Norris Labs

Norris Labs Robots with a Mission

Welcome to Norris Labs. My name is Steve Norris. This is my personal web site. Here you will find a collection of robot projects that I have built over the past few years. You are free to use the schematics, diagrams and source code to build your own version for non-commercial use.

What's New!

You can read "RoboStool - Furniture On Demand " in the new January/February 2009 issue of Robot Magazine. My latest creation, RoboStool, is certainly an example of, some would say, a "warped" view of the world. RoboStool is a sophisticated robot built into the body of a cheap vinyl footstool. Although you probably think a robotic footstool is totally ludicrous, read the article because you may find some interesting ideas and technologies ranging from linear actuators to RFID that you can incorporate into your own creations.

Norris Labs is featured on Popular Mechanics! Be sure to read the great article on the Popular Mechanics web site about myself and five of my robots.

Hi-Res Photos Available - Looking for hi-res pictures of my robots? You can download them from my Flickr account. Once there simply click on the photo you want and then click "All Sizes" and "Original" to download the full size 2000x3000 pixel image.

In the Lab: RoboWand - A Gesture-Based Remote Control

RoboWand is gesture-based remote control that can be used to operate many of my robots like RoboStool and RoboCam. By simply holding RoboWand in certain positions you can control the robot’s direction and speed. The only external controls are a power on/off switch and an indicator LED. Inside RoboWand is a Parallax Basic Stamp, a Hitachi H48C Tri-Axis Accelerometer Module and a Parallax 912 MHz transceiver. All the electronics are contained in a short length of PVC pipe bought at a local plumbing supply store.

Based on the position of RoboWand in 3D space, the Basic Stamp will determine the command and transmit it to the robot via the 912 MHz transceiver. It’s simple and a fun way to control your robot!

I’ll provide a video and all the construction details soon.