A new crowdfunding at Indiegogo features an interesting small and interactive two-wheeled robot called Droidles.
Judging from the way it looks, it is just an ordinary toy. Or maybe a little charming for kids. But this 3D printed device is enabled with open source hardware and firmware allowing even amateur programmers to learn new robotics.
For only $89.00, you get to create your own robot and webpage where you can view, edit and experiment with their personality programs, share programs with other users, and try out programs made by other users, created by other Droidles, or generated by the cloud service.
In a blog statement, Jay Hurley, the lead developer said "A cloud network will allow Droidles to share code, grow or evolve new abilities".
(Score: 3, Insightful) by RaffArundel on Thursday July 31 2014, @06:12PM
I'd probably have avoided calling it "(anything)Droid(anything)", there is a particular company that owns that trademark I believe, and unless you have the pockets to license it, you might end up like BattleDroids.
As for the product itself - kinda cute for a toy, but not sure what the audience really is. Anyone else have a link to something with more details?
(Score: 3, Informative) by juggs on Thursday July 31 2014, @06:34PM
Droidles homepage:
http://droidles.com/ [droidles.com]
Droidles indiegogo campaign:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/droidles [indiegogo.com]
HTH
(Score: 3, Interesting) by RaffArundel on Thursday July 31 2014, @07:27PM
Thanks for the links. I banged it into an obvious search engine, but it appears to have changed it to Droodles on me earlier. Interestingly enough, using Bing gives me the homepage as the first link...
I have a fondness for learning toys, but I do wonder if the company sinks, how much of the functionality would be tied to the service and how much would be open for continued (local - maybe through bluetooth, USB says "charging" only) tinkering. Specifically, the firmware and interpreter is apparently open source, but is it already unlocked? Can I easily make and load changes to it? Does the mobile app use bluetooth, without going through the community website and/or cloud infrastructure?
(Score: 1) by jbWolf on Friday August 01 2014, @04:07AM
You are correct. Mickey Mouse now owns the term "droid". I wrote a Star Wars parody that I published on the Internet and had to be careful to not use that term. I use the word "android" instead. It certainly makes the dialog more stilted since "droid" has propagated into everyday language.
www.jb-wolf.com [jb-wolf.com]
(Score: 1) by Droidles on Friday August 01 2014, @11:11PM
We did a pretty thorough search. Trademarks are granted in rather narrow "classifications", and while lucas arts owns the droid concept in entertainment, our class which is educational, personal and industrial robots, was wide open for DROIDLE. I think I cover the IP aspect in the indiegogo page description. But yes I thought the same thing originally but figured we should file for the trademark and see if it sticks because we think it's cute.
(Score: 2) by Blackmoore on Thursday July 31 2014, @06:38PM
I can't wait to teach them to self assemble.
(cue maniacal laughter)
(Score: 2) by strattitarius on Thursday July 31 2014, @06:40PM
I am so, SO, effing sick of the cloud.
"A cloud network will allow Droidles to share code, grow or evolve new abilities"
Oh, so that would be impossible without this cloud thing? So bit torrent must run on the cloud right (in 2006)? Kindergartners first learn about the cloud, then sharing? And evolution must be cloud based.
Could we not have replaced "the cloud" with "the internet"? And could we use terms like "eases/increases" instead of "allows" as if none of this was possible without some nebulous buzzword!
Slashdot Beta Sucks. Soylent Alpha Rules. News at 11.
(Score: 2) by dyingtolive on Thursday July 31 2014, @06:50PM
I'm still eagerly awaiting the day that "blog" dies.
Don't blame me, I voted for moose wang!
(Score: 2) by Tramii on Thursday July 31 2014, @07:31PM
What else would prefer to call them?
(Score: 2) by TK on Thursday July 31 2014, @08:53PM
Web logs.
The fleas have smaller fleas, upon their backs to bite them, and those fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum
(Score: 2) by Tork on Thursday July 31 2014, @06:51PM
And what will you do when you get sick of the word 'internet'? Buy a slobber-proof keyboard?
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by strattitarius on Thursday July 31 2014, @08:13PM
What's your definition of "the cloud"?
Slashdot Beta Sucks. Soylent Alpha Rules. News at 11.
(Score: 2) by Tork on Thursday July 31 2014, @08:45PM
I'm not getting on your case because I'm some cloud-fanboy, rather it's because I remember how back in the 90's everything was 'on the internet' and people bitched about that, too. "That doohickey isn't on the internet, there's just a webpage about it!" It's like you lot just enjoy being mad about stuff, but you're just kicking the can down the road, waiting for the next term to come along.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 2) by Hawkwind on Thursday July 31 2014, @10:27PM
I'm tossing out an opinion in favor of strat's take on this. The internet felt like something new that really needed to be named (and not a long-winded name like some of the other options). "The cloud" doesn't feel like it's something new, just a way to get the attention of PHBs. Something like "internet-based" would've been fine by me and would've led to less glassy eyed stares when someone says "the cloud".
Granted, my idea wouldn't help the marketing department though.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by dbe on Thursday July 31 2014, @07:02PM
Maybe the prototypes are 3d printed but they don't seems to offer a kit version to assemble yourself on the indigogo.
That would have been fun to print yourself the shell (and add a friggin laser), assemble everything and start swarming.
-dbe
(Score: 1) by Droidles on Friday August 01 2014, @11:23PM
The stl and solidworks files will also be open source so you can print your own if you like.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday July 31 2014, @08:24PM
After all, What could possibly go wrong [memory-alpha.org] with tiny evolving robots?
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.