New project... University Budget

[galannthegreat]

I have been in my new classroom for about a week now, and I am abosolutely enjoying it . On the first day my instructor points over to the lab and says, "Do you see that big blue toolbox on wheels?"... "Well I want to make it do something like this... (he goes to show us this YouTube vid)"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQGJw6634yg&videos=-_lwbXkJgLw&playnext_from=TL&playnext=1

After he shows it I suggest roboticizing it, he very excitedly says "Yes!". He goes on saying that if anyone wants to do something with this tool box he would be greatly excited. So...

I need some help here... what should we do with this tool box?

All suggestions welcome.

I already have a controller sellected (NXP LPC2138FBD64 - ARM7 - 64 LQFP), but I really don't know what we should make it do?

Thanks, Kurt.

PS I will get some pics of it up by tomorrow.

[SmAsH]

whoa, quite a project!
what do you want it to be capable of?

[galannthegreat]

Anything. Make it have a "personality", make it move, open drawers and things like that. Nothing is out of the question, as you can see the controller will be more than capable.

Ideas that may be cool:
-active mapping
-blob tracking
-mechanized drawers and top lid... even the the latch locks
-VOX, ask for tool, opens drawer and drives over to source of sound... or home spot
-etc.

I will get some pics of it today, so hopefully it'll be easier to visualize this better.

[SmAsH]

I can see mechanized draws being an awesome addition to any toolbox
when you say "active mapping" do you mean adaptive mapping?

[galannthegreat]

Yea, something along those lines.

I have more news, my instructor gave an idea of using a small computer board, such as this one http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/spearhead/pico-itx/, as of which he has one for us to use. So giving it the capability of a computer over an MCU will make this project more powerful and interesting.

[galannthegreat]

Here's a link to the exact type of toolbox we have to work with.

http://www.toolboxesdirect.com/tool-chests-and-storage-cabinets/roller-tool-chests-and-cabinets/waterloopromaxx6drawerchest4drawercabinetcombo.cfm?source=pjn&subid=23493

[SmAsH]

Nice toolbox!
For moving the draws, open and closed. Have you thought about using a rack and pinion gear setup, like so?

With the rack mounted on the draw itself and the gear mounted to the non-moving part of the draw?
As for the top lid, do you think a simple mounted on the hinge would work?

I can really imagine one of those things running around with the stampy algorithm on

[galannthegreat]

I really like the rack and pinion setup, as for the lid, there will need to be a lock that can be opened and unopened for that to work.

But before things go off on a tangent (more so myself doing this), an idea that I had heard today was VOX, more specifically using it as a method for the toolbox to recognize general terms like, "screwdriver" or a number assosiated to a drawer... and thus forth opening that specific part of the box.

The stampy algo is a good base to look at but when we get down to things it needs to be very advanced... that's what the project is supposed to be. So in having, pretty much, a small single board computer the options are endless.

So any "need to have" or "enviable" features that you may have in mind?