Trossen Robotics Community

[Question(s)] First project

draikani — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 07:54:17 GMT

Darkback, as extremely generous and tempting as that is, so far as I can tell it won't save me much money. Purchasing two servos ($10 x2), SES brackets ($20), a power supply ($15), and aluminum for a custom base ($10) individually will cost me about the same as the kit. I don't consider the construction of a custom base to be a hurdle. I would probably actually enjoy that, and it would be good for me too. So if this estimation is incorrect, I'd love help finding a cheaper option. This would allow me to select my servos, which may make avoiding the kit worthwhile. My plan is to mount one of the airsoft tank guns on this setup so it seems like the HS-322HD's would be fine, but I really have no point of reference to use to determine how good a servo is good enough.

[Project] Ally -My First Hexapod Project

parallax — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 03:24:48 GMT

You guys have convinced me. I'm beginning to play around with a few designs for a bottom plate now. :)

Some good news: I have the Bluetooth up and running. Mystery solved! I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was doing wrong. It would make a connection, but the SSC wasn't receiving any of the commands I was sending over the terminal. After taking a break and coming back to work on it, I realized I accidentally was plugging the TX on the SSC going into the TX on the modem, and vice versa with the RX... Oops! I guess that's what happens when you work on something for too many hours straight without a break. ;)

Also, here are some build pics I never got around to posting. One is of my makeshift stand (yes, that is a candle) and the other is how mounted the legs. By the way, should I be updating my first post with all of the pictures and video I have been taking?

Attached Thumbnails

Ultrasonic Sensors

dizzy — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 02:17:53 GMT

Hi,
if money is not a major factor, which would be a good, reliable ultrasonic sensor?

Are there any disadvantages to sensors that require only a single pin, such as the PING sonar and Devantech SRF01?

Are there any advantages/disadvantages of sonars that are use an I2C connections, such as the SRF10 and SRF08?

Has anyone used the Devantech SRF235? it is advertised as the narrowest beam sonar.

What are your thoughts on the Maxbotix XL series of sonars vs the Devantech models?

thanks much for any advice..

Register for robogames !!!

gdubb2 — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:52:49 GMT

10 days left to register..

Strage Problems with usb2dynamixel

isermann — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:29:04 GMT

Hi MikeG,

for testing I do not use use my own made software but the DynamixelConfigurator. At least my random reboot problem seems to be solved. Although the manual says that the powerlines on the ttl socket of the usb2dynamixel converter are not connected to anything it seems possible that there can be some kind kind of power flashback that shuts down the computer. So I disconnected the wires, so that there is only the DATA line going to the powersupply and further to the dynamixels. But there is still the problem with the FTDI and Win7. I even have a different converter to communicate with some other boards controlling some step-motors (Nanotec). My serial port monitor shows there the same result: the computer keeps sending data through the usb port as soon as the port is opened. As I told you I tried it on different machines (two with Win7 and one with Server 2008). I think this is very strange, it seems, that the driver for the FTDI-Chips is not working correctly with Win7 and Server 2008 (the other converter I tried was a USB to RS485 based on the same FTDI-Chip like the usb2dynamixel interface). By the way, the power to the dynamixels is supplied by a SMPS2Dynamixel board.

Hotel Room Mate for RG2010

Connor — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 05:23:32 GMT

Okay, Looking for a Room mate for Robo Games 2010. Dates I'll be in town are 4/22/10 -- 4/26/10.. My wife isn't coming this year.. and looking to reduce cost as much as possible. Anyone interested, please PM me.

Thanks, Connor

[Question(s)] build my own basic atom pro 28 carrier board

soldier — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:20:11 GMT

my buzzer will keep beeping once voltage is supplied to it....
suppose i should just use transducer which needs PWM supplied to it to make it go beeping... so now i already change my buzzer to transducer... and it works fine now... that's the problem... thanks :happy::happy::happy:

XBee confusion

gdubb2 — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:54:39 GMT

Hey Ambivalent,

I'm trying to duplicate your problem. I get the unable to communicate error if I have any of the following out of whack.

1: Baud rate
2: com port
3: Data bits set other than 8
4: Parity other than "None".

The flow control doesn't seem to matter, and the Stop bits work at 1 and 2

My Xbee's are basically defaulted except for tying them to each other.

I can get the same message with the API set, but still be unable to communicate otherwise.

Everytime I have had the unable to communicate message was when I had either the wrong port selected, or the wrong baud rate.

I assume you have read the tutorial here: http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/tu...e-basics-3259/

I kind of suspect it's something to do with the com port selection.

Good luck
Gary

[News/Announcement] RX-28 and RX-64 Open-Source (Python) Libraries Available

jes1510 — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:02:42 GMT

Very sweet! I don't have any of those servos but +rep for sharing. Nice work!

Mech Warfare 2010 Roll-Call

tuzzer — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:07:16 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by CTR1 (Post 37522)

Oh so the event is happening quite soon then...hmm yeah hopefully I wont have to skip a day of classes but wont know until the end of the current quarter/beginning of next quarter when i know my new schedule. Also depends if I can get money to get down there and stay somewhere but we will see, first need to build, program and complete a robot. Uhh we have no support whatsoever unfortunately but I have emailed several companies inquiring if they could sponsor our club or not but haven't gotten any replies yet.

We are from UW too! But it's University of Waterloo! (bad joke, I know..)
Anyways, what year are you in? And yes, you have no idea how many classes I missed to build that (machine shop is often full in after-class time)! xD

Do you guys have like a school endowment fund? We basically got about $2000 from there and that's all we have. We asked companies for money too, but never got anything yet (or we just didn't try hard enough). But actually the flight from Waterloo to San Francisco would take up most of the budget.....

