My first thought was a hex-a-pod I would pre-print...

 

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:62955/#files

 

I also considered each Scout making an InMoov head from the neck up, but printing time scares me ;-P

I am told we will have between 20 and 40 Scouts in the class, the goal is something educational and for each Scout to take home a robot. My buget is $180 max per Scout but they would like me to keep it around $120.

 

Many of the adults I am working with would like something the scouts could control with their smart phones, but this is not a requirement.

 

Any ideas or sugjestions would be greatly apreciatted.

 

wkinne

kmc'c robot is sweet, does it run on MyRobotLab? If so how does it do it with no cable going to a PC? I thought that was required?

Working it over the phone would be boss and make the hex-a-pod a great project for the scouts, I assume movement could be done with python by me through trail and error?

I am still working : (

but it has slowed down  : )

I am going to start repringing InMoov in ABS, the PLA has losened up over time and abuse lol (the shoulders mostly)

 

wkinne

GroG

9 years 4 months ago

does it run on MyRobotLab? 

Not at the moment - but I believe it will .. kmc gerald is still working on it, although its a well established project - http://www.projectbiped.com/prototypes/rofi

If so how does it do it with no cable going to a PC?

MRL requires a computer to run - kmcgerald has several options - he can drive it from his computer using bluetooth and an Arduino with bluetooth module on the ROFI, Or he could put a raspi on the bot itself with a wifi dongle - that would allow him to drive it from his phone or another computer 

Cables are not required to have MRL control things

Same thing with the hexa-pod - if it has a raspi - its readily controllable by phone or computer ...

 

 

So MyRobotLab will run on a Raspi? And then no need for an Arduino?

 

wkinne

GroG

9 years 4 months ago

Yes, but you would need something like this  - http://www.adafruit.com/product/815 - it can drive up 16 servos (if you have enough power)

The BeagleBoard Black I believe can drive a servo directly from one of its PWM pins - I think the BeaglBoard was designed with more intent on interfacing other small devices (like servos).

I believe kmcgerald has gotten MRL to run on the BeagleBoard .. I have one too, but I borked it by running out of space and I haven't tried to fix it yet (too many other projects on my plate)

I am now pushing for each Scout to make an InMoov Head. I have total costs at about $160 so it is within my budget, I have also contacted HobbKing for a discount on the servo's for such a large order and my filament supplier.

 

I hope I don't wear out my printer lol

 

I would design a stand for the head, it would be so cool! Each Scout would go home with a moving, talking InMoov head! I would teach them to program conversations in Python on MyRobotLab, I think this would be supper cool!

 

This is a Boy Scouts of America High Adventure Camp inside of a non-High Adventure camp, so about 600 Scouts would be exposed to InMoov's head at our end of camp demo!

 

I am really pumped about this project. I am doing the printing free of charge so I hope Gael is ok with this. I also am a volunteer so I am not being paid to teach the class.

 

wkinne

GroG

9 years 4 months ago

Wow .. great idea !

This would be huge exposure..  let me know where I can help .. Ya Exciting !

How's your teeth doing?

Back in 10/12/2011 - http://myrobotlab.org/node/118

They are not without problems..   You have to "pair" them .. the security can be a PITA on several operating systems.  But yes I have successfully used them with MRL.

They "look" like a serial port - and if you can correctly connect to them - they act like a serial port too.. which MRL can do....

Smart phone would work for a serial connection .. but the InMoov stuff "running" on a smart phone has not been tested ....

But we are always cutting edge no?

Hi again Grog,

The BlueTooth would be for the Hex-A-Pod only, not the InMoov head, the powers that be have decided we should offer the boys both.

Another concern is how I would power the Arduino Mega, since I need to run 18 servo's it is prolly my best choice? I want to use MRL if possable since I know how to use it somewhat ;-P

A 6 volt 4.5 AH battery will fit into the space I have but the Ardiuno requires a minimum of 7 volts. So a second battery? That would stink, can you think of better options? 

I found a hex-a-pod concept design that is requiring me to do a lot of moddifications in blender, learning new tricks is hard for this old dog lol

But I really could use your input on Hex-A-Pod control, if I use MRL I am confident I can teach the Scouts to write python so they can make it dance, run, walk, lift its head, stuff like that.

 

Thanks again for all you do,

wkinne

This Oddbot could be the answer to my hex-a-pod problems, but I do not see his sample software he speaks of.

What am I not seeing?

 

wkinne

Thanks again GroG, this looks perfect, it uses 3 servo's per leg and works without cables to a PC.

When I get one running I will bug you for BlueTooth help ;-P

 

cash is tight but I will be donating when people decide to pay me ;-P ( the only drawback to being self employed )

 

wkinne

wkinne

9 years 4 months ago

Here is a picture of the ABS head and one leg to the Hex-A-Pod, the Hex-A-Pod is going to be much bigger than I thought. But the Thingiverse one I am redoing is way too small, using very small servo's and it had no room for electronics.

Resizing the Hex-A-Pod has been very time consuming, but it looks like it is totally going to be worth it.

Here is the Thingiverse link..  http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:62955/#files

\

 

 

 

 

 

 

I just have to have it working in time lol

I hope mid July is enough time.

The Ant will be like three feet long and over two feet wide, I think the Scouts will freek -P

 

wkinne

After printing the first body part over night I can see that the spider wont be as long as I thought, an updated estament is now about 2' X 2' which is much more managable.

 

Printing the body is close to the sze limits of my printer, it is provung to be a test of will ;-P

wkinne

9 years 3 months ago

Well here is my start:

 

 

 

Printed in ABS I had on hand so not color cordinated ;-P

I am concerned with battery life, not sure how long a 2800 mAh will last.

Also buying a wireless PS2 controler, I have found several libraries to try.

I may still have to widen the main body a little to make more room for electronics, I really hate the idea of mounting a bird nest on top of such a sweet looking robot ;-P

 

wkinne

WOW! 

I got it working! My $12.99 PS2 wireless clone talks to my Arduino Mega!

Bill Poter @ http://www.billporter.info/ has a PS2 library that does all the work, very sweet!

You should borg it into MRL GroG, I had to add a attemp loop and a delay(50) and BAM!

while(attempts<25) { //loop around until a PS2 controller is found or we've attempted 25 times
error = ps2x.config_gamepad(13,11,10,12, false, false);   //setup pins and settings:  GamePad(clock, command, attention, data, Pressures?, Rumble?) check for error
if((error==0)||(error==3)) attempts=26; //PS2 controller was found, or found with pressure disabled so we'll get out of this WHILE loop 
          Serial.println(attempts);
          delay(50);
attempts++;
 
replaced:
 
 error = ps2x.config_gamepad(13,11,10,12, true, true);   //setup pins and settings:  GamePad(clock, command, attention, data, Pressures?, Rumble?) check for error
 
I am very excited to have this working!
 
It was not working so I added the Serial.println(attemts); just to make sure it was trying 25 times and the delay(50); so I could watch the attemts. It was way to fast of course but it found my PS2 wireless controller!
 
The library is named PS2X_lib and is found at https://github.com/madsci1016/Arduino-PS2X
 
 
wkinne