1. Robot compiler: scripted design composition
Ankur Mehta
Joe DelPreto, Vincent Kee, Roger Lo, Ben Shaya, Daniela Rus
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

2. Long-term vision $ vim myrobot.rbt
“I want a robot to cook breakfast for me”
$ make myrobot
Parsing specification …done.
Determining behaviors …done.
Generating mechanisms …done.
Assembling components …done.
Printing …done.
Success!
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

3. Current plan
User has knowledge of desired geometries and degrees and ranges of freedom.
Standard user: assembles building blocks (GUI)
Expert user: can generate building blocks (Python)
“We need a robot with two rotating joints in series, rotating about the vertical axis. Each link is around 10cm. In ascii art form it is:
| | t
where | is a rotational axis, and t is the tool.”
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

4. System diagram New component design Component Library Sub- components
Parameter
Inheritance
Input parameters
Exposed connections
Composition Algorithms
Implementation engine
2D Fold pattern
Wiring and software
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

5. Mechanical building blocks
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

6. Composite structures
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

7. Actuated robots
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

8. Manipulator arm design
Hand
Flexure
Block
Finger
Beam
k x ( )
x n
x m
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

9. Manipulator arm design
Hand
Flexure
Block
Finger
Beam
k x ( )
x n
x m
Servo
x 4
Motor
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

10. Electromechanical subsystem
Brain
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

11. Python API (expert user)
class Finger(Component): def defComponents(self): self.components.setdefault("baseknuckle", Beam()) self.components.setdefault("knuckle", Beam()) def defConnections(self): self.connections.setdefault("topedge") self.connections.setdefault("botedge") def defParameters(self): self.parameters.setdefault("count", 3) self.parameters.pop("angle") def setSubParameters(self): self.components["knuckle"].parameters["angle"] = 30 self.components["baseknuckle"].parameters["langle"] = 30 self.components["baseknuckle"].parameters["rangle"] = -30 self.components["knuckle"].parameters["length"] = self.parameters["length"] * 1.0 / self.parameters["count"] self.components["baseknuckle"].parameters["length"] =
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

12. Python API (cont.)
def assemble(self): # Insert the first knuckle self.addComponent("k0", "baseknuckle") # Set the edges of the finger to that of the first knuckle self.connect("topedge", ("k0", "baseknuckle", "topedge")) self.connect("botedge", ("k0", "baseknuckle", "botedge")) for i in range(1, self.parameters["count"]): # Attach the bottom edge of the next knuckle to the top edge of the finger self.connectComponent("topedge", ("k%d" % i, "knuckle", "botedge"), FOLD) # Set the new top edge of the finger self.connect("topedge", ("k%d" % i, "knuckle", "topedge"))
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

13. Interface
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

14. Simulation and verification
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013

15. Library / database lookup
“We need a robot with two rotating joints in series, rotating about the vertical axis. Each link is around 10cm. In ascii art form it is:
| | t
where | is a rotational axis, and t is the tool.”
“rotating joint”  ActuatedHinge
“link”  Beam
“the tool”  ??
Ankur Mehta
PPR meeting, 11/4/2013