This article was written about a robot built as a final project for some computer engineering students. it is known as MaXimus. it is an autonomous robot built for indoor environments. It runs on batteries and moves on two wheels. This robot was designed to find its way through mazes. It goes through a maze the first time, calculating the fastest way to get to the end. Then it runs through the maze a second time using the data it gained on its first test. This time it can make it through the maze without any mistakes. In order for the robot work, they had to program it to tell if it had hit a dead end, if there was a wall there, or if it had already reached the end of the maze.
Article
It would have been difficult to program a robot to fins its own way through a maze. However, these students managed to do it and their resulting robot, the MaXimus, is quite effective. It has to run one test run of a maze, and then it can go through the maze perfectly on the second run. In addition, the robot is small and only costs about $500 to build. if it was made to look more ornamental,this robot could easily be marketed a toy. It also looks as if it could easily tip over, so it might be more effective with a better system or other functions added onto it.
a picture of the robot, showing why it might get knocked over, or loose its balance easily
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Measured Turn
1. The left wheel spun.
2. i) a circle
ii) The stopped right wheel.
iii) The left moving wheel.
iv) yes
3.i) 28.5 cm
ii) 89.5 cm
iii) degrees/360=x/89.5
4.i) They are two completely different circles.
ii)wheel
iii) circle on ground
5. (degrees of circle/360)*(circumference of circle)=(circumference of wheel)*(motor degrees/360)
442.1 degrees
6. i) yes
ii) yes, the calculations worked
iii) You cannot prove a hypothesis with one test.
7. i) 885.2 degrees
ii) 1327.7 degrees
iii) 1770.3 degrees
iv) 3540.7 degrees
8. i-iv) done
v) they all work so it supports the hypothesis
9. i)6 cm
ii)it was very close to 90 degrees
iii)yes
iv) 14cm radius
10. i) due ti different sizes have different turning radii.
ii) car, 25-50 ft
iii) swing turn
11. (210/360)pi*2*12.4=pi*4.5(x/360)
x=1157.3
12. (180/360)pi*2*9=pi*2.5(x/360)
x=1296
13. i) 4.6 diameter wheel will be closer to the correct diameter needed
ii) he can shrink the distance between the two wheels of his robot
2. i) a circle
ii) The stopped right wheel.
iii) The left moving wheel.
iv) yes
3.i) 28.5 cm
ii) 89.5 cm
iii) degrees/360=x/89.5
4.i) They are two completely different circles.
ii)wheel
iii) circle on ground
5. (degrees of circle/360)*(circumference of circle)=(circumference of wheel)*(motor degrees/360)
442.1 degrees
6. i) yes
ii) yes, the calculations worked
iii) You cannot prove a hypothesis with one test.
7. i) 885.2 degrees
ii) 1327.7 degrees
iii) 1770.3 degrees
iv) 3540.7 degrees
8. i-iv) done
v) they all work so it supports the hypothesis
9. i)6 cm
ii)it was very close to 90 degrees
iii)yes
iv) 14cm radius
10. i) due ti different sizes have different turning radii.
ii) car, 25-50 ft
iii) swing turn
11. (210/360)pi*2*12.4=pi*4.5(x/360)
x=1157.3
12. (180/360)pi*2*9=pi*2.5(x/360)
x=1296
13. i) 4.6 diameter wheel will be closer to the correct diameter needed
ii) he can shrink the distance between the two wheels of his robot
Monday, October 18, 2010
Right Face
1. It turned to the right but it went too far.
2. The left motor ran.
3. The left motor spun forward. The right motor stayed still.
4. It turned to the right.
5. About 1/3 of a 360 degree turn.
6. It swings around the right wheel, which isn't moving.
7. Run c motor, tell b motor not to move, wait 720 degrees, then stop c then b motors.
8. i) It turned right 90 degrees or left 270 degrees. You can tell because its relation to the position of the arrow.
ii) 3/4
iii)1/4
9. i) To reach the same position the degrees will have to be greater.
ii) Yes it needs traction and uneven ground could have significant effects.
10. i) yes
ii) done saved as reverse swing turn
11. The first block was set to stop instead of forward, the second block was set to forward instead of stop, and the wait block was set to motor B.
