Cover.

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Vol. 3 No. 3
SERVO MAGAZINE
MAN’S NEW BEST FRIEND
March 2005

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CoverInside.qxd 2/7/2005 4:19 PM Page 2

“
Jameco lowers my
component costs...

And instantly sweetens

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my profit margins!

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Additional profit made easy... Ever since I discovered

the Jameco catalog we’ve been saving 10%, 15% and
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straight to my bottom line.
The nice thing is, Jameco actually guarantees me
the lowest prices. If I were to find one of their
parts priced lower in another
print catalog, Jameco would beat
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How do they do it? Jameco is unique. They shop

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To g e t y o u r o w n J a m e c o c a t a l o g :
Circle #59 on the Reader Service Card. w w w. J a m e c o . c o m / n v c
1-800-831-4242
PCB123.qxd 1/28/2005 10:28 AM Page 3

Circle #27 on
the Reader Service Card.
TOC-x.qxd 2/4/2005 11:02 AM Page 4

SERVO
Features & Projects
26 Inside the Iron Man
Carlos Owens’ 18-Foot Mecha Giant

30 The Mini Servo Walker

Part 1: The Construction of a Hex Walker

35 Eastern Canadian Robot Games 26

Eighty Robots Compete for the Gold

39 R2-D2: A PC-Powered Robot

Bring the Movie into Your Living Room

47 Robosapien2, Bigger Than Ever

Introducing the New Model and Some Friends

51 Reusable Robot Software

Part 2: Localization and Odometry

76 Zoë on the Atacama Desert

30
Training Robots for Other Worlds

82 The Heath HERO Robot

Looking Back at a Popular Robot

On The Cover
Bounding onto the cover this
month is Robopet, one of

76
WowWee’s latest creations.
Photo courtesy WowWee, Ltd.

This Page: A night shot of the

Atacama campground.
Photo courtesy Carnegie-Mellon

SERVO Magazine (ISSN 1546-0592/CDN Pub Agree#40702530) is published monthly for $24.95 per year by T & L Publications, Inc., 430
Princeland Court, Corona, CA 92879. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATE IS PENDING AT CORONA, CA AND AT
ADDITIONAL ENTRY MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SERVO Magazine, 430 Princeland Court,
Corona, CA 92879-1300 or Station A, P.O. Box 54,Windsor ON N9A 6J5; cpcreturns@servomagazine.com
TOC-x.qxd 2/4/2005 11:12 AM Page 5

3.2005
If every tool, when ordered, or even of its own accord,
could do the work that befits it ... then there would be no
need of apprentices for the master, workers, or of slaves for
VOL. 3 NO. 3
the lords. — Aristotle, 322 B.C.

Departments Columns
6 Mind/Iron 8 Rubberbands
The R2-D2 Effect When Robots Talk Back
7 Bio-Feedback 12 Ask Mr. Roboto
Where You Have a Voice Your Problems Solved Here
18 Events Calendar 22 Twin Tweaks
Find a Show Near You Tweaking the Land Sea 2 R/C
19 Robotics Showcase 60 GeerHead
Get What You Need Quick Six-Legged Forest Walker
20 Brain Matrix 65 Robytes
Servos News from the Robotics World
44 New Products 67 Robotics Resources
The Latest Project Parts Framework for Your Robot
46 Robo-Links 80 Appetizer
Your Link to Parts and Services So You Want to Build Robots?
58 SERVO Bookstore
Feed Your Brain
73 Menagerie
ROBOlympics are Coming Soon
81 Advertiser’s Index
A List of Supporting Advertisers

Coming 4.2005
Neural Networks 101
Stephen L. Thaler, Ph.D., president
and CEO of Imagination Engines,
Inc., introduces the complex
concepts of neural networks
capable of human-level discovery
and invention. He describes the
“mental” structures needed to
create neural networks and their
power.
JanPages6&7.qxd 2/2/2005 3:22 PM Page 6
Mind / Iron
f you were to ask any average person to
I name a robot, any robot, invariably they
would rattle off the likes of R2-D2 and
C-3P0 with minimal difficulty. That’s
understandable. They’re the world’s most
popular robotic duo, but — along with
Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet and
the “Lost in Space” robot, B-9 — they
represent the exception to the understanding
that robots are generally portrayed as
antagonists in the movies and on TV.
Given the amount of evil robots as
adversaries in mainstream films, it really
comes as no surprise why the majority of
people see robots as antagonistic characters
that are constantly altering their directives,
changing their programs, and disobeying
their primary functions to enable themselves
to do what we'd expect about 35 minutes
into the film: resent and then try to destroy
all of mankind. Popular entertainment is
driven by conflict, struggle, and adversity.
You'd be bored to tears if you sat through
two hours of a movie without the drama of
good versus evil.
Sure, there are plenty of good robots
out there (V.I.N.CENT and Bob, those two
lovable trash cans from The Black Hole, the
annoying Johnny 5 from Short Circuit,
Andrew from Bicentennial Man, and those
little service robots from Silent Running:
Huey, Duey, and Luey). If we wanted to
stretch it to television, we could even include
KITT from “Knight Rider,” Data from “Star
Trek,” and bumbling Twiki from “Buck
Rodgers.”
The vast number of these good robots
aren't plot drivers (Bicentennial Man
excluded); they don't create the central
drama of a movie or TV show. The goodness
of R2-D2 didn't convince Luke to fight the
dark side (he only brought the message, to
which Luke replied, "sorry, wrong number"),
and KITT never caused a crooked sheriff to
trick an old lady out of her land. He was
6 SERVO 03.2005
Published Monthly By
The TechTrax Group — A Division Of
T & L Publications, Inc.
430 Princeland Court
Corona, CA 92879-1300
(951) 371-8497
FAX (951) 371-3052
www.servomagazine.com
Subscription Order ONLY Line
1-800-783-4624
by Ryan Lee Price Œ
mostly transportation with know-it-all PUBLISHER
optional features that caused a lot of
fantastic sparks. The evil robots are where
we find the conflict and drama that drive
Larry Lemieux
publisher@servomagazine.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/
people to the movies. VP OF SALES/MARKETING
HAL (though not really a robot, one Robin Lemieux
could argue that he was autonomously the robin@servomagazine.com
whole ship), on the other hand, caused the
EDITOR
conflict in 2001 and had to be stopped. The
Ryan Lee Price
first ever robot to grace the silver screen — ryan@servomagazine.com
Maria from Metropolis — is a prime example.
Guess what happened after robot Maria MANAGING EDITOR
received the soul from the human Maria? Alexandra Lindstrom
Yep, she turned evil, showing us that robots alexa@servomagazine.com
are not designed to handle human feelings,
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
and they revert to the lowest form of Mary Descaro
emotion when forced to. Singing cowboy subscribe@servomagazine.com
Gene Autry fought the evil robot army of
Queen Tika in Phantom Empire, while 20 WEB CONTENT/STORE
years later we watched “Gort” decide the Michael Kaudze
michael@servomagazine.com
fate of mankind in The Day the Earth Stood
Still. PRODUCTION/GRAPHICS
Fast forwarding to a more modern era, Shannon Lemieux
the opinion hasn't much changed. Most
notable in this group are: Ash in Alien — STAFF
who killed most of the crew (as opposed to Dawn Saladino
Corrie Panzer
Bishop in Aliens who saved only some of the
Kristin Rutz
crew), the Cylons, Roy Batty, Leon, Pris and
Rachael Rosen — the murderous lot from OUR PET ROBOTS
Blade Runner, Enforcement Droid 209 in Guido
RoboCop, all of the robots except Sonny in Mifune
iRobot, and the list goes on.
Copyright 2005 by
These robots controlled the outcome of
T & L Publications, Inc.
the movies they were in because they were All Rights Reserved
the central conflicts and the sources of the
main characters’ motivation: destroy the All advertising is subject to publisher's approval.
robot before the robot destroys me. We are not responsible for mistakes, misprints,
The more robots that come into or typographical errors. SERVO Magazine
assumes no responsibility for the availability or
common usage and become accepted as
condition of advertised items or for the honesty
the tools, teammates, pets, and friends we of the advertiser.The publisher makes no claims
want them to be, the less we'll have to for the legality of any item advertised in SERVO.
watch a movie about a horde of them This is the sole responsibility of the advertiser.
descending on a small village of innocent Advertisers and their agencies agree to
people. I mean, when is the last time you indemnify and protect the publisher from any
and all claims, action, or expense arising from
saw a movie about a hair dryer? SV
advertising placed in SERVO. Please send all
subscription orders, correspondence, UPS,
overnight mail, and artwork to: 430 Princeland
Court, Corona, CA 92879.
JanPages6&7.qxd 2/2/2005 3:24 PM Page 7

three-axis feedback on the position of Complete the Projects

Contact Us
If you have general questions or
comments about SERVO Magazine,
please contact us: SERVO Bio-Feedback,
430 Princeland Court, Corona, CA 92879;
or email: feedback@servomagazine.com
Up the Ante
I enjoy the magazine, but keep
wishing for articles with more
substance. I would like to see some
articles that go the next step beyond
just motorizing a platform with one or
two sensors. This has been done
several times, but I find that reading
about what other people have done to
compete in a competition shows more
of the real word issues.
The Trinity Fire Fighting contest is
a good challenge. How about just
taking one of the less trivial
requirements and assisting the reader
in solving it or seeing multiple
solutions for them. We don’t even
need to solve them, just discussing the
problems helps. The difference
between reading a university research
paper and wanting to try an idea they
discuss and what SERVO discusses is
like the Grand Canyon. Yet, I don’t
think they are really that far ahead of
the amateur robotics person, except
maybe in funding. I would like to see
SERVO fill this gap and still embrace
the new person if at all possible.
Jef f Dunker
the body in mid-air. If there are
accelerometer boards available that
are easy to connect to a servopod,
that connection information would be
handy. Low-cost accelerometers
measure two g-forces. What if my
robot generates four g-forces?
How about adding a search
function on the website to search
topics in past issues? My Internet
connection is 26.4 kps. Broadband is
not available where I live. Some of
your web pages take a long time to
download. Can you lighten them?
Dennis Evans
via Internet
Dennis, we’re sorry to hear about
your slow Internet connection speed,
but in order to read the content on
some of the pages of our website, it
has to be a certain size.
To answer your question, Signal
Quest in Lebanon, NH
(www.signalquest. com), offers the
SQ-XL-DAQ line of accelerometers
with digital serial output. Using a
serial interface cable, it can function
as a self-contained data acquisition
system for two- or three-axis
acceleration, tilt, and vibration
measurements, with models available
for ±1.5 to ±50 g-forces.
SERVO is a very nice magazine. I
believe that a balance between how-
to and team reporting would serve the
general robotic builder better. A series
of articles that step the builder
through the construction of a drive
platform, controls, software, etc.,
would gain more interest.
George Jones
via Internet
In future months, George, you
will see SERVO not only as a source of
entertainment, but as a guide to the
future of building robots and
automation for the beginner and the
advanced alike. — Editor
Great Job, SERVO
It is great to see a magazine like
this finally hitting the stands on a
regular basis and packed with so many
good articles spanning the world of
personal robotics! I enjoy reading your
magazine and seeing what other
groups and individuals have worked
on! Keep up the good work!
Forrest
via Internet
Thank you very much, Forrest. We
are happy that you are satisfied with
the magazine.

