Walking Machine Technology

Robots from Colorado State University
Year Finishes Machine
1986-87 3rd Place
1987-88 1st Place Lurch
1988-89 1st Place Lurch-Next Generation
1989-90 3rd Place Lurch II
1990-91 1st Place Lurch III
1991-92 1st Place Airachnid
1992-93 1st Place Airratic
1993-94 2nd Place Airratic II
1994-95 1st Place X-plorer
1995-96 1st Place X-plorer 2
1996-97 1st Place K8
1997-98 7th Place Hydrox
1998-99 4th Place Team Triad
2000-01 7th Place Polyphemus
Mobile robots are popular class subjects. Competitions.

Design of a Rough Terrain
Vehicle (RTV)

LEGO Parts Kits
5201 Connectors
5228/5235 Frame Members
5267 Shafts, Rigid Couplings
5269 Bell Cranks, Misc. Links
5287 Straight Links
5289 End Connectors, Bushings, Etc
Lego is great for
gear mechanisms
prototyping

LEGO Parts Kits
9854 Rack & Pinion Gears
9965 Two sizes, small spur gears
9966 Two sizes, larger gears
9966/67 Appear to have same Pitch
9967 Bevel & Planetary Gears

Gear/Motor Fundamentals
Spur gears have straight teeth
Used to transmit torque and rotation between parallel shafts
Electric motors have high speed and low torque and often must be geared down to slower speed
Motor shaft speed is 350 rpm
Spur Gear and Pinion

Gear Fundamentals
Torque times angular velocity is constant between two meshed gears
Angular velocity ratio between two gears is inverse to the size (number of teeth) of each gear
Gears must have same size teeth (pitch) to mesh correctly
Ten to one is the maximum ratio to use between a pair of gears

Simple Gear Trains
A Simple Gear Train has one gear per shaft- each shaft rotates in opposite direction
Speed ratio of train is product of teeth on driver gears/product on driven gears
Simple gear train speed ratio depends on size of first and last gear only

Compound Gear Trains
A Compound Gear Train has more than one gear on at least one shaft
Gears on the same shaft have the same speed
Speed ratio of train is product of teeth on driver gears/product on driven gears

Worm Gear & Worm

Rack & Pinion

Straight Bevel Gears

Measuring Legged Locomotion
Walking is similar to rolling a polygon which has the center located at the swiveling point of the legs and whose side length equals the length of a step.
lw
pw

Power Required to Walk
Work required to walk is wasted in the consecutive lifting and falling of the center of gravity of the animal body.
The unit power is given in the equation

Great History Moments in Legged Locomotion
1837 Weber and Weber Measure corpses and show that natural frequency of leg when swinging as compound pendulum is similar to cadence in live walking.
1872 Muybridge develops stop-motion photography to document running animals. Initially to settle a bet concerning if a horses legs ever all leave the ground during running.
1893 Rygg patents human-powered mechanical horse.
1968 Mosher develops quadruped truck at GE. Able to climb railway ties under control of a human driver.
1977 Gurfinkel develops hybrid computer controlled hexapod walker in USSR.
1980 Hirose and Umetani demonstrate quadruped machine climbing over obstacles using simple sensors and reflex-like control. The leg mechanism has simplified control.

The Mechanical Horse
Device patented by Lewis Rygg in 1893
The stirrups double as pedals so the rider can power the stepping motions
The reins move the head and forelegs from side to side for steering
Never built.

Linkage Fundamentals
Linkages are levers of various shapes joined together by joints which form the basic building blocks of machines or mechanisms
The joints normally are:
pins,
hinges,
bearings,
bushings,
sliders, etc
which allow the levers or links to move with respect to the frame or each other

Linkage Fundamentals
Linkages are normally driven by a short lever
This level is also called a crank
Crank is connected to the motor or gear train shaft
A hole in a gear body that is connected to the shaft can define the length of the crank
Linkages are interesting and challenging to work with
They are used in many devices used every day

What is a pivot?
A short rod or shaft about which a related part rotates or swings
What is a crank?
A device for transmitting rotary motion, consisting of a handle attached at right angles to a shaft.
For examples look to the next slide

