GeckoSystems International Corporation (GCKO.PK) is a leading developer of mobile service robots (MSR's) based in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. Now entering their eleventh year of business, the Company specializes in supplying mobile robot solutions for safety, security and service™. Their suite of MSR hardware and software ("basebot") technologies enable MSR's to automatically self-navigate the home or workplace using proprietary sense and avoid technologies for reliable, unattended collision avoidance while patrolling and/or seeking preset destinations.

The Company's suite of basebot technologies in the CareBot™ MSR include: CompoundedSensorArray™ (a new type of optical range finding and vision system), GeckoSPIO™ (an advanced networkable, high I/O count robot controller board), GeckoOrient™ (a sensor fused positioning subsystem), GeckoNav™ (an AI centric automatic, self-navigation software), GeckoZap™ (a test, calibrate, and debug software suite), and GeckoChat™ (a verbal interaction system that enables timely verbal reminders, monologues, dialogues, and custom robotic personalities). Battery life is 10-20 hours.

The Company is seeking to partner in the professional healthcare, commercial security, and defense industry marketplaces.

 

Mission Statement

Their vision is to create practical, mobile robot solutions for personal, business, and government use. They are committed to deliver products of high quality that are safe, cost effective, and gratifying for all stakeholders.

 

Why "GeckoSystems"?

In many parts of the world, an important household member is the pet gecko. These fully autonomous, highly mobile, fast, and friendly lizards satisfy a critical function by keeping the insect population to a minimum. Frequently, the gecko performs this same beneficial service in commercial environments. Their surprising speed, grace and fluidity of movement, while preforming timely, utilitarian tasks safely around the home and workplace, exemplifies their company's capability to develop and manufacture mobile service robots with high levels of automatic self-navigation, utility, and cost-effectiveness. By carefully selecting the name GeckoSystems, the co-founders characterized their vision of creating "mobile robot solutions for safety, security, and service."

Automatic self navigation of a CareBot, which is approximately twenty inches in diameter, traverses three twenty-four inch wide doorways and a narrow hallway in an old 1954 home. This completely hands off mobile robot navigation uses GeckoNav™ without the aid of a predefined, detailed map. You will see the speed of the robot adapt to its surroundings: slowing for tight quarters, speeding up when in open space. View more videos on our YouTube Channel.

Mobile Service Robot performing automatic self navigation within a loose crowd, filmed at Lasell College's "Technology Trends in Eldercare" Conference. View more videos on our YouTube Channel.

 

Consumer Familycare

GeckoSystems is dedicated to providing Mobile Service Robots (MSR)s to families that need assistance with their elderly. It is also ideal for providing care for children, and other family members. For a longer form discussion of the benefits of owning a CareBot for the care giver and the care receiver, please see this article.

 

Benefits

Cost Effective Monitoring

Virtual Visits

Automatic Reminders

Companionship

Automatic Emergency Notification

 

Cost Effective Monitoring

The CareBot™ MSR monitors the carereceiver . Elderly people in nursing homes receive attention from nurses an average of nine minutes per day. These places are expensive ($45,000 to $60,000 per year) and not always easy or convenient for family members to physically visit. There is a crisis for cost effective assistance. Concern for their parents is one of the main reasons for adult children to purchase an elder care enabled CareBot™ MSR.

 

Virtual Visits

Working parents of all ages seek assistance in caring for their children as a result of working long hours, and having to commute to and from their workplace. The ability to virtually visit their children from work, during travel, or anywhere they have Internet access is now possible. Working mothers and fathers can watch their children routinely in a window on their computer monitors while at work.

 

Automatic Reminders

The CareBot™ MSR reminds the carereceiver to take medication, reminds them that family is coming over soon (or not at all), It alerts them when unexpected visitors, or intruders are present. It will keep track of doctor's visits.

 

Companionship

The CareBot™ MSR is a new kind of companion that always stays close to the carereceiver enabling family and friends to care for them from afar. It will hold various levels of conversation with the carereceiver. The personality, voice, and phrases can be customized.