Calling all Robots!

via Internet

As the new editor, Jeff, one of my

ideas for future issues is to print more
projects about purpose-built robots
that show the reader a real-life
application and how it might apply to
something you’re building at home.
There are thousands of roboteers out
there who are building some amazing
things. My job is to bring them to you.
— Editor
Some SERVO Suggestions
Please do an article on
accelerometers. I am looking at a
trotting robot design that will need a
Attention roboteers! We want to hear from you!
Do you have a great bot that you would like to share
with the world? We’re looking for anything from sumos
to line followers to multi-servo robotic arms. Send us a
couple of pictures of your latest project, and we’ll be
happy to show it off in our “Menagerie” department.
Don’t forget to include a few words about how you built
it and what went into it. For prints, send them to:
SERVO Menagerie, 430 Princeland Court, Corona,
CA, 92879; for digital images, email them to
menagerie@servomagazine.com

7 SERVO 03.2005 7
Rubberbands.qxd 1/28/2005 4:42 PM Page 8
When Robots Talk Back:
A Simple Way to Add Speech
Capability to Your Robot
Ytooucommunicate
already have learned how to give your robot the ability
with you by using a text-based LCD display
and by generating sounds of its own. This column will raise
the bar a little higher yet by showing how you can give your
robot a voice so that it can simply tell you something instead
of requiring you to read a display or interpret a set of tones.
This might sound like it would be a difficult task, but — in reality
— it is quite easy. With just a little bit of work, you can have
a remarkably natural-sounding voice that far exceeds the qual-
ity of other voice generators that were previously available.
You may be familiar with a company called Winbond. A
few years ago, they purchased a company called ISD, which
produced a series of analog EEPROM devices that allowed
you to record varying lengths of audio onto the chip for later
playback. Winbond continues to produce these chips, but has
started to branch off of that idea and is now producing other
interesting audio products, such as chips that can play MIDI
music and chips that allow you to convert text input into
speech. There is a company called Grand Idea Studios that
Figure 1. Pinout for the Emic
Text-to-Speech Module.
8 SERVO 03.2005
by Jack Buffington
took Winbond’s chip and packaged it into a very easy-to-use
product that they are now selling through Parallax, Inc.
(www.parallax.com).
In the past, other speech processors have had some
pretty terrible output. If you trained your ear, you could
understand the words that they were saying, but if you were
encountering a device that used those chips for the first time,
you likely wouldn’t understand what they were saying.
That is not the case now.
With the Emic Text-to-Speech Module, you have a clearly
intelligible woman’s voice that is only slightly synthetic-sounding
due to the lack of pitch and speed variations that people use
while speaking. Winbond has an interactive demo of what
their chip sounds like on their website. You can find this
demo at www.winbond-usa.com/ttsdemo/
Let’s Make It Work
When you order the Emic Text-to-Speech Module, it will
Figure 2. Connection between the Emic module and a PIC.
Rubberbands.qxd 2/2/2005 1:34 PM Page 9

Rubberbands and Bailing Wire

arrive as a single inline pin package that you can fit into any
prototyping board that has 0.1-inch spacing. You only need
TECH TIDBIT
to connect four of the pins to your microprocessor. Careful Not all nine-volt battery clips are equal. The flimsy
experimentation with the timing of how you send your kind that you can get at your neighborhood store (the
commands would allow you to reduce this down to just one. one that claims to have answers) will last between four
You can connect a speaker directly to the circuit board and and 10 connections to a battery before the wires break
hear the speech at a reasonable level. If you want it to be away from their solder
louder, though, the board has a special pin that you can joints. Look for hard-
connect to an external amplifier. The Emic board runs at five shelled connectors — such
volts, so you will need an external regulator to power it. That as shown on the right —
shouldn’t be a problem, since you will likely be using one
from other suppliers. They
already for your microprocessor.
will last much longer.
Figure 1 shows the pinout for the Emic module. Figure 2
shows how the module can be connected to a PIC microcon-
troller. The Emic’s serial lines communicate at 2400 baud. that you will want to know when using the Emic module. The
Communication with the Emic module can be done through first — and most important — is the “say” command. If, for
two different methods. The first method uses single byte example, you sent the string “say=I’ve been a bad robot!;” to
commands to tell the module what you want to do. The the Emic module, it would faithfully speak that sentence.
other method uses ASCII commands. In this column, we will Anything after the equals sign will be said. Notice that there is
use the second method because it is more straightforward. If a semicolon following the sentence. This semicolon tells the
you are limited in program space or processor time, you Emic module that you have finished sending a command. If you
might opt for the first method. don’t send the semicolon, the Emic module will remain silent.
Let’s go over the function of each of the four pins that The next command that you will want to know is the vol-
you need to connect to. The /RESET pin allows you to do a ume command, as there are eight volume levels. They range
hard reset on the Emic module. This will clear all settings and from zero to seven. The default level is Level Four, while zero
reset the board to its initial start-up state. In normal use, you sets the volume to be fully off. To change the volume to Level
will drive this pin high to activate the module. Going upward, Six you would send “volume=6;”. Notice that a semicolon
the next pin in Figure 1 is the BUSY pin. This pin is almost once again followed the command. The Emic module can be
self-explanatory. When the Emic module is busy processing a directly connected to a speaker, as was shown in Figure 2,
command, it will raise this pin high. This pin does not instant- but the volume level is only suitable for a device that will be
ly go high after you send a command, so you will need to used in a relatively quiet location when you do this. If you
wait up to a millisecond after sending your commands before need additional volume, then you could connect an external
checking this pin’s state. Since it takes a varying amount of amplifier — such as the LM386 — to the AOUT pin.
time to speak each sentence or process
each command that you send to the
Emic module, it is a good idea to check Professional Integrated Development Environment
PIC® and PICmicro® are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Inc. in the USA and other countries.
this pin to see if the module is ready to
accept new commands. The C Compiler by xxxxxxx
At the top of the module is the Designed specifically and only for the PICmicro®MCU
Serial In pin. You will be sending What other compiler can you say that for? W indows and Linu x
your commands to this pin in RS232
serial format, except that you will be
Command Line

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using zero to five volt levels instead of
Features Include:
±12 volts. All commands are sent at s Electronic Compass
2400 baud. There are two dipswitches s Text to Speech Converter
with Speaker
on the Emic module. The switch s Proximity Detection
labeled “1” allows you to select s Infrared Remote Control
ASCII or hexidecimal commands. The Assembled Robot s Ball Bearing Servo Motors
s RS-232 Interface
method described here will use ASCII s Durable Chassis
commands, so set this switch to on. s Expansion Port for
Additional Functionality
Switch “2” allows you to choose (if you
Starting at
want) the module to echo bytes sent to FREE ground just $229
it back to the host processor. This shipping*
Use offer code SVJ04
In-Circuit Debugger/Programmer
won’t be necessary for this application, *Offer expires April 1, 2005
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There are four main commands Sales 262-522-6500 x35 www.ccsinfo.com/env Fax: 262-522-6504

Circle #42 on the Reader Service Card.

SERVO 03.2005 9
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Rubberbands and Bailing Wire

output_high(RESET); // connected to the Emic’s /RESET pin
printf(“volume=5;”);
waitOnBusy();
while(true)
{ this would be “speed=+;”.
printf(“say=Peat and Repeat went into a store;”);
waitOnBusy();
printf(“say=Peat came out.;”);
waitOnBusy();
printf(“say=Who’s left?;”);
waitOnBusy();
delay_ms(1000); // wait one second
} cate with the Emic module using other commands that allow
void waitOnBusy()
{ // delays until the busy pin goes low
delay_ms(1);
while(input(BUSY))
{ have the Emic module connected to a terminal program. The
} Emic module’s documentation is well written and provides
}
Figure 3. Code to drive the Emic module.
There are two commands that allow you to change the
way that the Emic module sounds. These are the “speed=”
and “pitch=” commands. The speed command has a range
from zero to four and has a default of two. The pitch
command has a range of zero to six and its default is one. In
general, you will want to leave these settings alone, since the
module sounds best at the defaults. For some situations,
though, you may prefer to play around with these to achieve
better results for your application.
Figure 4. Code that has the Emic module say a longer statement.
printf(“say=Four score and seven years ago, our fathers”);
printf(“ brought forth upon this continent a new nation;”);
// the buffer now has 95 characters
waitOnBusy();
printf(“say=conceived in liberty and dedicated to the”);
printf(“ proposition that all men are created equal;”);
waitOnBusy();
RESOURCES
www.ccsinfo.com
Sells the C compiler for PIC processors used in this column
www.microchip.com
Manufacturer of the PIC microcontroller
www.jameco.com or www.mouser.com
Possibly the best sources for electronic parts
www.parallax.com
Sells the Emic module used in this article
10 SERVO 03.2005
For the volume, pitch, and speed commands, you can
opt to send “+” or “-“ instead of a specific level. The Emic
module will take care of adjusting the values for you and will
not let them go above or below their limits. An example of
Figure 3 shows a program fragment that will endlessly
cause the Emic module to repeat a stupid joke over and over.
It should be pretty clear from this example that adding
speech to your robot is almost a no-brainer, and it’s too bad
that everything in robotics isn’t this easy!
The final pin that you may want to use is the Serial Out
pin. This pin will output “OK” after each section of text that
you send to it to speak. This pin also allows you to communi-
you to do things like create abbreviations for words. You
might, for example, send “TTYL” instead of “talk to you
later.” Using the “help;” command will cause the Emic
module to output a list of commands that you can view if you
descriptions of the commands not described here.
Wrapping It Up
One thing to keep in mind when using the Emic module
is that speech output does not happen immediately after you
send it something to say. The Emic module needs a brief
amount of time to process the text into the necessary
phonemes (the individual sounds that words can be broken
down into). Knowing this, you should try to send it the text
to be spoken so that these pauses happen at appropriate
times, such as the ends of sentences. The reason that you will
need to break up your text is because the Emic module has
a 128-byte buffer to hold commands and text to be
spoken. If you wanted the Emic module to say something
like, “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought
forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in
liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are
created equal,” you might want to send it in the manner
shown in Figure 4.
Figure 4 breaks this long sentence into two parts in a
place where there would likely have been a dramatic
pause. Neither section of the sentence is longer than 128
characters. The “say=” and the semicolon must be counted
when counting the characters in the buffer. In Figure 4,
each sentence fragment is broken into two parts. This was
done to keep the lines of code short. The Emic module will
only speak once it has received a semicolon.
Adding speech capability to your robot allows it to
communicate in a very natural way that people can
understand. This month, you’ve learned how to easily add
this capability. Now, you can do things like get feedback
from your robot projects through the telephone, make
your robot interact with someone who is blind, or let your
technology-challenged friends have fun playing with your
robots. SV
CIE.qxd 1/28/2005 10:21 AM Page 11

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Circle #25 on the Reader Service Card.

SERVO 03.2005 11
MrRoboto.qxd 1/28/2005 4:45 PM Page 12
Tap into the sum of all human knowledge and get your questions answered here! From
software algorithms to material selection, Mr. Roboto strives to meet you where you
are — and what more would you expect from a complex service droid?
Q What is the difference between digital and analog
servos? The guys at the local hobby store tell me
that digital ones are better because they are
stronger and faster than regular servos, but you can buy
different servos that are faster and stronger. The one thing I
know for sure is that they are more expensive than regular
servos. Why do I want to use a digital servo instead of the
regular, analog servos?
— Graham Wilson
Issaquah, WA
A For the most part, they are the same. For example, in
a given servo class that has both analog and digital
versions of the same servos (i.e., the Hitec HS-645
and the HS-5645 servos), they use the same cases, gear
sets, bearings, electric motors, and position feedback
potentiometer. The main differences between them are the
internal control electronics and the frequency in which they
update the motor position.
Before jumping into what is different about digital
servos, here is a little background on how analog servos
Figure 1. An Atmel microcontroller is used to control the
Hitec HS-5645 digital servo.
12 SERVO 03.2005
Our resident expert on all things
robotic is merely an Email away.
roboto@servomagazine.com
by
Pete Miles
work, so that you can understand why digital servos are
different. First off, analog servos use an analog circuitry to
control servo arm position. This usually consists of using
resistors, capacitors, transistors, and a custom IC (or two) to
compare the input commanded position to the actual servo
position, which is then used to control the direction of the
electric motor to react to any positional errors.
The first thing the servo’s control electronics does is to
receive the typical one to two ms position command. Then it
measures the servo arm’s position by reading the voltage
across the potentiometer that is connected to the servo’s
output shaft, which is then compared to the commanded
position. If there is any positional error, then a voltage pulse
is sent to the motor to force the motor to move in the
opposite direction of the measured angular error. This is
typical in any servo control application.
What becomes interesting here is how the analog servos
go about implementing this. Here, the control electronics will
output a simple voltage pulse to the electric motor that is
proportional to the positional error. When there is no error,
no voltage is being sent to the drive motor, so the servo stops
moving. When the error is small, the pulse width is small (i.e.,
the amount of time the voltage is being applied to the motor
is small). As the positional error increases, the pulse width
becomes longer.
The electric motor will only move a small amount,
based on how long the voltage pulse width is sent to the
motor. If the pulse width is too small, the servo won’t turn
because the pulse would not be sufficient for the electric
motor to overcome all of the internal friction inside the
overall servo. As the pulse width increases, the electric
motor will move more. Due to the gear reduction in the
servo, however, large electric motor rotations are needed
to cause small servo output shaft movements and,
therefore, small changes in the servo position’s feedback
potentiometer.
One of the reasons why the pulse widths sent to the
electric motor are proportional to the positional error is so
that the servo won’t overshoot the desired position. As the
MrRoboto.qxd 1/28/2005 4:47 PM Page 13
servo’s output shaft approaches the
desired position, it slows down to
minimize any overshooting, which is
one of the causes of “servo jitter.”
The reason for the focus on what
the servo does after it receives one
position command is that the analog
servo’s control electronics will output
only one pulse to the electric motor
for every one to two ms position
command it receives. This is why the
servo’s commanded position is updated
50 times a second (50 Hz) to make sure
that the servo completes the move to
its commanded position.
Since the commanded position is
sent to a servo 50 times per second,
this, in turn, results in an electrical
pulse width being sent to the electric
motor 50 times per second. This, in
effect, creates a PWM (Pulse Width
Modulation) signal that controls the
motor speed. When the positional
error is small, the resulting PWM duty
cycle is small; therefore, the motor
moves slower because the average volt-
age is small. As the positional error
increases, the PWM duty cycle increas-
es; the motor’s speed will increase
because of the higher average voltage.
This, then, affects the torque the
motor can deliver. Small positional
errors result in slower shaft speeds,
which then result in lower torque.
Higher positional errors result in higher
shaft speeds, which then result in
higher motor torque. This is why the
servos resist more the harder you try to
turn them. The greater the error, the
greater the torque.
When the error becomes large
enough, the resulting pulse width that
is being sent to the electric motor will
equal the time period for the incoming
commanded position update frequen-
cy. When this occurs, a constant volt-
age is sent to the motor and the motor
delivers its maximum torque.
One bit of information that few
people are aware of is that the
incoming position command update
frequency does not have to be updated
at 50 Hz for a servo to work. The signal
can be either faster or slower. The actual
pulse width that is sent to the motor is
only a function of the positional error.
The motor speed and torque then
become functions of the incoming
position update frequency. Faster
frequencies will result in the motor
responding to the errors faster and
with higher torque. Slower update
frequencies will result in the motor
taking longer to correct positional
errors and a lower servo output
torque. If the frequency becomes too
slow, then the servo will start to have
noticeable power losses and will
look like it is stepping (pulsing) toward
its commanded position instead of
moving smoothly.
Digital servos work a little differ-
ently than this. They still take the same
one to two ms input command pulse,
but instead of outputting a single
pulse to the electric motor, the
microcontroller outputs a continuous
PWM signal to a set of transistors/FETs
to drive the motor. Figure 1 shows the
Atmel microcontroller that is used to
control the Hitec HS-5645 digital servo.
The PWM frequency for most servos is
300 Hz, which is about six to 10 times
faster than the normal updating signal
approach used with analog servos. In
parallel with controlling the motor
position and speed, the microcontroller
in also measuring the actual position of
the servo and comparing it to the
commanded position.
Like with the analog servo, the
pulse width of the PWM signal is
proportional to the servo position error.
When the positional error is zero, the
pulse width is also zero, hence a zero
percent duty cycle. As the error
increases, the pulse width and duty
cycle percentage increases until the
error becomes large enough that a
constant voltage is sent to the motor
(100 percent duty cycle).
Hence, the main difference
between an analog servo and a digital
servo is the PWM frequency for motor
position and speed control. For analog
servos, the PWM frequency is driven by
the input position update frequency
and, for digital servos, the PWM
frequency is constant (i.e., 300 Hz) and
independent of the input position com-
mand frequency. Figure 2 illustrates the
control signal differences between an
analog and digital servo.
So, what are the advantages of a
digital servo over an analog servo?
They boil down to torque and a tighter
Circle #55 on the Reader Service Card.
13
MrRoboto.qxd 1/28/2005 4:48 PM Page 14

