Basic Hardware (Standard Robot Platform 2015)
Unless otherwise stated, the rules of RoboCup@Home is complied (especially section 3.3 Robots in RoboCup@Home rulebook 2014).
As the first set of basic hardware for the standard robot platform, the TutleBot (http://www.turtlebot.com/) is selected to kick start the snowball. TurtleBot is a low cost, personal robot kit with close integration to the popular open source software, ROS (Robot Operating System). The TurtleBot is selected due to the following reasons:
Mobile Platform
The standard TurtleBot specifications (Kobuki or Create base, http://turtlebot.com/build.html) is followed. The standard assembly illustrated on the official specifications is followed.
Controller
Feel free to design. More than one controller is allowed.
Perception
The Kinect (Xbox 360) or Xtion Pro Live sensor on the standard TurtleBot configuration is followed. Any change of placement or replacement with other sensor is considered as modification. Additional sensors are allowed and considered as addition.
Manipulator
The TurtleBot Arm (http://wiki.ros.org/turtlebot_arm) is recommended. Due to the current technical readiness of TurtleBot Arm, similar solutions, namely CRANE+ (http://www.rt-shop.jp/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2441) and PhantomX Pincher Robot Arm Kit (http://www.trossenrobotics.com/p/PhantomX-Pincher-Robot-Arm.aspx) are allowed. The placement of the arm is free to design.
Any components that are not specified here will be considered as addition if any.