Bug Labs: Modular Computer Hardware Deployment

I have long wondered why computers are not manufacturered with their components easier to add and remove by putting them on the outside of the case instead of the inside. By putting all of the add-on hardware on the outside, it would make today's "tower" cases obsolete blocks in comparison.

Just contemplating the idea of disconnecting anything inside of the computer case is anathema to some people; it's not a friendly place in there. With cables running everywhere and bare circuit boards jutting at right angles to hold transistors and capacitors and a dozen other components you don't want to hear about.

It's time for a change. Let the components be the simple blocks that you can comfortably swap around without having to worry about what cables and cards, etc, must be hooked up first.

Introduing the BUG, from Bug Labs. With the use of modular hardware and miniaturization, they have provided us with a PDA-sized modular computer. At this time, they ship it with an LCD module, a GPS module, a digital camera module and an accelerometer (motion detector) module.

Not impressed yet? Continue reading for a list of some applications that have already been developed for the BUG.

Without the right applications, even the most sophisticated system isn't worth much. Here are several applications created for the BUG that you can download:

• Several different apps all make use of Twitter to log events. Have your BUG post GPS coordinates, a Google map tile, and a photo to a Twitter profile for you to track. (MotherBUGTweetNTwitch, )
• Multi-camera security system using motion detection. (NetworkedBUGApp)
• A GPS-based proximity alarm clock, ostensibly for commuters. (GPSAlarmClock
• GeriatricAssistant, which can listen for when granny falls down, then posts it to Tumblr with GPS coords and a map image. It also records images throughout the day for rapid replay before bed, a method that has proven to help increase memory.
• A barcode reader, which could prove very useful with any type of inventory tracking. (BugBarCode)
• Use the camera to set up a time-lapse photo sequence. (TimeLapse)
• Send an instant message over AIM when motion is detected. (AIMMOtionNotifier)

Bug Labs has even crowdsourced IdeaScale for what components to add to the product line next. Each new component expands the capabilities of the rest due to the modularization of the unit. Whether it's a solar panel module, an audio module (with speaker/mic), or some type of mobility (whether it's wheels or treads... or even limbs), the possibilities will expand.

Personally, when I first read about the BUG, my thoughts were with regard to what an AI would be able to do with one of these. Using a BUG as a small physical bot would allow a remote system to monitor (or even interact with) remote locations.

I'm also curious about ways to take the BUG casing apart and place it into a different form factor. Put one in your car and have a patch panel for plugging in modules, and additional module ports on the outside. Snap a couple cameras on the outside, the GPS on the inside, and an audio unit both inside and out. Your car can now monitor it's surroundings, keep track of where it is at, and maybe even take voice commands regarding how to operate.

That's the real reason that I can't wait for an audio module: I want to talk to the BUG and have it be able to respond. Give it a speech recognition app and have it log events based on voice command.

This really is my kind of modern day Lego set!