Snackbot: Vision and Perception with Video and Audio Captures using GStreamer

The Snackbot, is a robot designed in collaboration between the Robotics Institute, and the Human Computer Interaction Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. The Snackbot was created to traverse the halls of Carnegie Mellon University, and deliver food items ordered by occupants of the offices. The goal of this development project for the Snackbot, was to refine the audio/video synchronization, and to also create a simple way to log, and stream that data over a network. Such a task requires that one not only carefully consider different pieces of software to use, but also that they can apply it across the necessary platform. For the Snackbot, the sight, and sound are important qualities, especially when testing out in the field using an operator. That ability is crucial when preparing an interactive robot to autonomously carry out its task efficiently.