ROBOTEERS HAVE DESIGNED an open source robot using a meta-operating system called, er, Robot Open Source (ROS).

The open source robot, called Qbos, was developed by the Thecorpora, which started the project five years ago. Roboteer and open source developer, Francisco Paz started working on Qbo to help bring robot technology and artificial intelligence to the masses. While he didn't name a price for Qbo, we're betting that it cost a bit less than the £700,000 price tag for one of Honda's Asimo robots.

In action Qbo's head servos get hooked up to ROS Wiimote drivers and can be controlled using Linux joysticks or even a PS3 joystick. Thecorpora also used other sensors integrated into the ROS OS that use higher level ROS libraries. These include four ultrasonic sensors and Qbo's stereo webcam.

The company used OpenCV to integrate the stereo and odometry and introduce Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) functionality with an open source twist.

Qbo's SLAM algorithm maps the robot's movements and detects natural features in the image. In other words, Qbo won't be in the same position Daleks were when they discovered stairs.

Finally, it uses a data association algorithm using information mapped form Qbo's movements.

All Paz needs to do now is build a couple of weapons into the equation and get Qbo fired up for the next series of open source Robot Wars. Robots ready? Open source meta-operating system ready? Activate. µ