dead band. Maximum torque will be the same between the send a single, short pulse to the motor to make it move. The
two. This is because, once a 100 percent duty cycle has been motor needs a certain amount of electrical current in order
achieved, 100 percent voltage (minus any voltage drop to overcome all of the internal friction of the motor to
across the transistors) is applied to the motor. Still, the torque start moving. When the pulse width is not large enough to
advantage occurs during small positional errors. For a given generate enough current to do this, the motor doesn’t move.
duty cycle, the higher PWM frequency allows more current to Because of this, the servo shaft can move a small amount
circulate through the motor to keep it turning during the off more or less than its commanded position without being
times, which results in the motor turning faster and more corrected. This small oscillation is known as the dead band.
power going through the motor. This results in the servo With digital servos, the higher frequency results in more
delivering more torque quicker with smaller positional errors current going through the motor with small positional errors.
when compared to analog servos. Because of this, digital servos will start moving with smaller
With very small positional errors, an analog servo will positional errors than analog servos. Hence, digital servos
have a tighter (smaller) dead
Figure 2. Illustration of the control signal differences in an analog and digital servo. band.
For the R/C car and aircraft
5 5 hobbies, the digital servos
4 4
mean faster response, more
LARGE POSITION holding/transient torque, and
3 ERROR 3
HIGH MOTOR PWM tighter dead band control. This
2 2
DUTY CYCLE makes them very popular for
1 1
the high-performance people.
0 0 For the robotics community,
0 20ms 40ms 0 20ms 40ms though, are these advantages
really that important?
5 5
Hopefully by now you have
4 4
MODERATE POSITION noticed that the only difference
3 ERROR 3 between analog and digital ser-
MOTOR PWM DUTY
2 CYCLE AROUND 50% 2 vos is that the PWM frequency
1 1 to the electric motors and the
0 0 digital servo frequency is fixed
0 20ms 40ms 0 20ms 40ms at 300 Hz. The analog servo
frequency, however, can be
5 5 changed to whatever you want.
4 4 The R/C community is stuck
SMALL POSITION
3 ERROR 3 using their transmitters and
2
LOW MOTOR PWM
2
receivers that only update the
DUTY CYCLE
servo’s position at a frequency
1 1
from 30 to 50 Hz. With robot
0 0
microcontrollers, though, the
0 20ms 40ms 0 20ms 40ms
servo motor’s PWM frequency
5 5
can be easily increased just by
increasing the input position
4 4
NO POSITION frequency. In fact, just by
3 ERROR 3
NO MOTOR PWM changing the frequency of the
2 2 one to two ms input position
1 1 updates, you can control the
0 0 servo speed. Thus, the lower
0 20ms 40ms 0 20ms 40ms cost analog servos can be made
to perform as good as or better
5 5 than the more expensive digital
4 4 servos.
3 INCOMING POSITION 3 This is not to say that digi-
COMMAND PULSE tal servos don’t have their place
2 2

1 1 in the robotics community.

0 0
Some servo manufacturers have
0 20ms 40ms 0 20ms 40ms
servos that are programmable,
and these programmable
ANALOG SERVO DIGITAL SERVO
features can be very beneficial
14 SERVO 03.2005
MrRoboto.qxd 1/28/2005 4:49 PM Page 15

to robots. Right now, there are only two Specification AI Motor-601 AI Motor-701 AI Motor-1001
programmable servo manufacturers on
the market — Ko Propo and Hitec. Input Voltage Range 5 to 10 volts
Multiplex has a programmable servo Max. Torque @ 9.5 V 83 oz-in 97 oz-in 139 oz-in
line, but they only allow you to reverse
the servo direction. Max Speed @ 9.5 V 90 RPM 82 RPM 60 RPM
The speed, dead band, and servo Gear Ratio 1/160 1/173 1/241
travel of the digital servos sold by
Ko Propo (www.kopropo.com) are Gear Material Plastic Plastic Plastic & Metal
programmable with a PC. The servos Bearings None None Yes
can be programmed to move faster or
Size 51.6 x 34.3 x 37.1
slower, increase or decrease the dead
band, and create soft limits on the Weight 40 grams 40 grams 46 grams
range of motion the servo can travel. In
Mechanical Connection Points Two
addition, you can program both the rate
of speed change at the dead bands Electrical Connection Points Two
(called punch) and the overshoot Control Signal RS-232
allowance at the servos.
An interesting feature is that an Baud Rate 2400 to 460800 bps
over-current protection can be pro- Number of Modules Per Serial
31
grammed into the servos. If a maximum Line
amount of current is detected for a Angular Controllable Range 0 to 332 degrees
certain amount of time, the servos will
automatically reduce power. This can be Angular Resolution Two levels, 1.3 degrees, 0.65 degrees
very beneficial in preserving these Inverse Voltage Protection Yes
expensive servos. Ko Propo also has a
class of three servos called the “Red Over-Current Protection Yes
Version” (KHR-8044 ICS, KHR-2346 ICS, 360 Degree Rotation Function Yes
KHR-949 ICS). These digital servos are
not only programmable, but they can Position Feedback Function Yes
provide an actual position feedback. This Current Feedback Function Yes
is beneficial for developing advanced
Speed Control During Position
animatronic posing programs or closed Control Mode Five levels
loop servo position algorithms. The Ko
Speed Control During 360 Degree
Propo servos are very popular in Japan Rotation Mode 16 levels
and Korea for many of the humanoid
robots that compete in the Robo-One Table 1. Megarobotics Actuator Module (servo) specifications.
event (www.robo-one.com). The only
source for them that I am aware of in the US is Horizon that position. All you have to do is send the one to two ms
Hobbies (www.horizonhobbies.com). position pulse to it once and it will move to that position
The digital servos from Hitec (www.hitecrcd.com) and stay there until told to move differently. This is a great
require a separate hand-held programmer called the HFP-10 advantage for robotics because it eliminates all of the
Hitec Digital Servo Programmer. With this programmer, you
can set the dead band width, servo rotation direction, servo Figure 3. Megarobotics AI Motor-601 Modules.
speed, enable/disable failsafe, and the range of motion and
neutral position. Failsafe is a position where the servo
will move to if it stops receiving a position command,
which is very important for model aircraft. The hand-held
programmer has its own batteries so the servos can be
programmed in the field. Also, the programmer can be used
to test the servo to see if it is working properly.
For robotics applications, the Hitec digital servos have
a very nice feature that — to my surprise — no one has ever
figured out or published. These servos do not require the
position command to be repeated as long as the failsafe
has been disabled (which is the default). When you first
apply power to the servo, it won’t move for about a
second. Then, wherever its current position is, it will hold
SERVO 03.2005 15
MrRoboto.qxd 1/28/2005 4:50 PM Page 16

servos have a range of motion that is 332 degrees, I think

Figure 4. Various attachments and replacement gears that are
included with each AI Motor Module.
position update overhead headaches that are associated
with analog servos. This feature alone makes Hitec digital
servos my servo of choice.
they will work quite well for your application. Table 1 shows
a list of the specifications for these motors. Figure 3 shows a
pair of the AI Motor-601 Modules.
These servo modules have similar size, torque, and speed
ratings as the higher-end R/C servos, but their many other
features make them ideal for the robotics community. For
example, many people will permanently modify R/C servos
by gutting them so that they can rotate 360 degrees. The AI
servos can operate in either position control or continuous
rotation mode by a single program command. In addition,
variable speed is also programmable, which eliminates the
need for a separate speed controller. Since these servos
provide both position and current draw feedback, closed
loop position control systems can be created with over-
current protection that will prevent the motors from
becoming damaged.
These servos are programmed using standard RS-232
signals and the control signals do not need to be repeated
for the servos to hold their position. With baud rates up to
460 kbps, multiple servos can be simultaneously controlled
without any noticeable lag between the first and last servo
position command. Another attractive feature of these
servos is that they can be daisy chained together so that a

Q I want to build a model of one of those industrial

robots that are used to weld automobiles. Are there
any hobbyist level servos that have a greater range
of angular motion than the standard R/C servos?
— Mark Packs
Indianapolis, IN
single serial control line can control up to 31 different
servos. The daisy chaining greatly simplifies the wiring
between the servos and a microcontroller.
Typical R/C servos come with four different servo horns
that can only be attached to the output spline of the shaft.
The AI Motors come with 11 different attachments that
connect to the output shaft and to the motor’s frame. These

