Domestic Robots
This section covers the optional project feature of domestic robots. Given the limitations of the technology today, this is not an entirely practical area of the project. It is more of an amusing exploration of future possibilities. There are great expectations for domestic robotics, but very few robots have so far proven useful in the home, the most successful so far being the various floor cleaning robots. The contemporary personal robot remains largely a hobby pursuit intended for entertainment purposes. The creation of such robots is the basis of their appeal. However, at least one new type of robot has potential utility in this Open House project context' the robomule. A robomule is a simple unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) based on an ATV model which serves as a self-mobile carrier that can follow an individual or be sent to pre-set destinations. For the solitary builder, this could be a practical tool, serving as means to transport heavy supplies, a mobile workbench, and providing a 'third hand' when moving large objects. No open source designs for robomules seem available at present, but this application is well within the capabilities of the open Robot OS. (ROS)
development section
These two promising open source robot arms may have some possible applications for domestic robots as well as workshop tools. The latter is particularly suited to laser cut fabrication. (suggested by Kostas on the Open Manufacturing forum)
3hp Raspberry Pi based 6 wheel platform.
https://www.piborg.org/doodleborg
Mycroft open source voice assistant. https://mycroft.ai/