Building a Small Autonomous Robot? 43
Nedward asks: "For Christmas I would like to give a friend all the equipment to build a small (approx 1 ft^3) mobile autonomous robot. I have looked up some kits online, but I would like more freedom than the kits offer (fully programmable, etc). The challenge: I only have $200.00 to spend. Has anyone put together a robot (CPU, motor, sensors and so forth) with that kind of a budget? Any other suggestions?"
Lego Mindstorms (Score:4, Insightful)
Lego Mindstorms [legomindstorms.com]
The perfect getting started programmable robotics kit...
Only two motors (Score:1)
Lego my robot (Score:3, Interesting)
Lego Mindstorms (Score:3, Informative)
One word response (Score:5, Informative)
I've built a few robot platforms around the 68hc11 brain, and that chip is the easiest one to get started with:
The guys at the Seattle Robotics Society [seattlerobotics.org] do a lot with this architecture, and they have plenty of articles and links pertaining to it.
+5 Informative? Are you slashbots morons? (Score:3, Informative)
Consider using an AVR [atmel.com] chip. Its a nice, modern RISC (32 registers, compared to the shitty HC11's handful). They are much cheaper, have a shitload more memory and peripherals, and tons faster (16/24 MIPS). Even a common-as-dirt PIC chip would be better then this. [microchip.com]
The tools are much better for PICs and AVRs because they are much more popular.
Re:One word response (Score:5, Informative)
Another good chip to work with (Score:2)
I think Atmel's midrange chips (in the $8 range) beat the HC11s, and have LOTS of nice features.
Get down! (Score:1)
Just one question (Score:5, Funny)
Check out some sumo resources (Score:3, Informative)
I have a list of some mini-sumo links here [tomgroves.net]
lots of different options.. (Score:5, Informative)
68HC12 [technologicalarts.com]
Lego Mindstorm [legomindstorms.com]
8051 development board [pjrc.com]
Good 'ol Parallax [parallax.com]
There are also chips/development boards from Microchip (manufacturers of PIC series of ucontrollers) and Atmel.
Most of the above DO NOT come with motors, sensors, base, wheels etc. However, these are not difficult to find at a nearby hobby shop.
For a little more challenge, get a DSP board (TI, Motorola, Analog devices etc). You can get a good new/used one for pretty cheap from eBay [ebay.com]
Re:lots of different options.. (Score:2)
Re:lots of different options.. (Score:1, Informative)
The Atmel AVR systems have a full free toolchain based on GCC, and can be in-circuit-programmed for cheap. You can't get the highest-end chips in DIP, but you don't need Mega128's for most projects.
Best solutio
Re:lots of different options.. (Score:2)
I don't see any point in using a compiler, really. Compilers generate very inefficient c
Here's one under $100 (Score:5, Informative)
"This is the complete Mark III Robot kit, everything you need to build a working autonomous robot including controller board, sensors, pre-programmed PIC, chassis, wheels, motors, documentation and software. Just add batteries. Assembly required."
Alternative suggestion... (Score:1)
Handy Cricket (Score:5, Informative)
I recommend using Lego to build the body of the robot as it's highly reconfigurable, cheap, and fun to play with even without the robot parts.
Budget (Score:2)
My alma mater had an 'Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles Lab', which consisted of M680x0 VME machines mounted to a motorized chassis with a bunch of sensors (collision, light, ultrasound, video). I'm pretty sure they were powered by rechargeable lead-acid cells when they were 'off the leash'. I dread to think how much all that must have cost back then. Probably a few grand per robot. :-/
More details can be found in thi [essex.ac.uk]
Hobby Engineering (Score:2, Informative)
Robot Builder's Bonanza (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Robot Builder's Bonanza (Score:1)
I'd recommend instead making a robot costume [chevroncars.com]. You could show up in the costume with a nice red bow, vacuum the carpets, serve a couple of drinks, and sneak out after everyone goes to bed.
Does he own a Palm? (Score:2)
It doesn't do a whole lot - 3 infrared rangefinders for sensors, not much (if any room) to add more sensors or devices, but it does move holonomically. =D
Re:Does he own a Palm? (Score:1)
Re:Does he own a Palm? (Score:2)
Re:Does he own a Palm? (Score:2)
robot controller from compubotics (Score:2)
plus pick up 2 servos, modify them for continious
motion and wammo.. easy and cheap robot for about
100$ Spend the rest on sensors, etc.
