issues with new bioloid prenium

[haratron]

I just finished my new Bioloid Prenium humanoid type A and I'm currently trying to learn more about it.
So far I have experimented with the default program and I've noticed the following issues:

1. The robot does not walk totally straight. Not that appararent but you can tell. Should it walk totally straight if constructed properly?
2. It has a problem with turning left. Turning right is not an issue, but sometimes turning left results in an awkward ballistic movement. What might be the problem?
3. I connected the Sharp DMS to CM510 and works properly. However I have two remaining IR sensors that are supposed to go to the robot's feet from what I understand. How do I connect those? I don't have two additional free ports on the CM510 and also the distance from the CM510 to the robot's feet is big (the cables are not enough). Why didn't they cover that on the manual?
4. It succeeds in getting up when it is facing down (face on the floor) but fails to get up when it is facing up (back on the floor). What might be the cause?
5. How can I check if the assembly is proper? I tried the U program on the CM510 and it went alright. Does that check for defects?

[haratron]

Updates:
Was experimenting with roboplus motion and after a while I experienced a blinking LED at servos 8 and 14. This is also the leg having the problem with turning left.
I also noticed from roboplus manager that those two particular servos had higher temperature than the rest (all were at ~45 and those two where at 54 and 51 respectively). Other than that I couldn't identify anything else.
What does it mean when AX-12's LED blinks?

[PedroR]

Hi haraton

When a servo is under stress (too much force or temperature) it shuts down and you'll see the RED blinking LED. This is done to protect the servo from damage due to overload.

Looking at the description of your problem, I think you probably have an assembly error in the left leg (most likely the build around servos 8 and 14 is not correct).

That would explain why they are in overload/stress, why they shutdown and why you're not seeing a symetrical behaviour of the robot when moving (ie turning right but not left, etc)

I reccommend you have a second look at the assembly manual and ensure the leg is built correctly.
It's easy to overlook some detail or just assemble a part rotated or misplaced.

Regards
Pedro

[haratron]

Thank you PedroR for your answer.

I disassembled the mentioned areas while checking the whole robot and I could not find something wrong. In any case, I replaced servo 8 with another one.

I think it's the Roboplus Motion default move that generates the strain. Not the initial pose one, but the pose that makes the robot spread its hands. It appears when I click on an empty row and then click on "Add step". That pose makes the feet go one onto another slightly (looked at the 3D model and that happens also there). I don't know how a pose like that is possible without generating strain. After 5 or so times of doing that move, the LED of servo 8 blinks.

I think it walks better this time but I still have the issue with the getting up. Any ideas?
Also what about questions 3 and 5?

[haratron]

Update:
I reassembled the torso once again because the servo cables were too short (they were too much in the torso) and now it does the same thing but from the right side.
I took a video to illustrate what I mean by 'jerking movement'. I'm using the gamepad and turning right (yet it's "turning" left). Left turning works ok.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAIcSxNqpBU

Edit: Added another video that shows how the robot fails to lift itself up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSV9-l3SWnk

What's the problem?

[PedroR]

Hi haraton

I was writing a reply to you before you posted your video. Here's the reply:

The default Robotis Motion files are designed to work correctly out of the box with any Bioloid (Type A from the video).

As for your questions about the DMS and A/D ports, the CM510 has 6 A/D ports.
The Gyro takes 2 ports, the DMS takes 1 port. You should still have 3 available A/D ports on the CM-510. See here http://support.robotis.com/en/product/a ... manual.htm

As for the other IR sensors you can place them wherever you find more convenient. In practice you only really need the one in the chest.
The others are plain IR sensors and their readings can be used for object sensing (not as accurate as the Sharp sensor) but they can also detect for example ambient light. You can for example use them to distinguish dark from light based on the readings.


As a second part of the post and after seeing your video you have either got an issue with the assembly or with the Zero on the servos.
Make sure the cables are not too tight and that they don't constraint the movement of the servos (if the cable is too small or is stuck in a joint for example the servo may be unable to move all the way and be held back by the cable)

Also check the Zero on the servos. i think your issue may also be acused by the Zero setting. Using Roboplus Manager move the servos to position 0 (check that the frames don't limit the movement) and look at the horn.
The servo horn has a small line that should align with a second line on the servo casing.
Sometimes they don't align properly and cause this kind of behaviour. This can because by the horn being mis assembled or sometimes it's a matter of fine tuning.

You can fine tune the Zero using the Robotis software (I don't recall how you do it but I know it's possible to adjust this).
Check your manual and Robotis tech support site.

Regards
Pedro.

[torne]

Salut haratron
Ton probleme pour se lever vient des jambes .
Tu as monté les pieces au dessus du genoux a l'enver.
les U les plus grand
sur le guide de montage shema A11.

Bon courage

[haratron]

Merci beaucoup torne!! Tu es très attentif!
Maintenant, il peut se relever, mais le problème avec la tour reste ..

torne solved the problem with the getting up, I had assembled some parts of the legs upside down (I hadn't seen there was a difference from one side to another) !

