Embedded Linux Drives Surveillance Robot

ActivMedia upgraded its $30K surveillance robot "PatrolBot" to VersaLogic's Cobra board and Debian Linux. The Pentium M based Cobra board is four to six times faster than its Pentium-III based predecessor with similar power requirements. Debian Linux was selected based on its reputation of providing stable and proven sets of packages. While ActivMedia’s current commercial systems use trimmed-down versions of Debian Linux, plans for deploying full-release versions are under way. PatrolBot measures 22x22x18 inches, weighs 70lbs and can move at seven feet per second according to ActivMedia. It uses a 3D navigation system with gyroscopic correction and a laser for range finding and mapping. It can operate for four to six hours between battery charges. For more information read the article on linuxdevices.