Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: BlackPearl on July 29, 2009, 03:03:30 PM

Title: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: BlackPearl on July 29, 2009, 03:03:30 PM

Hey guys, another robot junkie here. My name is John, I'm from Tampa, FL. I do fabrication and consulting work for a few different industries. I have recently acquired the interest in robotics. I have decided to build the $50 robot and test my skills. I have just finished drawing up the chassis for my robot and plan on cutting it out on the waterjet tomorrow. I'm going to use some 14gauge stainless for the chassis. What I have done is made a 2 layer chassis, the second layer will be to accommodate the Sharp IR and the required servo once I get it running on simple photresistors first. I have a Futaba 2 channel radio system from my R/C days as well as a Futaba 4 channel and a box of servos I plan to dig through to modify to make them continuous rotating servos.

I'm hoping my fabrication skills will make up for my lack of robot knowledge, hopefully I can add to the community in some way as well as acquire some knowledge from the more seasoned individuals.

Here is a small .jpg showing what my plans are for the initial chassis that is subject to change at any time.



(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/400HPSilverado/BuggyChasis.jpg)

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: SmAsH on July 29, 2009, 03:13:38 PM

hi John,
welcome to the forums ;D
those plans look great! your going to have two platforms with the sharp ir on the higher level right?
good luck and i hope this project turns out great!

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: jamort on July 29, 2009, 05:22:55 PM

sharp ir on the second level? not such a great idea you have a lot of space at teh bootom that could hit some thing...

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: BlackPearl on July 29, 2009, 07:07:26 PM

Quote from: jamort on July 29, 2009, 05:22:55 PM

sharp ir on the second level? not such a great idea you have a lot of space at teh bootom that could hit some thing...

Jamort, are you suggesting the robot might have tracking issues using the IR due to the fact that it is mounted so high on the chassis? Or are you saying the servo the IR is mounted on might interfere with the control board and other gizmos mounted on the lower level?

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: jamort on July 29, 2009, 08:11:58 PM

Im saying that if there is an object thats not above the first level then your robot would hit it... (its too short for it to be in the irs path.... a dimple fix would be two irs.... importan part of robotics (planning)

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: BlackPearl on July 29, 2009, 08:31:35 PM

I didn't even think of that, I appreciate your input. I'll add the IR to the lower deck and use the upper deck for the control board and whatever else might need to be perched up there. With business so slow right now, the waterjet isn't terribly busy so I have time to make a few different chassis if I discover one is not going to work. Thanks for your help


Version 1.1

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: jamort on July 29, 2009, 08:47:58 PM

you could just order two ir sensors and have one on each deck....

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: SmAsH on July 30, 2009, 12:33:52 AM

that doesnt really have much point does it? unless there are high objects to avoid? eg. a bridge...

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: jamort on July 30, 2009, 11:09:26 AM

true but why risk it  ;D lol

also if hes putting the photorestistors on his board it should detect the lower objects.... but having a sensor lower is because a book could stop the $50bot from going

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: SmAsH on July 30, 2009, 03:04:33 PM

bear in mind hes starting out with the $50 ir code, which only includes three servos and one sharp ir.
i cant see a point in having two sharps at different levels for a basic robot...

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: BlackPearl on July 30, 2009, 05:41:02 PM

Well I finally got out of the shop for today. I got the chassis cut on the waterjet today. I'm going to mod the servos hopefully tongiht if time permits. The chassis looks pretty good, I cut it from .049 stainless I had laying around. I'll snap some pictures of it tonight also if I can.

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: BlackPearl on August 03, 2009, 05:32:02 PM

The UPS man just made a delivery, now the fun begins. Stand by for updates.


(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/400HPSilverado/IMG00547-20090803-1928.jpg)

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: jamort on August 03, 2009, 10:15:47 PM

good luck... I was just saying that you could have two irs.... just in case

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: SmAsH on August 04, 2009, 12:27:32 AM

whats in the package?

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: jamort on August 04, 2009, 12:50:15 AM

it looks like to me 50$ robot parts ???

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: SmAsH on August 04, 2009, 01:09:32 AM

Quote from: jamort on August 04, 2009, 12:50:15 AM

it looks like to me 50$ robot parts ???

ah, i should've picked up on that one :P

Title: Re: Another $50 Robot is born
Post by: BlackPearl on August 21, 2009, 08:28:11 PM

Well I have been slammed with work so I have not been able to touch the robot until today. The chassis has been sitting here staring at me waiting to be complete. I soldered up all the components today and got that done. I need to start putting it together now. The chassis is just some scrap .049 stainless I had left over form a job and I waterjet out a nice little chassis and some wheels.

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/400HPSilverado/IMG00624-20090821-2212.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y206/400HPSilverado/IMG00628-20090821-2220.jpg)