FreeBOT the poor mans Nao
FreeBOT the poor mans Nao
by CdRsKuLL
Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:38 pm
Well.. Hello 
FreeBot - This is a 3d printable Biped robot designed in google sketchup controlled via a wifi connection by a vb.net frontend.
Why did I decided to do this little project - Well I did get accepted onto the Nao dev program and got offered a Nao at a discounted price.. sadly that price is still to high for me so the next best thing was to make my own. Hence.. the poor mans Nao
So, I've been designing / printing / re-printing and gathering bits ready for FreeBot. Once I've a working model I will upload all the print files and software for others to play with.
so, what does he look like... welcome to Freebot ok, he's not quite finished but you will get the idea. lol
So.. what's inside him ? He is powered by a 7.4 Lipo battery which is connected to a Arduino nano and a 16 channel servo controller. He's got some RGB led eyes and a ultrasonic sensor in his chest.. O and an accelerometer just for fun. The RGB leds are set via the PC but they turn red for 1/2 second when a command is received and he also blinks
He's built on some Towerpro micro servos and so far I've got some legs but as soon as some more filament arrives he will have a body.
I've made a start on the vb.net frontend which communicates over wifi (when my 3.3v to 5v convertor appears).
Still lots to do.. but thought I would share
Any comments welcome
Steve
FreeBot - This is a 3d printable Biped robot designed in google sketchup controlled via a wifi connection by a vb.net frontend.
Why did I decided to do this little project - Well I did get accepted onto the Nao dev program and got offered a Nao at a discounted price.. sadly that price is still to high for me so the next best thing was to make my own. Hence.. the poor mans Nao
So, I've been designing / printing / re-printing and gathering bits ready for FreeBot. Once I've a working model I will upload all the print files and software for others to play with.
so, what does he look like... welcome to Freebot
ok, he's not quite finished but you will get the idea. lol
So.. what's inside him ? He is powered by a 7.4 Lipo battery which is connected to a Arduino nano and a 16 channel servo controller. He's got some RGB led eyes and a ultrasonic sensor in his chest.. O and an accelerometer just for fun. The RGB leds are set via the PC but they turn red for 1/2 second when a command is received and he also blinks
He's built on some Towerpro micro servos and so far I've got some legs but as soon as some more filament arrives he will have a body.
I've made a start on the vb.net frontend which communicates over wifi (when my 3.3v to 5v convertor appears).
Still lots to do.. but thought I would share
Any comments welcome
Steve
by CdRsKuLL
Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:36 pm
Hi fella,
I will have to apologise, I'm new to all this robo talk.. I will have to google DARwIn-OP to see what it is
This is my first bot I've done so didn't really want to put lots of money into it. Hence the cheapo servos and electronics. I think in the end I will be looking at £150 for it all once done. Maybe then if I think it's a success I will scale it up to 'proper' servos.. and a bigger bot
I got it standing on one leg last night.. the servos hold the weight but can't really lift itself on a single leg.. but its fine on two. I might strap some springs to the knees to help a little, unsure yet.
The hardest thing is waiting for stuff to arrive !! Although my blue filament turned up today so it's just printing out a test body hmmm 3.30 hours it will be ready.
Thanks
Steve
I will have to apologise, I'm new to all this robo talk.. I will have to google DARwIn-OP to see what it is
This is my first bot I've done so didn't really want to put lots of money into it. Hence the cheapo servos and electronics. I think in the end I will be looking at £150 for it all once done. Maybe then if I think it's a success I will scale it up to 'proper' servos.. and a bigger bot
I got it standing on one leg last night.. the servos hold the weight but can't really lift itself on a single leg.. but its fine on two. I might strap some springs to the knees to help a little, unsure yet.
The hardest thing is waiting for stuff to arrive !! Although my blue filament turned up today so it's just printing out a test body
hmmm 3.30 hours it will be ready.
Thanks
Steve
by CdRsKuLL
Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:02 pm
Hi Gort,
Yep I will be uploading the design when complete and also release all the software source etc so for anyone who wants can do one themselves.
The printer I have is a self built one. It's might be classed as a mini-mendelmax with an aluminium section frame with printed supports. I'm running a 0.35 J-Head and printing at 0.3 height onto glass coovered with kapton tape. It's taken about 3 months to get decent prints off it but it seems to be behaving at the moment
I'm slowly getting to grips with sketchup. I have access to Inventor and Autocad at work but I'm quite happy what sketchup can do.. plus it's free which is always a bonus
I do want to further push my bot once complete by adding a camera and running some sort of software on the PC.... In the end you could have the best bot in the world but if the software is pants then so will the bot be.
What are you doing for software control on yours ? is there already something prewitten I might be missing out on ?
thanks,
Steve
Yep I will be uploading the design when complete and also release all the software source etc so for anyone who wants can do one themselves.
The printer I have is a self built one. It's might be classed as a mini-mendelmax with an aluminium section frame with printed supports. I'm running a 0.35 J-Head and printing at 0.3 height onto glass coovered with kapton tape. It's taken about 3 months to get decent prints off it but it seems to be behaving at the moment
I'm slowly getting to grips with sketchup. I have access to Inventor and Autocad at work but I'm quite happy what sketchup can do.. plus it's free which is always a bonus
I do want to further push my bot once complete by adding a camera and running some sort of software on the PC.... In the end you could have the best bot in the world but if the software is pants then so will the bot be.
