Sony Ericsson today unveiled the ROB-1, a Bluetooth-controlled robot that can move around freely and take pictures.

Photo: Sony Ericsson ROB-1 Photo 1

Steered wirelessly by the joystick or keypad on a mobile phone or a touch screen (as with the P900 and P910), users can see on the phone screen exactly what ROB-1 is looking at. Consumers can then capture these images using their phone just as they would a normal photo.

The ROB-1 can rove around for a distance of up to 50 meters from the user, streaming video to the phone's display. The device's three wheels and spherical shape combined with clever camera technology to make it agile and flexible with a wide field of vision. Eleven centimetres in diameter, ROB-1 can move forwards, backwards, look around corners, pivot on the spot or tilt the camera 70 degrees upwards and 20 degrees downwards. An ultra bright light on the front leads the way and allows shots to be taken in dark spaces. Ample onboard memory enables users to snap away for some time before either storing pictures in their phone, or transferring them to a PC via the supplied USB cable.

With ROB-1 Sony Ericsson has produced another fun and innovative 'first' for Bluetooth technology pushing the boundaries and firing consumer's imagination. The company's Bluetooth Car CAR-100, first seen in the Sony Ericsson stand at CeBIT 2003, pioneered the concept of using mobile phone Bluetooth capability for entertainment purposes rather than practical applications. Now ROB-1, the first device to combines the CAR-100's steering capabilities with video streaming, continues this tradition.

The Bluetooth Motion Cam ROB-1 will be available during Q3 2005.

- Sony Ericsson ROB-1 Photo 1
- Sony Ericsson ROB-1 Photo 2
- Sony Ericsson ROB-1 Photo 3