Scientists got the idea for this robot from observing actual mice. They noticed that mice moved with extreme ease and balance. This is in part due to their whiskers. A mouse's whiskers ask as an "extension" on their senses. Scientists decided to apply this to a robot. Researchers from the University of Tokyo and the University of Zurich in Switzerland. They named it the Artificial Mouse or the AMouse. They attached real mouse whiskers to a robot which it uses for navigation along with other sensory inputs. The researchers hope to create an adaptive autonomous robot that can recognize objects, navigate, and store memory.
The Article
Another article on the AMouse
The idea for this robot is very inventive. Mice are able to use their whiskers to achieve greater balance and navigation. It makes sense that this ability could be effectively applied to a robot. The use of the whiskers could be used to create a robot that could navigate completely autonomously. Also a robot that can recognize objects and remember things would be very useful. The article also mentions that eh robot could be used for "repair work in tight places, detecting hazardous glass, [and] exploring confined surroundings." This would be very useful. However the robot still need a lot of development before it is ready for such everyday use.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Gears and Speed
1-2. see chart
3. i) Real world error.
ii) see chart
iii) To calculate the average speed
4. see chart
5. it only has a gear ration of 1 so it doesn't tell us anything.
6. you would be excluding the robot traveled before the back wheels hit the front line.
7-14. see chart
15. i) 18.64
ii) 52.28
iii) no
16. i) 51.77
ii) 52.28
iii) yes
17. i) hypothesis B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart
iii) yes, all you have to do is disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B
18-21. see chart
22. i) 51.77
ii) 18.61
iii) no
23. i) 18.64
ii) 18.61
iii) yes
24. i) B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart both times
iii) still yes, all you had to do was disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works more than once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B because it is the only one that works and it has been accurate so far
25. We tested a robot with the same size gears then tested a robot with smaller than larger gears. We then compared the speeds for the different gear robots with the predicted values for the theories. Theory B was very close to actual speed each time so we support hypothesis b.
26. i) b
ii) a
iii) directly
iv) directly
27. (36/3)*(16/16)=(x/3)*(18/6) x=12 cm
28. 1.5*1= x*(8/24) x=4.5 NO
29. 9*(1)=15*(36/x) x=60
3. i) Real world error.
ii) see chart
iii) To calculate the average speed
4. see chart
5. it only has a gear ration of 1 so it doesn't tell us anything.
6. you would be excluding the robot traveled before the back wheels hit the front line.
7-14. see chart
15. i) 18.64
ii) 52.28
iii) no
16. i) 51.77
ii) 52.28
iii) yes
17. i) hypothesis B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart
iii) yes, all you have to do is disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B
18-21. see chart
22. i) 51.77
ii) 18.61
iii) no
23. i) 18.64
ii) 18.61
iii) yes
24. i) B
ii) The predicted value for hypothesis B matched the actual speed on the chart both times
iii) still yes, all you had to do was disprove it in one instance and its incorrect.
iv) no,simply proving that it works more than once does not prove that it works all the time.
v) B because it is the only one that works and it has been accurate so far
25. We tested a robot with the same size gears then tested a robot with smaller than larger gears. We then compared the speeds for the different gear robots with the predicted values for the theories. Theory B was very close to actual speed each time so we support hypothesis b.
26. i) b
ii) a
iii) directly
iv) directly
27. (36/3)*(16/16)=(x/3)*(18/6) x=12 cm
28. 1.5*1= x*(8/24) x=4.5 NO
29. 9*(1)=15*(36/x) x=60
Get in Gear
1ft/2s
1. yes, it did
2. When the motor had more power it moved the wheels forward faster
3. If we put on a smaller gear there will be more wheel rotations per one turn of the large gear.
4. 2ft/1s which is faster than the 1ft/1s before
5. .5ft/1s. it was slower
6. Increase the motor power or swap the second gear to a smaller gear.
7. Decrease the motor power or swap the first gear to a smaller gear.
8. motor
9. i) the gears are the same size so it will move at the same speed
ii) much slower because the gear on the wheel is larger so there will be less rotations of it per rotation of the smaller motor gear
iii) it will increase or decrease the number of rotations per rotation of the gear on the motor.
iv) if the gears are both the same size, it will go the same speed. it the wheel gear is smaller, it will go faster. If the motor gear is larger, it will go slower.
