Getting Back Into Robotics and Stuff,

Long time no post here, so I thought I start documenting what I do on here (well the hobby stuff anyway - do not want to risk posting my research on here incase it gets thieved!

My micromouse, MicroChimp has had its day and I can not be bothered to rebuild the electronics for a stepper motor platform mouse. So i took the plunge and purchased some Faulhaber motors. i then machined some bearing mounts with my dad out of alluminium. That was some time ago, and I have finally started to design a PCB... Below is a model of the rough layout and my bearing mounts/wheel assemblies so far.















On another note I have started finishing the talk box, as can be seen below in its early days. Gluing carpet on it and getting some chrome corner pieces. Placed a little 10 watt amp inside to drive the speaker.

Pololu

The Return of the Mice

Long time no posts, my course has been keeping me very busy...I have hardly had anytime for mouses :'(

Anyway heres some very rough designs i have done over time for various DC mice...

This mouse I plan to build some day! - i have all the motors, Ball race bearings, axels, wheels gears etc - its just a case of finding some time to build!

Heres an early desing of the motor/gear layout. It has 6:1 reduction, and I plan to used Mouse encoders on the Motor Side of the gear train.

I'm hoping the Sensors as shown below, (well the side refelctive looking ones) will be digitally filtered. I want 6 of these sensors, and i have got to do some tests to see if a dsPIC has enough oomph to run 6 FIR filters at a respectable rate. If not i will do some simpler approximations by removing ambient level digitally, and linearisng. Just a nice thought to remove ambient via a digital low pass filter.

Done some rough maths, i maybe able to get the encoder resolution upto 840 PPR at the wheel, so more than enough accuracy. My stepper mouse is my main efforsts at the moment though but i thought i would share my exploration into the world of DC mice.

LEGO NXT

Not long had my lego mindstorms NXT set, and i am very impressed!

The motors have encoders, to the nearest degree of output shaft have reasonable torque and speed. The ligght sensors also seem to work extremely well off micromouse walls!

Heres some webcam shot of a wallfollower i have been experimenting with Allan. Working quite nice now :).




Heres a video of a drive train i am thinking of using too, known as a synchro drive. Each wheel can turn in any direction on the spot and go in any direction, could be very useful - Thumper worked in such a way:

Homemade PCB's

Been making PCB's lately, they have come out quite good IMO.

Heres a SSOP to "normal" adapter (it is not dil, just fits in veroboard)

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I think it will work ok :). I'm making two, one for a girl i know, and the other for myself :).

Heres my micromouse microcontroller PCB (compared to the adapter for a size difference)

Just got to drill the board, solder the compoenents and laquer them and test ;). More progress info soon.