WiFi Robot Spybot Is Basically A DIY Rovio [Video]

Want a WowWee Rovio but either can't justify the price-tag or fancy building something yourself?  Over at Instructables there's a guide to pretty much doing just that, with an off-the-shelf radio controlled car, Barracuda Controller, WiFi router and IP webcam.  The end result is a vehicle you can remotely drive while seeing exactly what the car sees.Video demo after the cut

The basic process involves stripping the R/C car, plugging in the Barracuda – which bridges the local servo controls with an ethernet connection – and hooking up the wireless router and webcam.  There's also some fiddling with network settings to be done.

Of course, the Barracuda Controller itself costs $159.99 (though if you use the coupon "instructables" you'll get 10-percent off) and if you don't have a spare router, webcam and R/C car that's probably going to add a couple of hundred.  More, likely, that the $220 of a Rovio.  The saving grace, of course, is that you're not limited to a car form-factor – you could make an internet-controlled hovercraft, plain or anything else.

[via Hack N Mod]