10. i) When the motor rotated, it rotated the gear on the axis. This gear rotated the gear on the wheel. This gear rotated the wheel. However the gear on the wheel was smaller than the gear on the axis so it rotated more times. This in turn rotated the wheel more than before, therefore covering more distance.
ii) It works same as i but instead of being smaller, it was larger so it rotated less times and covered less distance.
iii) the formula assumes that for every rotation of the motor, the wheel is rotating the same. Therefore it assumes that the gear sizes are the same. It will not work if you have different sized gears.
11. i) So the smaller gear on the wheel and the largest gear on the motor
ii) large wheel small motor
iii) large wheel small motor
iv)large motor small wheel
12. different gears would work better for speed vs strength.
1. yes, it did
2. When the motor had more power it moved the wheels forward faster
3. If we put on a smaller gear there will be more wheel rotations per one turn of the large gear.
4. 2ft/1s which is faster than the 1ft/1s before
5. .5ft/1s. it was slower
6. Increase the motor power or swap the second gear to a smaller gear.
7. Decrease the motor power or swap the first gear to a smaller gear.
8. motor
9. i) the gears are the same size so it will move at the same speed
ii) much slower because the gear on the wheel is larger so there will be less rotations of it per rotation of the smaller motor gear
iii) it will increase or decrease the number of rotations per rotation of the gear on the motor.
iv) if the gears are both the same size, it will go the same speed. it the wheel gear is smaller, it will go faster. If the motor gear is larger, it will go slower.
10. i) When the motor rotated, it rotated the gear on the axis. This gear rotated the gear on the wheel. This gear rotated the wheel. However the gear on the wheel was smaller than the gear on the axis so it rotated more times. This in turn rotated the wheel more than before, therefore covering more distance.
ii) It works same as i but instead of being smaller, it was larger so it rotated less times and covered less distance.
iii) the formula assumes that for every rotation of the motor, the wheel is rotating the same. Therefore it assumes that the gear sizes are the same. It will not work if you have different sized gears.
11. i) So the smaller gear on the wheel and the largest gear on the motor
ii) large wheel small motor
iii) large wheel small motor
iv)large motor small wheel
12. different gears would work better for speed vs strength.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Field of View
1. i) Yes they follow a gourd like pattern
ii) it detects near and far
2. i) 60 cm
ii) directly in front
3. i) yes, about 35cm
ii) yes, it will avoid it
4. 2cm
5. 10cm
6. 1:5
7. i) It follows the same pattern, its just smaller
ii) Its smaller
iii) yes
8. i) every 1 cm on the paper represents 5 cm in real life
ii) 4.4 cm
iii) 11.5 cm
9. i) directly in front
ii) it was 12 cm from the front of the sensor on the graph paper
iii) 60 cm
iv) 62 cm directly in front of the sensor
10. i) it gets smaller and then wider in the middle
ii) 50cm
iii) it needs to use different sensor applications to detect something father away rather than closer and visa-versa because it takes different power reading are needed to detect things at different distances, just like our eyes shift.
11. It sent out a noise which spread out in a circular patter and then began to fade out when it sent out a second, louder, noise which also spread out in a circular pattern and then faded out.
12. First you need to draw a line on the floor. Then place the robot with the ultrasonic sensor on the front of the line. Get a can like object. Place it on the other end of the line. Slowly begin to inch it forward until you get a steady reading on the sensor. mark down that pint. Then use a yard stick to measure out every 10 cm on the line up to your point. Take your can and put it to the right of the 10 cm point. slowly inch it back toward the line until you get a reading. Do the same for the left side of the line. Then repeat the steps for every 10 cm point up to your original point. Finally find the scale between the actual distance and the distance on the graph paper. Use this scale to graph all of your points.
13. i) 52 cm directly in front
ii) at the 40 cm mark the point are about 31cm apart
14. i) 2:25
ii) at 170 cm directly in front
iii)at 100 cm the points are about 115 cm apart
iv) no
15. i) 62cm
ii) .0018 s
iii) .0018 s
iv) .0036 s
v) .0019 s one way, .0037 s total
vi) Its quite fast.
ii) it detects near and far
2. i) 60 cm
ii) directly in front
3. i) yes, about 35cm
ii) yes, it will avoid it
4. 2cm
5. 10cm
6. 1:5
7. i) It follows the same pattern, its just smaller
ii) Its smaller
iii) yes
8. i) every 1 cm on the paper represents 5 cm in real life
ii) 4.4 cm
iii) 11.5 cm
9. i) directly in front
ii) it was 12 cm from the front of the sensor on the graph paper
iii) 60 cm
iv) 62 cm directly in front of the sensor
10. i) it gets smaller and then wider in the middle
ii) 50cm
iii) it needs to use different sensor applications to detect something father away rather than closer and visa-versa because it takes different power reading are needed to detect things at different distances, just like our eyes shift.
