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Subject: 
Re: challenge: LEGO copier
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Thu, 5 Aug 2004 15:46:43 GMT
Viewed: 
1126 times
  
In article <I1z78u.93M@lugnet.com>,
"Steve Hassenplug" <hassenplug@mail.com> wrote:

On the other hand, if you allow gaps, it would be very easy to make a model
that's almost impossible for a robot to copy.  For example, an M where the
middle leg doesn't touch the bottom line:

studs: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
A       <-->        <-->
B       <----->  <----->
C       <--> <----> <-->
D       <-->  <-->  <-->
E       <-->        <-->

Why would that be impossible?  You'd start by building up the sides;
when you've done row B, then you can attach the block in row C, followed
by the one in row D.  So yes, this means the robot has to be able to
move back and forth; it can't just progress from one end to the other.

It also means that to attach the blocks, it needs to have a gripper
which can be adjusted widely so that it can press the new block onto the
existing model, regardless of how high the existing part of the model
is.  Tricky, but not impossible.

Also, it's going to be hard for any type of sensor (light sensor or camera)
to tell the difference between a brick of unknown color, and the background,
unless you have stereo vision (two cameras).

We've been assuming a limited set of colors -- say red, white, and blue.
Put this against a black background and it'll be quite easy to parse it
with a camera.  (I don't know much about LEGO robotics, but I used to
work in machine vision, so I can say this with confidence.)

Once someone can make the "easy" one, then maybe you could make it harder...

Well, that's certainly a sensible approach.

- Joe

,------------------------------------------------------------------.
|    Joseph J. Strout         Check out the Mac Web Directory:     |
|    joe@strout.net           http://www.macwebdir.com             |
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Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: challenge: LEGO copier
 
(...) Almost impossible. Personally, I'd have a hard time building this with my hands, much less building a robot to do it. It could easily require three grippers just to put the pieces together. Definitely beyond anything I'd be interesting in (...) (20 years ago, 5-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)
  Re: challenge: LEGO copier
 
(...) No - you'd just use a touch sensor that you could lower down onto the model you are 'scanning' - it would be easy enough to measure whether there was a hole or a brick. (...) The Lego camera isn't really much use because it can't talk to the (...) (20 years ago, 5-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: challenge: LEGO copier
 
(...) I'm sorry, but I find this VERY funny. :) But you've already said how little you really know about building, so I guess it's OK. A robot that could copy a continuous model is something that would be very do-able. On the other hand, if you (...) (20 years ago, 5-Aug-04, to lugnet.robotics)

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