Servo 112004
An interesting note about our frame is that this is the first time our team had an actual frame. All of the other robots that I've built including combat robots have had exoskeletons. Why For one, exoskeletons are cool and I think that they are easier to work with. Even though what we had this year was the closest thing to a frame that we've worked with, we still used it essentially as an exoskeleton. The main things that attached to our frame were our body panels. Our frame didn't serve as a...
Steel
See www.saelig.com ser.htm for these easy-to-use solutions easyRADIO USB Logic Analyzer Micro Controller USB to 24 x I O easyRADIOTM ER900TRS Transceiver Modules make wireless data transmission simple for USA and Europe Add wireless capability to your project 45 (100pr) ANT8 Matchbox-sized USB-powered logic analyzer. Sample 8 channels at up to 500 MS s. View traces on PC. Print or save for later review (16-ch. ver. too ) only 222 uses fastest Atmel Mega -16MIPs for wireless controllers. Great...
Cpu Hardware
I decided to use the Handy Board (http handyboard.com) that Fred Martin designed. This board has many features that make it a nice starting platform. It has built-in motor controllers for up to four motors, Polaroid ultrasonic sensor controller, LCD display, battery-backed RAM, 40 kHz IR, two user push buttons, a user knob (pot), servo output, many sensor inputs, and all the libraries to drive these devices. Normally, it has built-in Ni-Cad batteries, which can drive most small motors. The...
Wiring
Using the Handy Board, the wiring is quite easy. Separate wires to each of the motors, the servo, the ultrasonic sensor, and all other sensors need to be run to the computer. The barrier strip is used as a breaking point for the motor wiring and the CdS sensors in such a way that, if something is changed later, the short wiring on the bottom bat is all that needs changing. All wires should be long enough to be attached to one of the stand-offs. Using a zip tie or other wrap will keep the wiring...
Figure 2
To envision life on a pile of metal, silicon, wires, gizmos, and widgets has been the dream of many people from the ancient Greek writers' legends of giant metal men to George Lucas' sci-fi saga. Thanks to current pioneers such as Mark Tilden and Rodney Brooks (among others) we are getting closer to achieving this lofty goal. In the last few years, we have seen artificial life, chaos theory, and BEAM Robotics1 actually become legitimate sciences. In the new field of Artificial Life (known as...
Mm am
Welcome to the third installment of Team 1079's second FIRST experience. This month, will cover the rest of the FIRST build-up to the competition. You've already been introduced to two team members Bryce Woolley and Justin Lyons and this article will come from the perspective of another team member. I'm Evan Woolley, twin brother of Bryce and co-captain of Team 1079. I'm a senior at Chaparral High School and have been involved in FIRST for two years. This article will focus on Team 1079's...
Figure
The vehicle only requires two motor controllers because each half of the vehicle should be controlled as one single unit. Think of the wheels of your four-wheel drive vehicle working like the tracks of a tank in that all the wheels on one side work together at all times. To go straight, all four motors are driven at the same speed and in the same direction. To create a slow, arching turn, both motors on one side of the robot are run faster than the motors on the other side. To cause...
Motors
12 mm Gear Motors for Robotics and Mini Appliances Division introduces the 12GN Series, a new line of 12 mm geared DC micro motors. Ideal for robotics and compact applications, these high torque motors offer designers a space saving alternative to much larger brush motors. The 12GN motor measures only 12 x 10 x 29 mm from terminals to tip of shaft and weighs 8.7 gr. Starting torque is 300 mNm. Rated load is 20 mN.m. Operation is quiet due to the close tolerance precision of the shaft rotation....
Titanium
1 Source of Electronic Components for Inventors, Hobbyists & DIYers 4000-Count Multimeter for Just 39.95 Extech's full-featured multimeter with large LCD display and 11 functions needed for testing electronic equipment. Compared to simpler models this DMM features Greater resolution 0.1mV max. Temperature and Frequency Diode test, duty cycle & continuity 11 functions with Autorange Data hold, range hold, auto-off Size 4.8H x 2.4W x 1.6D AC DC voltage ranges 400mV - 600V Frequency ranges...
A
.Actually, you are on the right track about gluing the set screws in place. It sounds to me like the set screw fits loosely inside the threaded hole in the wheel hub. JVuplical surplus a division of Edmund Optics Over 5000 seconds, overruns & overstocks ready for delivery at big savings Dept. B04J-X9J4, 101 E. Gloucester Pike, Barrington, NJ 08007 Tel 1-856-573-6865 Fax 1-856-546-1965 E-mail cust_srvc AnchorOptical.com EXPERIMENTAL & COMMERCIAL GRADE LENSES Over 5000 seconds, overruns...
Chassis Assembly
I laid out the bottom bat to hold the motors and some sensors. The two holes needed to be large enough for the whole wheel to pass through, in addition to providing some clearance if the tires squish or flex. Cutting the plastic bat was done using a Dremel tool, but a saber saw with a fine toothed blade would have worked better. The plastic cuts very easily, even with coarse blades. Cutting at a slow speed to prevent the plastic from melting and gumming up the blade will actually be quicker. I...
Light Spider Robotik
This amazing robot uses its electronic brain to follow a light source such as a standard flashlight. Features 2 motors, and I. blinking colorful LEDS. Operates from one 9V battery (not included). Size about 3.75 x 2.5. Requires soldering. Light Spider Robot Kit. C6886 11.49 + 6.00 S& H (USA) Visit Us Online At www.goldmine-elec.com Gears Pager Motors Large Motors Domes Lenses Sensors Call (800)445-0697 Fax (480)661-8259 Customer Service (480)451-7454 HOW WILL YOU INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION...
