Just ordered Manoi PF01

[Peabo]

Ok, will do!
And I'll be sure to take lots of pics & movies of PF01 as he is being built etc. I have glossed over the Japanese manual and found it very easy to follow. Assembling shouldn't pose too much of a problem from what I can tell.

[Peabo]

I've been looking around for extras that I can order and came across this page:

Robot Watch PS2 Adapter

It looks like I can get a PS2 controller to work if I buy a TEC-3 adapter from this guy:

Hot Proceed

I think the hardest part will be trying to converse with him in Japanese! I hope he accepts PayPal It will be nice to control him without having a long aerial sticking out of his back. Not to mention the fact that I'll have dual analog sticks!

[Orac]

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1330&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=tec1

[Peabo]

;)

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1330&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=tec1

Thanks! Looks like there is a new TEC-3 one that allows analog control with the thumbsticks, from what I can tell on his site.

[Peabo]

A small update: I got a confirmation e-mail from KumoTek that they have processed the order and Manoi will ship from Japan on Monday via EMS.

EMS have been very quick or me in the past, so I certainly expect to receive it this coming week

[Peabo]

I may make a new thread about this once Manoi is built, but I'm interested as to how I can make Manoi speak. I know it's possible, as seen in this video:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kh33_s2WBDE

Manoi has 3 sensor inputs, correct? Two will already be used up with the gyro stabilizers, so that leaves only one free. Is there a board that you can put in him to have more sensors? And also, is there anything that's already commercially available that will allow him to speak? If not, what would be a good place to start looking for something that would make this possible?

[Orac]

Here is the sensor add-on board

http://www.robots-dreams.com/2007/08/mo ... s-for.html

No one has tried it yet outside Jpan as far as I am aware.

[Peabo]

Here is the sensor add-on board

http://www.robots-dreams.com/2007/08/mo ... s-for.html

No one has tried it yet outside Jpan as far as I am aware.

Thank you! I think I saw this somewhere but was unsure if it was actually available to buy over here in the west :/

[Orac]

Limor should be able to get hold of it. I think Trossen in the US carry it as well.

Regards

[Peabo]

It seems that RT Corporation stock both this and the TEC-3 adapter, but they still only accept money order & check, which is a bit inconvenient. Maybe they will be open to other payment methods if I e-mail them? I dunno...

[RobotGrrl]

I think it's very hard to synthesize speech with a tune. Perhaps it is just a recording that is played through speakers on the PF01? That's what I think ^_^

[Peabo]

:o I think it's very hard to synthesize speech with a tune. Perhaps it is just a recording that is played through speakers on the PF01? That's what I think ^_^

Yes, it must be recorded speech. I was looking for a way to make him speak random soundbytes kind of like i-sobot. Actual speech synthesis might be a bit too complex!

[Peabo]

:o I think it's very hard to synthesize speech with a tune. Perhaps it is just a recording that is played through speakers on the PF01? That's what I think ^_^

Actually, you just reminded me; there is a robot who can sing very well using speech synthesis and that is Qrio from Sony. Unfortunately he was discontinued before he could ever be brought to market Something like that would be amazing, but I doubt little Manoi PF01 has enough space in him for something like that, even with his big, hollow head!

[RobotGrrl]

Well... I made a conversational program on my Mac - whereby you can talk to the computer, and it can talk to you - so it's not too difficult. However, making it interact with the board and servos might be a little tricky!
But your idea of random soundbites is really cool. It would have it's own language! It would be neat if you could then make an algorithm for it to evolve. Awesome.

[Peabo]

Well... I made a conversational program on my Mac - whereby you can talk to the computer, and it can talk to you - so it's not too difficult. However, making it interact with the board and servos might be a little tricky!
But your idea of random soundbites is really cool. It would have it's own language! It would be neat if you could then make an algorithm for it to evolve. Awesome.

Heh, yeah, sort of like R2D2! Your ideas are very ambitious! I was thinking of something very simple such as a pcb with chips that would store a small number of audio clips, which could be triggered manually by remote control or automatically as a sensor response.