# A Configuration-Management Approach to Building DUM-E-Inspired Robots

DevFeed: [A Configuration-Management Approach to Building DUM-E-Inspired Robots](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/dum-e-and-u-35163.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://blog.jessfraz.com/post/dum-e-and-u/>)

Published: 2021-01-22T19:17:58Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Jessie Frazelle](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jessie-frazelle.md>)

Topics: [Robotics](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/robotics.md>), [configuration-management](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/configuration-management.md>), [Docker](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/docker.md>), [Redis](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/redis.md>), [Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/machine-learning-artificial-intelligence.md>)

Tags: [configuration-management](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/configuration-management.md>), [docker](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/docker.md>), [machine-learning](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/machine-learning.md>), [redis](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/redis.md>), [robotic-arm](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/robotic-arm.md>), [robotics](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/robotics.md>)

## AI overview

This article explores how to build DUM-E-inspired workshop robots using a manufacturing configuration-management approach. It introduces ROS, Elementary Robotics' atom OS, Redis messaging, Docker-based component packaging, cameras, sensors, and machine learning, then begins outlining a fire-extinguisher robot.

## Source excerpt

DUM-E ("dummy") and U ("you") are the names of the robot arms in the Iron Man movies. After watching this movie for the n-teenth time, I have a strong urge to also have robotic arms in a workshop like Tony Stark. You can see the value of the robots clearly throughout the movie. The robots allow Tony to produce suits more quickly, help test the suits, and provide periodic comedic relief. At one point, DUM-E even saves Tony's life. As a bit of a thought experiment, I considered what it would take to get the same functionality in reality. What this ends up leading to is a configuration management system for manufacturing, much like a build system. This post is going to outline that a bit! The most popular open-source framework for building robots is ROS (Robotics Operating System). You can add different components like cameras or sensors and program all the functionality you need for your specific use case. The underlying infrastructure works by passing messages, through a pub/subsystem. Elementary Robotics created their own OS called atom. It's pretty cool, it uses Redis for the messaging layer and docker for packaging and defining the individual components. Need a camera on your robot? Include the camera container in your atom OS config file. You can then pipe the messages from the camera into machine learning in another container. It's important to know the basics of these frameworks to continue into how we would build DUM-E and U. Let's dive in. The end goal here is to be as productive as Tony Stark at building things. Fire extinguisher robot One of my favorite scenes with DUM-E is when Tony is testing the suits and it's DUM-E's job to blast him with a fire extinguisher when he is on fire. For comic relief in the movie, DUM-E messes this up a bunch and blasts Tony when he's not on fire. Let's break this down, starting with a robot that will shoot a fire extinguisher on any fire. First, what you would need is the robotic arm base, maybe you build your own, maybe it'