This was the first time I managed to attend the Robotics & AI Meetup hosted by Diligent Robotics. I had a great time, met a number of extremely creative people, and learned about a variety of projects and interests.

My biggest takeaway came after I questioned if a remote controlled device is a robot. The response was honest and optimistic, stating that it’s best to not divide the community in order to motivate all hobbyists. Rather, think of the robotics being including a range of categories such as:

  • Peribots - extend a human’s ability to manipulate their environment.

  • Autobots - the use of software and AI to perform a designated task.

Also, electric wheelchairs apparently make awesome base platforms.’