10 Jan 08 Breakthrough ”Micro-GPS” Debuts at CES, Featured on WowWee’s New Rovio Robot
Evolution Robotics, Inc. has announced its NorthStar 2.0 System, which enables robots to be truly aware of their surroundings and perform tasks completely on their own. WowWee’s Rovio with telepresence is the first lucky bot to be endowed the NorthStar System, which also made its debut at the CES 2008. Telepresence robots are a new breed which allow the owner to check in and make sure everything is okay remotely.
NorthStar is a combination of GPS, RADAR, and autopilot system all working in unison to operate at places like home or office. It enables the Rovio to guide itself around the house autonomously and gives the user complete control over the robot remotely via web or mobile phone with simple “go to” commands. It can also operate in “patrol mode,” where it will monitor specific locations around the house or office with pictures or live video from its built-in camera sent to the owner automatically. When it is low on power, it can find the way back to its charging station from any location in the house and charge itself.
If you think all this convenience comes at a hefty price, you are wrong as its cost is equivalent to 1/100th or 1/1000th of systems used in research and industrial applications.
If you pass by WowWee’s booth at CES, do check the Rovio out in action first hand, with a demonstration of logging on to a Rovio located in Pasadena about 215 miles away and telling it to where to go with just a mouse click and its live broadcast of the surroundings as it is guided autonomously by NorthStar to different locations.
The Rovio will be priced at $299 and will be available in the second half of 2008.
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