RS Media
Encyclopedia
The RS Media is another product in WowWee's line of biomorphic robot
s, based on a walking system designed by Mark Tilden
. The RS Media uses basically the same body as the Robosapien V2
, but a different brain
based on a Linux
kernel. As the name implies, the RS Media's focus is on multimedia
capabilities, including the ability to record and playback audio
, pictures and video
. It retains and builds upon the Robosapien V2's sensor
array and programmability.
software. There are 4 applications: the BodyCon Editor, the Personality Editor, the Macro Editor, and the Media Organizer.
BodyCon Editor:
The BodyCon Editor allows the user to customize and preview the RS Media movements. The user can create a sequence of movements as well as voice
and sound effects and save everything in a file
for playback in the future. This file can also be included in a personality or to a user-created Macro.
Personality Editor:
The RS Media expands on the single personality that original Robosapien models came with, and comes with 4 different personalities (see below for more information). It also allows you to create your own personality from scratch.
Macro Editor:
The Macro Editor is actually a subcomponent of the Personality Editor, but it warrants its own description. The user can create their own macros which are sequences of commands that the RS Media can execute. Macros can also include conditional routines that are based on environmental or user feedback.
Media Organizer:
The Media Organizer gives the user a GUI
interface to manage the audio, images, video, games, and personalities on the RS Media. Files can be uploaded, downloaded, deleted and moved around. The robot would need to be connected to the computer running the Media Organizer software using a USB cable.
RSM Remote:
It allows you to control most of RS Media's functions and even take a video, photo or audio recording, as well as tell him to track a certain color, all from a PC.
iMedia Screen Theme:
iMedia is an iPhone inspired theme for RS Media.
It replaces pictures for Control Mode, Arm Mode, Guard Mode and all Media Mode related pictures.
RS Media Time Sync:
A handy little app which will automatically synchronize your RSMedia's time with your PC's, without the hassle of setting it via the USB or Serial Console.
RS Media Tango! Screen Theme:
Unleash the Linux in your RSMedia with this Tango!/GNOME screen theme. Includes graphics for Control Mode, Arm Mode Guard Mode, All Program Modes, as well as Media Mode animations which fade in and out as you scroll through them.
More info and Download links for these things can be found at the Computers 'n' More Blog.
More Utilities, Themes and Software can also be found at Computers 'n' More
:
Users may also modify the existing personalities or create their own from scratch.
's, MPEG4's, JPEG
's, as well as Java applications. It comes with 3 Java
games that are controlled with the remote control and displayed to its LCD screen. It can also be used as an audio player via the stereo
line-in port. The built-in memory can be supplemented by inserting an SD memory card (up to 1GB in size) into the SD slot.
. The RS Media has the same programming mode as the V2, Puppet Mode, where the user can manually bend and move the robot's body parts to create a program. The most sophisticated way to program the RS Media is by use of the computer applications.
lads asked if I could build a competent humanoid
cradle into which they could put their smart programs. Took me a while, but here it is lads, inexpensive and ready to go right out of the box. Make it think, and let me know how it goes."
In spring of 2009, Helibot from the RoboCommunity has created a new driver to allow access to the Robot's Linux operating system via the USB port and a terminal program. This is now a part of the RSMedia Development Kit which is now available on SourceForge.
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s, based on a walking system designed by Mark Tilden
Mark Tilden
Mark W. Tilden is perhaps best known for his invention of BEAM robotics and the WowWee Robosapien humanoid robot. He is a robotics physicist who produces complex robotic movements from simple analog logic circuits, often with discrete electronic components, and usually without a...
. The RS Media uses basically the same body as the Robosapien V2
Robosapien v2
The Robosapien V2 is the second generation of Mark Tilden's Robosapien robot. It is nearly twice the size of the original robot, standing around tall. Instead of the original caveman grunts the V2 can speak a large list of pre-recorded phrases...
, but a different brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
based on a Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
kernel. As the name implies, the RS Media's focus is on multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
capabilities, including the ability to record and playback audio
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
, pictures and video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
. It retains and builds upon the Robosapien V2's sensor
Sensor
A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or by an instrument. For example, a mercury-in-glass thermometer converts the measured temperature into expansion and contraction of a liquid which can be read on a calibrated...
array and programmability.
Hardware
- Two primary processors:
- 200MHz ARM9ARM architectureARM is a 32-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by ARM Holdings. It was named the Advanced RISC Machine, and before that, the Acorn RISC Machine. The ARM architecture is the most widely used 32-bit ISA in numbers produced...
with 64MB of flash RAMFlash memoryFlash memory is a non-volatile computer storage chip that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. It was developed from EEPROM and must be erased in fairly large blocks before these can be rewritten with new data...
for the primary LINUX operating systemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
and user files - Custom 16 bit processor for handling the biomorphic robot functions
- 200MHz ARM9
- 16MB (2006 Model) or 32MB (2007 Model) of RAMRam-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
- 1 USB port
- StereoSTEREOSTEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
audio plug - SD card slot (accepts up to 1GB cards)
- VGA color cameraCameraA camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
in the forehead for image recognitionComputer visionComputer vision is a field that includes methods for acquiring, processing, analysing, and understanding images and, in general, high-dimensional data from the real world in order to produce numerical or symbolic information, e.g., in the forms of decisions...
