Robotics
Overview
This section is devoted to the robotics projects, which I hope there will eventually be a few.
I've been considering building an advanced remote controlled robot for a while now.
Unfortunately, currently (beginning of 2009) the bits and pieces that when
connected together might get it close to the desired shape, bring the price
of the project to the multiple thousands $$ range. To my standards, it is a bit
of an overkill for a do-it-for-fun stuff...
Ultimately, here is what I'd like to build:
All the controls would be connected to a PC or handheld and the data would flow
through the network to the robot's CPU and back.
- HMD with head tracking capabilities, video and audio in/out (there already are inexpensive ones available, e.g. Vuzix VR920, but the head tracking needs to be better).
- Hand movement tracking or glove for registering wrist and finger joint movements (two or three fingers).
- Wii nunchuk-like controller for movement with buttons enabling/disabling head-tracking and hand-tracking controls.
- The output data stream: audio, movement, camera and manipulator commands.
- The input data stream: audio/video (feedback from the manipulator would be cool too).
- Robot's CPU connected to low latency wireless network.
- Stairs climbing capable chassis.
- HMD controlled robot's joints (i.e. left/right and up/down head movement).
- IP or USB wide angle HD camera with built-in encoder, zoom and low light vision (connected to robot's CPU or directly to the wireless network).
- Manipulator controlled from the hand tracking input (i.e. the wrist joint and fingers).
- Manipulator joint controlled from the nunchuk.
The nunchuk would be controlling the mode of operation. When buttons are not pressed, the joystick would control the robot's movements.
The HMD and glove commands either would not be sent to the robot at all or optionally just the HMD up/down would be transmitted.
When the HMD control button is pressed the movement stops. The nunchuk joystick would control zoom and manipulator's arm middle joint,
and the head movement would control the manipulator's platform yaw and arm's pitch.
When the glove tracking button is pressed, the movement and HMD tracking stops.
The nunchuk would control the manipulator's platform yaw and extending the arm, the glove would control the fingers and the wrist's pitch and roll.
When in the movement mode, the forward command turns the chassis to align with the current view direction.
That's the ultimate plan. So far I have only experimented and played with WowWee Rovio.
Despite of some problems I find that robot quite amusing and even useful. It helps watching kids while
working on the computer (at least they think they are being watched). It would be great if WowWee
release the robot's code (apparently they used some GPL code in the firmware).
Without the code it is not that much fun.