Art has always embraced technology, and artists have integrated it for millennia into their work to convey their message. The Microsoft Surface Studio is one end of the spectrum and Line-us, the little robot drawing arm, is another.
A Look at the Line-us Drawing Robot
Currently on a Kickstarter campaign, Line-us is created by Durrell Bishop and Robert Poll, and with 15 days to go, it has already surpassed its funding goal and sold out all of its promotional offers. So if you want one, you will have to wait until it is mass produced after the funders receive their units in October. But the device may have an appeal to some entrepreneurs too.
Line-us is an Internet connected arm that can draw and paint by mimicking what someone does on their smartphone or tablet in real-time. The USB powered arm connects to your device with an app, and you can use your finger, mouse or stylus to draw or write and it will copy your movements.
The connectivity extends the capability of Line-us for remote use, so an artist, graphic designer or commercial artist in another part of the world can deliver their work in hard copy instantly.
According to the creators, they want a community of users who will collect drawings through the app. But they also want DIYers to create their own version of Line-us because it has an interface that has been designed for this very reason. You can connect it with Scratch, Arduino, Raspberry Pi and Python for different adaptations, whether it is for drawing, painting or something else entirely.
So is this a toy or something that can have some real-world application for small businesses? You can always open a store full of these devices and have people come and draw on them, but beyond that we will have to wait and see what they can really do. But there is no denying they look fun, which might explain why they were snatched up right away.
The suggested price for the Line-us is $124 if and when it becomes available commercially.
Images: Line-us/Kickstarter
This article, “Line-us Drawing Robot Provides New Tool to Commercial Artists, Designers” was first published on Small Business Trends