RoboticsConnection User Forum / RoboticsConnection Customer Projects / Customer Projects

New Robotics Connection fan

Don Lewis — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 16:14:07 GMT

Hello all, I am posting in this difficult to find Customer Projects forum as it seems the only
place to introduce ones self. I have read through most all threads on the RC forums site and
used that information and more on the main site to base my decision on using the Serializer WL,
Sharp GP2d12, GP2d120 and Maxbotix EZ3. These components have been intermixed with
the Lynxmotion Tri-Track and Pan/Tilt head.

[center][img]http://www.djlewis.us/robotics/front_persp8x6.jpg[/img][/center]

Also I have been pounding away at writing a thorough Serializer demonstrator program
in C#. I am very new to c# but it is coming along nicely. I have full sensors ( for my
sensors ) support as well as the pan/tilt using sliders. I monitor the IR. Sonar and battery
on my panel. I was just starting motor support when I found my Serializer has a problem
in that area. I hope to get this worked out soon. And now a rear view of my new yet brainless robot.

[center][img]http://www.djlewis.us/robotics/rear_persp8x6.jpg[/img][/center]

I look forward to learning more and sharing experiences with all of you.

Don Lewis

eeeBOT (traxster robot carrying and controlled by Asus EEE netbook)

wingers — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 05:32:04 GMT

Hi all

Thought I would put some a shot of my project on here for all to see

Basically a Traxster II Kit with a add-on deck carrying my Asus EEE PC 701 netbook running XP which will be controlling the robot and processing images from the webcam to eventually contol the navigation/object avoidance etc

I am pretty new to all this - but having great fun and would highly recommend all these products to others, its like being a child again playing with my Lego and Meccano!

I have a little experience of using Visual Basic .net and have been trying to learn and understand C# by looking at the sample apps, asking questions on the forum and basically by playing about with writing programs for the robot

I have written a test app which shows how to do some of the common tasks, movement, sensors, reading battery state etc etc and have written it both in Visual C# 2008 Express Edition and also in Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition - I did it in both languages mainly to help me learn and so I could see the obvious differences between writing in C# compared to VB

I will attach the source for both versions below shortly so others can make use of them if they are like me and newish to programming - hope they are of some use!

My A+ Project (Traxster II)

electronguy — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:52:42 GMT

Sorry for the long delay in getting these out. I really enjoyed my time building and twiddlin' the Robotics Connection Traxster II robot kit for my microcontroller systems design class.

I used a Traxster II, Serializer WL board, IOWizard (in place but disconnected), eb301 Bluetooth module w/ UFL antenna, Line Following Wizard (modified with dual-wall heat shrink tubing for blinders as well as position), a Sharp IR distance sensor (the 4 cm version), and an Axiom Manufacturing CML9S12DP256 microcontroller board for the intelligence.

Operation consisted of autonomous line-following mode, and a Bluetooth-enabled laptop was able to submit modified parameters for the steering routines as well as take the robot offline and issue direct commands to adjust the PID parameters. The IR distance sensor worked to prevent the Traxster from running into objects (like the professor's leg!) and also allowed a quick way to put the robot into 'pause' mode. For kicks, the robot was fitted with bunny ears and was made to follow a printed "carrot" when I returned from spring break.

[img]http://traxster.blueelectronlabs.com/images/robot-small.jpg[/img]

[img]http://traxster.blueelectronlabs.com/images/robot-display-small.jpg[/img]

I am looking forward to increasing the Traxster's capabilities for future classes and will utilize the .NET framework libraries and connect through Bluetooth with the main intelligence coming from the laptop. The next step is to add a turret and a camera so that I can practice my image signal processing lessons...

Regards,
Scott Thompson

Seralizer target tracker

Engg — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:35:49 GMT

Hello fine people of robotics connection,
This is my first time posting on this forum so bear with my newness.

I am in the course of attempting to build a robot capable of tracking and then following a slow moving object (ie slow human walking speed), I do not have to worry about any object avoidance aside from not running into the target and only have to deal with slight bends in the 'road' while following the target.

After much research have decided that the simplest way to accomplish my goal was with IR tracking. The plan is to have the target emit IR and then have the robot triangulate the position with 2 IR sensors and then using the seralizer communicate back to a host PC using the Xbee module and board which I already have (but have not used) from a previous group project.

What I really need your guys/gals help with is that since I have no past experience with robotics (but willing to learn!) I have the following questions:

1. How do you build a simple circuit capable of emitting IR to be attached to my target. I imagine that it would have to be at a certain frequency based on the sensors that we are using. that leads me to point 2.

2. What IR sensors/lights should I consider? and where can I find the data on them?

3. Is it possible to use the sharp IR rangefinders for my purpose (since I have access to 4 of them) by only using the transmitting side on the target and the receiving side on the robot (ie removing or blocking the receiving side on the rangefinder)?

