I thought it would be cool

[Modereso]

To start some research on some recent ideas of mine.

I recently checked out the gumstix netstix small line of computers and thought how cool it would be if I could fit one inside the chest cavity of my RN. I want to install a computer which will act as the main 'computer' talking with the RN board without the aid of an external computer. These little machines have serial ports/Ethernet.

They run on super low voltage, something like 3.3v and come with Linux 2.6 installed with ram & flash. It would add a lot of power and much more flexibility.

Is it possible?

[srobot]

Yes I think it will work.

How 'big' is the HDD, or what ever it uses?

--srobot

BTW - What will you boot it in? You may want to use Damn Small Linux (DSL).

[Modereso]

Actually these little machines are really cool!

No hard drive as such, but they utilize 64meg of ram and 16MB flash (built in) I assume. There is also the waysmall 400xm-bt model which includes usb & 2 serial ports and optional bluetooth and 400mhz processor!

Just think of the power these could add if you set them up correctly! I think the waysmall might be the better choice. This seems a perfect for programming, you could even buy a tiny keypad & color LCD module!

My main concern is whether I could fit it below the head of the RN in the spare room of the chest cavity. I've yet to open it up.

Dimensions are apparently 80x20mm

[JavaRN]

Why not a PDA equipped with a camera? You can have 600MHz PDAs equipped with cameras that can take videos as well.

[Modereso]

Why not a PDA equipped with a camera? You can have 600MHz PDAs equipped with cameras that can take videos as well.

Well, that is another good option. However, part of my plan is to make this as compact and small scale as possible. No offense (and I don't mean this to sound nasty) but I assume you cannot fit a PDA inside the RN. This is why I am turning to a much smaller option. I had the idea that a tiny but lightweight power adequate computer could fit inside the RN without hassle and do it's thing without need for anything else.

RN is quite limited on space unless you use it carefully. Embedded Linux systems can be quite powerful despite their size, and with 2 serial ports, bluetooth & USB I'm sure it could do some cool things.

By all means, any suggestions welcome. And I will consider yours too Java!

[DirtyRoboto]

It would be a very tight squeeze and this is without any cable connectors. You could always mod the chest plate.

I am looking at the gumstix product range with great interest as a means of expanding my Takeshi's brain power. Is there anyone who has first hand experience marrying the two systems?

Marcus

[Robo1]

Hi I'm going to add one on to my KHR-2 the only thing is you will need a board to produce all the PWM for the servos so a extra board. you could link it up to the current board and use it as an interface! but the gumstix have a 60 pin output so unless you use one of there expansion boards that are quit board like there robostix then you would still need a board to link the gumstix to the board.

I'm probably going to convert the servo's over to openservos so that I can just daisy chain them and just need any adapter to i2c.

this is a lot of work but for 600mhz this and linux this will be a vast improvement.

Bren

[DirtyRoboto]

I would be looking to use the extra power to process information from sensors and then pass a simple instruction to RN using the serial bus.
I am currently searching for the most compact suit of sensors before getting a gumstix product.
I am looking for audio/visual as well as distance and position senses in a very small package.

Marcus.

[Modereso]

Yes, gumstix does look very interesting!

I read an article about one of these powering a big robot whale as well. To have a fully functional system on these must be a hackers dream - but as you said it would be a tight squeeze.

I think I might have no choice but to take this outside RN. Would be cool if RN could wear a customized sensory backpack! There's one for you!

[DirtyRoboto]

I have the perfect solution.

Paint your Gumstix to look like shoulder pads and mount it in between the body and head. ie. take RN's head off plonk your Gumstix on the shoulders and stick his head back on. This will keep balance neutral while vertical. It may effect stock moves where the top of the robot is out of line with centre of gravity off vertical.

Marcus.

[JavaRN]

I think I might have no choice but to take this outside RN. Would be cool if RN could wear a customized sensory backpack! There's one for you!

That's what I did with my RN to be able to communicate with my laptop. I have a backpack containing three IR sensors - two for the sides and one for the back) a 9v battery for wireless camera,a tilt sensor and a Sparkfun bluetooth module - he can still walk and do cartwheels!

[Humanoido]

This could be helpful.

http://www.davehylands.com/linux/gumstix/
http://www.huv.com/gumstix/

With a new language "Squeak"
http://box2.squeakfoundation.org/websit ... rowser.png

humanoido