Generating Walking
When input crank AB rotates,
– 1/2 straight path and
1/2 arched path.
Linkages like this consisting of pivots and rigid members are a simple means of generating patterned motion.
1
joint

What are the types of mechanism chains?
Linkages are levers of various shapes
joined together by joints

Crank & Rocker
Rocker Pivot
Grashof Crank - Rocker
rotates
Extreme positions
This symbol means it is connected firm

Rules For Link Lengths
Long +Short Links
Crank & Rocker When Short Link is Crank
Double Crank When Short Link is Frame
Double Rocker When Short Link is Floating Link
Short link
Long link

Walking-Link Crank & Rocker
A four-bar linkage
Triangular extension which supports a shoe which can pivot
Used in earth-moving equipment
The drive motor can be inside the block
The crank and supporting link are connected to a block which is moved forward by the linkage

Equal Link Lengths On Opposite Sides
Equal length

Hexapod Six-Legged Robot

Another Hexapod

Walking Plates

More Great History Moments
1983 Odetics demonstrates a self-contained hexapod which lifts and moves back end of pickup truck.
1983 Raibert demonstrates one-legged machine which hops in place, travels at a specified rate, keeps its balance when disturbed and jumps over small obstacles.
1987 Waldron and McGhee demonstrate 3 ton self-contained hexapod carrying human driver which moves at 5 mph over irregular terrain and pulls a load.
1988 Hodgins and Koechling demonstrate biped which climbs short stairways, jumps over obstacles and sets speed record of 13.1 mph.
1997 Honda announces its bipedal walking project which has resulted in an autonomous humanoid.

Two Legged Vehicle--The P2
Honda Motor Co.
Obstacle Avoidance by stepping over and around.
can walk stairs, forward or backward, and keep its balance if pushed
Can perform simple tasks autonomously
15 minute battery capacity

Hexapods from Lynxmotion

Lynxmotion Kits
Hexapods
Cars
Arms
Quadrupeds
Lynxmotion Hexapods

Basic Radio-Controlled Spider Hexapod with Gripper

Spider with a camera

The Hexapod Kit
Hexapod II Kit (body and 12 servos)
A next step micro controller with basic stamp 2-sx module
2 MiniSSCII serial servo controllers
An infrared Proximity detector
Serial LCD Display Module
Wire connector kit
(2) 7.2 volt Battery Packs & charger
Basic Stamp Programming Pack

Added Wireless Video Camera
Called the XCAM2
Purchased from X10.com
It costs $99.99 with a battery pack
$79.99 otherwise

Basic Stamp2-SX controller
Microcontroller: Scenix SX28AC
Program execution speed: 10,000 instructions per second
Processor Speed: 50 Mhz
Memory:
Program Memory size:
8 programs x 2k Bytes each (16k Bytes)
Ram Size:
32 Bytes (6 for I/Os and 26 for variables)
Scratch Pad RAM:
64 Bytes ( 1 for program ID and 63 for user)

Controller continued…
Inputs/Outputs: 16 + 2 dedicated serial I/O
Current @ 5v: 60mA Run / 200 micro Amps sleep
Source / Sink Current per I/O: 30 mA / 30 mA
Connector Socket: 24 pin dip
Programming:
PC Software Text Editor: [e-mail]
PC Programming interface: Serial Port (9600 Baud)
PBASIC Commands: 39

Next Step Carrier Board
Basic stamp 2-sx module plugs into the Next Step Microcontroller
Supplies:
Serial port interface
Pin connectors for easy connection to other items
Buttons and LEDS
Power connections

Component Interconnections
The Next Step has the Basic Stamp 2 module on it
Other components are interfaced to the next step
Serial LCD display
Infrared proximity detector
2 MiniSSCII serial servo controllers
Batteries & switches

Serial LCD Display
Power, ground and a single data connection
Serial information is sent via the data line
The serial display is back lit and displays 16 characters on two lines. ( total of 32 characters)

IRPD
IRPD = Infra Red Proximity Detector
Connected to power and ground
Three I/O ports:
Left source
Right source
Detector