12. yes. done saved as reverse left swing turn
13. It is faster and it moved farther. Swing turn: one motor moves, 1 stays still. Point turn: both wheels move.
14. i)A swing turn is more useful for sharper turns.
ii) The point turn is more useful for when there are obstacles in the way. Then the axis of rotation is in the middle of the robot so it won't hit the object.
2. The left motor ran.
3. The left motor spun forward. The right motor stayed still.
4. It turned to the right.
5. About 1/3 of a 360 degree turn.
6. It swings around the right wheel, which isn't moving.
7. Run c motor, tell b motor not to move, wait 720 degrees, then stop c then b motors.
8. i) It turned right 90 degrees or left 270 degrees. You can tell because its relation to the position of the arrow.
ii) 3/4
iii)1/4
9. i) To reach the same position the degrees will have to be greater.
ii) Yes it needs traction and uneven ground could have significant effects.
10. i) yes
ii) done saved as reverse swing turn
11. The first block was set to stop instead of forward, the second block was set to forward instead of stop, and the wait block was set to motor B.
12. yes. done saved as reverse left swing turn
13. It is faster and it moved farther. Swing turn: one motor moves, 1 stays still. Point turn: both wheels move.
14. i)A swing turn is more useful for sharper turns.
ii) The point turn is more useful for when there are obstacles in the way. Then the axis of rotation is in the middle of the robot so it won't hit the object.
Article Journal Post 10
4 college students decided to use a surfboard as a class project. They wanted to measure the velocity of water running under a board as someone surfed on it. They could then use this to tell what flexibility would optimize a surf board. However, they had to gather data from an actual surf board in order to do this. The students decided to build a surf board that could measure the velocity of the water as one of the students actually rode on it. They took a surf board and carved small grooves into it. They then embedded a computer into the front of the board. They then ran wires down the grooves in the board to small sensors placed in the underside of the board. The computer would then control the sensors. Any data that was collected would be saved to a DS card in the computer and then transmitted to a computer on land. The sensors themselves collected data by measuring how far small bands were pushed back by the force of the water. The project was actually very time consuming, but it helped to develop a deeper understanding of a field of study known as fluid-structure interactions
Article
I believe that this project was very effective. It will not only help companies to develop an effective surf board, but will also help develop concepts in fluid-structure interactions. They are the first people to actually measure the bend of the surfboard in the water. They also hope to use this information to tell what other factors such as experience or the type of wave have an effect on the bend. However, it would have been better if they had tested the board in different places to get more general and applicable data.
Surfboard computer video
Article
I believe that this project was very effective. It will not only help companies to develop an effective surf board, but will also help develop concepts in fluid-structure interactions. They are the first people to actually measure the bend of the surfboard in the water. They also hope to use this information to tell what other factors such as experience or the type of wave have an effect on the bend. However, it would have been better if they had tested the board in different places to get more general and applicable data.
Surfboard computer video
Monday, October 11, 2010
Article Journal Post 9
This article is about a man who decided to build a robot. In the 90s, this man came up with a design for a robot. By 2008, the man had gained more experience in electronics and robotics. He decided to actually build the robot. He sketched a design and then sent some instructions off to a water-jet cutting company called The Big Blue Saw. The water-jet cutting is a little expensive, but it will save time in creating the detailed parts. The robot itself will have a square center and will run on 4 legs. It will be run by a Gumstix computer. It will also be powered by LiPo batteries. The next stage of building required him to file down the pieces and to then drill and tap holes in them for the screws. This was a very tedious process. He then assembled the center of the robot and 1 leg. He had to be careful to keep the wire under little tension but at the same time keep it out of the gears. Finally he filed and and assembled the last 3 legs, completing a rough structure of the robot, know as bert or Spyder, the Quadruped. The next stage was to install a GPS system for navigation. Finally he built and inserted the motor controls for the legs, however he still needed to code and install the Gumstix computer.
quadruped
This robot looks like it will run smoothly. It has for legs which will provide it with balance for walking. It also has a GPS system for navigation. The man put alot of effort into building the robot and fixing any errors with it as they arose. However, the assembly of this robot (2 years so far) is slow and impractical. The water jet cut parts take an enormous amount of effort to file down and are not always very precise. It is also very expensive to pay for the parts. The robot also needs to be able to move, which it cannot do yet, before it has any use. Finally while the robot is very cool, it should have some other purpose other than to just be able to walk.
