Battery Charging, or Tires Warming? (Video)

BryanB’s line-following robot “Arty” got better times with each loop at Fall Chibotica 2007.

Although a small factor, the warmth the tires got from running may have caused them to get more traction. The added traction would have then caused the robot’s tires to slip less, and the robot would go faster. 

–Scotty

RoboPhilo is Shipping!

After the quick wait compared to Pleo, RoboPhilo is shipping!

“Kilroym42″ said (although I have not confirmed it true) that due to recent lead paint on toys, RoboPhilo may come with decals or instructions on how to paint RoboPhilo yourself, until they receive the needed certificates to export.

Check out my previous post about RoboPhilo.

RoboPhilo Store

–Scotty

Best Humanoid Hits (Video)

At Fall Chibotica 2007 (hosted by Chibots), which was held at iHobby Expo, there were a few very good humanoid punches, served by Trossen Robotics’ RBT-1, Mike’s RoboNova-1, and Royce’s RoboNova-1! Watch the video below to see the best hits!

(Note: RBT-1 is the blue robot. Mike’s robot, Boomer, is the RoboNova-1 with Matt’s Grippers. Royce’s robot is the other RoboNova-1)

–Scotty

Robotis Booth at iHobby Expo 2007 (Video)

The Robotis booth was impressive at iHobby Expo 2007!

About 20 Bioloid kits where on a table, programmed, on, and ready to play with (um, test).

Also the big black humanoid (I think it’s called “URIA”), was very cool, and interactive! The screen in the robot’s “chest”, was a screen for an imbeded Windows XP computer with a Korean languge pack.

Robotis

–Scotty

RoboPhilo, Cheap? (Videos)

I have been wondering since I first heard about RoboPhilo, ”where did they cut the money?” I think Mike Overstreet, answered this best in his recent write-up on Robots Dreams: 

“The light weight frame makes more sense because of the low torque of the servos. This made me think. What if you could buy the robot now and then upgrade the servos and the brackets at a later date? That is when I realized that this was a Robonova-1 dressed in a cheap disguise.”

My thoughts of RoboPhilo, from what I saw at iHobby Expo 2007, are:

• Cool (in general).
• Torque is low in the servos, may restrict heavy add-ons.
• A bit shaky, not solid firm movements.
• Plastic (not good or bad).
• User friendly, utilizes a graphical interface for newbies, yet soon you will be able to program in “C” with an add-on SDK.
• Servos will be up-gradeable, no price set.

It is clear that you can not fight against a RoboNova-1, with RoboPhilo, but you could start a RoboPhilo group so that with hacks, all robots will be more or less in the same class.

If you have the money to buy a RoboNova-1, RBT-1, Bioloid, etc. you should get one of those, but if you don’t have a $1,000 to spend, RoboPhilo seems to be worth the $500 USD ($400 USD for the kit), and with RoboPhilo you can “upgrade as you go!”

If you get the kit for RoboPhilo, you will get to see the workings of the humanoid robot, and save yourself $100 USD over the pre-built.

Add-ons, like gyros, extra servos, and acelometors are possible, because RoboPhilo has 8 extra I/O ports and 4 un-used servo channel ports on the hacker favorite Atmel powered controller.

I’m sure we will be seeing cool software, and hardware hacks in the near future on RoboPhilo!

 

–Scotty

iHobby 2007, Meeting Internet Friends!

I went to iHobby Expo last Sunday, October 21, 2007, and met, and made friends!

When I arrived at iHobby Expo at about 9:00 A.M. CST, I went straight back to the pits to make sure my robot worked. About 30 minutes later Mike (also known as “Gort”) showed up with his robot Boomer (see below)!

After my Lego Sumo robot, “Mean Puppy”, was ready I headed over to the Chibots booth and found Steve Hassenplug from Team Hassenplug, Royce Pipkins leader of Chibots (thanks Royce for the great time)!

By the end of the day I had many more friends that I’m sure I’ll be talking to again! Two are Bryan Bonahoom, and Rick Brooks (creator of “ExSpurt”, to only name one robot).

Bryan (right) and me after we got our medals for Lego Sumo:

–Scotty

MINDS-i, Tough, Strong, Universal!

After I won third place with Mean Puppy in Lego Sumo, I headed over to the neighboring booth, MINDS-i. At first I was skeptical, okay it was not robotics, but like most other booths I stopped by to see what was going on. Mike Marzetta, inventor of MINDS-i, came up to me, and started explaining his ideas for his creation. Something kept me there at the booth; maybe it was his nice personality, maybe the pure coolness of this new invention!

He started by showing me the Buggy:

Then he showed me a rock crawler. At this point it grabbed me: the rock crawler had a Pro-Line body and 2.2 official rock crawling Pro-Line wheels and tires! 

I’ve been waiting for a product where you can use other brands parts, and are not controlled by the company!

If you look at the above picture you can see white “loops” for stock 7.2 volt batteries for power, just above the axels! Not only does this let the robot/RC car have a low CG for climbing, you can use the old 7.2 packs that are on the workbench; NO need to buy “MINDS-i” battery packs (if you don’t have any batteries, just buys yours from MINDS-i)!

Look at this picture:

Stock servos, too!

It all did not set in until I handled the 6 wheel base:

(Notice the Futaba plug and the shocks)

It was not heavy, but light, very strong, and had killer looks!

A combat ‘robot’ is even possible to make with the MINDS-i parts!

Take a close look at the interlocking parts:

While at first it may seem to look like specially-made camoflash part(s) outside of this tank. After a closer look these same parts can be used on other creations also. 

The wiring of the 6 wheeler:

(a stock motor)

On the flyer it says:

“By adding hobby-industry compatible wheels, motors, servos, radios, shocks and more, MINDS-i enables you to ignite your imagination and maximize your fun. For the highest-quality upgrade components, look no further than MINDS-i.”

Of course like most other products, there are those “I just don’t know…” with this one also. Like how would this hold up against a ‘real’ R/C car? Can you put in a brush-less system? How much weight could a Minds-i creation hold? Does every part work with every other part [I mean this up to a point]?

The MINDS-i products are just begging for a microcontroller and a CMU camera!

I was, and am, amazed! YOU control your robots, NOT the company you buy it from!

Coming Spring 2008!

MINDS-i

–Scotty

Pleo is COMING SOON!!!

I got an email from UGOBE today, saying that Pleo will be released in October 2007, with the price tag of $350 USD.

They say the higher then expected price is because of “higher quallity parts”, reqiered to make Pleo “life like”.

Check out UGOBE’s new website for pleo.   

Link:

Pleo’s Site 

–Scotty

The 4th, Robot Style!

I’m going to try to have a robotic firework show.

I’m thinking about using the 16 sensor ports on a Vex Robotics Controller, hooked up to Estes “Rocket-motor-starter-burner-things”, to light the fireworks.

At this time I do not know how exactly I will do everything, like if the controller has enough voltage to light everything.

I will try to take a video, but it may go off too fast.  

Updates to come…

 –Scotty

G’Day in the UK! Day 1

Some of you may have known that I was in England from May 29 to June 12, to see the gardens, the castles, and take some pictures of robots. I had a GREAT time. The food was good too. I took a lot of pictures, and some videos, so check them out.

Day 1

 

The trip really started on the plane, when I found three stow-aways, named “Zam”, “Thorg”, and “Ogo”, in my carry on bag.

 

At The Tower Of London, I saw the crowns.

Day two, coming soon.

 –Scotty