Robots for the masses

By Ed Frauenheim

Jan. 9 — A start-up company says it has developed a navigation system that is cheap enough to bring robots to the mass consumer market. Pasadena, Calif.-based Evolution Robotics said its technology that lets a robot determine its position relative to its environment is based on wheel sensors and a Web cam that cost less than $50. That’s a fraction of the cost of current robot navigation systems relying on laser range finders, which can cost $5,000, the company said.