And even one more gripper post too..
And even one more gripper post too..
by gdubb2
Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:58 pm
Well, I might as well add mine in here too. I've been working on these for a couple of weeks, and finally sort of got done with them.
They are loosly based on the Lynxmotion Little Grip idea.
They are operated by a Hitec HS81MG servo. I didn't need a boatload of torque, and had some in hand.
Movent is about .75 inch, but the "fingers" are mounted with machine screws so that they are very easy to change. I plan on having several sets of fingers for specific functions.
The complete unit as shown in the video weighs about the same as a 8498 servo. I figure that with the grippers and wrist rotation I might be able to do what want to do.
Link to video below..
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4R0mav6twY
Pretty crappy video, but I converted it from MOV to MPG and it lost a little resolution.
Gary
They are loosly based on the Lynxmotion Little Grip idea.
They are operated by a Hitec HS81MG servo. I didn't need a boatload of torque, and had some in hand.
Movent is about .75 inch, but the "fingers" are mounted with machine screws so that they are very easy to change. I plan on having several sets of fingers for specific functions.
The complete unit as shown in the video weighs about the same as a 8498 servo. I figure that with the grippers and wrist rotation I might be able to do what want to do.
Link to video below..
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4R0mav6twY
Pretty crappy video, but I converted it from MOV to MPG and it lost a little resolution.
Gary
by Pev
Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:09 pm
Wow they are really cool, the stills really show off the design far better than the video but the video is very cool with the way they move etc. There was a robot in Futurama that has hands like that, think he was called Clamps 
Glad you like the bluetooth interface, which one are you using? Pocket PC or Tablet PC one?
Pev
Glad you like the bluetooth interface, which one are you using? Pocket PC or Tablet PC one?
Pev
by gdubb2
Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:21 pm
Pev,
I'm using the tablet one. I had a choice between getting a laptop or a PPC. Well, the laptop won out.
I just got yours a couple of days ago. Was using Matt Bauers, which is great, but yours is more versatile. In my grand scheme of things, I want to make a "Waldo" type of interface where I have a replica of the upper half of the robot, then manipulate the arms and have it follow along. I figure getting the data into a PC will be easy, but sending it to the RN-1 will be hard. Analog values and all that..
Gary
I'm using the tablet one. I had a choice between getting a laptop or a PPC. Well, the laptop won out.
I just got yours a couple of days ago. Was using Matt Bauers, which is great, but yours is more versatile. In my grand scheme of things, I want to make a "Waldo" type of interface where I have a replica of the upper half of the robot, then manipulate the arms and have it follow along. I figure getting the data into a PC will be easy, but sending it to the RN-1 will be hard. Analog values and all that..
Gary
by Pev
Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:31 pm
Gary,
This is a bit off topic but the analog value stuff isn't too bad. If you have a microprocessor like an AMTEL Mega8 or something processing your WALDO you can convert the analog signal to a digital value with the processor, then stream this data to the PC over a serial link. An Amtel ATMega 8 can handle up to 1 million bps, way faster that a PC UART can handle by default . Probably best to use some sort of packet based setup with a checksum like the Robotis guys do.
.Net 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005 have a serial control that can handle incoming and outgoing serial streams on multiple com ports, so you could process the WALDO data on a wired port and stream the control to the RN-1 over Bluetooth.
Anyway I stop blabbing now, glad you like the Bluetooth interface, let me know if you want any enhancements or find any bugs. My email address is on my website.
Pev
This is a bit off topic but the analog value stuff isn't too bad. If you have a microprocessor like an AMTEL Mega8 or something processing your WALDO you can convert the analog signal to a digital value with the processor, then stream this data to the PC over a serial link. An Amtel ATMega 8 can handle up to 1 million bps, way faster that a PC UART can handle by default . Probably best to use some sort of packet based setup with a checksum like the Robotis guys do.
.Net 2.0 and Visual Studio 2005 have a serial control that can handle incoming and outgoing serial streams on multiple com ports, so you could process the WALDO data on a wired port and stream the control to the RN-1 over Bluetooth.
Anyway I stop blabbing now, glad you like the Bluetooth interface, let me know if you want any enhancements or find any bugs. My email address is on my website.
Pev
by gdubb2
Tue Feb 20, 2007 11:56 pm
Pev,
Don't worry about wandering off topic.. It's my thread ...