A competition the man is thinking of entering the robot it. he states that bert i will be at a disadvantage over wheeled robots, but he will have a more accurate walking system.
quadruped
This robot looks like it will run smoothly. It has for legs which will provide it with balance for walking. It also has a GPS system for navigation. The man put alot of effort into building the robot and fixing any errors with it as they arose. However, the assembly of this robot (2 years so far) is slow and impractical. The water jet cut parts take an enormous amount of effort to file down and are not always very precise. It is also very expensive to pay for the parts. The robot also needs to be able to move, which it cannot do yet, before it has any use. Finally while the robot is very cool, it should have some other purpose other than to just be able to walk.
A competition the man is thinking of entering the robot it. he states that bert i will be at a disadvantage over wheeled robots, but he will have a more accurate walking system.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wheels and Distance Worksheet
1. d: 5.8cm
2. C: 5.8∏cm
3. 2 rotations
4. 36.4cm
5. Trial 1: 35cm
Trial 2: 35.3cm
Trial 3: 35.2cm
6. i) no because this robot is not completely accurate all the time.
ii) 35.2 cm
iii) We can use the value to calculate the robot's precision and accuracy.
7. 3.3%
8. i) yes, it was relatively close.
ii) yes, it proved that the robot traveled a distance very close to our predicted value.
iii) no, in order to prove something, it needs to tested by more than just one set of trials.
9. The back wheels started the length of the robot behind the line. If you measured from the line to the back wheels, you would be leaving 1 length of the robot out of the measurement. It would not be the total distance traveled.
10. 3.1cm
11. 3.1∏cm
12. 2 rotations
13. 19.48cm
14. Trial 1: 19.1cm
Trial 2: 19.2cm
Trial 3: 19.4cm
15. 19.23cm
16. 1.28%
17. i)no, but it was very close
ii) No ,we have not gotten a set of trials exactly equal to the calculated value to absolutely prove it. Also only 2 sets of trials is not enough to prove a hypothesis, only support it.
iii) It could be proven by testing different robots with different wheels multiple times. Other people would also have to test it to see of they got the same results.
18. i) It supports it because while the values were not exactly what we calculated, they were very close every time.
ii) Based on this evidence, I would say that it is correct.
iii) We measured the diameter of the wheel and used it to calculate the circumference. We then multiplied the circumference by the number of rotations to get a total distance traveled. Finally we ran the robot and used a measuring stick to see how far the robot actually traveled.
19. i) D: 5.8cm therefore C: 5.8∏cm therefore 18.2cm/1rotation
ii)5.8∏x=10 x=10/5.8∏ x=.54 rotations .54*360=197.57 degrees
iii) 5.8∏x=20 x=20/5.8∏ x= 1.1 rotations 1.1*360= 395.14 degrees
iv) 5.8∏x=30 x=30/5.8∏ x=1.6 rotations 1.6* 360=592.7 degrees
v) d∏(r*360)=x
vi)No, it will only work with robots on wheels.
20. We can gauge exactly how far a number cm is, but it is harder to gauge a distance by rotations.
21. Every time the motor turns, the wheel turns as well. Therefore when the motor turns once, the wheel turns once.
22.i) 2.3∏(720/360)=14.5 cm
ii) No, the robots are not completely accurate.
23. It will go 4 times the distance.
24.i) 4.2∏(720/360)=26.4 cm 3∏(d/360)=26.4 d=1008.4 degrees
ii) It has no traction so it will not move correctly.
iii)It will have difficulty moving.
25. The team will have to change the programming to match the diameter for the new wheel. If you don't the robot will miscalculate distances.
26.i) d∏(360/360)=7.85 d=2.5 cm
ii)2.5∏(720/360)=x x=15.7 cm
27. i) d∏(2040/360)=65 d=3.7 cm
ii) d∏(1020/360)=65 d=7.3 cm
28. 2.7∏(9600/360)=x x=226.2 3in*(2.54cm/1in0=7.6cm 7.6∏(d/360)=226.2 d=3410.6
You need to change the degrees from 9600 to 8640.
