Subject:
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Walker Invasion
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics.handyboard
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Date:
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Thu, 12 Jun 1997 04:33:42 GMT
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Original-From:
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Michael A. Tyborski <WEBWERX@nomorespamEXECPC.COM>
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Viewed:
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1507 times
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Walking robots are in vogue now. Moving step-by-step over uneven
terrain--indoors and out, they seem to have a life of their own. They
were once complicated devices that took many man-years to build and
program. Now, students routinely build them within a few days.
These web sites show walker designs and how they can be improved by
studying nature.
FRANK SCOTT'S HEXAPOD ROBOTS
This web site describes versions of a walking robot that is powered by 12
R/C servos and controlled by a 68HC11 microcontroller. It discusses the
electronics, mechanics, and software design. The author includes
schematics, parts lists, PCB layouts, and construction notes. Overall,
it is an excellent site for learning how to make a complex walking robot.
Home page with LOTS of links to other walking robot web sites
http://www.frasco.demon.co.uk/
General Design Considerations (4 pages)
Excellent discussion of stability, gaits, and leg design. This section
includes equations for designing legs.
http://www.frasco.demon.co.uk/rodney/mechan/design.htm
HOME OF THE HEXWALKER (TM) MOBILE ROBOT
Learn most of the details about M&T System's inexpensive "HexWalker"
walking robot. It uses a BASIC Stamp to control three RC servos in a
simple and effective design.
http://pw2.netcom.com/~mandtsys/robots.html
A Closer Look at Nickel-Cadmium
Shows how to keep your batteries from reversing polarity or failing from
"memory effect"
http://pw2.netcom.com/~mandtsys/robots/nicd.html
Most walking robots use either R/C servos or Nitinol wire to move the
legs. Unfortunately, both approaches suffer from limited power or speed.
These web sites show how to build AIR MUSCLES that have "a
power-to-weight ratio of about 400:1"!
Biologically-based Robots
Describes how to make McKibben artificial muscles
http://brl.ee.washington.edu/BRL/bbr.html
The Shadow Robot Group
Including a humanoid walking robot, this site describes many robots built
with Shadow Air Muscle. It also provides important background
information that should help others get started with this research.
http://www.shadow.org.uk/
Shadow Robot Project: The SHADOW Air Muscle
http://www.shadow.org.uk/muscle.html
Although walking robots normally use one or more microcontrollers to
sequence the legs, this approach may be obsolete. Mark Tilden's patented
Microcore circuit can do it for you. Using a 74HC14 IC and a few
resistors and capacitors, it sequences the legs and adapts their motion
to the terrain.
Tilden described this adaption in his talk at the EANN '95 conference:
These devices do not use "feedback" in the standard sense,
but rather "implex", as the driving forces are augmented by
perceived load rather than by a separate regulating path. The
result is highly compliant, animal-like machine motions that
"negotiate" rather than "bully" their way through environments,
resulting in minimal damage to both world and robot.
Very unique, indeed.
Biomorphic Robotics and Nervous Net Research: A New Machine Control
Paradigm
by Mark W. Tilden
Source of the above quote
http://www2.xtdl.com/~bushbo/beam/Biomorphic.html
Living Machines (paper)
Excellent introduction to this design philosophy
http://www.webconn.com/~mwd/beam/living_machines.pdf
The Microcore
Provides Microcore background information, the Nervous Net patent, and
tells how to make a two-motor walker. This site is a great place to get
started with Microcore research. Thanks Andrew Miller!
http://www.golden.net/~amiller/Microcore.htm
Nature designs efficient structures. By studying her examples, robot
builders can build systems that are simple and effective, too.
Cheers,
Michael A. Tyborski
WebWerx
Milwaukee, WI
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