December 2011
Servo Magazine
PR Lite - Four High School Roboticists Roll Their Own PR2
Features
The Robotis OLLO Explorer
Take an indepth look at this great robot starter kit for kids of all ages.
2011 VEX Robotics World Championship
Over 10,000 participants joined in this classic competition that included not only VEX events, but also BEST match-ups, Coast Guard AROW water robots, plus the first Boy Scouts to earn the new robotics badge.
A Play Day With Sunray
So many radios ... so little time. This month, Fred takes you to his sandbox. An RF sandbox, that is. However, you won't find any shovels or buckets in this box. And, the building material isn't sand. It's silicon building blocks that have been specifically engineered to emit radio waves.
Intelligent Vacuum leaner Systems
Explore advanced behaviors in robotic commercial products through simulation.
Harvest Energy for Your Robots With the EnerChip
Once you understand how energy harvesting works, you can apply this knowledge to your own low power robotic projects.
Meet the Swiss Army Knife of Robotics: the Cerebot 32MX7
Whether it be robotics, remote control, telemetry, Internet services, CAN networking, or an I/O intensive application, the Digilent Cerebot 32MX7 board plugs physically and logically into the center of the action.
Maker Breaker: The Scoop on Robotics at the Bay Area Maker Faire 2011
Take a quick look at some of the robots that made it to this year’s Maker Faire.
ComBots Cup V — Big Bad Bots Bash Bumpers in the Bay Area
See the big-time participants and the ultimate winner in this classic clash of the titaniums.
Designing A Low Cost Laser Range Finder — Part 2
This final installment completes our journey with a look into the final hardware design and functionality of the laser range finder.
Experimenting With Unconventional Wheels
Put a new spin on your robot base with omni or mecanum style wheels.
PennBots is Alive and Well!
See what happened when PennBots, Harrisburg University, and the National Electronics Museum hooked up to host some robot competitions.
A New Paradigm in Hobby Robotics
Many industries successfully use the “simulate then deploy” principle. Apply it to your next robot build and you’ll soon see the advantages to this technique.
Introducing the Cypress PSoC 5
The Cypress PSoC is a programmable “system on chip” device which includes all the functions of a traditional microcontroller, in addition to programmable analog and digital blocks. This combination allows for a single chip solution for many robotics projects.
Making Robots With the Arduino — Part 7
Putting It All Together.
Double Your USB Pleasure With Cerebot
What do you get when you throw a little USB, some SPI, and a PmodRF2 into a MiWi stew? If you cook up all of those ingredients in a Cerebot 32MX7 pot, you will end up with a mechanically inclined 32-bit RF-capable robotic controller. This month, Fred shows you how to use various Digilent Pmods and the Microchip MiWi stack to establish an RF data link between a pair of Digilent Cerebot 32MX7s.
Experience the Emperor Pinguino
Pinguino is an Arduino-like board based on a PIC microcontroller. This article explores some of the features of the EDTP Electronics Emperor version ... and only hits the tip of the iceberg.
CPLDs — Part 4: HDL Programming
Now that you have a better idea of what a CPLD is and what it can do, it’s time to introduce and begin using HDL (hardware description language).
CPLDs — Part 1: An Introduction
Anyone involved with digital electronics should become familiar with complex programmable logic devices. This tutorial will take you through the paces, culminating with a demonstration of how to incorporate a CPLD to control a mobile robotics platform.
CPLDs — Part 2: Graphical Programming of a CPLD
We’ll get right into some CPLD programming and look at breadboarding and testing, as well.
Meet the Swiss Army Knife of Robotics: the Cerebot 32MX7 — Part 2
This time, you’ll tailor the Microchip TCP/IP stack to drive a PmodWiFi module. Plus, you’ll also customize the USB Host portion of the Applications Library to help persuade the Cerebot 32MX7 to host a USB thumb drive.
Make Your Robot’s Wires Extinct
Find out about a new 8051-based powerhouse that will allow you to lose the wire connection to the microcontroller in your robot.
Book Review The Arduino Cookbook
I would rank it five out of five stars for a reference book.
Getting Started With FPGAs — Part 1
FPGAs are ICs found in some of the latest electronics products. This two-part series begins with a quick introduction to field programmable gate arrays to get you started experimenting with them.
Adding Vision: Interfacing With RoboRealm
For many hobbyists, giving their robot the gift of sight is one of their ultimate goals. RoboRealm is an application that can make adding vision painless by providing easy-to-use modules.
