Robotics Trends

Robotics Trends Feature


Robotics Trends Feature | Editor's Pick | Videre Design LLC Extends Product Line

Videre Design LLC Extends Product Line to Include Next-Generation Robot Platform

Videre Design LLC extends product line to include next-generation robot platform.

Videre Design LLC announced today the availability of a new mobile robot platform. Designed as an industrial-strength PC-on-wheels for research, education and applications, the ERRATIC platform is simple, reasonably priced, and highly expandable. The ERRATIC platform evolved from many years of experience teaching an advanced robotics course at Stanford University, as well as participation in DARPA mobile robot projects such as Centibots and LAGR (Learning And Ground Robots).

Unique features of the ERRATIC platform include:
- Integrated controller and motor driver for precise high-speed control of the drive system

- On-board, low-power PC with integrated wireless networking and high computation performance. (Core 2 Duo available.) Accepts standard PC peripherals such as cameras and speakers

- Open-source, networked, robot software system: Player/Stage

- Efficient sensor suite including laser rangefinder, stereo vision, sonar ring, and IR floor sensors

- Industrial-strength motors, aluminum alloy base, and precision motion encoders

- Large, flat, top plate for mounting sensors and peripherals such as pan/tilt devices

Providing a True Out-of-the-Box Experience
High-level control software for the ERRATIC product line is provided by the open-source Player/Stage system which is supported by a large user base, along with open-source drivers.

Offering a New Price/Performance Standard for the Robot Industry
Due to efficiencies in design and advances in the use of off-the-shelf components, Videre Design offers the ERRATIC robot at a very attractive price. In keeping with Videre Design’s vision for robot platforms – compact, inexpensive, powerful – the ERRATIC platform costs less than 1/3 the price with better features than similar robot platforms currently on the market.

Pricing and Availability
The 2007 ERA-MOBI robot platform is available. List price for a basic platform is US$2,500. Options include: computing upgrades, Hokuyo or SICK laser range finder, sonar ring, IR sensors, and stereo camera. Please contact Videre Design at 1.650.323.6769 or email for more information.

About Videre Design LLC
Videre Design LLC develops and supplies the vision and robotics market with high-quality vision hardware, software, and mobile robots. Videre Design specializes in stereo vision hardware and software for embedded applications. Stereo vision provides real-time, full-field distance information, and is potentially useful in a wide variety of fields, including robotics, personal entertainment, and space automation. Videre Design maintains a close relationship with SRI’s Artificial Intelligence Center, and distributes their Small Vision System for real-time stereo analysis.

Using Videre Design LLC products, researchers, educators, students, and product developers create custom vision and navigation systems with excellent performance, easy and rapid development, significant cost savings and flexibility to address diverse applications. Founded in 1998, Videre Design LLC is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, USA, and has developed an extensive international client base including BMW, Deere & Company, Google, IBM, MIT, NOAA Fisheries, Siemens, the US Defense Department and most universities that study vision and robotics in over 40 countries. Videre Design LLC’s products have been used in numerous applications including people tracking, Google book project, DARPA Grand Challenge, autonomous vehicles, kiosks, and underwater fish tracking. For more information, visit http://www.videredesign.com.

Contract
Janet McLaughlin
865 College Ave
Menlo Park CA 94025
P: 650-323-6769
E:

Microsoft Robotics Studio

Page 1 of 1 pages for this article

Links