I've been trying to figure out which way is the best to go with getting the information from the waldo to the computer. There are just to many MCU'sto choose from. I have no experience with any of them, so I have to learn the language of whatever I use.
The easiest looks like Trossen's Phidgets. They seem to interface directly to Visual Studio, but are the slowest. The main problem,I have in my thinking, is that I need 5 analog inputs from each arm. That's 10, and most MCU's are only 8 analog in. Or to use 2 MCU's. The leg movements I will just use preprogrammed stuff.
I could program fairly well back in the '80's (I'm old you see) but the newer stuff I just lost track of.
Oh well time to kick the old brain cells out of retirement..
Gary
Don't worry about wandering off topic.. It's my thread ...
I've been trying to figure out which way is the best to go with getting the information from the waldo to the computer. There are just to many MCU'sto choose from. I have no experience with any of them, so I have to learn the language of whatever I use.
The easiest looks like Trossen's Phidgets. They seem to interface directly to Visual Studio, but are the slowest. The main problem,I have in my thinking, is that I need 5 analog inputs from each arm. That's 10, and most MCU's are only 8 analog in. Or to use 2 MCU's. The leg movements I will just use preprogrammed stuff.
I could program fairly well back in the '80's (I'm old you see) but the newer stuff I just lost track of.
Oh well time to kick the old brain cells out of retirement..
Gary
by Pev
Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:13 am
Gary,
Its always difficult to decide on the processor, I think I've tried most of the cheap ones, including basic stamps, BasicX24s and Amtel ones like the ATMega 8. What one is right can be tricky but as I only program in Basic really (I do a little C but not enough) I tend to go for something that has a language I can use.
On that front I have noticed a lot of use of the Amtel processors by the biped robotics community and have been working with the Mega 8 to develop an I/O module with pepperm on here. The Amtel processors do have one advatage for a simpleton like myself, I can program a huge range of them using BASCOM basic (they do a free download demo version at www.mcselec.com), which compiles to machine code. Thats what I have used for the firmware on the I/O module and thats with 1000000 bps serial comms (thankfully pepperm sorted the hardware for it all). Oh and there is a free C complier too, bit beyond me though lol
It may be worth looking at the Amtel processors as they are cheap, pretty easy to program and have the ability to use hardware based I2C. With hardware I2C you could build a small network of 2 to 3 processors to get the AD input you need and then have one master processors that gathers the data and streams it to the PC. Oh and the BASCOM help file does detail the pinout and function of the different types fo processors under the Hardware/Chips section.
Hope it helps and be interested to see how you get on. (Us oldies have to stick together)
Pev
Its always difficult to decide on the processor, I think I've tried most of the cheap ones, including basic stamps, BasicX24s and Amtel ones like the ATMega 8. What one is right can be tricky but as I only program in Basic really (I do a little C but not enough) I tend to go for something that has a language I can use.
On that front I have noticed a lot of use of the Amtel processors by the biped robotics community and have been working with the Mega 8 to develop an I/O module with pepperm on here. The Amtel processors do have one advatage for a simpleton like myself, I can program a huge range of them using BASCOM basic (they do a free download demo version at www.mcselec.com), which compiles to machine code. Thats what I have used for the firmware on the I/O module and thats with 1000000 bps serial comms (thankfully pepperm sorted the hardware for it all). Oh and there is a free C complier too, bit beyond me though lol
It may be worth looking at the Amtel processors as they are cheap, pretty easy to program and have the ability to use hardware based I2C. With hardware I2C you could build a small network of 2 to 3 processors to get the AD input you need and then have one master processors that gathers the data and streams it to the PC. Oh and the BASCOM help file does detail the pinout and function of the different types fo processors under the Hardware/Chips section.
Hope it helps and be interested to see how you get on. (Us oldies have to stick together)
Pev
by Pev
Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:43 am
Sorry last bit of info, This has 8 ADC ports and is a prebuilt board that just needs 5 volts supplied to it. As sure they must be available in the US too.
http://www.active-robots.com/products/controllr/mr8535-details.shtml
Pev
http://www.active-robots.com/products/controllr/mr8535-details.shtml
Pev
by limor
Wed Feb 21, 2007 1:13 am
Hi, I'm trying to spread the word on the forum.. you can copy-paste the youtube embed sequence into your posts
- Code: Select all
<object width="425" height="350">
<param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I4R0mav6twY"></param>
<param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I4R0mav6twY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
phpBB [media]