 

Automatic Emergency Notification

The CareBot™ MSR alerts them when unexpected visitors, or intruders are present. It notifies designated caregivers when a potentially harmful event has occurred, such as a fall, fire in the home, or the person has simply not been found by the CareBot™ for too long. It responds to calls for help. It can call 911 or before resorting to 911, work its way through a list of designated emergency contacts.

 

Learn More...

Personal Robots to Monitor Elderly Vital Signs By C. G. Masi pdf html

Articles By Ira Rosofsky, Ph.D

The Robots Have Dawned: Meet The CareBot pdf html

Caregiver Stress: Would You Like Some Angst With That Sandwich Generation? html

 

Professional Healthcare

GeckoSystems is commited to providing the highest standard of technologically sound Mobile Service Robots (MSR)s to Professional Health Care providers.

 

Benefits

Nurse's Aide

Carrying Supplies

Errand Running

Telemedicine/Telehealth

Nurse's Aide

The CareBot™ MSR will assist medical personnel. It can contain on board a Blood Pressure monitor, Pulse monitor, or Oxygen. It is a cost effective assistant. It is able to follow the nurse while responding to commands.

 

Carrying Supplies

The CareBot™ MSR will carry specialized supplies , such as those for IV's or Blood work. In addition any bandages or equipment such as a fibrillater.

 

Errand Running

The CareBot™ MSR will not have a problem in taking bed pans or other items to a particular patient. It can carry loads of up to 200 lbs.

 

Telemedicine/Telehealth

The Company's Mobile Security Robots (MSRs) augmented for TeleMedicine allow health professionals and medical experts to remotely consult with patients and health care providers giving vital, cost effective, confidential medical services to virtually any location, rural or urban, national or international. Using high quality cameras and data transfer, medical data, radiological images, sounds and patient records can be transferred from one site to another permitting physicians to consult with colleagues and specialized experts despite geographical separation.

 

Commercial Security

GeckoSystems is ready to provide The most Advance Mobile Service Robots (MSR)s available to Security Providers.

 

Benefitss

Automated Patrol

Hazardous Materials

Night Watchman

Improved Staff Efficiency

Automated Patrol

The SecurityBot™ MSR is capable of patrolling your premises and detect or sniff for various substances or smoke. It is capable of bomb detection, alerting for toxins, pre-Ignition fire detection, in conjunction with surveillance of the premises. This new level of security is gaining in importance.

 

Hazardous Materials

The SecurityBot™ MSR will report back and notify in the case of hazardous Materials. In addition it can announce orders giving directives to those nearby. It can broadcast warnings while alerting with lights and voice.

 

Night Watchman

The SecurityBot™ MSR does not need sleep. It will patrol and secure and record any suspicious behavior. It has a very keen sense of hearing, its sensors can smell and can sense heat (infared radiation). It can patrol shopping centers, public transportation, patrolling tirelessly while ever alert. It can carry 200 plus pounds of equipment (weapon detection, surveillance, offensive) etc..

 

Improved Staff Efficiency

The SecurityBot™ MSR is capable of reducing the number of staff needed . Fewer low level guards are needed. A crew could consist of 6 SecurityBots™ and 2 humans. Thereby allowing for better trained higher paid higher level long term employees.

 

Government

GeckoSystems is dedicated to providing Mobile Service Robots (MSR)s to the Government. GeckoSystems' proprietary architecture can be extended to include machine vision, directional microphones, millimeter wave radar, LIDAR, hand gun weapon detect, biohazard detect, toxic gas detect, bomb detect, radioactivity detect, facial recognition, voice recognition, etc.. for the creation of a SuperSentinel™ mobile service robot.

 

Example Uses:

Surveillance/Reconnaissance

Hazard Identification

Perimeter Patrol

Airport Security and Surveillance

Sniper Detection

Surveillance/Reconnaissance

Using advance sensing and avoidance technologies, the SecurityBot™ MSR can evalute the area in question using the maximum sensor capabilities. In addition it is able to carry 200 plus lbs of appropriate equipment .