11. It sent out a noise which spread out in a circular patter and then began to fade out when it sent out a second, louder, noise which also spread out in a circular pattern and then faded out.
12. First you need to draw a line on the floor. Then place the robot with the ultrasonic sensor on the front of the line. Get a can like object. Place it on the other end of the line. Slowly begin to inch it forward until you get a steady reading on the sensor. mark down that pint. Then use a yard stick to measure out every 10 cm on the line up to your point. Take your can and put it to the right of the 10 cm point. slowly inch it back toward the line until you get a reading. Do the same for the left side of the line. Then repeat the steps for every 10 cm point up to your original point. Finally find the scale between the actual distance and the distance on the graph paper. Use this scale to graph all of your points.
13. i) 52 cm directly in front
ii) at the 40 cm mark the point are about 31cm apart
14. i) 2:25
ii) at 170 cm directly in front
iii)at 100 cm the points are about 115 cm apart
iv) no
15. i) 62cm
ii) .0018 s
iii) .0018 s
iv) .0036 s
v) .0019 s one way, .0037 s total
vi) Its quite fast.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Obstacle Detection
1. The robot ran into the wall and stopped.
2. The wall activated the touch sensor so the robot stopped like the program told it to when the touch sensor detected something.
3. Yes, if it didn't stop when it detected objects it would just get stuck running into a solid object.
4. It will stop when it runs into something so it won't get stuck, but it won't so anything to actually avoid the obstacle. It has to hit it before it stops.
5. It stopped 10 cm from the wall.
6. The wall set the sonic sensor off and so the robot stopped like it was programmed to.
7. It stopped about 10 cm away.
8. The robot stopped before it actually hit the object but it cannot sense smaller objects such as the legs of a chair.
9. This sensor is better for objects that you want to detect but not hit but it only works for larger or wider objects. The touch sensor will detect any objects but it has to actually hit it to detect it.
10. i) The sonic sensor detect objects without hitting them. The touch sensor has to hit it to hit it to detect it.
ii) With the sonic sensor it will stop in front of the object while with the touch sensor it will stop in contact with the object.
11. It will not hit the object which is good for delicate objects, however it cannot detect smaller objects such as the leg of the chair.
12. i) because the touch sensor can only detect the object when it is in contact with it while the touch sensor can detect an object from a distance and you have to set how far away you want it to stop.
ii) It will stop farther or closer to the object.
13. i) So a robot could do things like detect walls in a room, detect trees in woods, and navigate a maze.
ii) robots that are trying to navigate on their own. Robots that are trying to go through a maze.
iii) if the robot had to detect where a glass object was.
14. i) It can detect the object from a distance, it can stop different distances from the object, and it can prevent damage to the object or the robot.
ii) No, it cannot detect smaller/thinner objects.
iii) if a car like robot had to detect a wall. This sensor would prevent the robot from running into the wall and crashing trying to sense it.
iv) If a car like robot had to detect a street post it would not be able to sense it and would run into it.
15. A light sensor could look for dark objects to avoid.
16. It shows 6 question marks.
17. yes, if its too small it can't detect it
18. hard objects are easier because they are more solid and easier to read.
19. it could detect the ruler
20. NO, it could not detect the pen at all
21. yes it does, it could detect the pen.
2. The wall activated the touch sensor so the robot stopped like the program told it to when the touch sensor detected something.
3. Yes, if it didn't stop when it detected objects it would just get stuck running into a solid object.
4. It will stop when it runs into something so it won't get stuck, but it won't so anything to actually avoid the obstacle. It has to hit it before it stops.
5. It stopped 10 cm from the wall.
6. The wall set the sonic sensor off and so the robot stopped like it was programmed to.
7. It stopped about 10 cm away.
8. The robot stopped before it actually hit the object but it cannot sense smaller objects such as the legs of a chair.
9. This sensor is better for objects that you want to detect but not hit but it only works for larger or wider objects. The touch sensor will detect any objects but it has to actually hit it to detect it.
