AMHERST, N.H., Dec. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- ActivMedia Robotics, LLC
(MobileRobots.com) has just released video of what is possibly the world's
first intelligent autonomous robotic Christmas tree! The trimming of this
unusual tree is scheduled for this afternoon, but instead of employees
gathering to trim the tree, the tree will travel from office to office,
requesting ornaments.
ActivMedia Robotics employees are accustomed to having robots wandering
the halls, but engineers Matt Vestal and Seth Dunten surprised employees and
company management this year by sending a robotic Christmas tree through the
research and manufacturing facility. Mr. Vestal, a systems and network
engineer, says, "One of the people in my office was complaining that we had no
Christmas decorations, so we decided to make her a robotic one."
Management considered using the tree to hand out Christmas bonuses, but
decided to delay that application till next year. However, the tree is
expected to show up of its own accord, fully dressed, for the staff party
today.
While the tree is just for fun, it sits on a serious instrument for
Homeland Security. The PatrolBot robot base underneath is designed for
professional guard duty. Because the robot knows its location within a
building at all times, it can respond differently to intruders found in
restricted and non-restricted zones and according to the time of day. The
robot can react to calls from standard security alarms and camera systems or
can patrol on its own. Like PatrolBot, the Christmas tree uses laser-
rangefinder readings fused with specially corrected encoders on its wheel
shafts to map the buildings it works in. Once ActivMedia robots have learned a
building, they can patrol and respond to alarms automatically.
A .mpg video and more information on the robotic tree and can be
downloaded from http://www.MobileRobots.com.
About ActivMedia Robotics, LLC's
ActivMedia Robotics, LLC, is a global leader in design and manufacture of
intelligent mobile robots, sensing systems and controls. Leading international
organizations such as H-P, Intel, Honda, Pfizer, Sprint, and the US Navy have
chosen ActivMedia products. To learn more, please visit http://www.MobileRobots.com.
ActivMedia Robotics' R&D, production and business offices are in Amherst, NH,
US.
PatrolBot is a trademark of ActivMedia Robotics, LLC.
SOURCE ActivMedia Robotics, LLC
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Related links:
http://www.MobileRobots.com
CONTACT:
Jeanne Dietsch of ActivMedia Robotics,
+1-603-881-7960 ext. 121, robots@activmedia.com
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