beginner robot

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Im in Asia. Either way, a turtle bot is too expensive I feel. I would simply be happy with a mobile platform without any other sensors. Something with motors, wheels and a base that can be controlled using ROS...

If you use a serializer MCU and 2 gearmotors with encoders, wheels will cost you about $250. But you have to assemble it your self, Pirobot (http://www.ros.org/wiki/pi-robot-ros-pkg) has ROS software to make work

By a "serializer MCU" you mean a microcontroller that has a serial port and can communicate serially with the main computer?

Yes but most use a USB port (http://www.roboticsconnection.com/p-16-serializer-robot-controller.aspx) With the above setup you will have a basic robot that can be controlled with ROS the built in motor driver has enough power to carry a small laptop

How about the arduino? Would I be able to do the same thing with arduino? Because, it is a lot cheaper and there is a "rosserial" stack with a "rosserial_arduino" package which enables communication between the arduino and ROS. Ofcourse, I will probably have to buy a separate motor driver...no probs

Yes here is a link (http://www.hessmer.org/blog/) my own robot is based on a lot of this code here is the link to my blog (http://escaliente-robotics.blogspot.com.au/) it's a holomonic rob0t and uses a arduino mega

Hi @cassander. The Serializer MCU is now called the Element and is sold by cmRobot at http://www.cmrobot.com/#!element-.net.