A Take a look at the Megarobotics AI Modules that are

sold by Tribotix (www.tribotix.com). These servos are
absolutely amazing. Since typical servos have a
maximum angular range of motion of 180 degrees and these
attachments allow multiple motors to be connected to each
other without having to use additional mounting brackets.
One of the other features that make these motors unique is
that there are two different attachment points on the
output shaft. One is on the side of the
motor, which is similar to regular
servos and the other is at the midpoint
HobbyEngineering
HobbyEngineering of the body. This allows motors to be
mounted inline with each other and
Thetechnology
The technologybuilder's
builder'ssource
sourceforforkits,
kits,components,
components,supplies,
supplies,tools,
tools,books
booksand
andeducation.
education.
reduces the bending stresses on the
output shaft. Figure 4 shows the vari-
RobotKits
Robot KitsForForAll AllSkill
SkillLevelsLevels ICs,Transistors,
ICs, Transistors,Project ProjectKits Kits ous attachments and replacement
gears that are included with every AI
Motors,Frame
Motors, FrameComponents
Components module.
and andScratch
ScratchBuilderBuilderSupplies.
Supplies.
These motors are relatively new to
the robotics community, but they are
OrderbybyInternet,
Order Internet,phone,
phone,fax
faxorormail.
mail.
becoming more and more popular.
www.HobbyEngineering.com
www.HobbyEngineering.com Due to their modularity and ease of
Booksand
Books and 1-866-ROBOT-50
1-866-ROBOT-50 programming, they are becoming fairly
1-866-762-6850
1-866-762-6850 popular in the humanoid and
EducationalKK
Educational 1-650-552-9925
1-650-552-9925 quadruped robotics communities.
1-650-259-9590(fax)
1-650-259-9590 (fax)
sales@HobbyEngineering.com
Though Tribotix is located in
sales@HobbyEngineering.com
180180ElElCamino
CaminoReal
Real Australia, it took less than a week for
BEAM Kits and
BEAM Kits and Components Components Millbrae,
Millbrae, CACA 94030
94030 the servos that I purchased to reach
Visitour
Visit ourstore
storenear
nearSFO!
SFO! Seattle. I was quite amazed, since it
usually takes a month to get parts from
Mostorders
Most ordersship
shipthetheday
dayreceived!
received!World-wide
World-wideshipping.
shipping.Convenient
Convenientpayment
paymentoptions.
options. Japan. SV
16 SERVO 03.2005
Full Page.qxd 2/2/2005 4:13 PM Page 17

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SERVO 03.2005 17
Events.qxd 2/3/2005 11:19 AM Page 18
Send updates, new listings, corrections, complaints, and suggestions to: steve@ncc.com or FAX 972-404-0269
There are a few interesting events shaping up for
March, including the annual APEC Micromouse competition,
which will be held in Austin, TX. Also planned for March is
the second ROBOlympics, which promises to be even bigger
than last year’s event, with over 50 events scattered across
the San Francisco State University campus.
The list of events for April and May — which tend to
be the busiest months — continues to grow as we get
final event information from organizers. We’re listing
some new events this year, including TEAMS, which is a
FIRST-like organization for Maryland middle schools. Also
new to the list is Istrobot — a university-level event held in
Slovakia.
— R. Steven Rainwater
For last minute updates and changes, you can always find
the most recent version of the complete Robot Competition
FAQ at Robots.net: http://robots.net/rcfaq.html
March 2005
6-10 APEC Micromouse Contest
Hilton Hotel, Austin, TX
This will be the 18th annual APEC Micromouse event.
www.apec-conf.org/
11-12 AMD Jerry Sanders
Creative Design Contest
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL
The design problem for this contest is new and
different each year. Check the website for the latest
news and details.
http://dc.cen.uiuc.edu/
19-20 Manitoba Robot Games
Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
A variety of events, including sumo, a robot tractor
pull, and Atomic Hockey.
www.scmb.mb.ca/
24-27 ROBOlympics
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
Lots of events, including sumo, BEAM, Mindstorms,
18 SERVO 03.2005
FIRA, and robot combat.
www.robolympics.net
A p r il 2 0 0 5
9-10 Trinity College Fire Fighting Home Robot
Contest
Trinity College, Hartford, CT
Could the fire have been set by a robot builder
frustrated with the voluminous rules?
www.trincoll.edu/events/robot
12-14 DTU RoboCup
Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen,
Denmark
Imagine your typical line following contest. Now
add forks in the line, ramps, stairs, gaps in the line,
shifts from indoor to outdoor lighting, reversals of
the line shading (white to black), and 50-cm
“gates” though which the robot must pass.
www.iau.dtu.dk/robocup/about_robocup.html
15 Carnegie-Mellon Mobot Races
Wean Hall, CMU, Pittsburgh, PA
The traditional Mobot slalom and MoboJoust
events will be hosted by CMU.
www.cs.cmu.edu/~mobot/
16 UC Davis Picnic Day Micromouse Contest
University of California at Davis, CA
Every year, UC-Davis has a campus-wide event
known as Picnic Day. Every Picnic Day includes the
annual micromouse contest. The event follows
standard micromouse rules.
www.ece.ucdavis.edu/umouse/
21-23 FIRST Robotics Competition (National
Championship)
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Corporate sponsored teams of students from all
over the country will converge on the Georgia
Dome to pit robots designed from standardized kits
of parts against each other. See the website for
details on this year’s competition.
www.usfirst.org/
Events.qxd 2/3/2005 11:44 AM Page 19
23 RoboFest
Lawrence Technological
University, Southfield, MI
A competition and exhibition
of autonomous LEGO robots
designed to spur students’
interests in science, engineering,
programming, and technology.
http://robofest.net/
27 Istrobot
Slovak University of
Technology, Slovakia
This competition is held by
the Robot Group within the
Department of Automation
and Control at the university.
Events include line following,
mini sumo, standard IEEE
Micromouse, and a free style
event where you can show
off anything your robot does.
www.robotics.sk
28-30 SAE Walking Machine
Challenge
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
This is the best place to see
innovative and unusual walk-
ing robots every year.
www.sae.org/STUDENTS/
walking.htm
M ay 2 0 0 5
10-11 RoboBusiness Conference
Hyatt Regency, Cambridge,
MA
The nation’s premier business
development event for mobile
robotics and intelligent
systems, dedicated to the
commercialization and applica-
tion of robotic systems.
www.roboevent.com
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SERVO 03.2005 19
BrainMatrix.qxd 2/3/2005 10:30 AM Page 20

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ERG-VX High Torque
94359Z 1.54 0.79 1.47 2.19 0.13 0.10 N/A 160
Aluminum Heatsink Servo
Airtronics
www.airtronics.net
Competition Digital Servo
94758Z 1.54 0.79 1.47 2.12 0.07 0.06 N/A 92
High Torque

Cirrus CS-80MG Pro 1.60 1.49 0.79 2.01 N/A 0.25 N/A N/A
www.globalhobby.com/cirrus/cirrus.htm
Standard H/D With
S3305 1.60 0.80 1.50 1.64 0.25 0.20 N/A 99
Metal Gear
Heli/Air High Torque
S9206 1.60 0.80 1.50 1.90 0.19 N/A N/A 132
Futaba Digital Metal Gear
www.futaba-rc.com High Torque Steering
S9350 1.60 0.80 1.50 2.10 N/R 0.12 N/A N/R
Metal Gear

S9351 High Torque 1.60 0.80 1.40 2.10 N/A 0.15 N/A N/A

HS-645MG High Torque Metal Gear 1.55 0.78 1.48 1.94 0.24 0.20 N/A 107

HS-945MG High Torque 1.55 0.78 1.48 1.97 0.16 0.12 N/A 122
Hitec
www.hitecrcd.com
HS-5945MG Digital High Torque 1.55 0.78 1.48 1.97 0.16 0.13 N/A 153

HS-5995TG Digital X-Servo 1.57 0.78 1.45 2.18 N/A 0.15 0.12 N/A

JR Servos DS8611 Digital High Torque 1.58 0.82 1.56 2.24 0.18 N/A N/A 220
www.jrpropo.co.jp/e_index.html

KRS-784ICS KHR-1 Robot Servo 1.61 0.82 1.37 1.58 N/A 0.17 N/A N/A
Kondo
www.kondo-robot.com/
KRS-2346ICS Red Version 1.61 0.79 1.49 2.00 N/A 0.16 N/A N/A

PS-2174 FET PS-2174 FET 1.61 0.79 1.50 1.92 N/A 0.13 N/A N/A
KO PROPO
www.kopropo.com/home.htm
PDS-2144 FET PDS-2144 FET 1.61 0.79 1.50 1.93 N/A 0.13 N/A N/A

20 SERVO 03.2005
BrainMatrix.qxd 2/3/2005 1:48 PM Page 21

Guest Hosted by
Peter Abrahamson

So, you want to build a Robo-One biped robot, but don't know which servos to use. There are so many
options and models to choose from. Do you use analog or digital? How much torque do you need? What
about price? I have created this issue’s “Brain Matrix” comparing most of the major brands and standard
size models of servos that might be useful in a Robo-One.
To
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Left to right: Airtronics 94359, Kondo

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KRS-2346ICS Red Version, Hitec

HS-5995TG, and the Kondo KRS-784ICS
in the feet of the KHR-1 robot.
200 N/A Dual BB Coreless M A $104.99 N/A

One of the first questions asked when

115 N/A Dual BB Coreless M D $99.99 N/A someone is building a Robo-One is “Do I use
analog or digital servos?”There are some amaz-
ing analog servos out there. In my days of build-
130 N/A Dual BB N/A P/M A N/A N/A ing animatronics, puppets, and robots for the
film and TV industry, we used the Airtronics
94358 and 94359 servos for many applica-
125 N/A Bushing N/A M A $37.99 N/A
tions. The torque for the package size was
amazing — 200 oz-in! The price for an analog
N/A N/A Dual BB Coreless M A $89.99 N/A servo was usually less than that of a digital one,
but that seems to be changing.
Now, with digital servos, a whole array of
139 N/A Dual BB Coreless M D $99.99 N/A
options open up for you.With the Hitec digital
servos, you can buy a servo programmer (the
180 N/A Dual BB Coreless M D $109.99 N/A Hitec HFP-10) that allows you to set limits,
reversals, offsets, and speeds within the servo,
rather than wasting valuable memory in the
133 N/A Dual BB Three Pole M A $39.99 N/A
robot’s brain. The new digital servos have
higher torque and speed ratings than most
153 N/A Dual BB Coreless M A $73.99 N/A analog servos.
Some servos are specifically designed for
181 N/A Dual BB Coreless M D $89.99 N/A robots. Hitec has the HS-5995TG with 330 oz-
in of torque, titanium gears, and a spur on the
bottom of the servo for mounting a bearing.
330 412 Dual BB Coreless M D $114.99 Rear Bearing Hub Kondo — the manufacturer of the KHR-1 robot
kit — has come out with a couple of robot-
260 N/A Dual Coreless P/M D $114.99 N/A specific servos: the KRS-784ICS and KRS-
2346ICS Red Version. For around $65.00, the
former is used in the KHR-1 kit and comes with
119.6 N/A Bushing Coreless P D $65.00 Rear Bearing Hub/ICS plastic gears, 119 oz-in of torque, and a bear-
ing spur. The Red Version has 275 oz-in of
275 N/A Dual BB Coreless M D $175.00 Rear Bearing Hub/ICS torque, metal gears, an option for a bearing
spur, and mounting tabs on the rear of the
servo; when used with the RCB-1 (Kondo’s robot
131.9 N/A Dual BB Coreless M A $109.99 N/A brain), it can give position feedback. Kondo
servos use ICS (Interactive Communication
166.6 N/A Dual BB Coreless M A $109.99 N/A System) for feedback and control.

