Pleo edge and object sensing?

[Keith]

Does Pleo have the edge sensing abilityt so he/she doesnt walk off the edge of a table or tumble down a staircase? My Roomba has this ability and it saves a lot of headaches.

[PleoWorldHostSauri]

Hi Keith, yes Pleo has edge sensing ability :-)

[jimbim121]

can he sense an edge if he's going backwards?

[ryane]

can he sense an edge if he's going backwards?

nope, there are no sensors to do this.

[roschler]

When they come out with the SDK, I thought it would be funny to have Moonwalker make a beeping noise when he backs up, just like a delivery truck does! :)

[bwwhitmore]

Yes, but it does not always work - mine has walked off the table four times and only discovered he was at the edge and stopped twice. He seems to have the most difficulty if he is at an angle when he reaches the edge, rather than heading directly toward it. I've always been there to catch him--I would suggest you be prepared to do the same.

[Sjean]

Yes, most definitely. When my Pleo walks to the edge of the dining room table she makes a funn;y startled sound, stops and then starts walking backward. She's never walked off the edge.

This feature is very impressive to the people I've shown Pleo to.

[vlbrown]

bwwhitmore - same here. Mine stopped one and complained with his foot over the mpty air. But he had also twice walked off a desk.

Both times he "just kept walkin, there was someone in front of him. I think the sight overrode the foot!

So, definitely, be ready to catch your Pleo if he starts to tumble!

[jimbim121]

Okay, I was just making sure! I've heard stories of people's Pleos falling of a counter or table and I just don't want mine doing the same! Thanks guys!

[ugobeSarah]

When I first met Pleo, I was worried he would walk off my desk. So I put out my hand to catch him...and indeed, like vlbrown said, the sight overrides the foot. Pleo saw my hand, assumed it was okay to step ahead some more, and of course nosedived off the table. Pretty funny but not a great idea. :)

@roschler: I am DYING to have someone write a beeping noise mod for backwards movement. Such a classic good joke.

[kchamster]

i'd love that mod!

[cmadmacs]

That would be cool.

[alphapleo]

Okay, I was just making sure! I've heard stories of people's Pleos falling of a counter or table and I just don't want mine doing the same! Thanks guys!

I think those stories, in another thread here stated that after pleo saw the edge and was backing away from it, he fell over because he couldn't sence the edge while backing up.

I thought he should be able to sence when he didn't have anything under his feet and stop before falling, but apparently not. Might be a nice upgrade for someone to implement!! ;)

[Falseprophet666]

In short, dont depend on him to know if he is near an edge. Little Jenga fell once and I wont let it happen again.

[dotyj]

Bob walked off my repair bench at work today. I was sitting close to the bench and Bob was looking right at me when he did it. Bob wasn't looking down at the time to see where the edge of the bench was.

I reached out and picked Bob up while he walked off the bench, held him until he fell asleep and went back to working.

[Lu Bu]

Doesn't Pleo have a distance sensor for edge detection. I mean I thought that the camera was used to look at edges and the distance sensor will scan on how far Pleo is from the ground, that way he can avoid falling of edges. I might be wrong though.

[Pleo100]

As with any mechanical device detecting the edge and responding quick enough to avoid a fall is challenging. Both Pleo and Aibo have the ability to detect edges, but I wouldn't trust either one to be 100% reliable. I always keep my Pleo and AIbos on ground level unless they have my undivided attention.

[cyberdude]

I suspect it has to do a great deal with "contrast". He uses a camera for edge detection, not radar.

I put mine on the kitchen table with my daughter sitting in front of him. the table is a darkish green, and she was wearing dark blue jammies. There was certainly a shadow between the two of them.

He walked right off onto her lap.

I turned him 90 degrees so there was more light on the table and the floor in plain view. (light wood floor). He spotted the edge instantly and backed up a bit and complained (cute.)

[Primus]

Pleo doesn't use the camera for edge detection. That would be nearly impossible with a camera like Pleos.