Infra Red Proximity Detector

MiniSSCII servo controller
Receives serial data:
Which servo
Move to what position
Control 8 servos per controller
Configurable by jumper settings:
Addressable for more controllers
Change the baud rate
Adjustable range of motion of servos

Hexapod II Configuration
Two MiniSSCIIs working together
Six servos per controller:
one controller: 0 to 5
another controller: 8 to 12
There are two unused pinouts
Different serial data lines

Servos
Components:
Electric motor
Gearing
Potentiometer
Difference amplifier
Power amplifier

Servo Operation
Potentiometer measures output shaft position
Input signal is sent in
Difference amplifier compares values of input and output values
A driving signal is generated
Signal is amplified
It powers the motor
Output shaft changes potentiometer value
Driving signal changes
Process repeats until the difference signal is zero

Pulse Width Modulation
When “high” for 2mS, stays in right
By controlling the pulse width you change the angle

Notable Features
Variable speed
Input signal is pulse width modulation
Pulses ranging from 1 to 2 milliseconds long repeated 60 times a second

Batteries & Switches
9 volt battery for the next step
9 volt battery for the MiniSSCII
7.2 volt Battery pack to power the servos
On off switches for each source

Programming
PBasic programming language
Syntax described in book
Provided text editor
Compiles on PC and downloads via serial port

What have we added?
2 Radio frequency transceivers
Computer serial port
Onboard robot I/O pin
Video feed to computer
Vision system analysis
Signals to control robot

Hexapod Kit Purchasing
The Lynxmotion Hexapod II Professional Edition Combo kit
Their company web page www.lynxmotion.com
The Mondotronics Robot Store at www.robotstore.com
Current street price: $766.35

Problems with Lynxmotion hexapods
Weight
Servos make the vehicle quite top heavy and may add to instability. Is there a way of replacing servo with muscle?
Turns
How?
Sensing
There ain’t any! What happens on uneven ground?
Speed
– Unstable at higher speeds

RHex
RHex
Other Hexapods

RHex 0 is the first prototype in the RHex series of hexapod robots.
It has been built in July-August 1999 over a period of roughly 6 weeks at McGill University.
Inspired by hexapodal insect locomotion, RHex 0 uses an alternating tripod gait.
As such, RHex 0 can run over various types of surfaces ranging from carpet to gravel at speeds up to 0.6m/s.
It can traverse obstacles of heights up to 22cm, or roughly 220% of its ground clearance.
Using the same controllers, it can go over higly irregular "fractal" surfaces with little impact on performance.
Future controllers will also enable RHex 0 to climb stairs and leap.
Rhex Hexapod Robot

One more hexapod to build
Japanese hexapod

Introduction to Japanese hexapod
This is a hexapod robot powered by 18 RC servomotors.
The degree of freedom of each leg is 3.
Built to study the control software for 6 legged locomotion.
This robot can walk in every direction,
but the maximum speed of progress depends on the direction.
Equipped with radio control transmitter and can accept control by radio.
Connected to PC's parallel port for downloading or/and controlled from PC with umbilical cable.

Introduction to Japanese hexapod

Mechanical Structure and Arrangement
The robot consists of 3 major parts:
1. "The Cover", 2. "The Frame",
3. "The Leg-unit".
Built to have enough strength and reduce the weight.
Introduction to Japanese hexapod

Cover
This is the part that looks like tank.
It is made from plastic plate.
The thickness of the plate is 1(mm) and 0.3 (mm).
The structure is similar to ship's skeleton.
Underside of the cover.
This picture shows how the cover keep its shape.

Frame
The frame is made from plastic plate.
(Thickness is 1 mm)
The frame is just an empty box that has three bulkheads at the base of a leg-unit.

Leg-unit

Layout of servomotors
To increase inertia of parts to be actuated is not good from the point of stability and power consumption of a robot.
All the servomotors are inserted inside of each leg-unit for making it easy to change the arrangement of the legs and to reduce the complexity of the mechanism.
No. 0 and No. 2 servo is connected directly to acquire wide range of the joint movement.
No.1 servo is connected to No.1 joint via a linkage to support the weight of the robot.
This picture shows the leg-unit and the frame.

