3000$ badget Robot...

[sonaiko]

Hello,

Im in my senior year computer engineering.
I have a 3000$ badget from my university to make a robot with my team.
Actually, im not so sure what to do.
can u help me in some ideas?

the main idea must be that the robot should be computer controlled wirelessly. Other than that, it is up to me.

Shall i use microcontrollers or PLCs?
Can i make it walking on legs or that impossible, wheels r a must?
what features i can put in it?

I have 1 or 2 years to finish the project.

thanx.

 

[hjl4]

First, are you expecting wages ?
Second, do you have access to a machine shop to make all the parts you'll need yourself?
Third, how elaborate of a system?(what do you want it to do)
Fourth, how fast and fluid are the motions?(this can be expensive).


These questions can go on for a long while.

To control via IR or RF, lots hits on web.

Remember, that everytime you think of something or have an idea, it probably has allready been made.
Are we reinventing the wheel here?

Need more details.

 

[sonaiko]

First, are you expecting wages ?
Second, do you have access to a machine shop to make all the parts you'll need yourself?
Third, how elaborate of a system?(what do you want it to do)
Fourth, how fast and fluid are the motions?(this can be expensive).


These questions can go on for a long while.

To control via IR or RF, lots hits on web.

Remember, that everytime you think of something or have an idea, it probably has allready been made.
Are we reinventing the wheel here?

Need more details.

1. wages is not a condition. im not supposed to have money in return for my project.

2. Yes there is a machine shop access.

3. I dont know what it should do! im asking for ideas! shall i make it walk or use wheels? or shall i put wireless cam or not? i really dont know and asking for ideas!

4. hmm nice question. becoz i dont know the answer, can u give me examples of this and that? so i can make sure what i want exactly?

it is fine for that it has been made. What i care about is to make it myself to graduate and achieve sth!!

thanx man. plz help.

 

[bloody-orc]

check the floorsweaper project few threads under this one. this is a nice project actually and a bit cheaper i guess\hope.

 

[sonaiko]

check the floorsweaper project few threads under this one. this is a nice project actually and a bit cheaper i guess\hope.

Actually i already did. I liked the idea very much. But I didnt figure out the way the Robot is gonna be controlled, is it by PC or not.

 

[bloody-orc]

this i think you could control with any bigger microcontroller (pic\ATMEGA). you dont need to have a PC on it. you could control the hole thing with PALM maybe. PC is bad cause it needs a lot of power and the memory devices dont like shaking. I guess that he will do it also with a microcontroller. actually this is really your choice

 

[sonaiko]

this i think you could control with any bigger microcontroller (pic\ATMEGA). you dont need to have a PC on it. you could control the hole thing with PALM maybe. PC is bad cause it needs a lot of power and the memory devices dont like shaking. I guess that he will do it also with a microcontroller. actually this is really your choice

Nice. My idea stands on the inturrupt concept. Im thinking of smthng like when i press UP on my PC then the robot moves forward. This can be done by sending an inturrupt signal to the microcontroller when pressing UP.

Im very good at programming and i think im gonna be able to do that. But the problem is how im gonna be able to send those orders? im thinking of Bluetooth so i can have a wide range. But im no expert in what transciever set i should get or how that exactly works!

 

[bloody-orc]

bluetooth range is not that big at all. i would suggest you to use RF(radio freq.) you connect it to your COM port and the other one to your robot. Then you use manchester encoding (or something like that) and send all kinds of data to it).

 

[Roboticinfo]

bluetooth range is not that big at all. i would suggest you to use RF(radio freq.) you connect it to your COM port and the other one to your robot. Then you use manchester encoding (or something like that) and send all kinds of data to it).

I would have to agree, RF is the way to go in robotics if range is needed but there is it negatives.

 

[Roboticinfo]

Hi sonaiko I have to ask are you a begginer in robotics?

Also how crafty are you on the tools like what would you grade your self as in engineering?

Advanced, Intermidate, Novice, begginer.

?

 

[hjl4]

Sonaiko,

How can you say you are ready to start programming code, when you have no idea what you are building.
You say bluetooth??
Bluetooth is also prone to interference.(and it's gonna get worse).
RF is 100 times better, even if it also has it's disadvantages.