2. C: 5.8∏cm
3. 2 rotations
4. 36.4cm
5. Trial 1: 35cm
Trial 2: 35.3cm
Trial 3: 35.2cm
6. i) no because this robot is not completely accurate all the time.
ii) 35.2 cm
iii) We can use the value to calculate the robot's precision and accuracy.
7. 3.3%
8. i) yes, it was relatively close.
ii) yes, it proved that the robot traveled a distance very close to our predicted value.
iii) no, in order to prove something, it needs to tested by more than just one set of trials.
9. The back wheels started the length of the robot behind the line. If you measured from the line to the back wheels, you would be leaving 1 length of the robot out of the measurement. It would not be the total distance traveled.
10. 3.1cm
11. 3.1∏cm
12. 2 rotations
13. 19.48cm
14. Trial 1: 19.1cm
Trial 2: 19.2cm
Trial 3: 19.4cm
15. 19.23cm
16. 1.28%
17. i)no, but it was very close
ii) No ,we have not gotten a set of trials exactly equal to the calculated value to absolutely prove it. Also only 2 sets of trials is not enough to prove a hypothesis, only support it.
iii) It could be proven by testing different robots with different wheels multiple times. Other people would also have to test it to see of they got the same results.
18. i) It supports it because while the values were not exactly what we calculated, they were very close every time.
ii) Based on this evidence, I would say that it is correct.
iii) We measured the diameter of the wheel and used it to calculate the circumference. We then multiplied the circumference by the number of rotations to get a total distance traveled. Finally we ran the robot and used a measuring stick to see how far the robot actually traveled.
19. i) D: 5.8cm therefore C: 5.8∏cm therefore 18.2cm/1rotation
ii)5.8∏x=10 x=10/5.8∏ x=.54 rotations .54*360=197.57 degrees
iii) 5.8∏x=20 x=20/5.8∏ x= 1.1 rotations 1.1*360= 395.14 degrees
iv) 5.8∏x=30 x=30/5.8∏ x=1.6 rotations 1.6* 360=592.7 degrees
v) d∏(r*360)=x
vi)No, it will only work with robots on wheels.
20. We can gauge exactly how far a number cm is, but it is harder to gauge a distance by rotations.
21. Every time the motor turns, the wheel turns as well. Therefore when the motor turns once, the wheel turns once.
22.i) 2.3∏(720/360)=14.5 cm
ii) No, the robots are not completely accurate.
23. It will go 4 times the distance.
24.i) 4.2∏(720/360)=26.4 cm 3∏(d/360)=26.4 d=1008.4 degrees
ii) It has no traction so it will not move correctly.
iii)It will have difficulty moving.
25. The team will have to change the programming to match the diameter for the new wheel. If you don't the robot will miscalculate distances.
26.i) d∏(360/360)=7.85 d=2.5 cm
ii)2.5∏(720/360)=x x=15.7 cm
27. i) d∏(2040/360)=65 d=3.7 cm
ii) d∏(1020/360)=65 d=7.3 cm
28. 2.7∏(9600/360)=x x=226.2 3in*(2.54cm/1in0=7.6cm 7.6∏(d/360)=226.2 d=3410.6
You need to change the degrees from 9600 to 8640.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Article Journal Post 8
This article is about the designing and testing of a robot that can perform medical procedures at a long distance. The robot is called the da Vinci system. It has four robotic arms and a high definition camera. This design and test were made specifically for an anesthesiologist. The anesthesiologist was sent into an operating room and told to perform an operation using da Vinci. The surgery was not on an actual person but an ultrasound dummy, showing the anesthesiologist only what he would se if he were performing on an actual patient. THe doctor was able to perform a successful test nerve block procedure. The robot allowed the anesthesiologist to identify nerve structures and position and inject a needle. Most of the "surgery" was performed by the da Vinci robot, however some of it had to be done manually. Overall, the simulated surgery was very successful.
