Kits and other Inexpensive Robotics Platforms

Intelligent Robotics Lab in Suite FAB 70, Portland State University You are cordially invited

Our Robots…. From the least expensive…..

Converting toys and Halloween Items to Robots n Very Inexpensive - after event sales n Can be quite difficult to convert - you have to understand how it works n Avoid “canned” toys, you will be not able to re-use much of it. n It is enough to re-use mechanics and motors, electronics and software are designed by students

This is inside the Furby, …. new control in GAL

Future Cyber-Theatre dance group Halloween Skeletons. This 10$ (on sale) toy can be converted to a talking and moving robot.

n A variety of heads that can be converted to talk arbitrary text by replacement of their EPROMs with parallel port interface to PC

I still wait to be converted to a robot…..

Wood and Plastic Puppets n Very inexpensive n can run with any motor n much work, needs mechanics and wood shop n student excitement n add sensors from Radio Shack n use commercial sensors such as those used in outdoor lamps

Robot Puppets Mechanical Construction of a puppet can be animated by adding servos or other motors Use wood, metal, plastic or kit parts

n Robot puppetts are quite simple to build using servos and construction components as in Robix and covering them with “skin” and dress

OWI arms : n can have many applications n inexpensive n can be controlled from a pendant or from computer n slow n not very strong n good for beginners

Students like OWI robots, the results are quick and you learn without pain

n Would you like to work on improving his appearance and intelligence? MUVAL ROBOT

MUVAL will have pneumatic body, so it will become fat and red when angry

n Electronics build by a student from freshmen class n OWI exposes students to a variety of experiences: interfacing, software...

Our permanent competition for the best MUVAL’s Head Another use of OWI arm

Camera for Internet observers Under $100 in 2000 money

Pneumatic Technology n You can see the artificial muscles at the right and PC interface with valves at left.

Wood and Servo Kits n allow for many modifications n give good ideas how to build new robots n require a simple mechanical/wood shop n use inexpensive servos from radio- controlled models that you can purchase in hobby shops like Tammy’s Hobby, or better by mail

Poor Man’s Robotics…..

Big Foot walking kit

Talking Head kit

Intelligent Dolls n This n This is not a child is a robot n It n It comes from Brook’s Company

n Dolls can be very good robots for experimentation and programming

Servo Motors Technology…. …from Robix is good for many applications Mike Levy’s golf playing robot

Robotic Arms n Expensive, at least $3000 n Precise and relatively strong n Ready good curricula n Students learn robot programming, adding sensors, adding equipment and degrees of freedom.

RHINO: Setup for automatic test and fault location with self-repair. In the first plan you see the conveyor belt with the board for test/self-repair. On the right there is the Professor's Head that will explain the project to students in English

Electric Horse Project n Use of this technology with pneumatics n Use of this technology with electric servos

Robotic Kits for High Schools

High School Students Interests (other than sports, etc.) Most popular: n Science fiction n Building “stuff” n Robotics n Hanging out with friends n Astronautics and aeronautics n High-tech Audio

COMPUTER CLUBS n Many schools have them n Power Point, Visual Basic n Often are boring

ROBOTICS for high schools n Many n Many high school students are very interested in this subject. n Inexpensive n Inexpensive kits available but not well advertised n Using n Using old parts from electronics systems that can be get from yard sales n Tektronix n Tektronix Country Store n All n All we need are: good kits and organization

Electronic Insects and Other Animals

Children can learn how to program a robotic arm

Robot Animation is both fun and useful technique used by serious researchers

… but what if you cannot afford these ….. The answer is Robotics Kits

Kits are excellent introduction to all technologies used in robotics

Your tasks n Visit the Intelligent Robotics Lab and the Industrial Robotics Lab. Visit the storage area and additional room (Mishchenko) n Look for components that you can re-use for your robots n Look at home for the components that would be useful for any of our robotics projects and that you can donate to RAS or the laboratory. n Start collecting documentation for your future robot. n Keep reviewing programming in Basic, C++ or LISP. n Think how can you improve teaching of science and technology through robotics in grade and high school