Making Intelligent Walking Robots Accessible to Educators: A Brain and Sensor Pack for Legged Mobile Robots Weinberg, Yu, Wheeler, Knight, Mead et al.

Goals & Objectives Bring affordable, programmable, legged robot platforms into classroom curricula… Reusable sensors & microcontroller with open-source S/W. Reusable sensors & microcontroller with open-source S/W. Common computing framework. Common computing framework. Develop advanced software modules to support curriculum for courses in AI and robotics… Leverage existing S/W packages (Tekkotsu, Webots, Microsoft Robot Studio, Myro...) ‏ Leverage existing S/W packages (Tekkotsu, Webots, Microsoft Robot Studio, Myro...) ‏ Allow easy integration of many robots with any higher-level application with open API. Allow easy integration of many robots with any higher-level application with open API.

Robots in AI Education  Wheeled robot platforms have become easy for educators to incorporate into AI courses…  opportunity for students to program physically embodied systems  added interest and excitement to course

Robots in AI Education  Many microcontrollers have crossed threshold of indignation…  “the maximal behavioral component that we are willing to make to get a task done” (Saffo, 1996) ‏

Robots in AI Education Legged robots are not as evolved as wheeled robots for education … with the exception of the Sony Aibo Has since been “put to sleep” (discontinued) ‏. Has since been “put to sleep” (discontinued) ‏. Target market was entertainment. Target market was entertainment. Became popular with educators in the classroom and for research. Became popular with educators in the classroom and for research. Existing legged platforms operate using open-loop control… Limited or no sensory input from environment. Limited or no sensory input from environment. Relies on pre-programmed motions. Relies on pre-programmed motions. Dedicated motor controller. Dedicated motor controller.

Legged Robot Platforms … and many more!

SkewlZone: Brain Pack, Sensors, and Interface SW Generalized system that provides perception and cognitive ability to off-the-shelf legged robots. RoadNarrows designed: I 2 C haptic foot and hand sensors, 3-axis IMU for balance. I 2 C haptic foot and hand sensors, 3-axis IMU for balance. Mechanical mounts and attachments for several robots. Mechanical mounts and attachments for several robots. Interface board for easy plug and play of other sensors (eg. I 2 C, digital, analog, or USB). Interface board for easy plug and play of other sensors (eg. I 2 C, digital, analog, or USB). Smart camera in progress. Smart camera in progress.

SkewlZone: Brain Pack, Sensors, and Interface SW The Brain is a KorebotLE embedded XScale Linux board… Linux board designed by K-Team, Switzerland and designed for robotics. Linux board designed by K-Team, Switzerland and designed for robotics. Open-source tools, software, and supports b wireless. Open-source tools, software, and supports b wireless. RoadNarrows developed the S/W, libraries to talk to robots, sensors, either on-target or off-target. RoadNarrows developed the S/W, libraries to talk to robots, sensors, either on-target or off-target.

SkewlZone: Brain Pack and Sensor Suite Supported Robots: Kondo KHR-2HV In progress: HiTec RoboNova Kumotek KT-X Vstone RoboVie Future:RobotisDog?Suggestions?

Sensor Spotlight: Humanoid Foot  Gives user/developer ability to continuously measure…  robot center of gravity  center of pressure on each foot  magnitude of force on bottom of each foot  Toes give force feedback…  ideal for soccer competitions  Autonomous responses can be programmed for quick, low-level reactions to the environment. Demonstration

Sensor Spotlight: Humanoid Foot  Gives user/developer ability to continuously measure…  robot center of gravity  center of pressure on each foot  magnitude of force on bottom of each foot  Toes give force feedback…  ideal for soccer competitions  Autonomous responses can be programmed for quick, low-level reactions to the environment. Demonstration How?How?

Software Architecture  Allows for real-time sensing and on-board control.  Quickly develop applications using an open interface… Provides a layer of abstraction to legged system. Provides a layer of abstraction to legged system. Microcontroller connected to robot's motor controller to send servo commands, and receive sensor data Microcontroller connected to robot's motor controller to send servo commands, and receive sensor data  High-level capabilities: motion, touch, balance, vision, …  Wi-fi allows for off-target control, high-level processing, mobile network applications, and monitoring.

Leveraging Tekkotsu  Open source development framework for intelligent robots… Developed by Carnegie Melon University. Developed by Carnegie Melon University. Have offered support for this project. Have offered support for this project. Originally written for AIBOs. Originally written for AIBOs. Recently extended to a number of different platforms. Recently extended to a number of different platforms.  Provides high-level modules, written as C++ classes… Actuators: head, arms, legs, wheels, etc. Actuators: head, arms, legs, wheels, etc. Sensors: camera, rangefinders, buttons, microphones, etc. Sensors: camera, rangefinders, buttons, microphones, etc. Interaction: screen, speakers, LEDs, etc. Interaction: screen, speakers, LEDs, etc.

Extending Tekkotsu  New device defined for SkewlZone family…  create a specific robot namespace (e.g., KondoKHR2) ‏  define physical properties in namespace (e.g., N_LEGS) ‏  provide a kinematic description used for modeling and manipulating the robot’s frame used for modeling and manipulating the robot’s frame

Robot Namespace Categorize robots into hierarchical namespaces; derive parent properties.

Properties & Kinematic Description Physical properties often lead to interest points in a kinematic description.

Robots in AI Education  Modules developed for AI and robotics curriculum.  User defines behaviors by creating C++ classes…  derived from existing Tekkotsu base classes  Easy to create additional modules…  large number of existing behavior classes for reference

Robots in AI Education Consider developing behaviors for a trash-pickup robot… TrashcanTrashcan TrashTrash TrashTrash TrashTrash

Robots in AI Education  Tekkotsu also includes a Storyboard tool  allows user to monitor the current state of the robot

Project Status  Implemented Brain Pack S/W, device libraries, scripting language, and Python demonstration applications.  Created SkewlZone driver in Tekkotsu and developed motion control to Kondo KHR2. Kinematics definition in progress.  Humanoid Foot sensors, hand sensors, IMU, interface board, physical mounts. Limited prototypes available.  Curriculum for Intro. AI course under development (SUIE).  Phase I completed. Will apply for Phase II.  Pre-orders to support our effort and beta testers welcome!

Contributors  Ian Bernstein  Robin Knight  Doug Webster  Kim Wheeler-Smith  Jeff Croxell  Ross Mead  Jerry B. Weinberg  William Yu RoadNarrows LLC SIUE

Acknowledgements  This research is a partnership between…  RoadNarrows LLC, Colorado  Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) ‏  This grant is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Program…  Grant No  We would like to thank CMU’s David Touretzky and Ethan Tira-Thompson for their full Tekkotsu support.

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