Designing A Low Cost Laser Range Finder — Part 1
Joe takes us on his journey in developing a laser range finder, from beginning concepts to finished product.
Give Your Robot the Bootloader
Bootloading provides a very useful layer of control. Once the base bootloader code is loaded into your robot’s program Flash, you can read, write, and erase it without having to use a hardware programmer.
CPLDs — Part 3: Simulating a Digital Design
This installment shows you how to simulate your digital logic design in Xilinx Isim.
YT4 Human Robot
This robot build can interact, communicate, and utilize functional hands, arms, and elbows.
Programming the LEGO NXT: An Alternative Approach Suitable For Developing Tomorrow’s Engineers
LEGO makes building robots easier, and now programming a LEGO NXT can be just as easy. Learn about the open-source LegoLibrary.bas.
Using Advanced Sensors With VEX
“Hear Me, See Me, Feel Me, Touch Me ...” Learn about the dif ferent VEX sensors available that can give your projects a real “sense” of things.
PR Lite — Build Your Own PR2 Running ROS
Discover how a motivated high school team and their mentor fathers combined resources to build their own version of the high-end PR2.
Making Robots With the Arduino — Part 4
Getting Feedback With Sensors.
Projects
Making Robots With the Arduino — Part 6
Follow That Line!
A Single Axis Robotic Arm With End Effector
Arm your robot with this Space Shuttle inspired version that uses a snare for picking up objects.
A UART/SPI Monitor for Your Micro — Part 2
This month, we’ll finish off the tool that lets us “peek under the hood” of our controller and then we’ll put it into a useable housing.
Build This Beginner Bot (For Under $20) — Part 2
This time, we’ll replace the manual switch control with fully automatic electronic function, so our robot will react to light.
The NXT Big Thing #7
Eddie 2.0 does Sumo.
A UART/SPI Monitor for Your Micro
Need to see what’s going on inside your controller or what it is saying to its peripherals? This SPI/UART snooper might be just the ticket. It is done in surface-mount on a universal SMT prototyping board, just for fun.
Building Bots From Found Parts
There’s virtually no limit to the number and type of items you can use in your robot projects. Find out just how easy it is to build your own “no-cut” robot out of ready-made parts available at your local hardware store.
Upgrading the Boe-Bot — Part 2
This last installment will show you how to add infrared remote control, line following sensors, a compass, and an infrared range sensor.
Making Robots With the Arduino — Part 5
Adding sensors to explore the world.
VEX Stepper Motor Control Experiments
This time, build a simpler version of the SunBot with beefier stepper motors that are powerful enough to directly drive the solar panel’s azimuth and elevation axes.
CPLDs — Part 5: A CPLD Project
For the last installment of this series, we incorporate a CPLD to control a mobile robotics platform.
Build This Beginner Bot (For Under $20) — Part 1
All robot builders need to begin somewhere. This expandable robot base gives you a great starting point at an affordable price.
Extending the Beginner Bot With the PropBOE
In this final installment, discover how to use the Parallax Propeller to provide full autonomous control of your robot.
Build Your Own Big Walker
If you’ve ever wanted to build a full size humanoid robot, here’s your chance. Part 1 will get you started with some basic ideas and concepts.
Upgrading the Boe-Bot — Part 1
Beef up your Boe-Bot to do more than humanly possible ... well, sort of.
Using Advanced Sensors With VEX — the VR Control Glove
Turn an ordinary leather glove into a basic virtual reality control device.
Adding Smoke, Gas, and Heat Detection to Your Robot
Create your own “safety bot” by attaching sensors that can detect smoke, poisonous gasses, and high temperatures.
Control Your Steel Army With the RPM3
The Radio Packet Modem 3 is not your average embedded radio. You can communicate with one steel soldier or a whole platoon.
The NXT Big Thing #6
Meet Eddie 2.0 — the next generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS design.
Build Your Own Big Walker
Part 4. This final article will focus on the algorithm used to create a simple walk.
Build Your Own Big Walker
Part 2: Mechanical Design.
Beginner Bot Meets Arduino
In this fourth installment of our bot build, you’ll connect and program an Arduino Uno development board to run your robot in circles — literally!
Pimp My Hexapod — Part 1
Follow the transformation from a Frankenstein mixture of parts to a full upgrade for this six-legged “freak.”