SERVO 03.2005 21
TwinTweaks.qxd 1/28/2005 4:35 PM Page 22
W hen we first learned that the
next tweak would involve an R/C
boat, the natural choice for a
modification was to make the vehicle
amphibious — capable of traversing
both land and sea, but we were
surprised to find that our next project
was the Land Sea 2 R/C, an already
amphibious vehicle! We decided to
take the all terrain idea to the next level
and make the vehicle capable of flight,
as well. Jet engines would be tricky to
add to an R/C car, so we thought a
helicopter-like rotor assembly would be
the best thing to help the Omni-Terrain
Vehicle take to the skies.
Before and After: A grounded Land Sea 2 R/C is made to fly.
22 SERVO 03.2005
The Omni-Terrain Vehicle
Tweaking the
Land Sea 2 R/C
The Land Sea 2 R/C
The Land Sea 2 R/C is definitely an
impressive unit. It sports three modes
of operation — land, sea, and tank
(another option for land travel). The
land version is definitely zippy and it’s
even capable of carrying two full soda
cans (a strange ability, but cool
nonetheless). The steering for the sea
mode is difficult to get used to, but fun
once you master it. The tank mode is an
interesting option, but, as the instruc-
tion manual warns, it is difficult to get
the wheels to make the 1/3 of the full
rotation for optimum maneuverability.
Other added bonuses include
photosensitive headlights (with an
option to have them turn on only
when it’s dark) and a function that
makes the vehicle turn on its pro-
pellers to run in circles when it is out
of the range of the controller. The
controller itself is also water-resistant.
The vehicle is certainly multifunctional
and it actually performs all of those
functions well.
Now, despite the warning on the
instructions that read: “Modifications
not authorized by the manufacturer
may void user’s authority to operate
this device,” we proceeded to make
the Land Sea 2 R/C even more
multifunctional.
Problem Analysis
Creating a vehicle that can move on
land, in air, and on water is definitely a
complex problem. At least for us, land
and sea movement has been taken
care of, but adding the ability to fly is
still tricky. The main additions that we
needed to concentrate on were giving
the vehicle enough lift to fly, while
keeping it afloat with the added
weight of the rotor assembly. Luckily
for us, physics comes to the rescue.
TwinTweaks.qxd 1/28/2005 4:39 PM Page 23
Ultimate Pasta
Our primary concern is getting the
vehicle off of the ground. We were
awash in ideas for propeller systems,
but Bernoulli’s Principle helped us
wring out implausible ideas. Bernoulli’s
Principle, for our purposes, explains
the phenomenon of lift that allows
airplanes to fly. Bernoulli’s equation
elucidates this principle mathematically:
∆P=1/2 ρv top² - 1/2 ρv bottom²
This equation helps you figure out
∆P — the change in pressure between
the top of the wing and the bottom — by
using the differences in the velocity of
the airflow over those surfaces. The dif-
ference in the velocities above and below
the wing results from the shape of the
wing that deflects air molecules on the
bottom, slowing them down and creat-
ing lift. Lift is easy enough to create, but
creating enough of it is the problem.
Something will lift off the ground
if the force of lift is greater than the
force of gravity acting upon whatever it
is that you want to make fly. Force of
gravity is easy to figure:
Fg=mg
m being mass and g acceleration due
to gravity, 9.8 m/s².
The mass of the Land Sea 2 R/C is
1.07 kg, so the force of gravity is 10 N.
Allowing for some extra weight for the
rotor assembly, we can estimate that
the force of lift necessary for flight
must be greater than 20 N. Lifting
force can be determined by Bernoulli’s
equation, which helps determine ∆P.
The equation for pressure can be
manipulated to determine force.
P=F/A , F=PA
Lifting force can be determined by
multiplying the difference in pressure
created by the shape of the wings by the
area of the wings. Thus, we can see that
two variables determine lifting force: the
difference of airspeed over and under
the wings and the area of the wings.
The solution seems simple, at first: Slap
on a fast motor with a giant rotor.
Several design considerations,
however, need to be taken into
account and the obvious one is weight.
If the motor and rotor are too heavy,
too much buoyancy would need to be
added and things would get ridiculous.
Another consideration lies in the
characteristics of the motor. We want a
fairly light motor to avoid buoyancy
problems.
Like we stated before, the key
about Bernoulli’s Principle is that the
differences between velocities of air on
the top and bottom of the wing create
lift, and that difference is created by
the classic airfoil shape of the wing.
Instead of giving the Land Sea 2 R/C jet
engines and wings, we decided that a
helicopter-like rotor would be the way
to go. Rotors use the same principle,
while lift is achieved by the bend in the
rotor instead of an airfoil shape. More
of a bend creates more of a difference
in airspeed and, thus, more lift. What
we have to be careful about is that
more of a bend creates more air
resistance, and we don’t want to
create too much of a bend so that it
creates too much resistance and over-
comes the torque of the motor.
Rotors, Archimedes,
and Buoyancy —
Oh My!
Buoyancy is the other side of
this problem. To keep things simple, it
would be best to create a rotor assembly
light enough so that the vehicle would
stay afloat without extra modifications.
Calculating the buoyant force on the
original, untweaked vehicle would
give us a ballpark range of what kind
of weight we could use for the rotor
assembly. As long as the combined
weight of the vehicle and rotor
assembly doesn’t overcome the buoy-
ant force possible for the original
boat, the tweaked vehicle will stay
afloat.
The phenomenon of buoyant
force is known as Archimedes’
Principle and can be calculated with
the following equation:
B=ρf Vg
The Omni-Terrain Vehicle
We’ll use the tiny Fisher-Price
motor found in Power
Wheels products.
B is buoyant force in Newtons, ρf is the
density of the fluid (in this case, water),
V is the volume of displaced water, and
g is acceleration due to gravity.
According to Archimedes’ Principle,
buoyant force is created by the
displacement of water. Buoyant force
on a floating object is equal to its
weight in air, so adding weight requires
additional buoyancy.
The rotor assembly wouldn’t
displace any water, so the additional
buoyant force would have to come
from the vehicle riding lower in the
water. This wouldn’t be a problem if the
original vehicle floated high enough
and gave us some room for extra
weight, but after testing it in water,
though, we found that it floated sur-
prisingly low without any extra weight.
The two solutions would be to
lighten the boat or add buoyancy. The
Land Sea 2 R/C is a very clean unit and
hacking into something meant to float
is a leaky proposition, so we decided
extra buoyancy would be the way to
go. TV bodgers on Junkyard Wars and
For rotors, the bend causes
lift instead of an airfoil shape
used on wings.
SERVO 03.2005 23
TwinTweaks.qxd 1/28/2005 4:40 PM Page 24
Twin Tweaks ...
traverse land and sea. Land is no
problem, but — to keep the
boat afloat — we will add
Styrofoam to increase buoyancy,
compensating for the weight of
the rotor assembly.
Knowing the physics is one
thing, though, and having the
instrumentation to implement the
physics accurately is another. We
don’t have the means to make the
ultra-precise measurements that
For the blade, we chose a piece of accurate implementation of the
0.095-inch-thick aluminum, 12 inches long. formulas calls for, but the simple
knowledge of the principles will
Monster Garage usually use drums guide us to make tolerably educated
or barrels to increase buoyancy on estimations of what we need to do to
floating projects, but — since an oil make this ambitious project successful.
drum is a little oversized for our vehicle
— we decided to use Styrofoam. Construction and
Design Considerations First Tests
The first assembly we did was that
Galore of the rotor. For the blade itself, we
That’s a lot of physics, so let’s stop chose a piece of 0.095-inch-thick
and review our objectives. Our primary aluminum, which was the thinnest
concern is making the vehicle fly. We’ve piece of aluminum we had that was
settled on a helicopter-style rotor blade long enough for a rotor. We cut a piece
for lift, powered by a tiny but powerful 12 inches long and 1-3/4 inches wide,
Fisher-Price motor (the kind they use in which we felt gave a fair amount of
Power Wheels, but without the surface area without being too heavy.
gearbox). The two variables that deter- The output shaft of the Fisher-Price
mine lift are the area of the rotor and motor had a gear attached to it, so we
the difference in air speed above and drilled out a slightly smaller hole and
below the rotor. Ideally, we need a fast filed in some grooves for the teeth to
rotor with a healthy bend in it and lots fasten to the rotor for a snug fit. After
of surface area. managing to get the rotor to fit, we
Our second consideration is moved on to bending it. Helicopter
maintaining the ability of the vehicle to rotors do not have the classic wing
shape of an airfoil; their rotors are
To create lift, the high edge of the simply flat, but bent diagonally. To
rotor needs to be the leading edge. bend it nicely, we used scrap
aluminum channel to make a large
lever and stuck it in a large vice.
Once we had an acceptable
bend, we could attach the rotor to
the motor, but we had to be careful
to fasten the motor with the right ori-
entation. To create lift, the high edge
of the rotor needs to be the leading
edge. If we got it wrong, we’d have
a Land Sea 2 R/C with a large fan
hacked onto it. Once we checked the
rotation of the motor, we attached
the rotor accordingly, and to make
sure we had a solid attachment, we
wanted to use some epoxy. All we
24 SERVO 03.2005
had lying around the garage, however,
was some J-B Stick Weld used for mend-
ing leaky pipes. Oh well, when hacking
something, you use what you can.
We could have used Bernoulli’s
equation to figure out exactly how
much surface area we needed from the
rotor and the bend we needed in it,
but using the means at our disposal,
that would be a difficult task. Instead,
we relied on educated estimations (the
SWAG theory).
Twenty-four hours later, after the
epoxy had fully cured, we set out to
wire in a switch. Our plan was to
power the motor off of the six-volt bat-
tery pack that the R/C car used. To give
us some control over the rotor without
having to hack into the electronics of
the waterproof R/C, we wired in our
own switch. Our initial idea was to fas-
ten the switch to the vehicle itself, but
we realized that might entail reaching
our hands under a spinning rotor to
turn it off, so we thought a more
remote switch would be prudent.
Here, we came to one of the most
frustrating parts of the tweak. The bat-
tery pack slid in sideways beneath the
cockpit of the vehicle and it was a very
tight fit. Luckily for us, the battery pack
had four contact points and the Land
Sea 2 R/C only used two. We used the
other two for the motor connections.
The problem was that the connections
would work when the battery was out-
side of the vehicle and not when it was
inside. We tried over and over, but
nothing worked. We even considered
soldering the wires to the contact
pads, but the pads were dirty and we
were out of acetone.
A solution finally presented itself in
the form of aluminum foil. We twisted
little bulbs of aluminum foil onto the
ends to increase the surface area
through which electricity could travel.
After this simple step, the circuit had no
problems whatsoever. Once the switch
circuit was completed, we wanted to
test the rotor. In order to minimize
danger, we only flipped the switch for a
second, but — even then —we could
see that the rotor would spin frighten-
ingly fast. This test was both promising
and unnerving, because we saw that
testing it could be very dangerous.
TwinTweaks.qxd 1/28/2005 4:40 PM Page 25
Our next task was to actually make
the rotor assembly and Land Sea 2 R/C
into one piece. For the sake of balance,
we wanted to attach the rotor assem-
bly in the center of the vehicle. One
problem was that the cockpit was in
the middle of the vehicle. We decided
that we really didn’t need the cockpit
and removed it, but the one potential
issue that came with the cockpit
removal was that we were simultane-
ously removing the R/C’s antenna.
We tested the range of the vehicle
minus the antenna and found it to be a
tolerable six feet. Cockpit removal also
granted easy access to the battery
pack. We fashioned a platform out of
cardboard to support the motor and
attach it to the vehicle, and everything
was bound together by generous
amounts of duct tape. We figured that
enough duct tape would maintain the
integrity of the vehicles’ waterproof
reputation and the addition of duct
tape made the project a true hack.
Even though the manner of attach-
ment may sound rudimentary, the
rotor assembly was surprisingly stable.
Now that the vehicle was assembled,
we were ready for the first test.
Keeping safety in mind, we brought
a blanket out during the test in case the
Omni-Terrain Vehicle went crazy. We
really didn’t have a terribly good means
of controlling the vehicle’s flight, except
that we might use the propellers for the
sea mode as stabilizers.
From behind the safety of a trash
can, we hit the switch. The rotor spun up
to a frightening speed, causing the vehi-
cle to shudder like a fish out of water.
Much to our relief, the rotor seemed
firmly attached to the motor and it did-
n’t appear to have the desire to fly off.
The vehicle itself, however, did not fly.
Back to Physics
To better our chances of getting
off the ground, we can look at the two
variables we can easily manipulate.
One is the difference in the airspeed
above and below the rotor. To make
that difference greater (and therefore
the lift greater), we would have to
increase the angle of the bend. With
the rotor assembled, that would be
The Omni-Terrain Vehicle
unduly difficult. Our other option
would be to increase the surface
area of the rotor. All we would
have to do is add extensions onto
the rotor. While that would be
difficult with the assembled piece,
it was still our best option.
Two 0.06-inch-thick aluminum
plates were perfect for the job,
and we riveted them onto the rotor
with little difficulty. Now, our
Omni-Terrain Vehicle had rivets,
just like a real airplane. This was On the first test run, the rotor spun
also an opportunity to test the up to a frightening speed!
seaworthiness of the vehicle, but
to our dismay, the Omni-Terrain vehicle made was more like a hovercraft than
seemed to have lost its sea legs. an airplane, but we were able to leave
That, however, was an easy land and sea movement uncompro-
problem to solve. All we had to do was mised. The hovering is actually quite
displace more water to increase buoyant effective on low friction surfaces, so —
force, and duct taping Styrofoam to the if the Omni-Terrain Vehicle ever came
boat hull was an easy solution to this across a frozen lake — its new hovering
problem. Soon, the boat was once again ability would likely give it more mobility
able to float. After charging the battery, than its regular land mode.
we were ready for our final test. Additionally, we gave the Land Sea 2
All the Omni-Terrain Vehicle need- R/C a nasty weapon in case a combat
ed to do for a “Done” stamp was to fly. robotics competition pops up.
We hit the switch. The rotor spun up. In short, the functional shortcom-
The vehicle shuddered and even began ings of this project are far from failure;
to hover slowly across the surface of quite the contrary. We learned about
the driveway ... but it still did not fly. the nature of flight through an interac-
tive application of physics and
Final Thoughts resourceful ingenuity.
In fact, the versatility of this drive
The Omni-Terrain Vehicle was still a system may even serve as a conceptual
success, despite the fact that it did not prototype for future robotic military
give a satisfactory demonstration of fly- reconnaissance vehicles (we’ll keep our
ing ability. The idea of making a vehicle eyes open for DARPA contracts asking
capable of land, sea, and air movement for Omni-Terrain Vehicles). After all, we
is certainly a daunting task under any are the Woolley Brothers, not the
circumstances — even more so under a Wright brothers. SV
time limit. Now that we think about
it, perhaps the more ideal situation The Omni-Terrain Vehicle was still
would have been to make an a success, despite the fact that it
airplane capable of land and sea didn’t fly.
movement.
Also, we may have overestimated
the stamina of the Fisher-Price
motor (Power Wheels aren’t meant
to fly) and of the battery pack. The
battery pack was actually a six-volt
pack we happened to have from
another R/C car and it was far past
its prime. Oh well. Sometimes, the
machines on Monster Garage don’t
work as expected, either.
What we turned out to have
SERVO 03.2005 25
Driscoll.qxd 1/28/2005 10:36 AM Page 26

by Edward Driscoll, Jr.

