Company Confidential Our Experiences with Phidgets Lloyd SpencerKevin Sikorski Monthly SRS Meeting November 18, 2006

CoroWare, Microsoft & Phidgets Robot magazine

What are Phidgets? Small bits of hardware useful in robots Small bits of hardware useful in robots  Sensors  Interface Boards  LCDs, Servo control, Encoders, etc. Varying complexity Varying complexity Goal is to free the developer from dealing with low-level hardware issues. Goal is to free the developer from dealing with low-level hardware issues. Made by Phidgets, Inc. Made by Phidgets, Inc.

First Use CoroWare needed an accelerometer for a robot. CoroWare needed an accelerometer for a robot. We budgeted 3 days for integration. We budgeted 3 days for integration. We were done in 2-3 hours. We were done in 2-3 hours. Most of our robots have an accelerometer in them. Most of our robots have an accelerometer in them.  Great for a simple “bump” sensor or inclinometer  Great for force feedback joystick control

Interface Kits We use the 8/8/8 Interface Kit. We use the 8/8/8 Interface Kit.  Digital I/O  Interface with analog sensors CoroWare’s big robot has humidity, light, gripper pressure, and two voltage and temperature sensors. CoroWare’s big robot has humidity, light, gripper pressure, and two voltage and temperature sensors. Digital I/O good for driving LEDs or bump sensors. Digital I/O good for driving LEDs or bump sensors.

Servo Control One of our smaller robots uses a compact 4-servo controller. One of our smaller robots uses a compact 4-servo controller. Controls a 2 DoF Servo arm. Controls a 2 DoF Servo arm. We’ve also used them to drive Pan/Tilt units for cameras. We’ve also used them to drive Pan/Tilt units for cameras.

A few others… LCD LCD  16x2 LCD display with 16 Digital ins and outs. Do it yourself sensors Do it yourself sensors  Sharp GP2D12 IR sensors  Line following sensors  Force Sensing Resistors 4-port USB Hub 4-port USB Hub 4-relay Interface Board 4-relay Interface Board

A Quick Tutorial…

Findings (The Good) Very easy to integrate Very easy to integrate  Lots of OSes: Windows, Linux, Mac  Lots of languages:.NET, C/C++, Visual Basic Great for prototyping or one-offs Great for prototyping or one-offs Decent power economy Decent power economy Easy to find power Easy to find power Good support Good support

Findings (The Slightly Less Good) Some Power limitations Some Power limitations Reasonable cost Reasonable cost Need a CPU that supports Phidgets Need a CPU that supports Phidgets Their biggest Servo controller only handles 4 servos Their biggest Servo controller only handles 4 servos Run out of USB ports quickly Run out of USB ports quickly

Where to Get Phidgets

Robotic Functions VisionNavigationManipulation Applications Non-Destructive Inspection Security and Monitoring Unmanned Vehicles Operating System Platform Plug and Play Wireless Communications Device Drivers Hardware Platform SensorsMotorsMainboards Rapid Robotics Integration

Rapid Robotics Integration CoroWare Surveyor 3000 Machine Labs Base Machine Labs Base VIA Mainboard VIA Mainboard Phidgets Sensors Phidgets Sensors  Accelerometer  RFID  Voltage Meter  Temperature Sensor  Light  Pressure Lynxmotion Servos Lynxmotion Servos Windows XP Windows XP Microsoft Robotics Studio Microsoft Robotics Studio

Remote Client /joystick Browser /UIService /accel /camera Robot /analogIn/servos /relay /rfid /voltage /temp/light /motor /movement /panTilt /arm G wireless link Rapid Robotics Integration CoroWare Surveyor 3000

Microsoft Robotic Studio Phidgets Accelerometer Integration Direct reading of status from the browser

Microsoft Robotic Studio Phidgets Accelerometer Integration A few lines of code make a much nicer display

Questions?