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Both the hardware parts list and the process to build the robots are part of the Telepresence Robot Kit (TeRK), developed by Associate Professor of Robotics Illah Nourbakhsh and members of his Community Robotics, Education and Technology Empowerment (CREATE) Lab. Their goal is to make highly capable robots accessible and affordable for college and pre-college students, as well as anyone interested in robots. TeRK is not sold as a complete set of parts, rather the step-by-step building process (that is, the "recipes") allow for a variety of robots to be built with parts commonly available through hardware and hobbyist outlets.

At the heart of each TeRK robot is a unique controller called Qwerk that combines a computer with the software/hardware to control the robot's motors and other devices. Qwerk, developed by the CREATE Lab and Charmed Labs, also connects the robot automatically and wirelessly to the Internet so it can be controlled by any Internet-connected computer.

"The Internet connection means the robots are much more global," Nourbakhsh said. Not only can the robot be operated remotely at any location with a wireless Internet connection, but it can also send photos or video, respond to RSS feeds, or access the Internet to find information. That combination opens a wide range of possibilities. "We're hoping people notice that the sky's the limit," he added.

Among the TeRK recipes either already available or under development are:

• A wheeled robot with a video camera that people can use to keep an eye on their home or pet.
• Environmental sensors for air quality and sound pollution.
• A robotic, six-petaled flower that opens/closes depending on its mood.

"Once people have followed a recipe and become acquainted with robots, they can build on their experience," said Emily Hamner, a senior research associate in the CREATE Lab. "Not only can they customize the recipes to their liking, they can also design new robot types using the Qwerk controller."

Qwerk is a Linux-based computer that features a field programmable gate array (FPGA) to control motors, servos, cameras, amplifiers and other devices. It also connects with USB-based peripheral devices, such as Web cameras and GPS receivers.

"We leveraged several low-cost, yet high-performance components that were originally developed for the consumer electronics industry when we designed Qwerk," said Rich LeGrand, president of Charmed Labs. "The result is a cost-effective robot controller with impressive capabilities."

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