he dream of a walking mechanical man is almost

T as old as civilization itself. As I wrote in the debut
issue of SERVO, it’s certainly almost as old as the film
industry: 1927’s Metropolis, 1956’s Forbidden Planet,
1977’s Star Wars, and numerous films since all had
walking, human-shaped robots as stars.
However, building a real walking robot has been
more problematic — and controversial. American
robot pioneer Dr. Joseph F. Engelberger once told
me, “I don’t want to see a two-legged robot. I feel
very strongly against legs,” because of the complex
design challenges they present and because of the
better weight ratios and stability of wheeled robots.
Yet, walking robots have seemingly become an
obsession in Japan, most famously with Honda’s
recent Asimo robot.
Closer to home, in the cold, brutal climate of
Alaska, Carlos Owens — a 27-year-old iron worker
and ex-Army heavy equipment mechanic — is
building some unique heavy equipment of his own.
26 SERVO 03.2005
Driscoll.qxd 1/28/2005 10:39 AM Page 27

Take Control of an 18-Foot-Tall Walking Robot

The NMX041-A
Reports for
Duty
The Honda Asimo is only
about four feet tall. But
Owens is a man who — at six
feet five inches — not only is
big, but thinks big as well.
He noticed that, “All these
companies seem to be manu-
facturing these robots on a
very similar scale.” The operator encased in his machine.
So he decided to build a
walking robot that’s over three times
their height “instead of a five-foot
robot that looks like all the other five-
foot robots.”
So he designed and is well on the
way to completing an 18-foot-tall,
8-1/2-foot-wide, 1-1/2-ton, two-
legged, two-armed robot that he’s
dubbed the NMX041-A. It is designed
so that the operator will sit inside of it.
“I actually came up with my
own list of standards for mech-type
applications. The N and M stands for
‘neo-mech’ and X is type of chassis —
it’s humanoid-thpe. As far as the num-
bers, I started it in 2004, hence the
‘04,’ the ‘1’ is to designate it as the
first prototype, and the ‘A’ represents
‘arena-type,’ as in a fighting type of
robot.”
Not having a shop big enough,
Carlos builds outside, in the elements.
While it’s the first prototype he balancing it while it walks. Like nature
built in 2004, it’s actually based on an itself, four-legged robots are somewhat
experiment with an even larger robot: easier to build because they’re
the 25-foot NMX03. “That one was more stable. It may be why industrial
originally going to be 25 feet tall — designer Syd Mead painted an
which is far too large — and just
presents a lot of issues. Every Alaskan conditions make building difficult.
foot that you go up, more and
more issues need to be taken
into consideration because of the
balance.”
Fortunately, Owens was able
to reuse some of those parts in
the only slightly more modest
18-foot robot.
Learning to Walk
Of course, one of the keys to
building this type of machine is

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SERVO 03.2005 27
Driscoll.qxd 1/28/2005 10:42 AM Page 28
INSIDE THE IRON MAN
The only secrets are the stability controls.
elephant-like, four-legged walking
machine that predates the Imperial
walkers from 1980’s The Empire Strikes
Back by about 20 years.
In a two-legged machine, though,
extra effort is required to balance it in
mid-stride. Owens says he has
designed “a separate unit which will
be attached to the machine upon
completion that allows it to shift its
weight from one side to the other
A frame supports the robot
while under construction.
28 SERVO 03.2005
The NMX041-A stands nearly 20 feet tall.
without causing any instabilities
while in mid-stride.”
He’s not afraid to admit that he
wants to keep its design a secret.
“I’ve already been asked several
times, but I don’t want to get into
the specifics of that unit, which
allows the whole system to work.
Anyone can build a giant robot, but
anyone who wants to make it walk —
they’re on their own!”
For much of the year, Alaska is a
cold and unforgiving environment to
build in, but Owens is undeterred. He
says the only concession against the
cold he’s needed to make is to heat
the hydraulics used to power the
NMX041-A’s joints. “The way I
position the hydraulic fluid reservoir
Carlos Owens, on the shoulders of a giant.
near the engine, where it will
heat it up, will also help. It
shouldn’t take too long for
the system to get warm;
it should have good fluid
movement.”
The Arena
Robot League
He calls the NMX041-A
a fighting robot and he envi-
sions being the commissioner
of an arena league of robotic
gladiators — sort of like cable
TV’s Battle Bots or Robot Wars, but on
a much, much larger scale.
“The whole idea behind it is that
people would be piloting these
machines and doing battle with one
another. I’ve got a whole slew of rules
and regulations that I’ve been working
on just for this particular sport that I’m
in the process of developing.”
As with many inventors, when
listening to Owens describe his robot
and what he’d like to do with it, it’s
sometimes tough to find where reality
ends and science fiction begins. While
he’s building quite an impressive
looking machine (which vaguely
recalls the toy Transformer robots
of the 1980s, but on a mammoth
scale), he’s certainly happy to
pepper his speech with sci-fi
catch phrases like “mecha,”
and his website has paragraphs
that make his one-man
operation sound like the
Tyrell Corporation from Blade
Runner. For example,
Owens’ website is called
www.neogentronyx.com Say
what?
Owens says it’s a break-
down of a few different words:
“‘neo’ meaning new, ‘gen’ is
short for ‘generation,’ and then
‘tronyx,’ of course, means
electronics. I just spelled it a
little differently; I didn’t want to
do things the standard way. It’s
something different — like my
project!”
Perhaps because his project
is so visually exciting, Owens’
Driscoll.qxd 1/28/2005 10:44 AM Page 29
home page is getting much
more attention than he originally
anticipated. The popular C/Net
website profiled him in December. “I
thought that 7,500 hits over a
two-year period was pretty good, but
I got 40,000 in under just two days
from that C/Net article!” He’s hoping
it will lead to outside monetary contri-
butions to his heretofore self-funded
efforts. (So far, Owens has sunk about
$15,000.00 into his project.)
Putting Out a
Fire From Inside
Of course, walking robots have
many other applications beyond
bashing each other’s hydraulics into
the ground inside a sports arena. One
application that Owens is particularly
keen on is fire fighting. Owens says
that his robots would provide fire
fighters, “with a much greater
advantage over how we currently
Take Control of an 18-Foot-Tall Walking Robot
fight fires.” This is particularly true
with forest fires, which involve
dropping loads of flame retardant
chemicals and water from aircraft.
“It pretty much disperses as soon
as it hits the air.” In contrast,
Owens’ walking robots would walk
right into a fire.
He envisions these walking
robots “as being heat shielded,
liquid cooled, with the operator a
safe distance away, receiving
video feedback. There could be
several other robots in the area,
all of them coordinated from a
central command area where all of
the video from the robots could be
observed.”
In the meantime, Owens
continues building and refining One possible application is fire fighting.
NMX041-A. “With this robot, I
just decided that I wasn’t going just do it.”
to wait around for someone else to do Who knows? With a bit of luck
this; I thought that I had the and lots of hard work, maybe he and
knowledge and the ability, so I should NMX041-A will walk into history. SV
Circle #76 on the Reader Service Card.
SERVO 03.2005 29
Simpson1.qxd 1/28/2005 11:41 AM Page 30

