I recently received an interesting press release about Multiplo, a four-person startup seeking venture funds in small amounts to create and manufacture kits for anyone interested in robotics.
The company has used Kickstarter, a Web-based business that helps connect sponsors with small groups that want to pursue a specific project. The Kickstarter approach lets people involved with a project -- which must have a specific goal -- solicit funds and offer "rewards" to people who contribute funds.
The Multiplo project goal involves creating open-source robotics kits people can buy. Anyone interested in the Multiplo kits also can download information and fabricate their own components, rework Multiplo code for their own purposes, modify CAD files to create new components, and so on. I admire that goal. (Multiplo calls its open-source Fab Lab.)
The small group of inventors and robot experts has set 13 levels of funding for participants, starting at $5 and going to $1,950. Rewards include a Multiplo sticker for a pledge of $5, a robot starter kit for a $139 pledge, and an educator's package of 10 robot building kits for a $1,950 pledge. Multiplo requested $15,000 from investors, and as of Monday, reached its goal. You can find more information about the Multiplo project, robot kits, and watch a short video on the Multiplo Kickstarter page.
Multiplo kits come with everything needed to build a robot, although kit builders can add their own components, too. Mechanical parts have plenty of holes for fasteners, so people can easily change the arrangement of motors, servos, and other pieces of a robot. Depending on the kit purchased, builders receive a DuinoBot robot controller that provides circuits for motor drivers, sensor inputs, and connections to Arduino-compatible "shields." The shields, or add-on boards -- available from many companies -- provide additional capabilities such as wireless controls, GPS receivers, displays, and other functions.
People familiar with the Arduino computer boards can continue to use the Arduino integrated development environment (IDE) to write programs in C. Newcomers to robotics and programming can use a graphical program called Minibloq (also a Kickstarter project) to create block-diagram flow charts that then translate into C-language code that compiles and runs on an Arduino, DuinoBot, or Maple computer board. To get off to a quick start, builders can control their robot with a handheld TV remote control via an infrared-signal sensor. Later, robots can operate on their own.
I like the Multiplo approach: kits people can buy, open-source information for do-it-yourself robot enthusiasts, and small contributions from many project sponsors. I wonder if this type of business format will catch on. When the N8 kits become available, I hope to try one.
A little off subject, but have you followed the "raspberry pi" (http://www.raspberrypi.org/) thing? I would like your take on it. It looks like a nice educational tool.
Jon, it's a good idea to promote the business ideas. As of now robots are too far from common people and if some freeware or open kits are available, I think atleast half of the enthusiastic peoples may have a try.
The Multiplo system builds on the popular--and inexpensive--Arduino-type computer boards. Many third-party companies and entrepreneurs offer compatible boards for wireless control, servo-motor drivers, and so on, which makes the Multiplo more flexible than the LEGO system--at least in my opinion. With LEGO's Mindstorms you pretty much get locked into LEGO products.
Jon, I wonder how the capabilities of this system would compare to Lego Mindstorms. Could it enable someone to do robotic things that Mindstorms couldn't do? One big difference is the use of open source.
Hi, Rob. This project appealed to me because of the open-source hardware and software. Anyone with the proper equipment can duplicate the robot parts. I bet schools and clubs could get a local firm to cut out parts on a laser cutter for free or for a small cost. We could talk with kids all day about computer programming (yawn), but they'd rather have a basic "robot" that could move and figure out how to make it do something. The key involves excellent teaching guides, lab exercised for students, and tutorial info so the kids can learn more on their own and create thrir own projects.
Robots for kids young and older have become quite the robust market. A quick Google search reveals a wide range from simple Lego-like kits to more sophisticated projects. They are a contemporary version of the Erector kits. Nice to see.
GPS is fairly common in rescue robots, military robots, nautical robots and other autonomous robots that need to navigate on their own. It's also found in some remote controlled robots.
I don't know why this type of robot would need a GPS, although someone will find a use for it. I was tempted to support this effort and get a robot starter kit in return, but I already have too many projects underway. Perhaps I'll jump in when the Multiplo robot "Erector set" becomes a commercial product.
Jon, this looks like an erector set. Considering the sophistication of many of our youth, this level of kit might be necessary to keep their attention.
The funding mechanism is interesting. For small projects like this it is probably a good thing. For one, it makes the business think about what it is doing in a structured way.
One question, though. Why would a robot need a GPS?
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