Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!netcomsv!netcom.com!tallent
From: tallent@netcom.com (Mike Tallent)
Subject: Re: What should it do? Personal Robot
Message-ID: <tallentCM0yr4.EFM@netcom.com>
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Date: Wed, 2 Mar 1994 06:45:04 GMT
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Paul Haas (paulh@garnet.msen.com) wrote:
: Mike Tallent (tallent@netcom.com) wrote:
: : In order for people to have an interest in personal robots for home use, 
: : what should a robot do in the 90's?

: Home robots can be viewed as both tools and toys.  There are a few robots that
: are almost pure toy.  Just as home computers can be used both as tools
: and as toys, and most Nintendo systems are used primarily as toys.
I'm speaking of something in between. No dull and boring so as the toy 
part doesn't exist, but not a toy in the literal sense of the word


: There are many toy/educational applications already.  I've built a robot
: based on the miniboard.  Have you built a robot yet?  You learn a lot.
I've built 2 robots so far and I'm working on my third. One was a toy 
kit, and the second was a larger robot. You learn more every time. I've 
recently been purchasing machine shop tools and am totally going setting 
up my garage for robot building. Bought some wood today and a drill press 
and band saw over the past month.

: One early tool application might be helper robots for the elderly and/or
: handicapped.
What would be the requirements of such a robot? 

: : How would end users communicate with the robot?
I think communication would best be done by voice via a headset & FM 
trasmitting type device. Dragon Systems had some really impressive stuff 
at Comdex and IBM even has better stuff.

: For a handicapped person, it would strongly depend on the abilities of the
: end user.  If someone can only move their eyes, then a usefull robot would
: have to respond to eye motion.
Voice: ... only eye motion would be really difficult, I guess you could 
have some sort of laser goggles. 

: : How much could it cost?

: I've spent thousands on computers and wood working tools, I suspect I will
: do the same with robotics.
Would you? End user.... not the techy type person.

: The hypothetical helper robot's cost would depend on what it could do.
: Some handicapper aids such as a mouth stick, cost very little.  Something
: like a fullsized van configured for a wheelchair bound driver can cost
: upward of $25,000.
: --
: Paul Haas
: paulh@hamjudo.mi.org

Do you know the medicare CPT code for robot helper. One of my other 
companies would like to bill and we can't find the code. Do you think 
that Clintons Health plan would pay for it?

Mike




-- 
                                             tallent@netcom.com