Have you ever wanted to build a hex walker robot? Their interesting,
insect-like gait and seemingly complex leg construction make them one of
the more interesting projects in robotics. Hex walkers are actually more
accessible for the hobbyist than they may seem at first. In this series of articles,
I will show you, step-by-step, how to build a six-legged crawler using only
three servos, and with six legs and three servos,
we can experiment with different
gaits and full directional
control over the robot.
Next month, I will
discuss the electrical
construction of the
hex walker, and the
following month our
attention will turn to calibration,
programming, and control issues.
30 SERVO 03.2005
Simpson1.qxd 1/28/2005 11:42 AM Page 31
The Components
Let’s take a look at some of the
components needed to build this
small walker.
The heart of the crawler is the
super small, nine-gram Dragonfly
servo (Figure 1). The small size of
the servo lets us build an extremely
small and lightweight robot. These
tiny servos are very reasonably
priced at less than $9.00 each.
To control the small servos, we will
use the even smaller Perseus microcon-
troller. I chose this microcontroller
because it has a very small 1.25 x 0.75
inch carrier board (Figure 2) that can
sport up to five servo connectors. Its
through-hole design makes it very well
suited to the beginner. The Perseus
chip, carrier, and RS232 driver board
can all be purchased for less money
than most other microcontrollers alone.
The Perseus microcontroller is one of
several Athena class microcontrollers that
were designed to make the jump into
microcontrollers as easy and inexpensive
as possible. The compiler software for
these microcontrollers is free and can be
downloaded from the Kronos Robotics
website at www.kronosrobotics.com
The software has a difficulty setting that
can be adjusted from beginner to expert
and has a simulator so you can run
through the included tutorial without
purchasing a single item.
We will build the base and legs for
the crawler out of 1/8-inch Baltic birch
plywood, similar to that shown in Figure
3. You can pick up a 12 x 24-inch piece
at your local craft store for less than
$5.00. That will be enough for four or
five robots this size. You will also need
some 3/8- x 3/8-inch pine stock as well,
which can also be found at a craft
store for less then $2.00.
Probably the most difficult plywood works best for the base and the legs.
parts to get will be the hardware.
Most of these will be #2 machine
screws and various washers and
nuts. Kronos Robotics is offering a
package that contains all the hard-
ware, as well as the 3/8 inch stock.
The Tools
For the mechanical construc-
FIGURE 2. The Perseus microcontroller.
tion, you will need something to cut
out all the wooden parts. I recommend
a scroll saw. I did a complete write-up
on various hobbyist level scroll saws in
the February 2005 issue of SERVO
Magazine. The cuts are not critical, so
there are only a couple places where
real accuracy is needed when cutting
out the parts. A hand coping or fret
saw and knife could also be used,
but it will take you much longer to
complete the project.
You will need a drill with 1/16-,
3/32-, 1/8-, and 5/16-inch bits. I used a
drill press, but a hand drill should work
just as well. A soldering iron (and solder)
will also be needed to connect the two
battery holders and to build the Perseus
carrier board we’ll see next month. I also
recommend a bit of heatshrink, too.
You will need a couple of hand
tools, such as a small Philips screw driver
and a pair of needle nose pliers. These
will be used to tighten the small lock
nuts, as this can’t be done by hand.
In Part 3, we will start program-
ming the walker. For this, you will need
an EZ232 driver (less than $10.00) and
a copy of the compiler software (free
from the Kronos Robotics website). A
PC running Windows and nine-pin
serial cable will also be needed.
FIGURE 3. A 12 x 24-inch piece of Baltic birch
Part 1
FIGURE 1. The super small, nine-gram
Dragonfly servo.
The Plans
I have included a full-size set of
plans for all the cutout parts. You
can download them from the SERVO
website (www.servomagazine.com).
There are index marks on the plans,
so you will be okay as long as your
reproduction is set to the proper size.
When enlarged or reduced, the
distance between Index A and Index B
should be five inches. The distance
between Index A and Index C should
be seven inches.
Mechanical
Construction
Now, we come to the fun part.
Let’s start building the walker. Before
we begin, let me say a few things
about this design. I designed this
crawler with three things in mind:
• Repeatability — I wanted a walker
that could be built consistently; it could
FIGURE 4. The final cuts.
SERVO 03.2005 31
Simpson1.qxd 1/28/2005 11:44 AM Page 32
The Mini Servo WALKER
FIGURE 5. Wrap the Center Leg Support template
around the stock as shown here.
be built by 20 different people but still
behave the same.
• Construction Forgiveness — I wanted
a walker that could still function even if
errors in construction were made.
FIGURE 7. A small notch is needed
at the end of the Center Legs
to hold a small rubberband.
FIGURE 9. Attach the servos, the Center Leg Assembly,
and the Rear Leg Support and Legs.
32 SERVO 03.2005
FIGURE 6. The thickness of the
notch cuts are most critical.
• Cost — I wanted a walker that could
be built completely for under $70.00 —
even less if you have some of the parts
in your junk box.
The mini servo walker design is
very forgiving, as most of the cuts are
not critical. In fact, variations in the
pieces will give your walker a bit of
character. For instance, rounding the
corners on the walker base will make
the walker a bit more bug-like.
Hole placement should be as close
as possible to what is detailed here, but
as long as you are within 1/32 inches,
you should be fine.
Step 1:
Cut out all the parts in the plan.
Note that some parts require more
than one cutout. For example, you will
need four Leg A parts and four Leg B
parts. You will need two Leg C parts.
The Rear and Center Leg Supports
are both cut from a 3/8- x 3/8- x 2-inch
piece of stock. They can
be cut from pine, bass-
wood, or maple — all of
which are available at
your local craft store.
Place the template for
the Rear Leg Support
on the stock and mark
FIGURE 8. Attach the Center Legs to the Center Leg Support.
the two holes.
For the Center Leg Support,
bend the template in half where
the top view and bottom view
come together and place on the
stock as shown in Figure 5.
The most critical cut of all is
the thickness of the notch,
shown in Figure 6. The actual
thickness of the notch should
match the thickness of the ply-
wood stock you are using. It can
be a bit smaller, but not larger; therefore,
I recommend that you cut it a bit small.
You can increase the width, if needed.
Make sure you place a small notch
in the center legs, as shown in Figure 7.
This notch will be used later to hold the
end of a small rubberband.
Step 2:
Attach the two center legs to the
Center Leg Support, as shown in Figure
8. Use two 3/4-inch #2 machine screws.
Install in the following order: #2
machine screw, #2 washer, Leg C, #2
washer, Center Leg Support, #2 washer,
and #2 lock nut. Make sure you install
the two 3/32-inch holes. Tighten so that
the legs are seated firmly against the
support, but still move freely.
Step 3:
Install the two servos into the servo
slots shown in Figure 9. The 1/16-inch
holes in the base will act as our nuts and
hold the machine screws nicely. Use 3/8-
inch #2 machine screws and #2 washers
on each hole. You will have to push the
screw firmly to get it started. Don’t over-
tighten or you will strip the wood. You
can also attach a #2 hex nut, as well.
Step 4:
Take the Center Leg assembly and
Simpson1.qxd 2/3/2005 2:18 PM Page 33
FIGURE 11. One of two
FIGURE 10. The underside of the Center Leg Assembly.
attach it to the base, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. You will
use two 3/4-inch #2 machine screws. Attach in the following
order: #2 machine screw, #2 washer, base, #2 washer, and
#2 hex nut.
The 1/8-inch holes are oversized so that you can position
the support as needed. Make sure the legs move freely and
don’t rub against the base. Tighten the nuts.
Step 5:
Install the Rear Leg Support and Legs as shown in Figure
9. Use two one-inch #4 machine screws in the following
order: #4 machine screw, #4 washer, Leg Part A, #4 washer,
Rear Leg Support, base, #4 washer, and #4 lock nut.
Tighten so that the legs are firm, but rotate freely.
Step 6:
Take two of the four-sided servo arms and drill a 1/16-inch
FIGURE 13 and 14. Use 1/4-inch machine screws and nuts
to attach the servo arm to each leg.
FIGURE 15. One side of the Dragonfly servo arm.
Part 1
FIGURE 12. Drill four additional
four-sided servo arms. 3/32-inch holes into each leg.
hole as shown in Figure 11. The 1/16-inch hole is just a bit
small for the #2 machine screws; this allows the plastic to act
as a lock washer once the arm is attached to the leg.
Step 7:
Take the servo arm and center it on the 1/8-inch hole
and mark the four holes you drilled in Step 6. If you insert the
small screw used to attach the servo arm to the servo, it will
help you center the arm. Please note that if the arm is not
100 percent centered, it won’t affect operation at all.
You will need to do this with the two remaining legs.
Step 8:
Drill four 3/32-inch holes into each leg. Insert four 1/4-inch
Circle #82 on the Reader Service Card.
33
Simpson1.qxd 1/28/2005 11:46 AM Page 34
The Mini Servo WALKER
FIGURE 16. Wrap the FIGURE 17. Remove the left
servo motor in metal tape. mounting flange on the servo.
#2 machine screws and attach the
servo arm to the leg as shown in
Figures 13 and 14. Use a #2 hex nut to
help hold the screws in place.
Step 9:
Take one of the two-sided
Dragonfly servo arms and snip off one
side, as shown. Make two snips at a
slight angle so you don’t put too much
stress on the arm when you cut it.
Step 10:
When using micro servos, we some-
times must make special provisions for
mounting due to size or construction.
The Dragonfly servo is held together
with a small plastic band and a small
label. This prevents us from mounting
the servo reliably using mounting foam
tape. To correct this, we simply remove
the clear plastic label (tape) and the
plastic band. We then take a piece of
metal air conditioning tape and wrap the
servo, as shown in Figure 16.
We must also remove the left
mounting flange from the servo as it
Sources
Qty Description
3 Dragonfly 9-gram servos
1 12 x 24 sheet or 12 x 12 sheet
of 1/8-inch Baltic birch plywood
1 Hardware package. Contains all
mounting screws, washers, and
lock nuts. Also includes two
3/8 x 3/8 x 2-inch pine blocks for leg
supports. One piece of heatshrink
tubing. Includes metal tape and
mounting foam. Printed pattern sheet.
34 SERVO 03.2005
FIGURE 18. Here is the complete
walker awaiting its brain.
comes in contact with the Center Leg
Support mounting screw. Place the arm
on the servo so that it points straight up
in the orientation shown in Figure 17.
Don’t worry about the current servo
position, as we will calibrate later.
Next, position the servo as shown so
that the arm is dead center of the two
center legs. Do a dry fit, then add a piece
of mounting foam tape and position it in
place. You can pick up some double-stick
foam strips at any department or home
store. Don’t use the removable type. I
recommend a name brand, as it’s much
firmer and holds the servo better.
Place a small rubberband across
the top of the two center legs. The
rubberband will cause the leg not
being pushed down to lift up. The best
place to pick up rubberbands is in the
hair care section of a store. (These
small rubberbands are used to make
small pony tails.)
Step 11:
Attach the front legs you completed
in Step 8. Now, you may also attach the
Source and part number
http://stores.channeladvisor.com/rc
toys-hobbies/Items/400010?
Can be purchased at most craft or hobby
stores. It can also be purchased from
Woodcraft at www.woodcraft.com
in 12 x 12 sheets.
Kronos Robotics at
www.kronosrobotics.com
lower legs to all of the
upper legs by inserting
the notches into each
other.
Step 12:
Now, attach the
Rear Leg Drive, as
shown in Figure 18.
The leg drive is used to
move the rear leg
when the front leg
moves. Use a 1/2-inch
#2 machine screw in
each leg in the following order: #2
machine screw, #2 washer, leg drive, #2
washer, leg, #2 washer, and #2 lock nut.
Tighten enough to remove the wiggle.
Now, attach the lower legs if you
did not already do so in Step 11. Leg
Parts A and B are held together by
friction. If you cut the slots too wide,
they may not hold together; you may
need to apply a drop or two of hot
glue to strengthen the joint.
This concludes the mechanical
construction phase. Go ahead and
insert the small screws that came with
your Dragonfly servo into the servo
arms and tighten them. This will hold
the legs in place until we are ready to
calibrate. You can also run the two
front servo connectors up through the
5/16-inch hole. Take the center servo
connector and run it around the side,
then back up through the 5/16-inch
hole from the bottom.
At this point, you have a complete
walker eagerly waiting for its power
source and brain. Next month, I will
show you how to install these. Here are
some things to check while you are
anxiously waiting for the next issue of
SERVO Magazine:
• Make sure all joints with lock nuts are
not too tight. The piece should move
freely, but not wiggle.
• The upper and lower leg joint should
be firm and should not wiggle.
• The center servo should be securely
attached to the base and should not
move in any direction. If it does, the
foam tape you are using is too thick. SV
Goerlich.qxd 1/28/2005 4:12 PM Page 35

by J. Wolfgang Goerlich

The Eastern Canadian Robot Games

(ECRG) are held each fall at the Ontario

Science Centre in Toronto. Teams from all

over North America come to compete,

including Canadians from as far away as

Alberta and British Columbia, Americans

from Tennessee to Texas, and teams from

Mexico. This year saw robots from England

and Iran, too. Over 80 robots competed in

events as diverse as BEAM, sumo, and fire

fighting.

SERVO 03.2005 35
Goerlich.qxd 1/28/2005 4:14 PM Page 36
Fred and Ugly compete in the traditional BEAM Photovore
competition. Next year, these robots will be returning
for a new exhibition event.
BEAM Events
Toronto has long been a hot spot for BEAM robotics,
thanks in large part to the regular BuildFests at Bug ‘n’
Bots. In Solaroller, contestants race solar-powered vehicles.
Turtle, a robot hailing from England, could complete the
course in mere seconds and was easily the fastest of
the day.
There was a sneak peak at the rule books for next
year’s Photovore event. ECRG is encouraging solar-powered
micro-sumo and nano-sumo-size competitors, with no limit
on the size of the solar cells. The format will be a day-long
exhibition, where participants can enter up to four solar-
powered robots and have them compete together in swarms
or teams. Judging by these rules, ECRG 2005’s Photovore will
be a lot of fun.
Full-Sized Sumo
The number of bots keeps growing in the full-sized sumo
competition. There were not enough robots to run the
competition in the game’s first year, but this year, there were
around 10 robots competing. Mark MacKenzie, who had
Phantom vies with Space Junk for first place in the
Full-Sized Sumo class.
36 SERVO 03.2005
Tom Gray’s Four Eyes faces down Copy Cat by Kyle Simmons.
Four Eyes is a modified Sumovore with a rear IR sensor
system. Copy Cat was a scratch-built mini with
a transplanted Sumovore sensor board.
brought a full-sized sumo, chose to compete against the
remote-controlled sumos, and in a true match of man against
machine, Mark’s sumo won the day.
Two of the robots in this class were brought in by
teams from Iran. Aabed Naseri brought Sepanta, while
the Islamic Azad Saveh University ran their IAUS sumo,
which took third place. First place went to Phantom, Dave
Hylands’ sumo, based on the Lynxmotion Viper, and Space
Junk, a scratch-built bot by Lee Szuba, took second.
Master’s Mini-Sumo
The Master’s mini-sumo competition is open for magnetics,
and the robots are under the same size and weight restric-
tions as the regular mini-sumo competition (10 cm2 and 500
grams, respectively). In past years, this has been a contest to
beat Dave Hylands, as he regularly brings with him several
top contenders to this match.
Because of Grant McKee’s Ender’s Wraith, the
Master’s was different this year. Ender’s Wraith arrived at
ECRG fresh from winning at the Western Canadian Robot
Games and at Robothon; it also took second place at
ROBOlympics and PDXbot. Grant’s mini did it again, taking
This year’s Master’s mini sumo champion was Ender’s Wraith
by Grant McKee.
Goerlich.qxd 1/28/2005 4:15 PM Page 37
Harms Way II by Eliot Barker is the scratch-built Truffle Pig by Nicholas Barker features Solarbotics GM10 motors and a
mini that took on not only the competition, microcontroller, sensor, and drive subsystem based on the Solarbotics
but the ring it was competing on.
first at this year’s games, while Dave Hylands’ Marauder
took second place.
One of the fun moments came when the judges pitted
Ender’s Wraith up against the winners of the full-sized sumo
competition. So, how did the 500 gram Master’s champion
fare against the winners of the 3 kilogram class? Ender’s
Wraith took them down.
Open Mini-Sumo
Since the Solarbotics’ Sumovore arrived on the scene, it
has dominated ECRG’s open mini sumo category. This year
was much the same, with the majority of the minis being
hacked Sumovores. The hacks ran the gamut from upgraded
sensors to souped-up motors to pipe-cleaner antennas. In
the end, team WoloBot took first place with their modified
Sumovore.
Of course, there were plenty of scratch-built minis,
too. One of the more powerful ones was Harm’s Way II,
built and piloted by Eliot Barker on the “Wreck the Bed”
team. The drive train was comprised of two Solarbotics
GM9s, modified with Qjet speed 200 motors from
Gold Scallop. This gave it plenty of power. One fine example
Ant, the scratch-built walker by students at Malvern CI,
took second place in the walker competition.
Sumovore. It took first place in line following.
of this was when Harm’s Way II lost the match and it
promptly turned around and attacked the sumo ring. Harm’s
Way II pushed the ring — along with the offending mini sumo
— some distance before the judge stepped in.
Line Following
Line following is a classic robot competition, and there
are always a handful of mini sumos that cross over to com-
pete. Perhaps not surprisingly, this is a competition regularly
dominated by Dave Hylands and Marauder. This year, Grant
McKee took it up a notch by designing a particularly tough
course.
Truffle Pig, built by Nicholas Barker of Team “Wreck the
Bed,” stole the show. Truffle Pig features a microcontroller,
sensor, and drive subsystems based on the Solarbotics
Sumovore.
However, it was much, much lighter than a Sumovore
and was using the faster GM10 motors. Not only did it take
first place, but it also completed Grant McKee’s course with
Bug ‘n’ Bots and Solarbotics held walker workshops prior to the
Games. The result of these workshops was that the new
ScoutWalker III kits swarmed the walker event. Joe Garcia’s
ScoutWalker IIIs took first, while Leah Mitchel’s took third place.
SERVO 03.2005 37
Goerlich.qxd 1/28/2005 4:17 PM Page 38
“Bruce Sheridan’s robot, Flameout, was constructed from LEGO
pieces. It had less sensors than many of his other competitors,
but used an innovative strategy of having a square base on the
robot that backed up to a wall after each turn, which correctly
oriented Flameout to run perfectly parallel to the walls. Even
though his robot was almost blind compared to the other robots,
he earned a fourth place finish.” — John Edwards
only a single pick-up. Of course, it helped that Nicholas
primed the audience by handing out Truffle Pig temporary
tattoos. The calls of “Go piggy!” during the last run were
very entertaining.
Walker
The students at Malvern — the returning champions from
2003 — had a tough competition cut out for their Ant Walker.
The Solarbotics ScoutWalker IIIs were out in droves at this
year’s competition, and lucky for Malvern, ECRG changed the
walker competition and adopted rules based on the PDXbot
walker contest. The speed points are awarded using
“Chris Wardell’s robot Xtinguisher ran extremely smooth and
precise to gain him a second place finish. While all other fire
fighters were here in Toronto testing and tuning on Saturday,
Chris was still programming back in Ohio. He arrived in Toronto
at 3 A.M. Sunday morning. When he got ready to run a few test
rounds Sunday morning, he discovered Xtinguisher would
do nothing. As it turns out, a wire shaken loose in transport
was discovered and corrected just in time for a few test runs
and competition.” — John Edwards
38 SERVO 03.2005
Grand Valley State University has a history of building
fire-fighting robots, sych as Gromit. This year they brought
out their new one – Flamebait.
Alexander’s Formula.
This meant that Ant had a natural advantage because of
its shorter legs. Indeed, the competition for first place was
close between Ant and Joe Garcia’s ScoutWalker III, with Ant
only losing on the last run when it became tangled up in the
carpeting.
Wellhead Blowout
The ECRG Wellhead Blowout is a competition along the
lines of the Trinity College Fire Fighting contest. Robots
search a maze for a candle and extinguish it, getting points
for starting with a sound, for completing with the best
speed, and for returning to base. This is always a good show
of innovative approaches.
That sums up this year’s Eastern Canadian Robot
Games. To find more information on next year’s event and
what you missed out on at this year’s competition, visit
www.robotgames.ca SV
The Eastern Canadian Robot Games are held in the Science
Centre’s Imperial Oil Room. The spectators bring a lot
of energy to the events.
Stakem.qxd 1/28/2005 11:33 AM Page 39

