Mobile robotic jukebox built with PTC's help

The Miuro

Needham technology company PTC disclosed that its 3D computer-assisted design software was used to help develop the miuro, a mobile robotic jukebox of sorts that can vibrate and shimmy to the music.

The miuro, which looks a bit like the Star Wars robot R2-D2 if it was lying down sideways, was launched over the summer by a Japanese company called ZMP Inc. and has a US retail price of between $900 and $1,000.

Equipped with sensors and speakers, the miuro can follow someone around the house or be programmed to deploy in various rooms at various times of the day, said Michael Campbell, a PTC vice president.

An iPod or MP3 device can be plugged into the miuro, of if consumers have wireless access in their homes, they can stream MP3 files or an Internet radio station from a personal computer, he said.

ZMP used PTC's Pro/Engineer Wildfire 3.0 software to help design the miuro, PTC said.

"If you've got a nice chunk of change in your pocket, and you like gadgets and Internet radio, this product could be for you," Campbell said.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)