, and video recording - 20kHz microphoneMicrophoneA microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer or sensor that converts sound into an electrical signal. In 1877, Emile Berliner invented the first microphone used as a telephone voice transmitter...
in the chest for audio recording - 1.9" 176x132 pixel color TFT supertwist LCD screen in its chest
- 11W 3-speakerComputer speakerComputer speakers, or multimedia speakers, are speakers external to a computer, that disable the lower fidelity built-in speaker. They often have a low-power internal amplifier. The standard audio connection is a 3.5 mm stereo jack plug often color-coded lime green for computer sound cards...
system (2 x metal speakers + 1 back-mounted wooferWooferWoofer is the term commonly used for a loudspeaker driver designed to produce low frequency sounds, typically from around 40 hertz up to about a kilohertz or higher. The name is from the onomatopoeic English word for a dog's bark, "woof"...
) - Power-adapter port in foot
- 12 motorsElectric motorAn electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.Most electric motors operate through the interaction of magnetic fields and current-carrying conductors to generate force...
based on the configuration found in the Robosapien V2
Sensors
- 3 infraredInfraredInfrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
(IR) detectors that use IR ranging for object detection - VGA quality camera in its forehead for video and human-tracking abilities
- 3 sound sensors for soundSoundSound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
localization and audio recordingRecordingRecording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording.... - 2 touch sensors on the back of each hand
- 1 toe and 1 heel touch sensor in each foot
Software
Unlike previous products in WowWee's Robo line of products, the RS Media is the first to feature bundled PCPersonal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
software. There are 4 applications: the BodyCon Editor, the Personality Editor, the Macro Editor, and the Media Organizer.
BodyCon Editor:
The BodyCon Editor allows the user to customize and preview the RS Media movements. The user can create a sequence of movements as well as voice
Voice
Voice may refer to:* Human voice* Voice control or voice activation* Writer's voice* Voice acting* Voice vote* Voice message-In film:* Voice , a 2005 South Korean film* The Voice , a 2010 Turkish horror film directed by Ümit Ünal...
and sound effects and save everything in a file
Computer file
A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...
for playback in the future. This file can also be included in a personality or to a user-created Macro.
Personality Editor:
The RS Media expands on the single personality that original Robosapien models came with, and comes with 4 different personalities (see below for more information). It also allows you to create your own personality from scratch.
Macro Editor:
The Macro Editor is actually a subcomponent of the Personality Editor, but it warrants its own description. The user can create their own macros which are sequences of commands that the RS Media can execute. Macros can also include conditional routines that are based on environmental or user feedback.
Media Organizer:
The Media Organizer gives the user a GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
interface to manage the audio, images, video, games, and personalities on the RS Media. Files can be uploaded, downloaded, deleted and moved around. The robot would need to be connected to the computer running the Media Organizer software using a USB cable.
3rd Party Software, Themes, and Utilities
There is some 3rd Party Software that people have developed to make using the RS Media easier.RSM Remote:
It allows you to control most of RS Media's functions and even take a video, photo or audio recording, as well as tell him to track a certain color, all from a PC.
iMedia Screen Theme:
iMedia is an iPhone inspired theme for RS Media.
It replaces pictures for Control Mode, Arm Mode, Guard Mode and all Media Mode related pictures.
RS Media Time Sync:
A handy little app which will automatically synchronize your RSMedia's time with your PC's, without the hassle of setting it via the USB or Serial Console.
RS Media Tango! Screen Theme:
Unleash the Linux in your RSMedia with this Tango!/GNOME screen theme. Includes graphics for Control Mode, Arm Mode Guard Mode, All Program Modes, as well as Media Mode animations which fade in and out as you scroll through them.
More info and Download links for these things can be found at the Computers 'n' More Blog.
More Utilities, Themes and Software can also be found at Computers 'n' More
Personalities
A personality is a collection of the RS Media's audio responses. The RS Media ships with 4 personalities that the user can switch among using the remote controlRemote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
:
- RS Media (default)
- Service Bot 3000 - an English butler.
- Space Bot - a fictional space captain
- Billy-Joe Sapien - a cowboy
Users may also modify the existing personalities or create their own from scratch.
Multimedia features
The RS Media is capable of recording and playing MP3MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
's, MPEG4's, JPEG
JPEG
In computing, JPEG . The degree of compression can be adjusted, allowing a selectable tradeoff between storage size and image quality. JPEG typically achieves 10:1 compression with little perceptible loss in image quality....
's, as well as Java applications. It comes with 3 Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
games that are controlled with the remote control and displayed to its LCD screen. It can also be used as an audio player via the stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
line-in port. The built-in memory can be supplemented by inserting an SD memory card (up to 1GB in size) into the SD slot.
Programming
Like other WowWee robots, the RS Media can be programmed to execute sequences of moves and audio clips either as a standalone program or as a reaction to a sound, touch or visual stimulusStimulus (physiology)
In physiology, a stimulus is a detectable change in the internal or external environment. The ability of an organism or organ to respond to external stimuli is called sensitivity....
. The RS Media has the same programming mode as the V2, Puppet Mode, where the user can manually bend and move the robot's body parts to create a program. The most sophisticated way to program the RS Media is by use of the computer applications.
Hacking
As with other Robosapien models, the RS Media was designed with the possibility for modifications. In reference to the philosophy behind the 'hackability' of the robots, Tilden once said, "Years ago some bright AIArtificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
lads asked if I could build a competent humanoid
Humanoid
A humanoid is something that has an appearance resembling a human being. The term first appeared in 1912 to refer to fossils which were morphologically similar to, but not identical with, those of the human skeleton. Although this usage was common in the sciences for much of the 20th century, it...
cradle into which they could put their smart programs. Took me a while, but here it is lads, inexpensive and ready to go right out of the box. Make it think, and let me know how it goes."
In spring of 2009, Helibot from the RoboCommunity has created a new driver to allow access to the Robot's Linux operating system via the USB port and a terminal program. This is now a part of the RSMedia Development Kit which is now available on SourceForge.