Surgical Robot
While the da Vinci robot was very successful, there are some severe limitations to it. Firstly, the robot could not perform the entire surgery on its own. Some of the tasks had to be performed manually. Secondly, while the robot is very useful, it is also very expensive, making its widespread use currently unfeasible. Finally, the robot need to be adapted to use more materials commonly used in other surgeries. However, despite all of these flaws the da Vinci system is a great advancement. It will allow doctors to perform surgeries in other places in the world. Anesthesiologists, such as the one who performed the mock surgery are also in great demand around the world as the last article in the link below shows. This could help to curb the growing demand for doctors in many other places in the world who desperately need them. It could also be applied to assist soldiers who are injured and need help in another country. In short, if the robot could be made more efficient and practical, it could be a great asset in the future.
Anesthesiologists
Surgical Robot
While the da Vinci robot was very successful, there are some severe limitations to it. Firstly, the robot could not perform the entire surgery on its own. Some of the tasks had to be performed manually. Secondly, while the robot is very useful, it is also very expensive, making its widespread use currently unfeasible. Finally, the robot need to be adapted to use more materials commonly used in other surgeries. However, despite all of these flaws the da Vinci system is a great advancement. It will allow doctors to perform surgeries in other places in the world. Anesthesiologists, such as the one who performed the mock surgery are also in great demand around the world as the last article in the link below shows. This could help to curb the growing demand for doctors in many other places in the world who desperately need them. It could also be applied to assist soldiers who are injured and need help in another country. In short, if the robot could be made more efficient and practical, it could be a great asset in the future.
Anesthesiologists
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Article Journal 7
This article is about developing an artificial, touch sensitive material that would function as an artificial skin. However there were practical obstacles to overcome in developing this material. Previously, developers in this field had experimented with organic materials. This was due to the fact that organic materials are flexible and therefore more practical. However there is a problem with using organic materials. While flexible, these materials are poor conductors of electricity, forcing any device made from these materials to run on high voltages. These made the skin materials impractical. On the other hand, non organic materials were found to be good conductors of electricity. Unfortunately, these materials are inflexible, breaking and cracking under pressure. This left engineers no materials to work efficiently with. This led UC Berkeley engineers to develop this new product. It is made from inorganic materials, and is therefore able to conduct electricity. However this new material is made form this wires of the inorganic material and has been found to be very flexible, creating a viable product to create a touch sensitive skin from.
Engineers Make Artificial Skin out of Nanowires Article
The effort put into developing this skin was time well spent. This is because the skin has multiple realistic applications. Firstly, this robotic skin could be applied to other robots themselves. One problem with robots is that unlike humans who can sense are react to pressure and weight, robots have only been developed to react to the fact that there is some form of contact being made. They cannot judge how much pressure they should exert. In his article, researcher Toshiharu Mukai also states, "the robot cannot hold an infant in its arms without tactile sensors. When we hold an infant, we will try to feel the position where the pressure is located and control our arms accordingly. In the same manner, when the robot tries to hold an infant, it should control its arms by feeding back the information obtained from the tactile sensors. Without tactile sensors, the robot may hold a person in its arms so strongly that it may cause harm to the person. However, existing tactile sensors for robots can detect only simple tactile senses such as "struck" or "touched," and the accuracy of signals from the sensors are insufficient to use for feedback signals." The robotic skin could change all of this and make robots much more applicable to real life. Secondly, the robotic skin could be applied to humans in the future. People are always looking for ways to improve prosthetic limbs. This skin could allow people who have lost limbs to regain some function in using a prosthetic limb that could sense objects and react to them by exerting a reasonable amount of pressure and holding them. The only drawback to the artificial skin is that there is currently no way to mass produce it, however it is stated that its production has the potential to be scaled up.
