Parallax Penguin Robot Flying High with Mega Projects

Parallax Penguin Robot Flying High with Mega Projects

by Humanoido

• Parallax Penguin Robot Homepage
  

Left: Smaller kites are ideal when lofting penguin boards of lighter weight

Below: the Burj Khalifa, a mega project with a height of 2,716.6-feet. The height of Taipei 101 in Taiwan is 1, 667-feet.

The Penguin BS2px motherboard on Penguin robot is powerful for many repurposed uses. I made a Penguin astronaut and launched him into space with a GPS interfaced to the extra port and did data log recording of position, height, and various parameters, then matched with Google Maps enabling the altitude feature. 

I did a lot of work with this concept in China and leasing spacecraft flight vehicles. Working with kites was also an approved method for flying to high altitudes. I've had kites out there to a 5,280-feet with special lightweight military parachute string relatively impervious to taking on moisture, but don't try that with non-approved  high flying non-Chinese rockets or it's looking for trouble!

Penguin also reached 1,555 feet altitude via one of their Mega Projects in China at a ticket cost of about $24 to go that high. You take the high speed elevator to get to the top and part way up your ears start popping! On the top level, the actual floor is made up of see-through glass, which is extremely disorientating to those afraid of heights. At Taiwan at 101 on the top ledge, Penguin reached 1,473-feet elevation and riding the Tram in Hong Kong to the Peak took Penguin up at least 1,200 feet. The actual Peak is at 1,800-feet. Penguin also visited the Great Wall in China around the highest elevation where he actually walked on the ancient Great Wall paved walkway and visited a temple (drawing a huge crowd).

Above: At the elevation of the mountains, Penguin Robot walked on the Great Wall of China pavement bricks and caused a commotion among tourists

A flying Parallax Penguin persona is not far fetched. After the Penguin Super Hero project, a Penguin Astronaut was developed for trips into space. Because Penguin robot uses the most powerful Stamp processor and already has sensors built in (compass, light sensors, infrared sensors, input switch, seven LEDs (as segments), ports for sensor add ons), it makes an ideal "working payload." As an astronaut, Penguin can control things with its two tiny and light weight leg NARO servos. 

I should clarify the operation of the Penguin Astronaut. Penguin Astronaut thus far is lifted into space by two methods. One, it's attached to and flown on a kite where it data logs information during its flight. Two, it's carried aloft miles into space as part of the Near Space Program conducted by the Lab located in the South Pacific.

There are many modern quadcopters that can loft the Penguin robot, and this makes a good astronaut, reporting compass direction, GPS coordinates of position, date, time, thermal radiation temperature, ambient brightness levels, and elevation. He also fits into a tiny space suit designed to hold the mechanics to gain servo functions for various purposes.

Near Space
https://humanoidolabs.blogspot.com/2013/02/near-space-flight.html
Repurposing Penguin
https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/140572/proposal-parallax-penguin-repurposed
Flying Penguin
https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/137688/flying-penguin

Meet Pepper

Pepper working at a restaurant at Taipei 101 in Taiwan. Photo by Humanoido

Meeting Pepper by Humanoido
I met Pepper a few days ago in Taiwan when he was working for the restaurant at Taipei 101. Pepper is a humanoid robot with the ability to read emotion, move, use face, hand and arm gestures, listen and speak.

Pepper's robot hands - fully articulated

Kiosk humanoid robots are now working all over in large futuristic cities. Taipei is no exception. However, Pepper is at the top of its line in terms of functions, level of features, and sophistication. Aldebaran, the manufacturing company, says it's designed to be kind, endearing, and surprising. Aldebaran claims they designed Pepper to be a genuine day-to-day companion, whose number one quality is his ability to perceive emotions. Pepper is the first humanoid robot capable of recognizing the principal human emotions and adapting his behavior to the mood. Pepper is already claiming jobs: working at 140 Softbank mobile stores in Japan and is adopted in some Japanese homes according to the manufacturers web site.

Pepper is a very articulated and expressive humanoid robot

 




























What is the cost of Pepper? According to the web site, base price is 198,000 Japanese yen, basic plan 14,800 yen × 36 months payment installments and a Pepper insurance pack is 9,800 yen x 36 months payment installments.

https://www.ald.softbankrobotics.com/en/Launch_Sales_of_Pepper

The eyes work very well for expressions and tracking. Pepper has the most realistic motions and movements in being expressive with face expressions and body positions. It appears real and alive. I like Pepper the most in the way it treats me as its number one priority. It makes eye contact with me, holds that attention faithfully, talks directly to me, and does not loose focus with me in a sea of 10,000 pushing and shoving people and kids taunting him. I remained its number one focus. That alone is an amazing accomplishment. Pepper is awesome!

The future of an expanded Pepper could be more functional. Given its detailed functional hands and arms, by adding a little more programming AI and brain, I believe it could help prepare breakfast in the kitchen, and perform other household chores such as collect and do the clothes wash, hang up the wash, collect/ fold/ and put away dried clothes and towels, and with further programming and attachments, vacuum the floor, be a home conversationalist, etc. If it could also follow me around and control the TV, Phone, Internet, and be an intelligence like Apple's mobile SIRI to do what I ask, then I want one.

Humanoid helpers are the long term dream. A robot to follow me around when shopping and carry my bags would be super helpful. It could also give me advice on product reviews and which items are best for purchase. In the night when charging, it could be by my side and help check phone messages, turn the lights on and off, and revise my wake alarm based on my ability to sleep or not sleep. If I ask for a Tylenol pain killer and a cup of water, Pepper should help. If I ask what is the latest Presidential news, it should tell me. Pepper has working fingers, hands, arms. It should give me a massage on the neck, arm or back when I don't feel good. Pepper should know how to lower a person's stress and help change a bad mood into good, by having a calming positive influence. Such a companion could carry on a conversation that is not cynical, condescending, or negative.

In continuing the wish list, if this humanoid had legs instead of wheels, it could take the elevator to main floor and collect my postal mail. I need a robot like Pepper to do useful things to help me in my daily life, follow me around and translate between English and Chinese. It could read the posted Chinese notices in English. It needs to be street smart, get in and out of taxis, walk steps, basically follow me around outside and inside. If I have a question to be answered by internet like google, Pepper should do that too. All in all, robotics is on the verge of something truly wonderful. Just add a little more capability and our home helpers will have arrived!

https://www.ald.softbankrobotics.com/en/cool-robots/pepper

Taipei 101 (Chinese: 臺北101 / 台北101) – stylized as TAIPEI 101 and formerly known as the Taipei World Financial Center – is a landmark supertall skyscraper in Xinyi District, Taipei, Taiwan. The building was officially classified as the world's tallest in 2004, and remained such until the completion of Burj Khalifa in Dubai in 2009. In 2011, the building was awarded the LEED platinum certification, the highest award according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, and became the tallest and largest green building in the world.It has the fastest elevator going from the 5th floor to the 87th in 49 to 53 seconds. (Source Wiki)