Subject:
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Re: What can I do with a robot?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics.handyboard
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Date:
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Mon, 25 Oct 1999 18:32:21 GMT
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Original-From:
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Gary Livick <glivick@pacbell.!spamless!net>
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Viewed:
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783 times
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Adam,
As far as interfacing to external devices, the inexpensive ones are wheel
encoders, IR ranging, bumpers, sound sensors and visible light sensors. You
can get much more involved by adding compasses, GPS, video vision and so on,
but the cost goes up with the level of complexity, and for little gain. You'll
be years just exploring all the facets of developing intelligent behaviors
around the simple sensors.
Navigation is a lot more difficult than it would appear. The main way for your
robot to keep track of its location is by counting wheel encoder clicks. Very
quickly, the errors (wheel slip, resolution of the wheel encoder targets) mount
up and the robot has a very wrong idea of where it is. Correcting location is
possible by using landmark recognition, but this is a big deal requiring lots
of ability on the part of the programmer, and worse.... lots and lots of TIME.
Autonomous "roaming" is a much easier thing to do as the robot is reactive
outside of just going in a straight line. Simple stimulus-response. Then
adding in other activities such as light following can go on top of it without
complicating the project to the point that nothing works. If you have sonar,
you can do things like look for and head in the direction having the longest
clear path. The robot that does this kind of roaming is relatively easy to
program, can make use of lots of senors, and has a high grade coefficient
(looks interesting * looks difficult* x 4.0).
I suspect that somewhere in there lies an acceptable challenge for you. Just
remember the number one rule; keep it simple.
Good luck,
Gary Livick
Adam Oliver wrote:
> A question for all of you fantastic robotics enthusiasts out there:
>
> I have to do a final year project next year, and I'm getting a head start on
> designing it. I've been told that I can do pretty much what I like with a
> robot, as long as it has a lot of interfacing to external devices and the
> like. What I would like to ask, is what else could I possibly hook up?
> Currently I'm only looking at an ultrasonic ranging sensor, but I want to
> have more. My idea is a wheeled robot which can navigate around engineering
> building unassisted, possibly vacuuming, xferring messages and the like. I
> really can't go drawing lines or running wires etc...
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> thanks
> Adam
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | What can I do with a robot?
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| A question for all of you fantastic robotics enthusiasts out there: I have to do a final year project next year, and I'm getting a head start on designing it. I've been told that I can do pretty much what I like with a robot, as long as it has a lot (...) (25 years ago, 25-Oct-99, to lugnet.robotics.handyboard)
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