Playstation Servomotor Controller Interface
This interface allows you to control six hobby servomotors using a PS2 controller.
Making Robots With the Arduino — Part 3
Inside the Arduino. This time, we’ll learn more about the Arduino and its programming.
Getting Started With FPGAs — Part 2
For this last part, a more complex and useful digital design using the Basys2 FPGA trainer will be demonstrated.
Build Your Own Big Walker
Part 3. This segment focuses on the design and implementation of the bot’s multi-processor distributed processing system.
Adding a Microcontroller to the Beginner Bot — Part 3
By moving up to a miniature computer to operate your Beginner Bot, you’ll be able to modify its action and behavior just by rewriting a few lines of code.
Columns
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits.
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
GeerHead
by David Geer
Getting A Grip: Fingerless Robot Hand Grabs, Carries, Pours, and Writes
What can you do with a latex balloon, some coffee grounds, and suction? You can create a universal jamming robotic gripper hand that can pick up anything.
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Simple Spine of Lamprey Leads to Complex Robot Limbs and Neuroprostheses.
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Knifefish Research Robot Models Undulating Fin Wave Propulsion
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
DARwIn-OP Robot
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Robonaut 2: The First Robot on the International Space Station
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
A Robot’s Touch
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Miniature Surgeons Travel Inside the Human Body
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Covert Robots
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Matt Bunting’s Hexapod Robot
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Kilobot Swarm Robots
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Lingodroids Form Their Own Language
GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
The KarmetiK Machine Orchestra
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here.
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here
Twin Tweaks
by Evan Woolley, Bryce Woolley
Twin Tweaks
Savöx Rocks
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing #8
Stay on Course!
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing #10
HiTech Fetch!
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing #11
In Control!
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing
The Sound of ... Robots?
Twin Tweaks
by Bryce Woolley, Evan Woolley
Twin Tweaks
Due Digilence
Twin Tweaks
by Bryce Woolley, Evan Woolley
Cirque Du Robot
This month, we have the opportunity to demonstrate both – an expandable platform with the LEGO NXT kit, and a multitalented sensor with the SmartSensor Lite from CATCAN Creative, Inc.
Twin Tweaks
by Bryce Woolley, Evan Woolley
Twin Tweaks
Little Robot Shop of Adventure
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing #9
Rad Radar!
Twin Tweaks
by Bryce Woolley, Evan Woolley
Twin Tweaks
Mars Needs Motherships: Meet the MINDS-i Lunar Rover
Twin Tweaks
by Bryce Woolley, Evan Woolley
Twin Tweaks
Why Did The Robot Cross The Road?
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing #12
Wii!
The NXT Big Thing
The NXT Big Thing #13
Wii Wii!
Twin Tweaks
by Evan Woolley, Bryce Woolley
Twin Tweaks
Getting Serial
The NXT Big Thing
by Greg Intermaggio
The NXT Big Thing
Meet Isotope — a Custom Robot Chassis
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
Robots: Form or Function?
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
Unique Robots Helping Mankind
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Robot Hands
Over the years, I’ve discussed all sorts of robot manipulators and arms, but most of these have been related to industrial applications.
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
Amazing Robots Arise From Junk.
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
Telepresence
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
What Does It Take to Build a Robot?
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
The Next Step in Robotics
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
New Approaches to Robotics Education
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
Mechanics for Robot Hands and Arms
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
How Robotics Has Changed Over the Years
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
Man vs. Machine
Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
A Robot in Every Home?
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits
Combat Zone
PARTS IS PARTS: Identifying Unknown Brushed DC Motors
This month’s column is blatantly stolen (Editor’s note: “researched,” not stolen!) from Professor Marco Antonio Meggiolaro’s popular book, the RioBotz Combot Tutorial.
Affordable 2.4 GHz
The principal radio frequency for many years in USA combat robotics was 75 MHz PCM.
BUILD REPORT: Apollyon 2
in The Combat ZoneConcept to Creation.
PARTS IS PARTS: DeWalt Drill Motor Mounting Solution
The 18 volt DeWalt drill is used by many robots in the 30 pound and up category.
So You Want to Fight Robots?
Turning Your Destructive Instincts into a Socially Acceptable Hobby
BUILD REPORT: Kobalos — Antweight Wedge/Rammer
in The Combat ZoneKobalos is a miniaturization of my 12 lb robot, Apollyon. The basic idea was to build something that would be as close to indestructible as possible.