Safety Check-in

Tyberius — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:47:27 GMT

You just can't take the airsoft guns as a carry-on, have to check them.

The robot itself is fine, if they let me bring Giger as a carry-on I'd guess any other mech-warfare type robot would be fine as well.

rockets

darkback2 — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:19:42 GMT

Hey,

I put together a tutorial on adding rockets to your robot. You can find it here

As for the type of rockets, the rules are pretty specific on that one. I use, and suggest others who plan on competing hardcore do the same...micromax motors.

Hope this helps.

DB

[Project] Second Amendment � Quad Mech

Upgrayd — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:32:50 GMT

3/18/10

Have not posted anything in a while so I will give a little update on what I have been doing.

I took a bit of a break from working on SA but now I am back at it to work on the issues encountered at the CIRC Bot Brawl.

I will be remaking the turret in its entirety over the next week. It will feature a greater range in motion and better protect the cam and transponder circuit boards.

On the side I have been experimenting with AVR microcontrollers with the end goal of having a custom robot controller I can use in SA and any future projects (will not be ready for RoboGames). Below is a picture of two breakout boards I have made based around the ATmega644p controller. This is same mico used in the Arbotix and Sanguino used for the rep rap project.

I have decided to forgo the Arduino environment and develop in C. So far I have been able to program a simple LED blinking program onto the chip as a test. I am going to be experimenting with communication to the ssc-32, AX-12 bus, and Xbee modules in the next few days.

[Bioloid] The Ultimate Bioloid Thread

billyzelsnack — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 23:42:17 GMT

http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5817

How to performance test servos?

MikeG — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:06:51 GMT

You might want to keep track of current and voltage too.

[Question(s)] arbotiX Robocontroller Specifications(noob)

lnxfergy — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:33:15 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunkerman (Post 39158)

how can iuse 4 motor

You would have to attach an additional pair of motor drivers.

-Fergs

Way off topic. Any Musicians here?

Adam — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:29:25 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantum (Post 39152)

That Gibson robot lineup is just to expensive. I plan on getting a Les Paul but would rather spend all the money on a traditional version.

Yes, they are ridiculous. :cool:

My other electric is a Les Paul Studio DC.

The Duncan '78 is supposedly a pretty good reproduction. They used to have a EVH model that they claimed stood for "evenly voiced harmonics." Funny. Now they are going out of their way to say it's not associated with any particular artist. But everyone knows what it is.

Good luck with the quarter. :veryhappy:

hobbypartz servos

darkback2 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:19:41 GMT

I ordered a couple MG-995s on ebay, and they showed up with no labels and look remarkably like the servo you listed in this thread. The only difference is that about half of the orders were dead on arrival, and a number of the other ones would sometimes work, and mostly not. The gears seam to get stuck or something.

I've actually gotten to the point where $5 to test the servos isn't worth it.

Good luck though.

DB

Dragoon - RX-64 Quadruped

Tyberius — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:16:40 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenta (Post 39133)

I've been watching your latest video several times and i must say I'm really impressed with the work around the kinematics and walking engine. Truly awesome!

Thinking of the range of motion the robotis servos have and since your quad are so symetrical, have you considered adding an up/down sensor for sensing if the robot has been flipped around? Reversing the kinematics shouldn't be to hard either.

-Zenta

Credit goes to lnxfergy on all the kinematics. The ArbotiX + NUKE is a really powerful platform for quads and hexapods.

I have thought about making it 'flippable', really wouldn't be greatly difficult to implement.

[Project] Coil Gun school project.

elios — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:00:02 GMT

thanks. Bearing in mind this is firing only with one coil. we plan on having five beasties

How do you get the guns needed for Mech Warefare?

lnxfergy — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:26:44 GMT

Yeah, there are two classes of guns really:

Tank Guns:
Lightweight, 6-9V @ <1A motor, fire rate is about 1 shot per second, originally intended for RC tanks. You can find them from toyseast.com, or matotoys.com (I believe mato only sells the gearbox, you'll need to add your own barrel). Wires are already exposed, just wire it into your motor driver. Cost: $5-20

Defender:
These are handheld guns, with a battery powered trigger. Signifigantly heavier than a tank gun (don't plan to put it on a biped, unless it's Giger), but rate of fire is probably 3-5 shots per second. They are less prone to jamming. Can be found at most Walmarts or sporting goods stores. Will require a serious amount of hacking, as you'll want to remove the handles/trigger, and wire into the motor with your own driver. Cost: ~$25.

-Fergs

[Question(s)] Affordable CAD software?

sam — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:01:22 GMT

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonHylands (Post 39114)

If you're a student or a teacher, you can get Rhino for $195. Rhino is incredibly powerful and easy to use (and of course they have a free trial as well).

- Jon

I had no idea you could get it for so cheap! I have tried out a free trial for Rhino and I find it easier than Alibre to make organic looking parts with lots of curves in 3 dimensions.

Sam

[Project] First ever project :)

DannyDeth — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:05:22 GMT

You would have to invest in some serious equip. I'm a ham ( ameteur radio enthusiast for you who dont know what i mean ) and turst me when I say that video tjakes up big time bandwidth, if you have some bucks ( i mean like US$200 ) you could buy a low frequency radio and operate over htat. Thats only anolog, you could invest in a digital bideo converter if you cant afford the low freq radio. ANd by the way, dont try transmiting colour signals, its ludacrice. Buy a small black and white camera, it will take less bandwisth

How to scale up to a larger biped

billyzelsnack — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:36:49 GMT

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I think this'll be my last post about the servo testing in this thread. It's not really directly on topic. I'll make a new thread in the actuators section about it.

Here's the new thread..
http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/sh...9107#post39107

[Contest Entry] My ANIMATRONIC PROJECT

Adam — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 03:05:33 GMT

That's really cool.