First full sized bot
First full sized bot
by ta_erog
Mon Mar 26, 2007 3:43 pm
Ok I made my first complex robot . .”king spider” or Bug bot . .
Things I noticed while constructing.
- It can take quite a long time to construct (a observation not a criticism
)
- Some parts are more useful then others, and they get used up fast.
- The bug bot is large . . (very nice)
- I found some servos had nuts in the rotational bit that were not fully seated . . it took a bit of fiddling to get them right. (this was hard because you cant get at them.
- The instructions are very poorly translated and are missing some key parts. (download the motion files first – thanks to people here I figured that out)
- The Software is clunky and rather poorly written, but functional.
- The batteries take a long time to fully charge and (kind of expected with the bug bot) discharged quickly. They get quite hot also.
- The default plans are not always the “best” way to construct the bot (well if any of us thought that we would not have gotten Bioloid
) I modified the King spider to have the wire bus in the back (between the back legs, rather then under the body) and the head up higher and right side up. Working on simple navigation now (it can now “see” in 3 directions” rather then basic avoidance of objects dead ahead.
- Did I say the software is clunky
, is also does not display well on my laptop.
I am getting a USB/serial converter this week . . it will make things easier with the “better” laptop.
I am constructing more behaviors for the bug bot. (what is the practical limit in size? The controller has very little memory but it is not too evident how much is being used with the motion files, program and firmware together)
What is the best way (you have found) to deal with making new motion files with the software provided? I want to give it a chance . . .
Things I noticed while constructing.
- It can take quite a long time to construct (a observation not a criticism
)
- Some parts are more useful then others, and they get used up fast.
- The bug bot is large . . (very nice)
- I found some servos had nuts in the rotational bit that were not fully seated . . it took a bit of fiddling to get them right. (this was hard because you cant get at them.
- The instructions are very poorly translated and are missing some key parts. (download the motion files first – thanks to people here I figured that out)
- The Software is clunky and rather poorly written, but functional.
- The batteries take a long time to fully charge and (kind of expected with the bug bot) discharged quickly. They get quite hot also.
- The default plans are not always the “best” way to construct the bot (well if any of us thought that we would not have gotten Bioloid
) I modified the King spider to have the wire bus in the back (between the back legs, rather then under the body) and the head up higher and right side up. Working on simple navigation now (it can now “see” in 3 directions” rather then basic avoidance of objects dead ahead.
- Did I say the software is clunky
, is also does not display well on my laptop.
I am getting a USB/serial converter this week . . it will make things easier with the “better” laptop.
I am constructing more behaviors for the bug bot. (what is the practical limit in size? The controller has very little memory but it is not too evident how much is being used with the motion files, program and firmware together)
What is the best way (you have found) to deal with making new motion files with the software provided? I want to give it a chance . . .
by Pev
Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:25 am
Hi,
If memory serves you can get 127 motion sequences onto the CM5 with 7 poses per sequence. You can also daisy-chain sequences together so by calling Sequence 10 you play sequences 10 and 11, and 12 etc and they do not need to be sequential.
As for the software, hmmmm yes I agree clunky is a good description. I still tend to use the motion editior for Sequences but am thinking of moving to Robot Terminal and I too would prefer a less graphical interface for BCP but don't really want to get into C yet as that would mean a new set of CM-5 firmware I would need to develop and then a programming interface over the top of that!!!!!!
Pev
If memory serves you can get 127 motion sequences onto the CM5 with 7 poses per sequence. You can also daisy-chain sequences together so by calling Sequence 10 you play sequences 10 and 11, and 12 etc and they do not need to be sequential.
As for the software, hmmmm yes I agree clunky is a good description. I still tend to use the motion editior for Sequences but am thinking of moving to Robot Terminal and I too would prefer a less graphical interface for BCP but don't really want to get into C yet as that would mean a new set of CM-5 firmware I would need to develop and then a programming interface over the top of that!!!!!!
Pev
by ID_Stephan
Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:49 pm
Hello ta_erog,
did your spider work properly, with the example files.
mine does not !
it awakens when clapping, and then just walks aound. Somehow it changes direction after some amount of time, but doesn*t seem to respond to obstacles.
The "combat" mode is never entered no matter how close I immitate the video from the cd.
PLEASE HELP ! ! !
did your spider work properly, with the example files.
mine does not !
it awakens when clapping, and then just walks aound. Somehow it changes direction after some amount of time, but doesn*t seem to respond to obstacles.
The "combat" mode is never entered no matter how close I immitate the video from the cd.
PLEASE HELP ! ! !
by siempre.aprendiendo
Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:29 pm
Pev wrote:Hi,
As for the software, hmmmm yes I agree clunky is a good description. I still tend to use the motion editior for Sequences but am thinking of moving to Robot Terminal and I too would prefer a less graphical interface for BCP but don't really want to get into C yet as that would mean a new set of CM-5 firmware I would need to develop and then a programming interface over the top of that!!!!!!
Pev
Robot terminal is the best option once you are used to it
In my opinion software is the "weakest" item of Bioloid, being the AX12+ the very best. I have been comparing it with other servos and AX12 usually are better and, sometimes, cheaper.
by tom_chang79
Mon Mar 31, 2008 4:42 am
I thought the software was quite helpful. To the casual user, I think the software is great, but I do agree that it is limiting if you are the average or above average developer.
The software gave me a better understanding of how the CM5 ties the bcp and the motion file together. I have since moved away from editing motions with the motion editor and use the robot terminal to edit the motion pages.
Learning to use the robot terminal is a great advantage as you can edit the motions much quicker via command-line style of editing instead of pointing and clicking.
If only the behavior control can be edited like this, instead of having to pick and choose from drop-down menus...
The software gave me a better understanding of how the CM5 ties the bcp and the motion file together. I have since moved away from editing motions with the motion editor and use the robot terminal to edit the motion pages.
Learning to use the robot terminal is a great advantage as you can edit the motions much quicker via command-line style of editing instead of pointing and clicking.
If only the behavior control can be edited like this, instead of having to pick and choose from drop-down menus...
by StuartL
Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:45 pm
Pev wrote:As for the software, hmmmm yes I agree clunky is a good description. I still tend to use the motion editior for Sequences but am thinking of moving to Robot Terminal and I too would prefer a less graphical interface for BCP but don't really want to get into C yet as that would mean a new set of CM-5 firmware I would need to develop and then a programming interface over the top of that!!!!!!
As I've just put in another thread my C library interface isn't actually far from completion. Well, it'll never be completed but it's certainly usable for most day to day coding.
Currently missing are:
- Button interfacing (trivial)
- Zigbee interfacing (ETA end of this week)
- AX-S1 interfacing (trivial, all the wrapper/control code already exists)
- Fully interrupt driven IO (it current DOES do fully interrupt driven IO but I've prevented the PC comms happening asynchronously with the dynamixel comms due to what I think is a buffer bug)
- A few dynamixel library functions I don't currently use so have never written.
It's also missing the entire documentation/how to use it.
Current features:
- Completely asynchronous dynamixel control using easy function calls (i.e. set goal position, get current torque etc).
- Interrupt driven timing circuits and battery monitor/charger.
- Completely transparent setup/use (one function call in main() sets everything up).
- Can schedule function callbacks for 'interesting' events (e.g. timers).