Drone giant DJI has launched its first ground-based robot, a $499 tank-shaped device designed to introduce makers and children to science, technology, electronics and math (STEM).
The RoboMaster S1 comes equipped with brushless motors, a chassis that can move in all directions, a high-precision gimbal and interactive modes that not only teach programming but also allow the robot to be used in competitions or for general entertainment. The kit allows users to assemble the robot, learn to maneuver it and program it with Python or Scratch.
The robot is equipped with 31 sensors to help map the world around it, including six on its intelligent body armor to detect hits and a first-person view camera that sends a stabilized live feed from the S1 to the companion app. The RoboMaster S1 is modular with DJI parts and also includes six pulse width modulation (PWM) control ports so users can hook up third-party hardware to the device.
The S1 includes machine vision technology that allows it to navigate an interactive course; recognize up to 44 vision markers such as numbers, letters and special characters for coding, combat and training; and identify and follow a person in the field of vision. It can also be programmed for unique responses based on claps, can recognize physical hand gestures similar to drones and can recognize other RoboMaster units for combat.
Advanced users can access functions such as write Scratch 3.0 and Python code to program unique functions into the RoboMaster S1, including controlling how it moves, increasing efficiency or optimizing torque of the four wheels.