The leg-units were arranged in line not to interfere each other.
When the robot supports its own weight with three legs (ex. 0, 2,4), leg 4 must generate two times as much force as leg 0 and 2 generate.
So the maximum total weight of the robot is restricted by the power of leg 1 and 4 for this arrangement.
Arrangement of the leg-units

All the axles that are opposite side of servomotors have a simple mechanism to reduce the cost for the construction and increase productivity.
Don't expect these axles long life.
The axle consists of 3mm-diameter bolt and a hole on plastic plate.
Mechanism of the joints

Joint 0
This picture shows how servo 0 is mounted.

This picture shows around joint 0. The leg-unit is mounted to the frame with 4 2mm-diameter bolts

Joint 1
This picture shows how servo 1 is mounted.
The servo is mounted to the leg-unit with 2 3mm-diameter bolts.
Use a part for RC aircraft to connect the servo-horn and the servo-rod.

This picture shows around joint 1.
Use a part for RC car to connect the leg and the servo-rod

Joint 2
This picture shows how servo 2 is mounted. The servo and the part 3 is connected with 2 2mm-diameter bolts

This picture shows the opposite side of servo 2.

This picture shows the opposite side of servo 2.
The joint is disconnected

This picture shows underside of the leg-unit with no servomotors.

Reinforce of the joints
These pictures show how leg-unit is reinforced.
The servo-controller for the robot created the signal to move servomotors out of the moving range, when the batteries exhausted. This can break the leg unit.

Upper part of the joint 0 is reinforced with aluminum plate of 0.5mm-thickness.

The joint 1 is reinforced with plastic plate of 1.0mm-thickness.
The base of the servo-rod is reinforced with aluminum plate of 0.5mm-thickness

Project Description
Autonomous eight-legged robot specially designed to complete a ten meters track of unknown configuration.
It can sense straight and curved paths and is able to clear obstacles as high as two inches.
Whenever one of its sensors at the front encounters a reflective surface, a signal is sent to the micro-controller, which in turn instructs the motors to move forward.
Undressed working prototype
Big Foot Quadruped from Singapore

Key Features
Is autonomous
Is compact
Has special retro-reflective sensors for tracking purposes
Has micro-controller and driver circuit to control motor
TEMASEK ENGINEERING SCHOOL
21 Tampines Avenue 1 Singapore 529757
Tel: [phone] Fax: [phone]
Big Foot Quadruped

Technical Specifications
Rechargeable power source
12 volt dc supply
Infrared remote wireless control
Range of up to 10 meters
Weight 8.5 kg
Control of the Singapore quaduped: Sequence of operations
Students: Chung Chin Chuen
Hoo Meng Chan, Jackie
Koh Chor Kiat
Supervisors: Ms. Siu Yee May, May [e-mail]
Mr. Lee Teck Chin [e-mail]
Big Foot Quadruped

Multi-legged Mobile Robot
Design of the Control System
Adaptation of Mekatronix Hexapod

Main Purpose

Design and implement an efficient control system that will allow a six-legged mobile robot demonstrate its mobility, autonomy and versatile characteristics.
Reasons why this robot is efficient and reliable
Autonomy
Individual Sub-Control Systems
Economical

The Robot
Main Purpose

The Hexa-Pod Autonomous RoboBug
Picture courtesy of Mekatronix: "Copyright 1999"

High Level Performance
Low Level Performance
The Robot
Main Purpose

LOW LEVEL PERFOMANCE
Controlled by Peripheral Interface Controllers
HIGH LEVEL PERFOMANCE
Controlled by Motorola 68HC12 Synchronized Motion Routine
User Interface
Orientation System
Navigation System
Sensor Systems
Overall Motion Control

Walk Routine

TRIPOD WALK
FRONT
FRONT
Provides great static & dynamic stability
Fastest & most efficient walk used by 6-legged animals

Algorithm Matrix

Walking Algorithm Matrix

PIC Networking

PIC’s Networking Module
Front legs
Middle legs
Rear legs
Ports T0-T4
HC12

User Interface

User Interface LCD & KeyPad
MOTOROLA
68HC12
Provides global coordinate system
Provides software relieve Low hardware in HC12
Asynchronous Data Entry Onto Bus Configuration

