The see-Puck

Abstract

We present the see-Puck, a round display module that extends an open robot platform, the e-Puck. It holds 148 LEDs (light emitting diodes) to enable the presentation of eye-catching visual animated patterns, while keeping hardware costs and energy consumption at a minimum. The see-Puck was a result of a study of future robot applications, where relationship and interaction qualities found in owners of unusual pets (e.g. spiders, snakes, and lizards) were transferred to the robotic domain. In our first proof-of-concept application, humans and robots can engage in a playful open ended interaction. We argue that open interactive robot platforms such as the see-Puck point to opportunities not only in robotics but also future user interfaces and ubiquitous computing.