[kianajade]

Yes, he does. He also knows when hes backing up in something, at least mine seems to. If sometihng his his tail, he'll begin to move forward. If something is in front of him, or he sees there's an edge, he'll back up :D

[Smoothopx]

I was telling my family how he would not walk off the edge of a stair at my parents house tonight and he walked up to the edge stopped, looked down, growned, then took a step forward and somersaulted down the stair onto the carpet. I was very shocked and kind of disappointed. He walked perpendicular to the edge too, so I thought for sure he would back up. I'm going to have to test this more on the next charge.

[Lu Bu]

Since the stairs does not go straight DOWN and goes diagnolly down, Pleo might've mistakened it has a slopy, flat area. Pleo's camera is not able to recognize and detect stairs, only edges that go straight up and down.

[Tamz]

My Pleo does not sense the ledge-she will keeping going to the edge of the table and step off-I'm wondering if I should worry that it's not working properly or set up more tests-I like to play with her on the table rather then crawl on the floor with her (and the 4 dogs) anyone else notice this?

Tam

[trose49]

My Pleo does not sense the ledge-she will keeping going to the edge of the table and step off-I'm wondering if I should worry that it's not working properly or set up more tests-I like to play with her on the table rather then crawl on the floor with her (and the 4 dogs) anyone else notice this?

Tam

Mine did this and when I caught him he said uh oooo! and is now more careful. LEARNED I GUESS

If I am sitting too close to him i think he sees me and keeps going though!

[Ridgeback]

mine tends to do this more in lower lighting or when I hold my hands at the edge in prep to catch him.

[Tastentier]

My Pleo often walks backwards when I put him on the desk or an armchair. I always have to be prepared to catch him. Never saw him walking up to an edge head first.

[cmadmacs]

my pleos have done well in sensing the edge so far.

[Palidore]

Yeah, my Pleo does well in sensing edges too- even the edge on my stairs unlike one of the other members that posted on the forum.

Although he's pretty much only efficient with backing up off an edge if he's mostly parallel to it. If he comes in at an angle he'll either take one step too many and fall off, or have one of his feet sticking out the edge and fall off when he tries backing up.

As far as your problems go Tamz, it could possibly be the lighting that's effecting your Pleo.

[BauerMECH]

There are a few different walk modes Pleo can be in. I noticed with one, he is so confident he seems to be on a mission. He'll be aware of what's directly in front of him, but not care so much what’s underneath his feet. The other, more common one has pleo acting much more cautious. He takes more time being certain there is stable ground to walk on than caring about making substantial headway across a room.

[cmadmacs]

I notice that too.

[Caaahl]

There are a few different walk modes Pleo can be in. I noticed with one, he is so confident he seems to be on a mission. He'll be aware of what's directly in front of him, but not care so much what’s underneath his feet. The other, more common one has pleo acting much more cautious. He takes more time being certain there is stable ground to walk on than caring about making substantial headway across a room.

You know that funny cat video, where the kitten walks straight towards a window and falls off the table!!? :D
Its not a bug, its a feature! ;)

[Lu Bu]

Pleo's skin is like protective gear you know. It cushions Pleo when Pleo falls, but I wouldn't recommend do that all the time...

[degers]

So far my pleo has about a 70% success at not falling down cliffs! :)

[gretasmom]

Hi Tyler,
Thanks for joining in the discussions. I have a question about Pleo's edge and object sensing abilities. Our Pleo seemed to be able to sense the edge of a table pretty consistently but constantly walked into walls (actually to the point where he seemed to kind of enjoy it). I've read several posts where people said their Pleo's were walking off of tables and into objects. Can you explain why Pleo doesn't always sense an edge or object and how we owners can help him along on this?
Thanks!:D

[eric]

The edge sensor works on light

If the room is dark it is harder for a pleo to tell which is a edge & which is a surface.

pleo may walk into things if he is not facing it, he tends to look around & walk alot


my two cent!

[Caaahl]

I have Helge on a dark blue carpet normally. 2 days ago Helge marched his way to the end of the carpet and sensed the edge to the lighter floor 1/2 cm below and made his "O_O" face, it was hilarious. :D

[gretasmom]

Thanks Eric, the light/dark makes a lot of sense. Now if we could just keep him from flirting with the walls and throw cushions...