Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Robot Videos => Topic started by: fritsl on June 01, 2008, 02:50:41 PM

Title: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: fritsl on June 01, 2008, 02:50:41 PM
I am making a set of 2 robots to race any room, any home.. They follow the wall / drive around furnitures, and return where they started while racing each other.

(http://letsmakerobots.com/files/userpics/u4/wallracer_brown.jpg)

(http://lh5.ggpht.com/fritslyneborg/SD8BnCtp1xI/AAAAAAAAB1w/OGqtaUE57WU/IMG_3962.JPG?imgmax=720)

This small test-video shows where I am now in developing the skid-turning needed for hard turns:

[youtube]4V37YFoV3R0[/youtube]

Notice how it sometimes mis-judges when the wall is not 90 degrees, but has bumps. But also how it handles getting out again :D (Me proud, love this, think it is cool, it drives so much better than what I can do with remote myself)

Of course I could just give it some more space to turn in the code, to drive more "safe", but I kind of like it to be tight :) And notice how it never bumps into anything else - the polystyrene-blocks would fly right off if it hit them.

I have added an extra battery for more power. I need to do that on the Porche (the other Wall Racer) as well, and then to optimize for general racing :) (May do some lap-counting or something if I get to it)
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: Steve Joblin on June 01, 2008, 03:48:01 PM
cool
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: JesseWelling on June 01, 2008, 04:13:38 PM
Nice work!

So what's the underlying control scheme? Show us your algorithm  :D
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: fritsl on June 01, 2008, 10:48:46 PM
I am planing to make a complete walk through, just not finished yet :)
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: bens on June 02, 2008, 12:59:24 AM
Our local robotics club (http://www.lvbots.com/) has an event at our semi-annual competitions called "pool racing", where multiple robots race around the outside of some irregularly shaped course (often made up of a series of inflatable pools).  The first one to complete three laps wins, so speed is an element, but most of the fun comes from watching the robots interact with each other.  It looks like your bot would make a fantastic pool-racer!  I don't suppose you live somewhere near Las Vegas?

- Ben
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: Rebelgium on June 02, 2008, 05:14:56 AM
awesome, nice work.
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: fritsl on June 02, 2008, 07:10:16 AM
Our local robotics club (http://www.lvbots.com/) has an event at our semi-annual competitions called "pool racing", where multiple robots race around the outside of some irregularly shaped course (often made up of a series of inflatable pools).  The first one to complete three laps wins, so speed is an element, but most of the fun comes from watching the robots interact with each other.  It looks like your bot would make a fantastic pool-racer!  I don't suppose you live somewhere near Las Vegas?

- Ben

Yes, my Wall Racers can also ride on the outside of objects.

No, I live in Denmark..

But I could send one over to you, and you could "race it", and return it (with first prize, haha) that could be fun! When is the next race? Looks like in a long time on your web?

And thank you to Rebelgium, JesseWelling and Steve Joblin for the thumbs up :) Thanks!
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: bens on June 02, 2008, 11:56:44 AM
Hmm, Denmark is definitely not near Las Vegas.  We just had a competition this past weekend, so the next one probably won't be until November or so.  At any rate, very impressive stuff!

- Ben
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: fritsl on June 02, 2008, 02:03:41 PM
Hey don't forget me then. It could be fun!!
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: ed1380 on June 03, 2008, 05:43:50 PM
woah thats awesome. drifting robots
Title: Re: Wall Racers pre-video "skid turning"
Post by: fritsl on June 29, 2008, 01:07:41 PM
Thanks all - the how-to is shaping up, almost done: http://letsmakerobots.com/node/928