BUILD REPORT: Moros — A 30 lb Angled Bar Spinner
in The Combat ZoneMoros is the third generation of my angled bar spinners. Ruiner was the original, and was built for RoboGames 2006 where it finished with a 1-2 record after having the antenna removed in the second match, which resulted in a forfeit in the third match.
BUILD REPORT: Another Brick in the Wall — Building Rudy
in The Combat ZoneIn mid 2009, I built the most recent version of my Ant brick, Gilbert.
BUILD REPORT: Trilobite — a Tough Beetleweight Brick/Wedge
Ihave long held the opinion that a good wedge/brick is the best type of bot for most beginners in the sport.
The Safe Use of Lithium Polymer or Lithium-Ion Batteries in a Combat Robot
in The Combat ZoneI recently got back from COMBOTS 5 where I was the arena wrangler. Basically, my job was to provide safety and also train several new wranglers in the procedures used in running an event. A wrangler’s job is not an easy one.
MANUFACTURING: Closed Loop Lifter Solutions
Ihave worked with embedded microcontrollers for many years. So, when I began building combat robots in 2001, I was tempted to automate something.
PARTS IS PARTS: Holmes Hobby TorqueMaster BR-XL
in The Combat ZoneWhen designing the latest versions of my 12 lb wedge and 30 lb bar spinner, I decided to look for an alternative to my relatively large and heavy Victor 883 speed controllers.
BUILD REPORT: Building Combat Arenas: A Guide to Staying Safe
Combat robots are dangerous; we can all agree about that.
POTPOURRI 3.0
This month's theme: Kids Building Combat Bots Become Better Kids.
MANUFACTURING: The Roboticist’s Guide to Plastic
in The Combat ZonePlastic has become an integral part of our society. It holds our food, is found in our automobiles, and is even on and in our bodies. It also makes a great building material for robotics.
BUILD REPORT: Building a Better Beatle Beater Bar — Part 2
This month, I will show how to create the axle, drive pulley, and flanges.
BUILD REPORT: The Great Outdoors: Combat Robots vs. Mother Nature
Robots fight. We all know this, and it is why we read this section of the magazine. However, where, and when
BUILD REPORT: Rebuilding Apollyon, Again
in The Combat ZoneSince the last build report was written, Apollyon has competed at Motorama. Apollyon took terminal damage there while achieving a 3-2 record, and yet again needed a complete rebuild.
EVENT REPORT: 2011 Chattanooga Robot Battles
in The Combat ZoneThe 2011 Chattanooga Robot Battles event was held on Saturday, January 22nd at the Chattacon Sci-Fi convention in Chattanooga, TN.
BUILD REPORT: A Team Building Exercise
My Kitbots bot hockey team “Team Scotch Pies” had competed in one event and taken part in a couple of demonstrations, but the bots were retasked for a summer camp and were less than ideal.
RioBotz Combot Tutorial Summarized – DC Motors
Editor’s note: Professor Marco Antonio Meggiolaro, of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has translated his popular book, the RioBotz Combot Tutorial, into English.
Potpourri
Lithium-Ion vs. Lithium-Polymer
BUILD REPORT: Building a Better Beatle Beater Bar – Part 1
A higher rotational speed gives a bigger hit but it also reduces the bite.
PARTS IS PARTS: Fine-Tuning a Brushless Electronic Speed Controller
My 12 lb Hobbyweight bar spinner Surgical Strike had a problem at the last couple of events...
PARTS IS PARTS: Kitbots Nutstrip
in The Combat ZoneNutstrip is a product Kitbots uses in several of their kits to allow easy assembly and reduce machining costs on the chassis components.
RioBotz Combot Tutorial Summarized: Brushless DC Motors
Original Text by Professor Marco Antonio Meggiolaro; Summarized by Kevin M. Berry
VIDEO REVIEW: Bots High
Joey Daoud, a BotsIQ veteran and film school graduate, has produced a documentary about the sport. SERVO was given the opportunity to do a pre-release screening. We enlisted a journalist of similar age and background to review this interesting video.
EVENT REPORT: Motorama 2011
Each February, the Northeast Robotics Club ([url=http://www.nerc.us]http://www.nerc.us[/url]) hosts their biggest competition of the year as part of the Motorama motorsports extravaganza and custom car show ([url=http://www.motoramaevents.com]http://www.motoramaevents.com[/url]) in Harrisburg, PA.
