What is IT?

[Frank Gentges =?iso-8859-1?Q?K=D8BRA?=]

After the AMRAD meeting last night we went to eat pizza.  At the far end of 
the table a discussion began on what "IT" was.

See <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49849-2001Jan11.html>.

My guess is that IT is something like a giant computer mouse.  The mouse 
ball is replaced by a large inflated rubber ball a foot or two in 
diameter.  The little sensor wheels are replaced by rubber tires on DC 
servo motors.  A platform on top holds all this together and has gyroscopes 
and a microprocessor.  As the platform begins to tilt the servomotors move 
the rubber ball in the direction to return the platform to level.  A 
joystick now can be used to command forward, backward and lateral 
translation.

"IT" needs to turn so another platform on top of the first is mounted so 
the upper platform can rotate with respect to the lower platform.  By 
moving the person and the joystick to the top platform, the joy stick can 
respond to twisting to rotate to the desired direction.  The microprocessor 
can know the orientation and select the proper ratio of the two directional 
motors to give forward, backward and lateral translation as the person sees it.

"IT" might be able to climb curbs and steps.  When it is put into a 
shutdown mode some sort of legs can be put down to make it stable in the 
unpowered state.

Just my speculation.  We should see the real answer soon.  Now I am off to 
Nags Head for an LF weekend.

Frank Gentges K0BRA