Tablet PC Controls Army of Robots

Cleaning gets boring for everyone, even for robots. iRobot, the maker of the Roomba and Scoomba are working on a project called Sentinel that combines some bad-ass robots with a Tablet PC.

The current generation of robots are controlled just like remote controlled cars, meaning one human must be dedicated to operate each robot. But this new networked technology will allow a single operator to simultaneously control and coordinate multiple semi-autonomous robots via a touch-screen computer. The Sentinel technology includes intelligent navigation capabilities that enable the robots to reach a preset destination independently, overcoming obstacles and other challenges along the way without intervention from an operator. Sentinelâ€â„¢s capability will allow warfighters and first responders to use teams of iRobot PackBot robots to conduct surveillance and mapping, therefore rendering dangerous areas safe without ever setting foot in a hostile environment The Packbots have been used in Afghanistan and Iraq to perform recon and bomb disposal missions.