Kjeld Jensen, a researcher at the University of Southern Denmark, has created a robotic lawnmower called the Casmobot, which is controlled by a modified Nintendo Wii remote control.
Jenson says the Casmobot is aimed at making grass cutting more efficient.
And efficient it is. The machine uses a standard Wii remote control that communicates via Bluetooth to a computer and robotics module built into the mower. Actions of the mower are matched to tilt actions of the remote. For example, if you tilt the remote down the mower moves forwards, tilt is up and it moves backwards and so on.
The Wii-mote can be used to control the mower manually or in computer-assisted mode, where the mower is guided around the edge of the area to be cut and then left to finish the job automatically.
‘We have been introducing [Casmobot] to the professional workers at the municipalities,’ Jensen says. ‘The minute they got this Wiimote in their hands and started cutting grass, they were smiling and laughing all the time so I guess I'm not the only one that thinks this is a very good idea.’
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