DMR, Robotics, Robots, software for robots, automated train sets, robotic sensors, digital compass, educational models
DMR Robotics
DMR Robotics is an online publishing concept designed to bring together those interested in robotics and associated software.
A DMR® research initiative.
DMR Limited
DMR Limited has been a successful software development and information management company since 1969. DMR
A DMR® research initiative.
Success through experience
Getting started with a robotics project is hard because we each seem to have to start from ground zero and overcome the same basic difficulties.
There must be an easier way and we would like to be able to share, and then build upon experience.
Defining standards for robotics
There are a wide range of amateur projects ranging from automated Hornby train sets to model aircraft that nearly fly themselves. Just like the multi-layer standards of TCP/IP, we would like to see a standardised approach to software for robotic projects.
DMR Robotics
The DMR Robotics web site seeks to encourage the development of OpenSource robotics software. The web site is an experiment to see if informal online collaboration can help to accelerate the pace of amateur robotics development.
Building a Robotics Community
If this is to be a collaborative OpenSource software project, we start with the assumption that you are bored with spreadsheets and word processing and want to make things move and interact with the real world.
Simple radio-control model cars are readily available; but how about controlling one from a computer, using the feedback from a digital compass and ultrasonic sensors, plus an onboard camera to make real-time control decisions. You can then add more sensors, move some functions on-board and implement more sophisticated control algorithms. The components and technology are readily available but a lack of standards means that we all end up re-inventing the wheel.
Obviously, there is more to robotics than just making a model car safely follow a path (although that is a pretty good starting point). Lots of work is being done and the magic would be if developments could be complementary so that advances in one area can be applied to another. This is where this idea for a community website comes in.
Working with DMR Robotics
We welcome the involvement of anybody that shares the goal of an OpenSource softwar development community. This web site is not a commercial project for DMR but simply an attempt to stimulate discussion; avoid re-inventing the basics; and try to achieve some agreement on standards.
We welcome your views and will be pleased to hear from anybody who may wish to help push the project along.