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CE - Editor
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I'm a Crazy Electronics Hacker & Engineer
Join Date: 2nd October 2006 Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 500
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This is one of the few ongoing Crazy Engineers projects.
Project Goal (General): Design and develop a medium sized robot with the given specifications. Project Objectives (Listed in Priority + Timewise): 1. Discuss the specifications of the bot, physical size and its use. What is the bot for? What functions will it perform? The Why and What. TIME: 1 week. 2. Draft a rough model. List what all modules would you like to see on the bot? Processor? Motors? Motor drive? Power source? Webcam? Ethernet? Parallel com, Serial com, USB com, etc TIME: 1 week 3. Put the modules together, each module must have specific Input Output relation with the main on board processor. TIME 2 weeks. We will first finish with these steps and then follow through. Anyone who has an idea can take part but remember the format!! Give your idea, then support it with good reasoning, then point to any sites and/or documentations to further support it. At the end of the 2nd objective, I would like to see the serious contributers make a powerpoint presentation (you can make it on Google Documents) and upload it here or on google docs. I will add more when I see enthusiastic response to this project. xhx, hope you don't mind me adding some stuff here. -ash Please check http://www.celab.tk to view the progress Current contributors: xheavenlyx (project leader), ash, bayazidahmed, gohm, sanih, raj87verma88, joe3204
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MY BLOG (Checkitout for Projects, blah, and electronics. Search!) Electronics and Life w0000000t! Hack-A-Day Last edited by ash : 29th April 2008 at 11:27 AM. Reason: adding stuff |
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I'm a Crazy Communications Engineer
Join Date: 12th July 2007 Location: IIUM, Malaysia
Posts: 872
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Great work, man. However, maybe we should extend the deadline a little
I've got number of different ideas. But since we MIGHT have some interest with the Google Lunar X challenge, here's my initial draft. 1. The bot will be a rover-like vehicle, able to traverse over rough surfaces to get from point A to B. It'll be able to detect objects with the use of image-processing and other proximity sensors. Cameras will be used to record data and wirelessly transmit data to a computer. On the computer, the data can be processed to create some kinda terrain map. 3D perhaps? The bot itself can be autonomous or remote control. If autonomous, the bot detects some beacon at point B and goes to it while avoiding obstacles (obstructions, holes, traps?) and taking data. The size is relatively small, maybe the footprint would not be larger than a standard magazine. So, with that, we have all sorts of engineering disciplines involved. I'll update it once I get more ideas.
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I'm a Crazy Communications Engineer
Join Date: 12th July 2007 Location: IIUM, Malaysia
Posts: 872
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Great contribution bro!
Yeah, we are not really working on an actual Lunar Bot that will be sent to the moon, but a normal rover that does similar functions (ie navigate over a rough surface, collect data, transmit data etc). xheavenlyx, thats a good point about using it for rescue purposes. If we plan to go vertical, we might look at the use of legs instead of wheels (like a spider). Reminds me of the topic we discussed here: Rescue the boy from the borewell - better way? Low power consumption We'll try keeping most of the processing offline, so that the bot does not consume much power. That would also include using a wireless transmitter with a good range to power ratio. Low power = small battery supply = reduced weight and size. But remember guys, the transmission channel may not always be perfect! You must consider the fact there is interference, and that the bot is not stationary. If we plan to use microcontroller, we must design the circuitry as efficient as possible. Now we need a balance between cost/efficiency like proper voltage regulators, etc. For storage, we can use the a flash storage like bayazid suggested. It'll probably act to store robot instructions as well as a buffer for data (since we are transmitting it off later). However, if you want to change the bot's role to collect all data first, then we may need a bigger storage solution. We need a rough sketch of the bot. Very hard to visualize with just words. Later, mechanical/mechatronic CEans can draft them on CAD software Quote:
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CE - Editor
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I'm a Crazy Electronics Hacker & Engineer
Join Date: 2nd October 2006 Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 500
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Good Ideas!
Quote:
7. Motion mechanism: How about something of the likes of this, but not the same: http://therawfeed.com/pix/bomb_robot.jpg http://www.nato.int/pictures/2003/031007/b031007ab.jpg Ash, programming the legs can take up a lot of processing power! Since even in a vertical drop, a legged robot cannot be more productive then a wheeled, because anyway we will be hoisting it down with a rope! If we design a legged, then we have to concentrate on the mechanism and programming. We can have another project in the future with a snake like moving ability or legged, even I want to do something different than wheels, but for this one we can have a tank type drive. What do you think? And as for the outer design and chassis, we will do that after we finalize the components |
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I'm a Crazy Communications Engineer
Join Date: 12th July 2007 Location: IIUM, Malaysia
Posts: 872
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I'm down with fever, so I can't think of any new ideas to contribute
In terms of weight, we can just use the motherboard.. no need for the laptop chasis. You'll just have one big ass PIC board then. What else.. um, as ahmed said about the parallel port, I guess we need to multiplex it I like the tank track idea. Looks cooler However, im still an advocate of using low power. What processor does the Acer laptop have, xhx?
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CE - Editor
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I'm a Crazy Electronics Hacker & Engineer
Join Date: 2nd October 2006 Location: Dubai, UAE
Posts: 500
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Firstly here is the links for the ACER Extensa 500 laptop.
Extensa 500 On-line Help: Main Frame
Ok, now the problems of I/O. Two solutions exist, in my head, you can add in too! 1. Using multiplexers. This can get a bit complicated (havent thought on this one) but is possible to get 32 or 64 bits from 8 bit I/O. One disadvantage is that, the mux are non-intelligent devices. How? : 2. Using simple PIC mCs connected to the PP and Serial: Think of a multinational company. We have the board members (main processor), the managing directors of each division (PIC's connected to the Proc.), the workers (modules, sensors connected to PIC's). This way we can have more ADC's (Analog to Digital Converters), more Inputs and more outputs. PIC's have interupts to stop a processes in emergencies. They can either do their own calculations and take an action or simply report to the processor. Software wise we can have C functions specifically written to program the PIC's whenever needed through the Serial port! Now the tough part is sitting down and designing the protocol and methods. I am willing to help on that. What do you guys think? Of this looooong and tiring post *** *EDIT* *** Oh, yea, and another method is using a network of PIC's connected to each other and forming an intelligent network. Each one can take own modules to control, using their own head, or talking to each other to know the status and take actions. |
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