SmartBot Creates a Robot out of Your Smartphone

Some smartphones can literally turn into mobile devices, becoming a SmartBot robot.

Robots – and even toy robots – are not a cheap pleasure. A big part of the cost depends on the electronic components: sensors, processors, interface elements. Why should you pay for something that is already available to the user? The developers of robots keep this argument in mind when creating a “smart filling” of smartphones to amaze and entertain their owners. The number of such “office pets” has increased considerably with the advent of SmartBot Overdrive Robotics.

A robot platform is driven by a pair of motorized wheels. In addition to the microprocessor, it is equipped with a pair of LED “headlights”, a speaker and a port to connect to the Arduino board or update the software. The smartphone is set to the adjustable tilt stand, covered with a non-slip silicone. It is connected to the platform via a cable attached to the headphone jack. Depending on the capabilities of the smartphone (it supports the devices driven by Android, Windows Phone or iOS), SmartBot can “see”, “hear”, navigate in space, find a way, understand human speech and communicate with the user – among other skills.

A number of user applications allow the robot to reach its full potential, for example, you can exercise remote control, getting the real time image on your PC or other mobile device from the smartphone camera, or set the robot route, simply by drawing it on the screen, or make SmartBot search people by using facial recognition system (the robot will interact with passers-by – for example, it can take pictures or just say hello).

Possible installation of additional equipment – a manipulator, baskets for different items, an adapter for LEGO elements, a holder for a pen or a marker, a ball-firing gun etc. – gives a lot of opportunities to SmartBot owners.