What are you doing for software control on yours ? is there already something prewitten I might be missing out on ?
thanks,
Steve
by CdRsKuLL
Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:16 pm
Enderwiggins wrote:What servo controller are you using? Do those servos shake/make a lot of noise? Looks great! I like how you have the Roll servos for the hips below the pitch servos at the waist. Can't wait to see a video of it walking! ^_^
I've ordered a cheap 16 servo controller from China via eBay. I'm unsure if I can post links but it cost £16 inc postage. It's not got a usb connector on it but that's ok as I'm linking it from a software serial port on my arduino nano. It seems quite simple to program.. abit like this 32 channel one I already have but I can't get that to work via serial.. hence this purchase.
I've coded it up as follows...
VB.Net frontend links to a comport
I then run HW Virtual Com port which turns a virtual com port into a IP and PORT. (free software)
This IP then talks to my wifi module which works seemlessly with the arduino nano. So it works just like its wired
the arduino then identifys if its a servo command and if it is passes it over to this controller. Feedback from the controller is passed back directly to the vb software.
Anyway.. to answer your question. The servos are quite noisy, however I'm going to code them up different so the are alot smoother. I also found with my 32 channel controller I needed to pulse it to keep the servos charged if that makes sense. Unsure what effect this will have on the power usage, we shall see.
I will try a grab a little video either tonight or tomorrow. I should have some legs and a body which will give me an idea of how much I need to lean to get it to stand on one leg.. and then the biggie... walk
thanks,
Steve
by CdRsKuLL
Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:46 pm
limor wrote:looking forward to see a video
Sorry Pal, no video tonight
just realised after 3 hours that I'm printing out the old body design and not my new one.. lol. O well nevermind. It might do as another test piece.
I will set it off again in the morning before I goto work. I also need to reprint my upper legs and hips as I've moved the joint that pivots the bot in 5mm on both sides. This hopefully will allow it to shift it's COG over each foot easier.
Slow but sure... lol
by CdRsKuLL
Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:15 pm
Well, alittle bit more done. My 7.4 lipo turned up today so I managed to get some measurements off it and finished off my body. I've had a mare trying to get all the eleectronics in but I think I'm nearly done.. just a ubec to add now.
Here are some updated pics I'm making the head turn leff/right and up/down via some nano servos. I'm hoping they will be here in a day or so.
I will be re-printing a few parts tonight.
more to come..
Here are some updated pics
I'm making the head turn leff/right and up/down via some nano servos. I'm hoping they will be here in a day or so.
I will be re-printing a few parts tonight.
more to come..
by CdRsKuLL
Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:28 pm
Well.. only afew parts left to print now
I'm still waiting on my 16 servo controller to finish off the electrics. Will upload some pictures later.
I did manage to add afew more things to my vb.net app. Got some trim buttons now so I can align the servos and added an upperbody section. I just need to add a collection so it will play the actions once recorded.
One step closer.. O and I've nearly got a working head now too.
Steve
I'm still waiting on my 16 servo controller to finish off the electrics. Will upload some pictures later.
I did manage to add afew more things to my vb.net app. Got some trim buttons now so I can align the servos and added an upperbody section. I just need to add a collection so it will play the actions once recorded.
One step closer.. O and I've nearly got a working head now too.
Steve
by Novice
Tue Aug 28, 2012 7:53 am
CdRsKuLL wrote:ok, couple of pic's
I need to reprint a couple of things but you should get the idea
I've managed to burn out a servo playing
Cool!Based on the photos you placed , this robot is a female
What kind of the servo did you install in?What is the force?If the servo has a small power this is a subject to be burnt again, no difference today or tomorrow...Course the body of the robot you done by 3D printing
...it's cool but a little beat compromised:the width of plastic is too fat, thats why the weight of the one may be too much for the servos.Based on the experience we had on upgrading time of our KHR-3 the weight of the parts has a dominant importance especially if the fever's should is long!I'm talking even about a weight in some gramms,sometime the value 3-5 gram is enough for a boarder between the conditions when robot works properly against it goes to be burnt 
Any case I wish you all the best and hope you'll win finally
by CdRsKuLL
Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:49 am
Hi, many thanks for your post and advice.
I am concerned a little with the weight and I think I will be printing a stripped down version to try and reduce it. At the moment the finished robot I'm guessing will be about 550-600 grams. However I do this I need a bit of weight to enable it to walk right at the top.
I'm going to be working on my vb.net frontend the next few nights to try and get some actions together. I might even put a nice flash front onto it with drag and drop.. will see how much time I get.
Thanks,
Steve
I am concerned a little with the weight and I think I will be printing a stripped down version to try and reduce it. At the moment the finished robot I'm guessing will be about 550-600 grams. However I do this I need a bit of weight to enable it to walk right at the top.
I'm going to be working on my vb.net frontend the next few nights to try and get some actions together. I might even put a nice flash front onto it with drag and drop.. will see how much time I get.
Thanks,
Steve
by CdRsKuLL
Sat Sep 01, 2012 7:42 pm
Well I've started up my own website and given him a name 'Frank'
To see Frank.. goto http://www.3dbot.co.uk I will be uploading all the parts for printing and instructions on ho to build your own Frank soon
thanks,
Steve
To see Frank.. goto http://www.3dbot.co.uk I will be uploading all the parts for printing and instructions on ho to build your own Frank soon
thanks,
Steve