With the fast development of the control theory and engineering, robotics and artificial intelligence have become the focus in the field of intelligent systems. But research in this field is based on a series of experiments and requires various robot platforms which are often unaffordable by the universities in developing countries. The intention of this paper is to present the idea of applying innovative control education and building a laboratory using low cost equipments. In this paper the architecture and control system of a new kind of low cost intelligent robot, “Ability Storm”, is introduced. It not only shows the technical aspect, but also illustrates the related applications in control education. The versatility and effectiveness of this affordable intelligent robot platform are demonstrated through a number of experiments, including both basic laboratory experiments and other innovative project-oriented design, such as robot fire fighting, which clearly show the practicality and robustness of this cost-effective robot platform.