Re:robot controller from compubotics (Score:2)
Here is my complete recomendation:
***Brains***
Anything that you are familiar with. Can be a palm, PocketPC, microcontroller, or PC104 board. Just be sure that whatever you choose has a good compiler and debugger. You will also need some digital inputs and outputs. And an analog-to-digital converter is VERY nice to have (almost manditory).
One approach to use if you have an old Palm/Pocke
RoboSapien + PDA Phone (Score:2)
Two options for the PDA controller:
1. You can use a PocketPC and a free Visual C++ API
You may get a cheap PocketPC on Ebay.
OR
2. You can use a PalmOS PDA, along with a program called SAPBench that works out to $25.
You could either use a cheapo palm Zire, or get a Treo 300 PDA + phone which I saw on sale for as cheap as $85 on Froogle.google.co
Handy Andy... (Score:2)
Using RC Model vehicles (Score:2)
On models I've bought, replacing the controller was as simple as cutting four tracks on a PCB and connecting them straight to a microcontroller. This leaves you with plenty of money left for sensors and processors.
Re:Using RC Model vehicles (Score:1)
Hobby Robot Options (Score:2, Informative)
If you think your friend would be interested in something a little more complex, I can point you to some other resources...
There are some robot kits on the market. A pretty good one is: SumoBot Robot [parallax.com] ~$150
Or you could get a platform and controller board se
$200 for an autonomouse robot kit... (Score:3, Informative)
You basically have 3 main parts or units for an autonomous robot - the body, the brains, and the sensors. You want to do this cheap, and you want to do this fast. So, start off with the body:
Go down to the Goodwill stores in your area. Look around. See something that can be used for the body? Grab it. Miscellaneous parts? Grab it. Go on 50% off day, all the better. You are looking for things like remote controls, old joysticks, used VCRs and cassette recorders, old radio controlled cars or other similar things (or remote controlled tank devices, etc). I was at some Goodwills these past two weekends, I managed to score 2 old "battlebot" toys (nice battery operated simple tank drives), 1 full direction radio-shack dune buggy, and a complete Star Wars Droid Mindstorms kit (cheesy, yeah - but goes great with my full RCX 1.5 kit) - spent less than 10 bucks (!). You want the remotes for the IR LEDs in them, and the other stuff for motors and gears, etc.
Another possibility (though more expensive) is to get some cheapo toys and such from bargain places (like Big Lots) that will work for a robot body. Don't forget ideas like a piece of 2x2 plywood, a couple of casters, a couple of lawnmower wheels, and a couple of cheap power screwdrivers (all that should be doable under $50.00).
Get him the "Robot Builder Bonanza" book - he will need it and cherish it - buy a used copy for cheap. Don't worry about the condition much, if he likes your gift, he won't care.
Alright, so you got the body - you need the brains. Hopefully, you didn't spend much more than 10 dollars on the body - but no more than $50. And the book should be cheap, too ($10.00 if you bought it used). So, for the brains you need something easy to use - go for a Basic Stamp 2 (Parallax). The hardware is cheap ($40.00), the software is plentiful (even free), and there is a lot of documentation and tutorials online. Interface electronics will be needed - a good pack of resistors, transistors (throw in many NPN and PNP power transistors for H-bridges, too), diodes, capacitors, and some relays and LEDs. Also, add several "glue logic" chips (most won't be needed for the Stamp, but they're cheap, so put some in). Toss in a breadboard, and add a few copper-holed protoboards, too.
Now, for sensors: remember those remote controls from Goodwill - well, there is where you get some of your sensors: You want simple devices for the sensors, so go with IR LED/phototransistor pairs - easy to drive and sense from the Stamp. The remotes and such will have one or more of the IR LEDs you will want (and some of the LEDs, as well). The VCRs, etc that you pick up will also have the receiver units or phototransistors needed (or, just buy some phototransistors). The reason I say get the stuff from Goodwill, is that the parts can sometimes be cheaper to get this way than buying new - but shop around, it may be cheaper to buy many of the parts from say, All Electronics or something.
Throw in some double-sided tape, some corruplast or thin plywood, a pack of screws and/or bolts - and hopefully he (or she?) will have enough imagination to supply to turn it all into a functional robot...
Basic Kit (Score:1)
Protoboard
Wire
Caps and resistors.
IR-rangefinder by sharp
Photoresistors
2 DC motors with gearbox/wheels
Plexi, screws
20Mhz crystal
5-volt regulator
9-volt battery pack
Pic programmer
Free download of PIC assembly from Microchips website.
Done.
check this out (Score:1)
At $120 canuck, how can you go wrong
what about a personal robot from japan? (Score:2)