Here is preliminary overview of the project:
[IMG]http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa251/syph3r_pb/untitled.jpg[/IMG]

Thank you for taking the time to read this and any and all help is much appreciated!

Braxton Technologies 2009 Satellite Demo controlled by Serializer

jsummerour — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:37:28 GMT

Here's a toally slick application from Fred Kendall at Braxton Technologies that leverages our Serializer robot controller, and some IOWizards. Fred takes this Satellite demo to various conventions, like the National Space Symposium. Braxton Tech's customers are able to play with the satellite control software, and see how the satellite reacts and moves real-time!

Fred's application leverages the Serializer C++ Library written by James Y. Wilson.

Thanks for the pics Fred! This is one of THE COOLEST applications we've seen that leverages the Serializer! The build quality is TOP NOTCH, and it looks VERY PROFESSIONAL!

There's another post in this forum from Fred's 2008 Satellite Demo as well!

Best Regards!

Don's Robotics WEB home features TracksBot

Don Lewis — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 13:38:34 GMT

Hi all,
I have implemented my WEB pages for my robotics development.
[url]http://robotics.djlewis.us/[/url]
It includes both the hardware and software venues of my progress.
Also I have taken some Roboticsconnection program code parts and
built a console application for manual and autonomous navigation.
This app is downloadable from my site and is complete with source
so tweaks can be made to fit your robots sensors and motors. It
was done with the free VSC# 2005.
I have other ambitions such as a visual recognition navigation
system for TracksBot, speech recognition, speech and sound. These
added features will, hopefully, be provided by a onboard computer
I am currently working on. It runs at 500Mhz, requires no cooling as it
only draws up to 300mA. Has built in audio in/out, some GPIO, I2C
and more. More on this computer will be on my WEB site.

[url]http://robotics.djlewis.us/[/url]

Braxton Technologies training Satellite controlled by Serializer

jsummerour — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:14:10 GMT

One of our customers, Braxton Technologies, recently sent us this information regarding a training Satellite they've developed that utilitizes the Serializer at it's core. :cool: This is actually around the 2nd or 3rd training satellite they've developed using the Serializer (I've posted those pics below as well). They use the Serializer Cpp Lib that James Y. Wilson wrote last year, to control the actions of the Satellite.

Here is an excerpt of their email to us regarding the use of the Satellite at the 24th National Space Symposium (2008).

[ Braxton recently updated our web-site to include a blurb about my RoboSat

http://www.braxtontech.com/a_news_Sym08.htm

It was a big hit, in fact, I’ve been asked to create a 4’ by 3’ working model of a Spy Satellite (pretend but intended to look conceptually real). My payload will include a spy camera, and they want it to be visible from above the booth at the next Symposium.

We used the existing model robot for presenting the Science of Satellite Operations to the local Civil Air Patrol and for a Kids Day event at Raytheon. Again, this is a big hit! ]

Here is an excerpt of their email to us regarding the use of the Satellite at the 23rd National Space Symposium (2007).

[The National Space Symposium ended on Thursday. I must say that my company management informed me that the Robot Satellite was one of the big attractions at the Symposium. I was able to draw NASA, Ball Aerospace, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and others to our booth to play with and command our satellite from our software. Other competing companies had software displays but none were able to demonstrate there capabilities as we did.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for your support. It was a hit. I'll try to send you action movies of the capabilities. I was able to de-spin with simulated LED thrusters, deploy each solar array individually, deploy a high gain antenna, perform a sun finder maneuver and individually command each solar array to point as directed. I had configured a temperature sensor on the voltage regulator and one for ambient temperature. Two light sensors to detect light sources. I used the compass to aid in z-Axis rotation commanding. Using the TTL to the EB505 Bluetooth connected wireless to my laptop. I was able to incorporate an interface module to intercept commanding from our application and direct it to the satellite.

Truly amazing!! So successful, my management has directed me to build a few more professional models to be used for satellite training and demonstrations. I can't begin to tell you how much new business we may get out of this.]

rdas

rdas — Fri, 09 May 2008 06:54:38 GMT

hey guys...here's a link to my groups senior project: [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAam8mw9Xw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAam8mw9Xw[/url]

we used the serializer for the microcontroller and we had a lot of fun making it. so i thought i'd share it with you.

my stinger

Frank B — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 17:52:13 GMT

[center]My Stinger[/center]

[p]
Right now I'm playing around using the Stinger as a remote mobile platform to carry around a wireless B/G webcam. I don't have the components permanently mounted yet. Also my software badly needs improvement. It does work though.[/p]

section for pictures of members robots

Frank B — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 20:08:18 GMT

http://home.comcast.net/~j.bronson/images/build04.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~j.bronson/images/build03.jpg