GPRS-based Real-Time Remote Control of MicroBots with M2M Capabilities

Machine to Machine (M2M) communication is gathering momentum. Many network operators deem that the future of the business on data transmission lies on M2M. In parallel, the application of robotics is progressively becoming more widespread. Traditionally, robotics has only been applied to industrial environments, but lately some more exoteric (e.g. domestic) robots have arisen. Anyhow, those robots usually offer very primitive communication means. Few researchers have considered that a solution to this issue would be to combine those two emerging fields. This paper describes our experiences combining M2M with robotics to create a fleet of MicroBots, which are remotely controllable through GPRS connection links. Those robots can be used in dangerous environments to gather material samples or simply for surveillance and security control. A sophisticated 3-tier architecture is proposed that combined with a purposely built protocol, optimized for wireless transmission, makes feasible the real-time control of remote devices.