EVENT REPORT: Mid-American Melee
in The Combat ZoneThe Mid-American Melee — the first event hosted by the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) at Washington University in St. Louis — was a smashing success.
PARTS IS PARTS: Gear Terminology Meshes With Little Susie by Morgan Berry
Every builder — even the most seasoned veterans — have experienced more than one “Oh no, what have I gotten myself into?” moment when working on a bot.
MANUFACTURING: Designing for Waterjet
in The Combat ZoneWhen designing a robot, often the focus is on the weapon system or how much power you can cram into the drive system.
EVENT REPORT: Full Metal Carnage 2 Pushes Robot Combat Over the Edge
The Queensland Robotics Sports Club teamed up with The Edge to present two full days of remote controlled carnage on November 27th and 28th.
MANUFACTURING: Hobbyweight Weapon Blade and Hub
Hobbyweight Weapon Blade and Hub
The Reality of TV
An Opinion Piece by Pete Smith
EVENT REPORT: Robot Rumble
The Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC held its fourth annual “Robot Rumble” on Saturday April 16, 2011.
EVENT REPORT: National Robotics League Championship
Twenty-nine robots built by 91 students from 14 schools battled for national recognition in two days of intense competition at the National Tooling and Machining Association’s (NTMA) 2011 National Robotics League (NRL) Championships held May 21-22 at Vincennes University’s Aviation Technology Center in Indianapolis, IN.
EVENT REPORT: Clash of the Bots 2 by Pete Smith
The Schiele Museum ([url=http://www.schielemuseum.org]http://www.schielemuseum.org[/url]) in Gastonia, NC held their second “Clash of the Bots” open day on Saturday, July 23rd.
FEATURE: So, You Want to Cut Metal on Your Table Saw?
Like many bot builders, I started out as a woodworker. So, I have a shop full of woodworking tools and, now, a serious bot building jones.
Dust in the Wheels
With apologies to the band, Kansas: Dust in the wheels ... All they see is dust in the wheels.
EVENT REPORT: BOTBLAST Rocks Columbia Mall
The Columbia Mall in Bloomsburg, PA, hosted the fourth annual BotBlast competition on July 16th.
PRETZEL ROBOTICS — ROOKIE POWERHOUSE
September 2010. An unknown father-son robot team arrives unannounced and unexpected at their first competition (HORD 2010) with their new Antweight robot, Low Blow.
EVENT REPORT: 2011 NRL National Championships
in The Combat ZoneIt was may 21, 2011. In an airplane hanger at the edge of the Indianapolis International Airport, I could hear crashes, clanks, and the hum of tools being used.
Hello Bradley – Why Gambling Doesn’t Pay
in The Combat ZoneEditor’s note: One thing the general public might not know about combat bot-ka-teers is they have a terrific sense of humor. The nature of the sport also makes them very “accountable.” In this episode of “Kids, please don’t gamble,” Bradley learns an important life lesson!
PARTS IS PARTS: Mtroniks Viper
Mtroniks Viper
EVENT REPORT: Lunabotics Competition
Lunabotics is a NASA sponsored competition for college students to design a robot that could be used for lunar mining.
DRILL BABY, DRILL. OR, THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
For about a decade or more, it has been possible to get cheap cordless drills from Harbor Freight ([url=http://www.harborfreight.com]http://www.harborfreight.com[/url]).
In Front of the Cameras at RoboGames
This year, we competed at RoboGames with our heavyweight, Gruff.
PARTS IS PARTS: Fingertech ‘Silver Spark’ Gearmotor Review
in The Combat ZoneFingertech Robotics’ first line of Insect-sized gearmotors — the Gold Sparks — were originally released in 2009 as a drop-in replacement for the commonly used Banebots 16 mm models.
EVENT REPORT: ORC Storms “The Gate”
2011 was a difficult year for the Ohio Robotics Club (ORC).
PARTS IS PARTS: Susie’s Saga Continues – The Beginner’s Guide to Motors
In the last issue of SERVO, we introduced you to Susie — a young girl trying to begin a career in combat robotics.
End Of The Alkalines
Iwrote an article about programming cheap 2.4 GHz HK-T6A transmitters that appeared in the January’11 issue of SERVO. In that, I commented on how it’s probably a good idea to convert from the standard AA alkaline batteries to rechargeable batteries.