Next-Level Robotic Hijinx

Oberon is a wheeled remotely operated vehicle that [LucidScience] built based on an electric wheelchair. The detailed and helpful build log is valuable enough even before considering the vast potential of Oberon’s intended use: strutting around town, scaring the neighbours.

We’ve seen other ROVs before, of course, but none with the same kind of War of the Worlds “real-life invasion” kitch. Running down hapless pedestrians or raining hell upon your enemies are great and all, but once you’ve destroyed the surrounding population you’re out of laughs. Not so with Oberon, with which you can convince Mr. Nutcase down the road to go on wild quests for the glory of the new robot empire. The fun doesn’t stop there–enjoy the Hubbard side of life by starting a cult to worship the great Oberon and enjoy decades of financial payoff and moral depravity…all from the comfort of your own living room!

It would be wicked rad if we could move forward with this idea by combining the abilities of specialized ROVs like this camera-bot and this termite-killer-bot. Face it, who wouldn’t want a smooth-talking camera-snapping chemical-spraying avatar for christmas?

10 thoughts on “Next-Level Robotic Hijinx

  1. That is easily the worst summary I’ve ever read on Hackaday and that is saying something. I work with ROVs and I have no idea what this robot is supposed to be good for.

    How about less ADHD embellishment and more hard data like features?

  2. Hey thanks for posting one of my bots! Oberon was a prototype made many years ago and my newer project “The Sentinel” is much more advanced, having autonomous operation, object recognition, GPS, self docking, and the ability to remember faces and parts of conversations had with people.

    I hope to complete The Sentinel in the next few years. It is a big project and a big bot (500 pounds)! I have 120 acres for it to roam, and it will double as a security guard and bear deterrent when I am away.

    Cheers!
    Brad

  3. @r_d:
    If they wanted people to actually read the article they wouldn’t go into such detail so often; many times I didn’t even need to click the link to find out what went into a project. Also, this summary essentially says this: “It’s an ROV with a build log.” Followed by two unnecessary paragraphs of fluff.

  4. It’s an ROV — there probably isn’t a whole lot more to say about it. As the creator notes, his newer robot is much more advanced, and I’d guess that Oberon is basically just a custom-built radio-controlled car.

    That’s definitely a Lego figure’s head and helmet on top, by the way :P

  5. Yes, the idea was to have an audio video link so that people could interact with the robot. I used a voice changer to alter my voice, and can navigate Oberon up to a mile away from the base station under video control.

    Being almost as tall as a person and having a 12 hour run time made for some fun urban exploration.

    Many people actually believed the robot was self aware, and having an articulated head with the LED scanner behind the helmet lens made the illusion even more realistic.

    The other robot on my site is similar, but made with a steel body and night vision for security tasks.

    Brad

  6. Excellent! Now all we need is a company operating these in various cities in the world, accessible via web, and we’ve got instant armchair tourism! All that needs to be done is making sure they are about human-level tall, street-legal, stop if connection is lost, and “driver”‘s ID is logged at all times. But be warned, I hereby call dibs (http://www.xkcd.com/827) on the idea…! :)))

  7. My only criticism is the use of an aircraft radio for a RC car. I’m sure it doesn’t cause a lot of problems but when robot combat starting taking off (2000) or so, aircraft band radios were banned from competion. Also in CA I would see somone stealing the batteriers out of it wandering alone by itself. I work at a place where we rent out traffic control equipment and deep cycle batteries are the first thing to get stolen. The overall design isn’t bad.

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