What you should be thinking, is what do I want my robot to do.

For myself, if I wanted a floor sweeper, I'd go buy one.

For an engineering senior, I'm sorry to say that, by what i've read from your replies, you lack ingenuity.

Then again, i've been wrong before.

You seem so eager to jump into a floor sweeper, but you have barely opened the door to robotics.

Why can't you build a self balancing 2 legged robot that can carry water, in an ordinary coffee mug, up a flight of stairs, and not spill any, and be able to avoid obstacles.

I have a degree in industrial electronics/engineering/machining, and surely, you can challenge yourself more.

The problem I find, with today's engineering students, is that they all want the degree or diploma, but few of them actually deserve it.

Sorry for being so harsh, but if your professor has'nt instilled this in his
teachings, then he is not doing his job.
Creativity is what will make any engineer stand out and be successful.

In any case Good Luck.

P.S. 2 years?? Your lucky.

 

[atferrari]

Why not some concrete advice instead?

Good Luck

:?:

Why not adding some concrete advice?

Not being an EE myself, far from that, I wish I could offer concrete suggestions from my personal knowledge!!!

A balancing robot always fascinated me :idea:

A nice suggestion. Why not combined with some extra communication with outside world for an aditional task while carrying that coffee? (May it be tea instead?) :?:

 

[hjl4]

Yes to concrete suggestions.

But you see, you took an idea(balancing robot), and creatively added extra communication.

It's those little extra things, that set us apart.

If you are good at programming, this is no problem right?

Anyways , I guess I should just crawl back in my cave.

 

[sonaiko]

Hi sonaiko I have to ask are you a begginer in robotics?

Also how crafty are you on the tools like what would you grade your self as in engineering?

Advanced, Intermidate, Novice, begginer.

?

In robotics i am a beginner. But in engineering, Electrical and computer in specific i am an advanced engineer.

Guys, I was asking for ideas, sorry i didnt say that before, but im not the one who is gonna build the whole robot. I have Mechatronics engineers and mechanical engineers in my team. My job -as an electrical/computer engineer- is to program the microcontroller and do the communicaition stuff.

 

[sonaiko]

How can you say you are ready to start programming code, when you have no idea what you are building.

I meant that just give me an idea, and i think i can be able to program it.

You seem so eager to jump into a floor sweeper, but you have barely opened the door to robotics.

Yup. Im an advanced programmer. But a begineer in robotics. But as i said before i dont have to worry about the mechanical stuff becoz my teammates will do those stuff. What im concerned about is programming and communication with the control IC.

Guys u convinced me with the RF stuff. But how should i connect the reciever on the microcontroller? Sm friends said i need to use a whole computer motherboard to do so, isnt there any other way?

The problem I find, with today's engineering students, is that they all want the degree or diploma, but few of them actually deserve it.

I agree. Here i am trying to learn and ask some experienced people, whereas all my mates r BUYING their projects from sm place!!

Sorry for being so harsh, but if your professor has'nt instilled this in his
teachings, then he is not doing his job.
Creativity is what will make any engineer stand out and be successful.

I agree.

P.S. 2 years?? Your lucky.

thats the maximum i can have, well, i want to work hard so i can finish in only 1.

 

[sonorous]

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[Sputnik]

Guys u convinced me with the RF stuff. But how should i connect the reciever on the microcontroller? Sm friends said i need to use a whole computer motherboard to do so, isnt there any other way?

Yup there is, just use a serial output Rx (which almost all are) and use the UART on your micro or create one in software if your micro doesnt have a hardware UART.

Just write the code to do what you want with the incoming commands.

This can even be done on the most basic microcontrollers like the PIC 16F84 or even more basic chips than that.

No computer motherboard needed except your microcontroller board and micro.

Do some googleing and you will turn up a whole myriad of info.

 

[roboticmisinfo]

I have a 3000$ badget from my university

What's a badget? Is it a cross between a badger and a gadget? Like a robot badger that serves you drinks? Sounds a bit far fetched to me...... I think you're making it up...