Servo - July 2016

have some amazing built-in (via the cloud) capabilities as does Jibo, but the Echo and the tiny Echo Dot, and even the ‘portable’ Amazon Tap have this capability in a package that is separate from a smartphone or computer.

Yes, Jibo has the voice-interacting ability within its structure, but it is quite large compared to the Amazon products and is an intelligent entity within its own right. I assume with a large enough platform, Jibo would look super cool mounted atop a mobile robot — much the same as R2D2 mounted behind Luke Skywalker in his X-wing fighter as in Figure 11.

There is also another new Wi-Fi product that has access to Alexa: the Invoxia Triby shown in Figure 12 that was designed as a talking refrigerator magnet of sorts. Operating from its own VoIP network, it has been around for a while and has most of the features of the Echo. It even uses the Alexa speech recognition system. It does have an LCD display that can be used as a family message note board and a built-in FM radio.

The Original Amazon Echo and the New Echo Dot in Robots

All three of the Amazon Echo products have the ability to communicate via the cloud to Alexa, and can be powered through a robot’s power system that can supply 15 volts via the 3. 5 MM port for the original Echo, or five volts (really 6+ volts) for the Dot and Tap via the micro USB — and particularly the small tuna/cat food can sized half pound Dot — especially useful for voice control of a robot.

However, just because the Echo devices can communicate via the cloud and have pleasant feedback via the Alexa voice, does not make them simple and immediately workable additions for a mobile robot. (I have left the new Amazon Tap out of this discussion, even though it is battery powered and smaller than the Echo.)

I am sure that SERVO readers have either used or read about these new verbally accessed personal assistants, so I will jump into possible uses of the Echo (and especially the smaller Dot) for mobile robots. I had to order my Dot the end of February using the Alexa app and my original Echo, and for some reason the Dot’s delivery was delayed by Amazon until just before I had to submit this article. I had to quickly put it through its paces, and will continue more testing for a future article on an actual robot platform. I can easily see it used on something as small as a Parallax ActivityBot.

A user of the Echo and Dot will immediately see that part of the light ring atop the devices will ‘point’ The larger Echo requires 15 VDC at over an amp, though it did work okay for me at 12 VDC. Its sound output is through a tweeter and separate woofer that needs a bit more current for heavy bass music and sounds.