Just some future plans, feel free to add more!
ESPNOW smart docking station
Esp has a lower level protocol it can use to communicate over long distance with low power and meshing. Later when we develop the “always on” docking station the docking station itself will be a router from wifi/ethernet to espnow protocol to talk to the mobile bot. This allows users to put the docking stations on the edge of their networks and then the bots can venture out far away from the docking station without all the bots being bound to a radius of the wifi access point. The docking station can of course have other features like monitoring the status of the bot, triangulation, self docking etc. The docking station can also be a “controller” of sorts broadcasting the video over espnow to the docking station so the user can take the docking station and bot and have a mobile platform. Just know that the docking station will be a lot more than a charger.
Remote STEM
Instead of needing to buy bots for each student in the class we can create bot friendly environments where users can program and drive bots remotely to learn and do their “homework”. No need for dealing with students taking bots home, parts breaking, and other issues. Students simply need a web browser to access bots in a “robodome” sort of environment where they can manipulate objects and compete in competitions. Just imagine a large plexiglass box in the middle of a mall or public location where onlookers can watch the bots attempting to perform tasks or battling. Automated competitions could run daily so students get real world experience competing against other schools to battle it out or complete tasks better than other schools etc. This greatly reduces the pain points of having parts and electronics to maintain, but 90% of the learning can be done using the remote method then for big events real bots in the classroom could also be used.
Robo Gamification (Wars)
Simple last bot left functioning wins, could be in remote platform or live. Flip other bots onto their back, rip off their tracks to immobilize them. Create teams and custom builds to dominate the playing field. For less physical attacks simple games similar to laser tag, but with real lasers. Shoot their light sensor with your laser and their HP goes down, but shoot their camera with red light and their HP goes up (helping teammates), shoot their camera with blue light and their shield goes up, and so on. Moveable blocks with QR codes can also give abilities or take them away similar to opening a chest. Stack the blocks using the bots in a formation to make your side of the field strong.
Flight Controllers, Advanced Smarts for ZRCore
In this version of the ZRCore board we concentrated on making it simple and low cost, but planning is already underway to add “smarts” to ZRCore where it has it’s own controller for doing complex tasks like maintaining height while flying, stabilization and so on. This will require we use an existing protocol between the ESP and ZRCore controller which means users no longer have direct access to the i2c bus communicating directly with the chips so this will be a branch from the current ZRCore. Imagine you simply send a config down “you are a quadcopter and your motors are connected on these pins” then you can send commands like hover at 3 feet and explore the current environment, all the complexities are taken care of in real time on the ZRCore itself.
Smart Controller Gamepad
It will be nice to be able to pick up a gamepad and quickly drive around any unit under your control locally using espnow protocol. We are going to build a board which resembles a ps2 controller (or connects to one) and allows you to view and control all the units within range using espnow protocol. The video feed may be across wifi if that works best and show up on a small screen on the controller.