Orientation
System
User Interface

Orientation System
Electronic
Compass
Reading

Navigation
System
Orientation
System
User Interface

Navigation System
X
Y
Initialize Coordinates
N
S
E
W
Read Orientation
Step Cycle
Line Detected
Fix Position
no
yes

Navigation
System
Sensors System
User Interface

Sensors System

Overall System Diagram
SONAR &
IR SENSORS
MOTOROLA
68HC12
1
2
C
3
6
9
B
A
8
5
4
7
*
0
#
D
KEYPAD
LINE TRACKER
COMPASS
PIC ARRAY
FUNCTIONAL SUBSYSTEM

WMC Competition Overview

Polyphemus - Competition
Complete all events:
Dash, Load Retrieval, Slalom, Trip Wire, Object Retrieval, Obstacle Course, Object Seeking and Hill Climb
Compete at Autonomous Level 2 in a maximum number of events
SAE Walking Machine Challenge:
Colorado State University, WMC 2002

8-Legged Polyphemus
Articulated “Legs”
On-board Power
Self-Contained (tethered)
Analogy in Nature

Design Options:

Design Options:

Design Options:

Design Options:

Design Selection Overview:
Eight Pneumatic Legs
Central-pivot Turning Control
Automated Leveling

Polyphemus – Conceptual Design
Mechanical
Vision system constraints
Task defined functionality
Controls
Decision/execution architecture
HL – navigation
LL – motion

Mechanical Design Elements
Vision system constraints
Stability
Consistent height and angle
Task defined functionality
Negotiating obstacles
Repeatable steps

Mechanical Design Solution
Pneumatics
Low cost and environmentally inert
Difficult to control closed-loop
Locomotion
8 Legs – fully independent
Vertical foot cylinders
Momentary contact switches
Rotary Potentiometers
2-axis digital level chips

Controls Design Elements
Parallel development
Architecture
High Level
Image acquisition
Navigation decisions
Low Level
Mechanical status and control
Maneuver execution

Controls Design Solution
HL – Matrox 4sight
Embedded NT: Object oriented c++
Imaging: Blob Analysis
Navigation: SW Compass
LL – Stamp IIsx
Feedback inputs: MUX
Code segmentation
Instructions from HL to LL via RS232

Polyphemus - Evaluation
Retained design concepts
Variable foot extension
Basic control architecture
Optical position feedback
Design evolution
Reengineered structure
New LLC hardware
Added imaging and navigational functionalities

Vision System
PULNiX black-and-white camera (TM-7CN)
Able to adjust focus and brightness levels
Matrox 4Sight hardware
Embedded Windows NT
Mouse/keyboard/monitor ports
Parallel/Serial ports
Ethernet network interface
Matrox software
Matrox Imaging Library (MIL)

Costs of the Components
PULNiX camera (TM-7CN) - $793
Matrox 4Sight hardware - $2,470
Matrox software - $3,995

How the Vision System Works
Vision System

Existing Code
C++
Microsoft Visual C++
Coding done in classes
More than one person can work on code at a time

Class Relation
Competition
Robot
Compass
Features
Imaging
Sight

Matrox Imaging Library (MIL)
Foundation of the vision system
“Blob Analysis”
Allows the robot to see numbers or objects as “blobs”
Blob features:
Area
Density
Location on screen

MIL Example: Continuous Image
#include
#include
void main(void)
{
MIL_ID MilApplication, MilSystem, MilDisplay, MilCamera, MilImage;
MappAllocDefault(M_SETUP, &MilApplication, &MilSystem, &MilDisplay, &MilCamera, &MilImage);
MdigGrabContinuous(MilCamera, MilImage);
printf(“Continuous grab in progress. Adjust your camera and press
to stop grabbing.”);
getchar();
MdigHalt(MilCamera);
printf(“\nDisplaying the last grabbed image. Press
to end.\n”);
getchar(
MappFreeDefault(MilApplication, MilSystem, MilDisplay, MilCamera, MilImage);
}