 

Hazard Identification

The SecurityBot™ MSR is able to identify explosives, suspicious packages and people. Using onboard sensors, smoke and toxic gas detectors and heat sensors.

 

Perimeter Patrol

The SecurityBot™ MSR is capable of securing large areas and evaluate and inspect from a distance. It can be equipped with high tech armor, assisting in protecting first responders. It will detect changes in the inventory or environment either missing or moved.

 

Airport Security and Surveillance

The SecurityBot™ MSR can ID potential hijackers and terrorists, using facial recognition, heat sensors, subsequently notifying wirelessly back to headquarters.

 

Sniper Detection

The SecurityBot™ MSR optioned with the maximum cqapabilities can enable you to find Gunmen hidden in buildings, vehicles, warehouses etc... With on board Camera and Sensor surveillance and automatic self-navigation you are focused on the Gunmen and the patrol is out of danger.

 

 

Technologies

GeckoNav™

The company has developed a real-time automatic navigation control system called GeckoNav. GeckoNav is based on a Fuzzy Hybrid Architecture providing the benefits of both proactive control and reaction within a single framework. Fuzzy Logic and Subsumption architecture are used to enable the fully autonomous AI behavior for the Mobile Service Robot (MSR) to sense and avoid dynamic and static obstacles in its environment.

GeckoNav runs on a PC to take full advantage of the high processing power available to today's computers to achive a phenomenal update rate of 20ms or less. The GeckoNav Architecture is fully expandable through a variety of standard interfaces.

 

GeckoChat™

GeckoChat is a conversational AI system that allows the user to verbally interact with those GSI systems that have GeckoChat bilateral communication capability. For instance, GeckoChat provides a verbal interface for a pre-identified user to request answers to questions entered by a caregiver or family member, to create reminders for important events, or to pass the time with a joke or word game. Also, the Mobile Service Robot has a way to relate information it observes about both its world and its internal state through GeckoChat. By combining these system-specific capabilities with the standalone functionality of GeckoChat, GeckoSystems provides a robust method to increase interactivity and autonomy in any domain where automated speech recognition and synthesis would be beneficial.

 

GeckoTrak™

GeckoTrak uses recently developed GeckoSystems software that merges and interprets data from three different sensor systems to achieve sensor fusion such that it can automatically follow a designated person anywhere in their home. Our latest MSR addition enables our CareBot to timely remind Grandma, or others, to take medications, of favorite TV shows coming on and other routine reminders by always being close by and within easy hearing distance. The low power requirements of this system allows our CareBot to maintain a constant monitoring state for ten hours or more between chargings.

 

GeckoSPIO™

The GeckoSPIO provides the interface for for all the higher-level software to the low-level/physical systems of the MSR. This includes motor control, power control and sensor systems. The GeckoSPIO is a robust robot control board with hundreds of digital IO pins, dozens of Analog-to-Digital pins and a dozen serial interfaces. It is also readily expandable and extensible with a logical hierarchal architecture and a pair of standard Ethernet ports as the interface to the high-level systems. The seven on board processors and available connections to other processors give the GeckoSPIO the computing power and through-put to read and send the data from hundreds of sensors a second, preform a certain level of sensor fusion tasks and precise motor control.

 

BaseBot™

GeckoSystems has a standard set of fundamental requirements for what it considers to be necessary technology for a utilitarian MSR called BaseBot Technology. This technology is a collection of minimum needed mechanical, electronic hardware, and software components required for a utilitarian MSR.

Power is one of the requirements for a BaseBot compatible robot platform. The power available must be sufficient to drive the locomotion system, sensors, hardware, and software onboard the platform. A minimum of eight hours battery life of typical operation is necessary to meet the power requirements of the BaseBot standard.

The mechanical requirement of a BaseBot encompasses the drive system and physical build specifications. The drive system must be capable of allowing the robot to traverse a 1.5 inch vertical height. A 100 pound payload capacity is needed to support the typical onboard weight and expandability of the platform.