The problem with the turning though still remains..
The turning got worse when I disassembled the torso and pushed the cables inside. Could it be that the gyro or the servos inside are affected or something?

Edit: Thank you PedroR also for your answer, it was very helpful!

Damn and I was almost sure that the assembly problem identified by torne would solve both problems..

[haratron]

Ok I have shot a video that shows the problem in detail. I have tried to move all servos to position 0 (512) as PedroR suggested. This was done with the default pose (select new row and click on add step in RoboPlus Motion, I do that at the start of the video). Servo with ID 8 goes out (its LED blinks) almost immediately, servo with ID 7 is taking all the space so there is no room for the left leg to move into that position. Everything else is fine.
I think it will be very easy for you to identify what the problem is (but for some reason I can't see it, I'm too stupid, too inexperienced or both) after watching the video and the following picture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvq-OmR6JOw
http://img848.imageshack.us/i/servo7.jpg/ (servo with ID 7 in correct position)

Please help me, this is driving me crazy. I have assembled and disassembled so many times, without luck so far.

[Fritzoid]

Hi haratron,

You don't want to set servos 7 and 8 to position 511. The "home" position for servo 7 is about 357 and the "home" position for servo 8 is around 665. This is because these two servos are aligned at 45 degrees off of center. 45 degrees translates to 154 position places which must be added or subtracted from the normal home position 511 to get the correct setting.

To make the changes PerdroR was talking about you need to use RoboPlus Motion. First connect to the robot then select "Edit Motion Offset" from the Robot(R) menu. This brings up the servo offset editor which allows you to fine tune the servo center positions.

[haratron]

Hello Fritzoid,

PedroR mentioned:

The default Robotis Motion files are designed to work correctly out of the box with any Bioloid (Type A from the video).

So why would it (roboblus motion) try to move servo 7 and 8 to 511? It should work out of the box. I don't get it.

I already have them assembled as you say.

[PedroR]

Hi haratron

From your latest video I can now better understand the problem.
We did a similar mistake when we assembled our own PREMIUM kit for Markerfaire last month.

Your error is in steps A15 and A17 of the Assembly Manual.

When you are assembling the F5 bracket, you first need to rotate the HORN of the Servo so that the small line on the HORN is pointing to the corner: Pay CAREFUL attention to the schematics with the Exclamation point on step A15 and A17.

Because your frames probably are in the wrong position relative to the servo horn, the Bioloid will not walk properly.


In addition since you've been playing around with the software, I recommend you Re-Download the sample code from Robotis and Download it to the Robot:
Step 1: open the MOTION file in R+ Motion and Download to the robot)
Step 2: then open the ACTION file is "R+ Action" and download to the Robot

These files can be downloaded here http://support.robotis.com/en/product/b ... m_demo.htm
Since you have a type A humanoid (I think), you need files http://support.robotis.com/en/baggage_f ... pea_en.tsk and http://support.robotis.com/en/baggage_f ... pea_en.mtn from that page.

Regards
Pedro

[haratron]

Hi PedroR,

I have it already that way as you can see in the last picture I posted. The horn is alined with the line but the hip is rotated, so when it is in proper position the horn will go 45 degrees to the right.

Here's two new pictures of the robot standing straight. Isn't this how it is supposed to be?
http://img848.imageshack.us/i/leg1.jpg/
http://img12.imageshack.us/i/leg2n.jpg/

I even did as you said and redownloaded the default motion and task files (downloaded from the robotis site) into the robot. Same thing.

[PedroR]

Hi haratron

I've compared your pics to our Bioloid and the assembly seems OK.

If you re downloaded the motion files to the robot and if the assembly is correct then it should be working properly.

There are two other things if you still can't get it working:
1) try assembling it as Type B or C and download the corresponding motion files (please note that type B and Type C require different motion files. they are available on the robotis website http://support.robotis.com/en/product/b ... m_demo.htm)

2) The only other thing is that you require assistance from the place where you purchased it (be sure to contact them first, before sending!). You might be able to send the Robot over for them to check.
However if no Manufacturing defect is found you might have to pay the shipping costs though.

Regards
Pedro.

[Fritzoid]

haratrom,

Before you get too carried away I suggest that you reevaluate the robot's motion in a better environment than we have seen so far.

While the wood floor at your place seem like a natural location to test your robot, it may actually be the source of some of your troubles. I can't tell if our floor is waxed or not but my guess is that it's pretty hard and slick. Try putting down some cardboard or thin padding. In short, you could use a little more friction!

Wood floors tend to be a little uneven, especially around the seams, even small irregularities in the floor can cause the robot to jerk about. If the foot fails to make good contact at multiple points then the robot can swivel or fall when walking. That's what happens at my house!

Also, is your floor perfectly level ? A tilted surface will cause the robot to favor one direction over another.

Finally, some error in tracking will be caused by the performance differences between individual servos. One leg may be stronger than the other or a little bit faster. One should expect the walk to be off by a few degrees even under the best of circumstances.