Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!well!nagle
From: nagle@well.sf.ca.us (John Nagle)
Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Subject: Re: ODEX 1
Message-ID: <18303@well.sf.ca.us>
Date: 2 Jun 90 19:12:50 GMT
References: <3708@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> <95816@philabs.Philips.Com> <BBC.90May19164725@sicilia.rice.edu> <1990May30.182249.22352@watmath.waterloo.edu> <18280@well.sf.ca.us> <798@sagpd1.UUCP>
Reply-To: nagle@well.sf.ca.us (John Nagle)
Distribution: na
Organization: Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link, Sausalito, CA
Lines: 20

In article <798@sagpd1.UUCP> monty@sagpd1.UUCP (Monty Saine) writes:
>
>	Does anyone remember a six-legged cyndrical robot that was called I 
>think OMNIBOT. The thing could squat down to go under obstacles, was strong
>enough to pick up a pickup (at least lift the rear wheels off the ground)
>and agile enough to climb into said pickup. 

      You are describing the Odetics ODEX 1.  This six-legged machine was
built by Odetics Inc of Anaheim, CA.  It's an impressive feat of mechanical
engineering.  It was strictly a technology demonstrator; it was never used
for anything.  It didn't seem to lead to any business for Odetics.  I once 
talked to the designer of the machine, who seemed sad that there was no
market for legged, mobile machines.

      Odetics does make a robotic cartridge-changer for VCRs, as part of
a system used for TV station automation.  It's basically a video jukebox
with six 3/4" decks and a tape library, coupled to appropriate scheduling
software.  But from a robotics standpoint, it's uninteresting.

					John Nagle