The idea is to build a DIY personal assistant robot with useful functionality under $500 without manipulator arms and under $1000 with 1 (or 2 for $1500) arms (500g-2Kg payload).

SPARK in action, this is one sample base model, autonomous functions to come ...

Different SPARK configurations will enable different features, but all configurations should offer secure autonomous operations.

Basically the robot should not hurt anyone or "himself" in autonomous or manual operations.

Although this is a DIY kit, enough sensors should be engaged to sense the environment and allow the robot to maintain a safe distance to the people/objects around.

Bellow are some Ideas for SPARK design and functionality, I'll post a few different SPARK configurations soon.

Current personal/service robots and robot arms:

- Kinova Robot Arms

http://www.kinovarobotics.com/service-robotics/products/robot-arms/

- Care-O-bot 4 service robot

http://www.care-o-bot-4.de/

- TIAGo, the mobile manipulator robot

http://tiago.pal-robotics.com/

- REEM service robot from PAL Robotics

http://pal-robotics.com/en/products/reem/

- REEM-C: Robotics Research

http://pal-robotics.com/en/products/reem-c/


- P-Rob service robots

http://www.fp-robotics.com/en/service-robotics/

Articles about service/collaborative robots

- Lightweight robots and collaborative robots

http://www.generationrobots.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Lightweight-robots-and-Collaborative-Robotics.pdf

- Comparison of collaborative robots:

http://robotiq.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Review-of-collaborative-robot-kuka-baxter-universal-robot-abb-F.pdf