Sensory requirements are another piece of the BaseBot Technology standard. The sensory requirements are also needed to support the navigational requirements. The type and number of sensors varies according to the operation environment of the MSR. One sensor system is usually not sufficient for the functional requirements of the navigational software and therefore would not meet the BaseBot standard.

Navigation software is the final component of a BaseBot enabled mobile service robot. The navigation software must be able to successfully navigate using the sensory and locomotion system of the platform. Successful navigation includes but is not limited to avoiding dynamic objects in the environment. Additionally, the navigation software must be capable of navigating crowded, moving areas of people and not harm an individual.

 

GeckoZap™

GeckoZap is a debugging, testing, and calibration utility used for operating the Mobile Service Robot from GeckoSystems, or any other hardware/firmware platform compliant with our standards. This application is a user-interface that allows the developer to manually send the mobile robot commands which would normally be sent automatically by GeckoNav. The user can test functionality of the mobile robot by sending/retrieving data and commanding the Mobile Service Robot's movements. For example, GeckoZap makes the packet assembly and serial transmission transparent to the user by providing a "point-and-click" interface for these operations.

 

CareBot™

A CareBot™ MSR is built on a BaseBot using GeckoNav, GeckoChat, and GeckoTrak to perform timely and cost effective duties for care givers to better care for their care receivers. GeckoZap is used by the support personnel to perform maintenance on the CareBot . The Consumer Familycare discussion can be accessed here.

 

Executive Officers

The Company's management team provides the real-world working skills necessary to implement a winning strategy and to maximize the shareholder's return. The following are brief biographies of the management team members.

R. Martin Spencer, BS, MBA

President / CEO / Chairman of the Board

Since founding GeckoSystems over ten years ago, Mr. Spencer has led the invention of a comprehensive and complementary suite of robotic hardware and software ("basebot") technologies. The Company's suite of mobile robot solutions include: GeckoTactileShroud™, CompoundedSensorArray™, GeckoSPIO™, GeckoOrient™, GeckoTrak™, GeckoZap™, GeckoChat™ and GeckoNav™, the flagship product. These systems, and others, comprise the CareBot™ MSR 3.8. Mr. Spencer was instrumental in the successful design and development of the first walking, bipedal robot in the world, "CURBi," (for Clemson University Robotic Biped) introduced in 1987. He also intimately supported robotics R&D at Georgia Tech, University of Florida, IBM, Texas Instruments, etc. His professional involvement in robotics started in the mid 1960's when he began studies as an electrical engineering student. He grew a single consumer electronics store to four as Vice President and General Manager. His B.S. is in mathematics with minors in physics and marketing. Later, he earned an Executive MBA from Georgia State University.

Elaine G. Spencer, BS

Secretary / Treasurer

Ms. Spencer brings over 30 years of Business Administration expertise to GeckoSystems, Inc. Ms. Spencer is responsible for managing the daily operations of the company. This includes corporate communications, assisting with facilities management, and maintaining all corporate records.

Prior to joining GeckoSystems, Ms. Spencer's career includes 15 years of responsible administrative positions with California State University - Northridge and Southwestern University. Prior to that she was in the airline industry working with companies such as Delta Air Lines and Pratt and Whitney Aircraft. Ms. Spencer has a B.S. in Psychology from Georgia State University with a minor in Management.

 

News

GeckoSystems Improves Elder Care Robot Trials
Marketwire(Tue, Mar 16)

GeckoSystems' Elder Care Robot Trials Result in More Japanese Interest
Marketwire(Thu, Mar 11)

GeckoSystems' Representative Comments on Japanese Interest in Elder Care Robot Trials
Marketwire(Fri, Mar 5)

GeckoSystems to Discuss Expansion Capabilities of CareBots(TM) at "Mobile Robots in Motion" Conference
Marketwire(Wed, Mar 3)

GeckoSystems Responds to Heightened Japanese Interest in Mobile Robots
Marketwire(Wed, Feb 24)