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Very powerful library
Would allow robot to recognize numbers on the course
Tries to match an image to a known character/pattern
Would be able to start anywhere on the course and know where to go
Remains a team goal for next semester

What Are We Controlling?
The low-level controller controls the walking algorithm for the robot
Items being controlled:
Pneumatic valves
Turning Swivel Motor
Feedback to the Controller:
Leg Position
Leveling Information
Touch Sensing
Low-Level Controls

Low-Level Control Options
Last year’s low-level controller: Parallax Stamp IIsx
Limited I/O capabilities Code was not documented at all!
Decision made to find a better low-level controls solution for this year’s robot
Two options were presented: PICs or PLC

PIC (Programmable Integrated Circuit)
Built in A/D channels plus discrete I/O channels
Programmed in BASIC
Idea:
cascade several PICs, each controlling a different task (one PIC for each pair of legs for example)
One “master” PIC to read feedback and send commands to the lower level PICs
Drawbacks:
Not self-contained
Would have required external circuitry such as relays, resistors, and capacitors

PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)
Industrial controller used for applications such as motion control, process control, and automation in general
They are robust systems and can be customized in terms of I/O, power supply, and programming
It is a completely self-contained unit (No external circuitry needed besides power)

Walking Machine I/O Requirements
Outputs:
Maximum of 28 discrete DC outputs (valves, swivel foot, and retrieval device included)
Inputs:
8 analog inputs for vertical positioning of legs
4 analog inputs for horizontal positioning of legs
8 discrete DC inputs for touch sensors on each foot
Serial in from Tilt Sensor
Serial in from Vision System for walking commands

GE Fanuc Series 90-30 PLC
Main Rack Slot 0: 24 VDC power supply
Main Rack Slot 1: Series 90-30 CPU
Main Rack Slot 2: Programmable Co-processor (RS-232 compatible)
Main Rack Slot 3: 16 Circuit Input Analog Voltage
Main Rack Slot 4: 16 Circuit Input 24 VDC
Main Rack Slot 5: 16 Circuit Relay Output
Main Rack Slot 6: 16 Circuit Relay Output

Series 90-30 Programming
Programming is done with Ladder Logic
Flows like an electrical diagram
Simply controlling the opening and closing of contacts at certain times using built in timers
VersaPro - Graphically based ladder logic programming software (drag-and-drop implementation)
Programming done in Windows environment then downloaded directly to the PLC
Learning ladder logic has begun and will continue into next semester

PLC Cost Analysis
Qty Part Number Description Unit Net Extended Net
Cables
1 IC690CBL701 Cable, PCM to IBM-PC/XT Class Computers, 10 feet $65.40 $65.40
Manuals and InfoLink
1 GFK-0255 Series 90 Programmable Coprocessor Module & Support $75.00 $75.00
Software User's Manual
1 GFK-0771 C Programmer's Toolkit for Series 90 PCM User's Manual $150.00 $150.00
1 GFK-0772 PCM C Function Library Reference Manual $150.00 $150.00
Software
1 IC641SWP063 Series 90 PCM Support S/W, Term. Emulator/File $299.00 $299.00
Transfer (TERMF)
Software Toolkits
1 IC641SWP709 C Toolkit for Series 90 (Standard) $1,082.00 $1,082.00
1 IC641SWP710 C Developer's Toolkit for Series 90 PCMs $3,786.00 $3,786.00
Series 90-30 Products
Analog Input Modules
1 IC693ALG222 Analog Input, Voltage 16 Single/8 Differential Channels $1,028.00 $1,028.00
Bases / Racks
1 IC693CHS391 Base, CPU, 10 Slots, Use With CPU331/CSE331 and $261.00 $261.00
above
CPUs
1 IC693CPU341 CPU 341 Module (80K Bytes user memory), 10K $1,728.00 $1,728.00
Registers, .3 msec/K, The battery for the CPU is now
included in the CPU backplane box.
Discrete Input Modules
1 IC693MDL645 24 Vdc Input, Neg/Pos Logic (16 Points) $217.00 $217.00
Discrete Output Modules
2 IC693MDL940 Relay Output, 2 Amp (16 Points) $265.00 $530.00
Manuals
1 GFK-0356 Series 90-30 Programmable Controller Installation $75.00 $75.00

