14th 2007 4:00PM]

Oh, wow, that's exactly the same night vision system that I use! ... For myself and not on a robot! I tend to point them further ahead so I can see further than six inches in front of me, though. Stupid robots. When will they learn?

[ugg.tryptophan @ Nov 14th 2007 6:27PM]

this proves it, hackers are unstoppable

[richie @ Nov 14th 2007 7:25PM]

last time i checked, pets couldnt understand text or speech

[fizzywhizkid @ Nov 15th 2007 6:16AM]

but they can understand being chased by a roomba!

[priusguy @ Nov 14th 2007 11:50PM]

I guess it makes sense to control your vacuuming from a web interface. Or you could just hire someone to do it for you. Either way, neat concept, poor usability.

Real Car Prices from Real People
http://www.pricehub.com

[fizzywhizkid @ Nov 15th 2007 6:17AM]

again, what more usability do you want than being able to chase the cat with the Roomba?

[John-Mark Palacios @ Nov 15th 2007 11:05PM]

see http://irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=338

[John-Mark Palacios @ Nov 15th 2007 11:13PM]

Kinda poor timing for a hack like this. Did he miss the news about the ConnectR at ?

[!ntelcookies @ Jun 4th 2009 10:21PM]

dats cool