GeckoSystems to Discuss How Their Mobile Robot Solutions Lower Healthcare Costs at Conference
Marketwire(Tue, Feb 23)

GeckoSystems to Discuss Pent Up Demand for Elder Care Robots at Conference
Marketwire(Mon, Feb 22)

GeckoSystems Develops New GeckoScheduler(TM) for Elder Care Robot Trials
Marketwire(Thu, Feb 18)

GeckoSystems Hosting "Mobile Robots in Motion" Conference
Marketwire(Wed, Feb 10)

GeckoSystems Begins Licensing Discussions With Publicly Traded Robotics Co.
Marketwire(Mon, Feb 8)

 

Legacy Timeline

2009:Contains videos. Coverage of their mobile service robot conference entitled "Mobile Robots in Motion" held November 4-5.

2008:They built their second generation GeckoSPIO™ which furthered their ability to do sensor fusion across multiple systems and subsystems. One of their electrical engineers built up "Carole" CareBot™ prototype that carried all the hardward needed to support GeckoNav™ and GeckoChat™ on board.

2007:They publicly demonstrated one of their CareBots™ in "Darth Vader" garb with a rasping, hissing voice while patrolling tirelessly through crowds of folks at Dragon*Con. And they built their first generation, GeckoSPIO™.

2006:While at Laselle College in Boston, Martin Spencer was an invited speaker and presented "MSR's in an Eldercare Setting" to the "Technology Trends in Eldercare" organized by the administration of Laselle. This response of the attendees was very favorable. One of the videos on the front page of this website was recorded at Laselle to illustrate what "loose crowd" level of autonomy is.

2005: Contains videos. They demostrated their new shroud and electronics, by going to gen3 in our CareBot™ 3.4 MSR product line development. They have the logo developed they are still using. Some of the pictures and videos here are from their public demonstrations of their "loose crowd" level of autonomy at the Robotics and Vision Show in Chicago.

2004: Contains videos. This is the year they got a mold sculpted for a vastly improved look over the previous "garbage can" assembly... And they evolved their logo a bit, too.

2003: Contains videos. With a low cost Toshiba laptop on board, they start demonstrating publicly at places like coin shops, department stores, etc. They also got their first, commercially leased lab space in Conyers, GA. They called "garbage can" shrouded CareBot™ "Emily" after the wife of their then Chairman of the Board, Edmond L. Lamb.

2002:They went to a laser cut frame version of our gen4 frame. They went to the locomotion drive motors they presently use and further refined the sensor fusion system of the CompoundedSensorArray™.

2001:This year they developed "Bertha" their most advanced mobile service robot. "She" had an LED face with pan/tilt for the video camera embedded in her head. She was featured once in a Channel 46 newscast. As you can see, they were still running "brains off board" and experimenting with adding vacuuming capability.

2000:Using their fourth generation frame, they worked on shroud design and further development of their CompoundedSensorArray™ technologies.

1999:They now had their fourth generation frame and they worked on shroud designs. They called their early prototypes "PCR's" since that stood for Personal Computer Robots. At that time they did not realize that it would take 3 or more PC's to have a "complete" personal robot.

1998:Their second prototype frame was "still born" and never achieved any movement, and certainly no level of autonomy whatsoever. However, their third early prototype, BaseBot™ "P3B2", did achieve "scanning sonar" only level of autonomy. This was their first sensor fusion development. Also depicted is an early sonar and IR range finder prototype "CompoundedSensorArray™."

1997:Their first prototype mobile robot was differential drive with "whiskers" for touching walls and obstacles. They ran this mobile robot with "brains off board" and hence proved that a mobile robot did not have to have all the computation done on board for any level of autonomy to be achieved. They also learned of the need for a testing a calibration utility they now call GeckoZap™ for the development of their first mobile robot controller boards.

 

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Contact GCKO.PK

www.geckosystems.com
Address:
GeckoSystems Intl. Corp.
1640 B Highway 212, SW
Conyers, GA 30094-4255
Email: investors@geckosystems.com
Phone: 678-413-9236
Fax: 678-413-9247

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