Servo Robotics (Oct. 2007)

SERVO Magazine is published monthly for the next generation of robotic experimenters. Servo is about Robotics, Beginner, intermediate or advanced, it doesn't matter. If you're into Robotics, Servo is for you. A definite must-read for anyone interested in building or learning about robots.

INSIDE :

Build A Vex Wireless Joystick Controller
by Daniel Ramirez

Utilize Hollywood-style special effects like slow motion, fast forward, and single step that will bring your robot to life!

The Vex wireless joystick controller shown in Photo 1 features the capability to send joystick

positions and button states to a nearby robot or animatronic device using a Maxstream XBee PRO Wireless UART running at 115200 baud, 8N1. The enclosure shown is made from a large plastic box with an LCD display, two Vex analog joysticks, two keypads, and one potentiometer (motor speed control), along with an array of switches and LEDs. A wireless controller provides a safe way to “train” robots at a distance for various movements. You can also attach the controller to a laptop to run obstacle avoidance and navigation algorithms. If your robot has an arm and/or wrist and gripper, the controller will provide a way to operate these remotely to pick up objects. A future enhancement to the wireless joystick would be to have it sense the tilt of the joystick box itself using XYZ accelerometers (Freescale SARD; see Sources). These tilt angles would then be scaled and converted to servo and motor commands and transmitted to the robot via the XBee PRO wireless UART.

Target Practice For Robotics Class
by Michael Chan

Turn a dusty, old printer into a fun shooting range and learn some basic electronic principles you
can apply to future robot builds.

I miss the old days as a kid at carnivals. In particular, I always enjoyed knocking over the ducks in the shooting range. To mix things up a bit for the students in my robotics class, I came up with the idea of turning an old matrix printer into a shooting gallery. I felt this would be a great training exercise that would demonstrate basic electronic principles and show that you can turn junk into just about anything.

Perhaps you'll be able to teach your kids (or yourself!) some basic skills to apply on future robot projects!

Building An Android Arm - Part 1
by Mark Miller

Building robotic limbs is the double whammy of engineering problems. You need the design to offer strength to be useful, yet lightweight to be practical. Then there’s the issue of compactness. Fortunately, I have managed to come up with some reasonable options that are both affordable and functional. The arm presented here will have three powered joints, with the capability to add a fourth degree of freedom (DOF) later.

I tend to build larger robots, so I need an arm able to lift at least a pound or two. The arm we’ll be building will be about 19 inches long. You will have the option of adjusting the length, however, to fit your specific design.

CAN Networking Miniature Style
by Fred Eady

Last time, I mentioned that I may be able to get my hot little hands on a happen to have in my possession the ONLY Firgelli L12 miniature linear tricky Firgelli miniature linear and all you need to know about how to miniature linear actuator. Well, you’re in luck. As of this very moment, I just actuator in the world. Before we’re done, you’ll have the low-down on the code it into the electromechanical side of your actuator robotic designs.

GPS - Part 1
by Michael Simpson

Each of the modules can be used with your desktop PC, laptop, Pocket PC, or a microcontroller. All the units output the National Electrical Manufacturers Assocation (NEMA) 0183 protocol, as do many GPS modules. Later, I will give you a walk through NEMA 0183 protocol.

M-Bot - Part 2
by Ron Hackett

Last month, in Part 1 of this series, we assembled the chassis and power supply circuitry for M-bot, an autonomous robot which uses the eight-pin PICAXE-08M microcontroller as its only processing power. This month, we will take a detailed look at M-bot’s circuitry. In addition, we will present two simple software routines that will enable M-bot to avoid obstacles, and to respond to visible light levels in its environment. Finally, we will suggest a couple of possible modifications and improvements you might want to consider as you carry out your own experiments with M-bot.

NEEMO 12
by Doug Porter

Space can be a dangerous place and the Moon and Mars are too far away for a quick 911 call. How will NASA deal with medical emergencies in space? That is one question that Dr. Timothy Broderick, MD, a “surgeon with the University of Cincinnati is trying to answer.

Dr. Broderick is part of a research mission called NEEMO 12. NEEMO stands for NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations, which are analog missions. That is, missions that simulate conditions in space or on another planet to prepare for manned space exploration. Dr. Broderick and a crew made up of astronauts Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Jose Hernandez, as well as NASA flight surgeon Josef Schmid and crewmembers James Talacek and Dominic Landucci, spent 12 days this May, at the bottom of the sea. Not as astronauts, but as aquanauts.