Company Builds Home Robots From PC Parts

Feb. 6 -- Hey, is that R2D2?

While it may look similar, military aircraft inspired the slick-looking designs for a new line of robots from start-up company White Box Robotics. Unlike the predetermined features in most robots, White Box's robots will be designed to let each owner choose what his robot will do.

"The basic platform we're going to ship will be a chassis with a motor, Evolution Robotics' software for robot applications, and a VIA motherboard," says Tom Burick, president of White Box Robotics. "Then people can add CD-ROM drives and Web cams for specialized robot applications."

Among the robots that the company has produced is one designed for home security. The software includes facial recognition features so the security robot can wirelessly e-mail a homeowner if an unrecognized person walks through the front door.

White Box Robotics plans to ship its first robots this summer, for "about the price of a PC," Burick says.