Developing sensors that give intelligence to robots
Engineers Make Artificial Skin out of Nanowires Article
The effort put into developing this skin was time well spent. This is because the skin has multiple realistic applications. Firstly, this robotic skin could be applied to other robots themselves. One problem with robots is that unlike humans who can sense are react to pressure and weight, robots have only been developed to react to the fact that there is some form of contact being made. They cannot judge how much pressure they should exert. In his article, researcher Toshiharu Mukai also states, "the robot cannot hold an infant in its arms without tactile sensors. When we hold an infant, we will try to feel the position where the pressure is located and control our arms accordingly. In the same manner, when the robot tries to hold an infant, it should control its arms by feeding back the information obtained from the tactile sensors. Without tactile sensors, the robot may hold a person in its arms so strongly that it may cause harm to the person. However, existing tactile sensors for robots can detect only simple tactile senses such as "struck" or "touched," and the accuracy of signals from the sensors are insufficient to use for feedback signals." The robotic skin could change all of this and make robots much more applicable to real life. Secondly, the robotic skin could be applied to humans in the future. People are always looking for ways to improve prosthetic limbs. This skin could allow people who have lost limbs to regain some function in using a prosthetic limb that could sense objects and react to them by exerting a reasonable amount of pressure and holding them. The only drawback to the artificial skin is that there is currently no way to mass produce it, however it is stated that its production has the potential to be scaled up.
Developing sensors that give intelligence to robots
Friday, October 1, 2010
Worksheet: Full Speed Ahead
1. The left wheel spun, but the right did not, causing the robot to just spin in a circle.
2. The left motor spun.
3. It spun forward.
4. Yes, it did. We set it to only go 720 degrees.
5. No, it is not. We want it to move forward in a line.
6. You need to command the left motor to move, but also the right motor. One command is needed for each motor.
7. It did not stop because we did not command it to stop. It just hit the end of the program and kept going because it did not have the command to stop.
8. Downloading a program is simply moving your programming instructions from the computer to the NXT. Running a program is actually executing the program causing the robot to move. You need to download it every time you change the program.
9. b
10. First Block: The first block commanded motor C to move forward.
Second Block: The second block commanded motor B to move forward.
Third Block: The third block told the motors to run for 720 degrees.
Fourth Block: The fourth block commanded motor C to stop.
Fifth Block: The fifth block commanded motor B to stop.
11. i) The wait block told the robot how long to run.
ii)You could change the number of degrees for the motor to run in the wait block.
iii) It would be the same program, but degrees in wait block set to 1440 degrees.
12. The motor in port A would not move because the program was sent to port B. It would have to change the two motor block to port A instead of port B.
13. The robot will move forward in a straight line until the wheels have gone 720 degrees.
14. The robot will still only go 720 degrees because the person changed the comment but not the degrees in the programming.
15. The directions in the first two motor blocks and the wait block must be changed from forward to backward.
16. It went forward and came back, but it went back too far.
17. It needed to be reset so that it would count 720 degrees back from where it was currently, not 720 degrees back from where it started.
18. It needs to be reset when I want the program to not set the reference point to where it started but where it is.
2. The left motor spun.
3. It spun forward.
4. Yes, it did. We set it to only go 720 degrees.
5. No, it is not. We want it to move forward in a line.
6. You need to command the left motor to move, but also the right motor. One command is needed for each motor.
7. It did not stop because we did not command it to stop. It just hit the end of the program and kept going because it did not have the command to stop.
8. Downloading a program is simply moving your programming instructions from the computer to the NXT. Running a program is actually executing the program causing the robot to move. You need to download it every time you change the program.
9. b
10. First Block: The first block commanded motor C to move forward.
Second Block: The second block commanded motor B to move forward.
Third Block: The third block told the motors to run for 720 degrees.
Fourth Block: The fourth block commanded motor C to stop.
Fifth Block: The fifth block commanded motor B to stop.
11. i) The wait block told the robot how long to run.
ii)You could change the number of degrees for the motor to run in the wait block.
iii) It would be the same program, but degrees in wait block set to 1440 degrees.
12. The motor in port A would not move because the program was sent to port B. It would have to change the two motor block to port A instead of port B.
13. The robot will move forward in a straight line until the wheels have gone 720 degrees.
14. The robot will still only go 720 degrees because the person changed the comment but not the degrees in the programming.
15. The directions in the first two motor blocks and the wait block must be changed from forward to backward.
16. It went forward and came back, but it went back too far.
17. It needed to be reset so that it would count 720 degrees back from where it was currently, not 720 degrees back from where it started.
18. It needs to be reset when I want the program to not set the reference point to where it started but where it is.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)