Arduino-armed Acer Aspire One and wheels tools around, shoots video

Something about this Acer Aspire One with wheels just looks so... right. After suiting up the laptop with a tiny motor, some "crazy" wheels and an Arduino Diecimila, the crafty DIY-er wrote a bit of code that commands the unit to perform simple movements like turn left, turn right, move forward, and pause, while transmitting some breathtaking video of its travels back to a different computer via WiFi. The unit doesn't do reverse yet, nor can it pop wheelies -- after all, it's no Rovio -- though the wishlist of possible improvements is fairly uh... impressive. Check the video (not the Acer-transmitted one) after the break, though we have to give you fair warning: the robot steamrolls a cat near the end.

[telepheedian @ Dec 1st 2008 11:01AM]

http://xkcd.com/413/

[mabhatter @ Dec 1st 2008 11:08AM]

absolutely! also my first thought... they probably had a hard time finding a big enough "hampster ball" though.

This is basically an Evolution Robotics ER1... those guys were just slightly ahead of their time but now that everybody has built in webcams, mics, speakers, etc and it's all supported under Windows and Linux ... and REASONABLY priced, they should have another go at their robot kit. http://www.evolution.com/er1/

[Dave @ Dec 1st 2008 11:50AM]

I think I'm going to strap my HTC Touch Diamond onto a remote control car, record it moving around a few feet, and then set the whole thing to some glorious music. Seriously, this music should have been reserved for footage of a man walking on mars or someting on that level. This footage doesn't really even deserve its own soundtrack.

[phail @ Dec 2nd 2008 9:12PM]

exactly what i thought when i saw it

[Fusion Fuzo 05 - Mr Professional @ Dec 1st 2008 11:14AM]

LOVIN IT, Can be used as a remote control car LOVIN IT

[Curtis @ Dec 1st 2008 11:25AM]

If my AAO wasn't used for class... this is what it would be.

[AnyKey @ Dec 1st 2008 11:28AM]

I watched that whole freaking video, and nowhere did this robot "steamroll a cat."
You liars! I feel so cheated now...

[sethmo @ Dec 1st 2008 12:29PM]

I was waiting for the same thing! :(

[whatishalo? @ Dec 1st 2008 12:32PM]

Telling us that lie is the only way to get us to watch the whole video all the way through. Crap, first half was just logging into window. Was that really necessary to capture on camera??

[superhobo @ Dec 2nd 2008 5:30AM]

Thanks, now I can skip watching it.

[Phoenixfury @ Dec 1st 2008 11:44AM]

Oh no! It's Cromarte, run for your life!

[Errorkid @ Dec 1st 2008 11:52AM]

Still waiting for the first laptop that can give a blowjob

[abhisheksuman @ Dec 1st 2008 11:55AM]

Now thats what we call mobility. Minor tweaks and the laptop will follow you around the house.

[Oli D @ Dec 1st 2008 12:07PM]

Music was a bit much wasnt it?

That's the sort of tune i would hear in the moral ending to a philosophical film, not a video essentially highlighting why you stay away from people who profess themselves to "enjoy attaching wheels to electronic goods"

I will, of course, be purchasing one of these however....

[Patriks7 @ Dec 1st 2008 12:28PM]

I wish you guys wouldn't have included the word "video" after "shoots" in the title :(

[whatishalo? @ Dec 1st 2008 12:33PM]

Now if you want to see something get 'rolled': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI

[Ian @ Dec 1st 2008 1:33PM]

i see what you did there...

also who got rick rolled on thanksgiving?

[benahad @ Dec 1st 2008 1:31PM]

Arrrgghhh...Not only was there no cat crushing, i got Rick-rolled too. Talk about insult to injury.

[Jesse @ Dec 1st 2008 10:32PM]

I, did this already.. with legos and a better controller and skype.
see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMyU4LkdYH0

[mrd @ Dec 2nd 2008 2:57PM]

Its got to be skynet look the video feed is not working someone is censoring it :O :O,i say we go down there now and blow there offices up terminator 2 sarah connor style BOYS>>!!!