Heat Sink And Ground
By switching on the transistors or FETs in opposite corners of the H-bridge, you can cause the motor to run. If you turn off those transistors or FETs and turn on the other two, the motor will start running in the opposite direction. One additional thing that you can do is turn on the two top or two bottom transistors or FETs at the same time. This causes the motor's leads to be shorted together and will cause the motor to resist movement without your circuit having to...
The Yellow Book
Probably one of the more difficult tasks to go around. If you pick a motor that's not waterproofed and then you decide that you need to encapsulate it somehow in order to keep it dry, it's not an easy task. In contrast, it's easy to keep a camera dry, Barrows notes. There are no moving parts between the inside and outside and all you have to do is put enough epoxy around it to seal it off. However, the problem with most underwater motors is the rotating shaft. So most folks go to some kind of...
Software
Most of the software to develop on the Handy Board is available on the Handy Board web page. The interactive C ICC compiler and all of the libraries and documentation for them are available. IC is available for Windows, DOS, Mac, and, of course, Unix including Linux. The libraries are loaded to the Handy Board using IC and all the memory is managed for the run time through IC. IC allows interactive testing. To test the motors with the robot up on blocks from an IC prompt, enter the C statement...
Team Technotrousers
Dan Rupert and Donald Engh, both engineers by degree, break away from the norm to take a different approach with their exoskeleton design by using the KISS strategy to an extreme.Their suit is a purely mechanical system based around an Acme screw drive.There are no hydraulics or pneumatics.Anticipating next year's Tetsujin competition, the team is already hard at work with their next generation suit, which will have more degrees of freedom than the current build. Dan started his career in...
Tech Tidbit
Would you like to be able to communicate with your PIC using your computer's serial port Here is a handy little circuit that will take a RS232 signal and invert it while converting it to In the summer of 2001, a need was evolving for a standard Unmanned Ground Vehicle UGV platform that research organizations could use to push the envelope of autonomous navigation. Thus, re2, Inc. which stands for Robotics Engineering Excellence , was born. re2 was subcontracted by Carnegie-Mellon University's...
About The Authors
Siemens SFH205f Wide Field Salvaged from computer mouse Tiny Red LEDs Tiny Green LEDs Tiny Red, Green, or Yellow LEDs Assorted, a few 470 Q - 1K And a few in the 1M - 10M range Assorted, 0.1 mF to 0.22 mF range Mouser 595-SN74AC240N Fairchild MM74AC240N Solarbotics 74AC240 Solarbotics IR1 Mouser 638-204HD Mouser 638-204GT Solarbotics TLED Two matched hobby gear motors with wheels Two recycled matched 'pancake' motors 4 AAA or 4 AA Battery Pack SPDT n c lever Switch Breadboard Generic Solderless...
Chassis Design
There were many considerations I put into the choice of the basic chassis. Over the years, I have built several autonomous robots many of them meant to be experimental platforms and some special purpose robots. I usually spent more time building than programming because I went overboard on some feature I thought I needed, but usually never used. I finally settled on a really basic design that is small and reliable. To the right Side view, showing the brass tubing bent over attached to the wheel...
Outside e mm
In last month's Robotics Resources, we talked about thinking outside the box, finding construction materials that at first glance don't look like suitable robot building parts. Whether it's a toy, a sewing accessory, or a piece of hardware designed for use in shelving, you could discover a great new use for something simply by looking beyond its intended use. Last month, we began with a look at out-of-the-ordinary materials, including transfer films, store fixtures one of my favorites , paper...
Info
See catalog or website for details. 1 Supercircuits Plaza Liberty Hill, TX 78642 Some restrictions apply. See catalog or website for details. 1 Supercircuits Plaza Liberty Hill, TX 78642 6000 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. 5-E Las Vegas, NV 89119 Tel 877 7 POLOLU or 702 262 6648 Fax 702 262 6894 Email www pololu.com Website www.pololu.com 7 he new Pico Motion from PicoBotics, Inc., is considered one ofthe smallest and most feature-rich DC brushed motor controller on the market....
Dan Danknick
Technical Editor of SERVO and Nuts amp Volts Dan Danknick is the architect of the Tetsujin 2004 event. As a long time fan of the comic book hero Iron Man, Dan has been intrigued by the good that strength augmentation suits could do for society for over 20 years. Residing in Southern CA, he is the Technical Editor of SERVO and Nuts amp Volts the culmination of a long history with the publishers. Dan holds the Tetsujin competitors in the highest regard for taking up his vision for this event and...
Roy Hellen
An icon in robot competitions, Roy Hellen is the SOZBOTS announcer. Wherever there is a cool event, Roy is sure to pop up though normally wearing a suit of medieval armor no joking . A resident of California's Bay Area, Roy currently works as a Product Manager for GDR, a geographical information service. In his free time, he likes to ride fast motorcycles and do other cool things like throw boomerangs and tinker in his electronics lab. Roy can be reached at roy botcast.com
Fridav
Note that times are subject to change, so check the Tetsujin area for last minute updates Wonder how those lift scores are calculated They come from a four-term formula that was disclosed early on to the competitors.This allowed them to maximize any of the terms they wished to for their unique designs. Lift Height cm Lifted Weight kg Lift time sec Total System Weight kg So, a 300 kg suit with operator lifting 300 kg the full meter in 2.2 seconds earns a score of 100 300 2.2 300 45.45...