10. i) The sonic sensor detect objects without hitting them. The touch sensor has to hit it to hit it to detect it.
ii) With the sonic sensor it will stop in front of the object while with the touch sensor it will stop in contact with the object.
11. It will not hit the object which is good for delicate objects, however it cannot detect smaller objects such as the leg of the chair.
12. i) because the touch sensor can only detect the object when it is in contact with it while the touch sensor can detect an object from a distance and you have to set how far away you want it to stop.
ii) It will stop farther or closer to the object.
13. i) So a robot could do things like detect walls in a room, detect trees in woods, and navigate a maze.
ii) robots that are trying to navigate on their own. Robots that are trying to go through a maze.
iii) if the robot had to detect where a glass object was.
14. i) It can detect the object from a distance, it can stop different distances from the object, and it can prevent damage to the object or the robot.
ii) No, it cannot detect smaller/thinner objects.
iii) if a car like robot had to detect a wall. This sensor would prevent the robot from running into the wall and crashing trying to sense it.
iv) If a car like robot had to detect a street post it would not be able to sense it and would run into it.
15. A light sensor could look for dark objects to avoid.
16. It shows 6 question marks.
17. yes, if its too small it can't detect it
18. hard objects are easier because they are more solid and easier to read.
19. it could detect the ruler
20. NO, it could not detect the pen at all
21. yes it does, it could detect the pen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Faster Line Tracking
1. It just spun in circles with a slight hesitation over the black line.
2. It is moving too fast and by the time it starts to turn left because its dark, the sensor has already moved past the dark and onto the light of the other side so it has to turn right again.
3. Put it on the back of the robot.
4. Under the wheels.
5. because it is on the back which moves in the opposite direction as the front.
6. When the sensor is on the back of the robot it is on the center of the turn theretofore will remain on the black line longer and can register it for the turn.
7. i) done
ii) 30%, 24 seconds
iii) 91%, 14 seconds
iv) 14/24-58.3%
8. If it registers light, it turns right and if it registers dark it turns left. These are swing turns in reverse.
9. When the robot is backwards, right and left reverse. Label the wheels.
2. It is moving too fast and by the time it starts to turn left because its dark, the sensor has already moved past the dark and onto the light of the other side so it has to turn right again.
3. Put it on the back of the robot.
4. Under the wheels.
5. because it is on the back which moves in the opposite direction as the front.
6. When the sensor is on the back of the robot it is on the center of the turn theretofore will remain on the black line longer and can register it for the turn.
7. i) done
ii) 30%, 24 seconds
iii) 91%, 14 seconds
iv) 14/24-58.3%
8. If it registers light, it turns right and if it registers dark it turns left. These are swing turns in reverse.
9. When the robot is backwards, right and left reverse. Label the wheels.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Article Journal Post 14: Swarm Robotics
This article is about a branch of robotics called swarm robotics. SWARM stands for "intelligent small-world autonomous robots for micro-manipulation." It is all about inventing a large group of tiny robots that can work together. The idea is to create a swarm of robots that can act together, self assemble, and accomplish tasks together. The swarm in this article are programmed to follow a certain type of pheromone like ants would follow a trail of pheromones in a line. However the robots use optical pheromones, show by the video on the website. The robots are also solar powered.
Article
While these robots currently need a lot of work, they are a very good idea. These robots could be sent into places that humans could not go. For example, if miners were trapped underground, the swarm robots could be sent in to find the miners and establish communication. They would be very effective. They are also solar powered making them energy efficient. Finally they plan on designing the robots so that they are cost efficient and could be mass produced. Currently, these robots are not able to self assemble and need a lot of development before they reach usable levels. However in time, these robots promise to be very useful. I deeply admire the idea and design of these robots.
The largest swarm in the world
An example of swarm robots
Article
While these robots currently need a lot of work, they are a very good idea. These robots could be sent into places that humans could not go. For example, if miners were trapped underground, the swarm robots could be sent in to find the miners and establish communication. They would be very effective. They are also solar powered making them energy efficient. Finally they plan on designing the robots so that they are cost efficient and could be mass produced. Currently, these robots are not able to self assemble and need a lot of development before they reach usable levels. However in time, these robots promise to be very useful. I deeply admire the idea and design of these robots.
The largest swarm in the world
An example of swarm robots
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