>The idea I have in mind is to record the movement of the robot, so that it can build on
>it's internal mind-map as it moves around the room and finds new objects - though I
>haven't really got that far yet :) You're right though; it will definitely get more
>interesting (or perhaps frustrating).

Well it's easy for me to do some abstract thinking here, while you do the groundwork :).

>

>>Say, when is the debut on Robot Wars? Does that show still run? I was able to watch it
>>here for a while, and I can clearly see how a non-blind robot would be in advantage.
>

>
>Yeah, what happened to Robot Wars? I watched the show (on and off) a couple years ago,
>and it seemed to disappear. I think the show recently moved channels for one series -
>www.five.tv/programmes/robotwars - maybe you can catch the re-run?

Unless they reappear on the PBS here, most probably not. I'm vastly disappointed with what passes for TV here, and have reduced my cable subscription to bare minimum (and they still give me five extra shopping channels for free, in the vain hope I may watch them someday).

>I think my robot would be way too agile for Robot Wars :)

The moment you get its orientational logic faster (and smarter?) than the eye/hand(/brain) of the person working the remote, you'd kill them all.

> I am planning on using a
>Pocket PC mounted on a small servo humanoid. Here are a few links:
>
> - http://www.informatik.uni-freiburg.de/~nimbro/images/robots/Kondo_Kick_PPC.jpg
> - http://www.audiocubes.com/product/KONDO_KHR-1_Robot_Kit.html

Cool stuff... and I think selling these things to amateurs is a way for the robot industry to gain wide acceptance (i.e. to counter the Hollywood image of the robots) and to go a bit open-source. Who knows what neat tricks may the amateurs invent, and the industry would surely benefit from them.

>I think the Japanese hold their own robot fighting tournaments with these types of
>robots, I beleive using remote controls (which is cheating of-course!) Perhaps one day
>I will be able to enter with an autonomous fighter!

And some fighters they are - they can't even tie their shoelaces :).

>Have a good weekend!

You too... hey, does the future robot have a name yet?