PLC Cost Analysis (continued)
Qty Part Number Description Unit Net Extended Net
Manuals
GFK-0467 Series 90-30/90-20 Programmable Controllers Reference $75.00 $75.00 Manual
Power Supplies
1 IC693PWR322 Power Supply, 24/48 Vdc, Standard. Battery not $350.00 $350.00
included. Battery is now included in the CPU backplane
box.
Special Function Modules
1 IC693PCM300 Prog. Coproc. Mdl., 160 KB (35 KB Basic Prgm), w/Port $1,180.00 $1,180.00
Exp. Cbl.
Series 90-70 Products
3.4 Manuals
1 GFK-0646 C Programmer's Toolkit for Series 90-70 User's Manual $150.00 $150.00
VersaPro Programming Software
VersaPro Standard Edition
1 IC641VPH300 VersaPro Standard Edition - Windows Programming $683.00 $683.00
Software with Programming Cable for Series 90-30 and
VersaMax PLCs
Total Net $11,884.40
Very expensive, but GE Fanuc has agreed to fully sponsor our team
New total cost: $0.00

Integration of Low Level Controls
Connect system to hardware via digital/analog output modules
Test communication between PLC and hardware with verifiable commands (tether program)

Reintroduction of Vision System
Integration into low-level controls via serial connection
Verification of initial coding functionality (robot can function at a level at least that of previous year)
Modification of code for event completion and addition of new turning and navigational functionalities

Debugging of Full System
Expected to be most time consuming stage
Debugging of software for vision, step calculation, turn calculation, error handling and event choice
Debugging of hardware including leg movement, leveling, turning, and pneumatics
Testing of integrated system with all controls and viable high-level capabilities included

Goals for Second Semester
Fabrication of physically functional robot
Implementation of PLC as low-level controls
Creation of Optical Character Recognition code
Modification and implementation of existing vision code for new turning and movement capabilities
Implementation of real-time navigation
Taking first place at Walking Machine Challenge

Projected Timeline
Feb. 1, 2002 date of proposed integration of controls, robot, and vision system
Mid-February have machine together and ready for event-debugging
Beginning of March begin working on OCR capabilities
End of March evaluate OCR and robot functionality and determine priorities for competition
Beginning of April have robot ready to compete in each event
April 26-27, 2002 compete in SAE Walking Machine Competition

Once the previous goals are accomplished the CSU Walking Machine Team will once again dominate the world (of autonomous robot competition).

Problems to Solve for PSU class
1. Give examples of each of the following joints in real-life mechanisms:
pins,
hinges,
bearings,
bushings,
sliders.
2. Give examples of robots using each of the above joints. If you do not recall a robot with them, invent a robot with such joints.
3. Give examples of pivots and cranks.

Problems to Solve
1. Describe human hand as a kinematic model. How many degrees of freedom.
2. How to build translation using simple servo motors?
3. Sketch plans how to use our servo/Robix/Lynxmotion technology to design a model of human arm and hand. How many DOF can you reach?
4. Give the example with non-controllable DOF. How to control it?
5. Think how to use the SoccerBot design of Karl Kuchs for a more general walking robot design.
6. Make a plan of a simplest possible useful redundant robot.

Problems to Solve
7. Describe a holonomic model of human-like simplified hand.
8. Modify it to make it redundant
9. Modify it to make it non-holonomic.
10. Analyze kinematics and inverse kinematics of a model car with one motor, analyze parking in a tight spot from the point of view of inverse kinematics (tough).
11. Think what are the possible methods to solve inverse kinematics problem. Use knowledge of various classes of algorithms introduced in this class, for instance Genetic Algorithm.

Problems to Solve
12. How to solve practically in the simplest way the inverse kinematics problem for the OWI arm? You just want to grasp an item in point (x1,y1,z1) and put it back in point (x2,y2,z2). Accuracy not required.
13.
A).Write a set of cyclic generators for the hexapod from the right.
B). Consider going forward,
backward, turning left and
turning right as the minimum.
C) Propose a new movement
that we do not see on our other hexapods