Robotics

EZ Robots are ready to roll ... or walk, or scuttle

EZ Robots are ready to roll ... or walk, or scuttle
The Revolution JD is a humanoid robot with two-fingered grippers
The Revolution JD is a humanoid robot with two-fingered grippers
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The Revolution JD is a 16-servo bipedal android robot
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The Revolution JD is a 16-servo bipedal android robot
Revolution Rovi has treads and a camera for exploration outdoors
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Revolution Rovi has treads and a camera for exploration outdoors
The Revolution JD is a humanoid robot with two-fingered grippers
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The Revolution JD is a humanoid robot with two-fingered grippers
The JD robot walking outside
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The JD robot walking outside
Components from any of the kits can be mixed together - in this case the arms and head from the JD and leg from the hexapod are attached to a rover
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Components from any of the kits can be mixed together - in this case the arms and head from the JD and leg from the hexapod are attached to a rover
Combination of the torso of the JD android and the rover base make the RoboCentaur
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Combination of the torso of the JD android and the rover base make the RoboCentaur
Revolution Roli is the simplest kit but still has a lot of functionality
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Revolution Roli is the simplest kit but still has a lot of functionality
The Revolution Six has attachment points on the body
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The Revolution Six has attachment points on the body
The Revolution Six is a large robot with six two-jointed legs
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The Revolution Six is a large robot with six two-jointed legs
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Ez-Robot, a small company based in Calgary, Canada, is aiming to start a new "revolution" in robotics. The company's new Revolution line is a series of small, hobby-sized robots with modular parts, easy-to-use features, and snap-together mechanics. The line consists of three new robot kits: a humanoid two legged walker, a rover with tracks, and a hexapod, or six-legged spider-bot.

Ez-Robot has been around since 2011, making robot controllers, servo motors, and robot control software. Previous products have concentrated on adding functionality to existing items – first by turning radio control toys into robots, and then adding intelligence and additional sensors to off-the-shelf robots like the Roomba and WowWee's Roboquad.

The company's three new robots are based around a simple sliding mechanical interface called the "Ez-Bit clip'n'play" technology, which allows chains of servomotors to be attached to create arms, legs, or even pan-tilt mounts for cameras. No tools are required, and all of the parts can be created on a 3D printer, if you have one. Ez-Robot will send you the patterns to make your own components.

The centerpiece of these robots is a custom robot controller called the Ez-B. This 2.1 in (5.3 cm) square board contains a 120-Mhz ARM CORTEX M3 processor, and includes either a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth radio interface, as well as 24 digital ports to attach motors, sensors, and LEDs. Software running on a PC or laptop controls the robot remotely, and any voice recognition or video processing takes place on the remote computer.

Revolution Roli is the simplest kit but still has a lot of functionality
Revolution Roli is the simplest kit but still has a lot of functionality

The simplest new robot is called the Revolution Roli, and it resembles a planetary rover design with tank treads and a camera mounted on a pan and tilt assembly. There are plenty of connections to add additional parts to the body of this robot, and a small payload compartment big enough to deliver a cold can of drink.

The second robot is a hexapod, or six-legged spider robot called the Revolution Six. This is a large robot with six two-jointed legs that provide very organic movements. There are attachment points on the body of this robot as well for cameras or sensors to be added.

The most impressive robot kit is the Revolution JD, a full 16-servo humanoid robot that stands on two legs and has two arms with gripping hands, and a head that moves up and down and right to left. A set of LED lights in the eyes are available for creating expressions and displaying status information.

Since all of these robots are made from the same connections and components, parts can be mixed and matched. The arms from the JD humanoid robot can be put on the rover, for instance, or the expressive head put on the spider robot. The software is likewise modular and can be adapted by the user to each of these configurations. Scripting software lets the robot owner build up commands from smaller parts, attaching complex functions out of groups of simple instructions.

"Rather than focusing our product on a specific function, such as vacuuming floors, we have created a collection of tools to achieve your goal." says DJ Sures, CEO of Ez-Robot. "Think of EZ-Robot as a blank canvas with a palette of colors to allow you to paint the future of robotics."

Prices for the Rovi start at US$249, with the hexapod Six priced at $389 and the more complex JD at $469.

The video below introduces the robots in the new Revolution line.

Source: Ez-Robots

The EZ-Robot Revolution Is Coming

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4 comments
4 comments
The Skud
A very sensible approach! Why buy many identical components built into each separate machine when you can re-use the same bits to mix-and-match and build several? Logical and allowing the builder to spend a little less - or a little more - overall for a good result.
Laura Ward
If it can do heavy yard work, like trenching, digging post holes, mixing mortar, rototilling, etc, I'd pay just about anything for it. No worries about busting my own back or questionable contractors who charge too much and/or are unreliable.
dalroth5
@Laura Ward:
Er...the tallest one is the humanoid which stands at around 20cm, so perhaps not. These are toys.
SteveGibbs
Just over a year ago I jumped in and built my own K-9 robot from scratch using the EZ-Robot platform with no prior robot building knowledge whatsoever. The process was a bit of learning curve for me, but in a good way.

There's plenty of help and tutorials along with examples to help get you going, and once you figured out how to do something using the EZ-Builder software, such as setting up the robot to respond to your voice, the amount of satisfaction you get is so great, you just want to keep on going. And if you ever get stuck with something, there is a very active community forum full of friendly customers from all walks of life and varying skill sets who are willing to help, with response time so fast you can have your questions or issues resolved in under an hour, sometimes within a few minutes. The Revolution robots they sell are more than just mearly "toys", as they are quite advanced prices of kit. Sure that can't do heavy lifting ect, but with their Development kits you can build your own custom robots to do whatever you need them to do. EZ-Robkts makes this process, well, easy.

From a beginner, to advanced robot builders, kids or adults, the EZ-Robot products such as their "Revolution JD" and "Six" robots has something for everyone, and is a company ahead of it time.