by
Pat Stakem

E very robot builder knows that the visual aspect of your robot is half of its appeal.
With that in mind, I decided to build a robot to recall the one that got many of us
interested in robotics to begin with: Star Wars’ R2-D2.
This project details the construction of a mobile robot in an R2-D2-like case, and to it
I applied several lessons learned from previous robot construction projects. The platform
has two independently driven wheels and two casters. The head of the robot — containing
most of the sensor package — rotates. Two PC-class computers are onboard, operating on
the onboard 12-volt batteries, and the robot is linked to a wireless network. The PCs
provide a layered architecture, ease-of-use, and reasonable power draw, while the overall
project combined aspects of digital and analog design and programming and involved
about two years of on-and-off work.
SERVO 03.2005 39
Stakem.qxd 1/28/2005 11:35 AM Page 40
R2-D2: A PC-Powered Mobile Robot
FIGURE 1. The complete unit.
Hardware Details
The robot platform consists of a
wheel assembly and base which mounts
on a shell. The shell and structure are an
American Toy & Furniture toy box with
a Star Wars theme licensed from
Lucasfilm. It is an 18-inch-tall cylinder
that is 16 inches in diameter with a
hemispherical, molded plastic head.
The drive is provided by dual Brevel +36
volt, permanent magnet gear motors
(model 790-1953075) with seven-inch
wheels. A 12 volt Brevel motor (model
FIGURE 2. The molded plastic head
assembly. The Polaroid ultrasonic sensor
is visible. The ball at the top of the head
is for the video camera.
40 SERVO 03.2005
Reading Temperature With logo
1. The game interface on the sound card is
a simple A/D circuit. Normally used with a
joystick, it expects to see a 100K ohm
resistance and supplies voltage and a
capacitor to form a timing circuit.
2. We hook up a 100K ohm thermistor to
the game connector.
3. The Logo command is:
SHOW INGAMEPORT 1
105-82/001) is used to rotate the head,
and power is supplied by dual 12-volt,
7.2-amp-hour, gel-cell batteries by
PowerPatrol (model SLA1075).
The entire unit weighs 45 pounds
— excluding the batteries — which add
another 10 pounds. The robot is about
three feet tall and 21 inches wide
across the wheels. Two casters, mounted
front and back, provide stability to the
platform. The motors are mounted in a
wooden frame that is attached to an
18-inch diameter plywood base.
For embedded control, two PC-
class machines are used — one in the
head and one in the body — and the
advantages of using the PC platform are
the standardized interfaces it provides
and the availability of a wide range of
off-the-shelf hardware and software.
The head computer consists of a
386sx-40 mini motherboard with four-by-
30-pin SIMM memory slots and an ISA
bus for a serial/parallel board, VGA
board, and floppy disk controller/hard
FIGURE 3. The head computer. The
power converter is on the right. The
bracket in foreground is for a hard disk.
This displays “counts.”
4. We calibrate the sensor using ice water
for a low limit and ambient temperature.
5. Using the derived cal curve, we can
now display the temperature
in °F. The curve is mostly linear over the
expected range of temperature.
SHOW 32 + .024 * INGAMEPORT 1
disk controller card. It can use a standard
3.5 inch, 1.44 megabyte floppy drive and
IDE-based hard drives and CD drives. In
typical configuration, the board draws
one amp at five volts, with four
megabytes of memory. It operates from
a single 12-volt input power supply.
The head computer interfaces with
the sensors to minimize the amount of
wiring passing through the rotating
head to body interface. Monitoring the
battery voltages and, eventually, the
current draw of the motors can best be
done closer to those units by the body
computer. The head computer to body
computer data connection is via a LAN
using an onboard hub.
The body computer — a Pentium
200MMX — has both a PCI and an ISA
bus, and it can use either the 72-pin or
168-pin SIMM memory. A dual serial
and a parallel interface are provided on
the motherboard, as is USB support.
The circa 1997 AWARD BIOS supports
monitoring of the CPU temperature.
The board uses the I430TX chipset. In a
typical configuration, a 64-megabyte
module of 168-pin memory is employed
FIGURE 4. The head rotation motor is
attached to the bottom of the head
mounting plate.
Stakem.qxd 1/28/2005 11:37 AM Page 41

R2-D2: A PC-Powered Mobile Robot

with a Cirrus 5446 SVGA PCI video board operating off of the parallel
card, a sound/game card, a 3.5-inch, (printer) port. The eight-bit output of
1.44-megabyte floppy, a CD, and a the parallel port is split into two four-bit
four-gigabyte hard drive. sections, each providing a signed three-
The board has been tested with bit (eight level) code. This is more than
both USB and parallel interface web sufficient for the motor control.
cams and supports a 16-bit protocard in A simple ladder network converts
the EISA bus. Wired (Realtek 8139) and this to an analog voltage between zero
wireless (802.11b) network connections and five volts. This is level shifted and
are included. The body computer uses a amplified by a 741 op-amp to a ±12-volt
standard chassis, shortened by 1-3/8 signal and is applied to the input of
inches to fit within the body shell. This the motor driver. The D/A board is
only affected the use of long EISA cards equipped with a disk drive power con-
— such as the protocard — which had to nector and is supplied by +5 and +12
be trimmed to length. volts from the computer. The -12 volt-
Both computers may be attached age is derived via a Maxim 7662 chip
to a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and a from the +12 volt line. The Maxim chip
wired network connection when the requires only two electrolytic capacitors.
robot is on the workbench. Also, both The motor driver board is mounted
computers can boot without having a on a piece of plastic to the left side of
keyboard attached. When connected to the body computer chassis, along with FIGURE 5. Side view of the computer.
The power supply is modified to work
a network, the PC-Anywhere program is connections for power and motor wiring from 12 volts. The battery is in
used to access the robot computers from and the fusing. The A/D board is mounted the foreground.
a PC. The CPU in the body computer was beside it and connected to power and
over-clocked to 225 MHz, but was not the parallel port of the body computer. control of the motors. In March 2002, I
reliable at that frequency and was A manual control pendant is provided reached a milestone and completed a
returned to its nominal clock value. to move the robot in a tethered mode. version of the robot where the head
The power amplifier for the motor This handheld control box has three rotated and the drive motors turned.
drive module is a unit that was devel- switches and LEDs are used to indicate Computer control of the drive system
oped and has been in use for over 10 power. The left and right motors are wasn’t achieved until November of 2004.
years at Loyola College (where I teach) controlled independently with center off,
for an Introductory Physics Lab Program momentary switches, while the third FIGURE 6. The motor amp is mounted
in robotics. The board measures seven switch controls the head rotation. A on the red plastic piece, along with
by four inches and is dual channel. It DPDT switch at the bottom rear of the fusing and power distribution. The
prototype parallel port A/D card is on
uses an analog input and was originally robot selects either manual or computer the right, connected to the computer’s
designed for use with servo parallel port. The battery has been
removed for visibility.
Lessons Learned
operated potentiometers. The
motor drive section uses
2N6286 and 2N6283 power 1. Use consistently color-coded wire.
transistors, and to drive the 2. A main power switch would be nice, along with a
motor amp from the computer, big red emergency stop button.
we need a link between the 3. Include an onboard battery charger.
digital and the analog world. 4. Rapid prototyping in both hardware and software
Various D/A options were is the key to success.
5. Robotics is certainly getting easier.
considered, such as the Maxim
505 and MAX7228 chips. A
D/A card would require a cus- FIGURE 7. Drive motors in their frame.
tom device driver to the control
language (Logo) and a simpler
approach was adopted.
The critical tie between
the digital world of the
computer and the analog
world of the motors is provided
by a cheap-and-dirty, dual,
four-channel digital-to-analog
SERVO 03.2005 41
Stakem.qxd 1/28/2005 11:38 AM Page 42
R2-D2: A PC-Powered Mobile Robot
FIGURE 8. Manual control box. This
plugs into a connector at the rear of the
robot, where there is a switch to select
manual or computer control.
Sensors
Most of the sensors are built into
the rotating head, as there is a bracket
for a Garmin GPS-38 receiver with a
serial interface. The head assembly has
light sensors, a Polaroid ultrasonic
range finder, dual audio sensors
(dynamic microphones), and the web
cam. The two microphone “ears” on
either side of the head can be brought
together into an analog multiplexer
and an A/D. A similar set-up on an
Further Readings and References
Stakem, Patrick H. and Hynes, Shane
“Sensors for Robots, the Integration of
Sensed Data, and Knowledge-Based
Navigation Systems,” International Personal
Robotics Conference-1, Albuquerque, NM,
April 1984.
Everett, H. R., Sensors for Mobile Robots
Theory and Applications, Natick, MA: A. K.
Peters, Ltd., 1995 ISBN 1-56881-048-2.
Dudek, Gregory and Jenkin, Michael,
Computational Principles of Mobile
Robotics, Cambridge University Press, ISBN
0521568765.
Stakem, Patrick H. “Use of Zero-power
RAM for Personal Robots,” Robot
Experimenter Magazine, August 1985.
Medeiros, Adelardo A.D., “A Survey of
42 SERVO 03.2005
FIGURE 9. Safe robotics.
earlier Hero robot compared sensor
readings and implemented binaural
hearing by centering the head on the
sound source. Another useful feature is
a computer “heartbeat” indication: a
signal to indicate the computer is still
working and not hung. This might be
as simple as an LED that is flashed once
per second under program control.
Architectural Control
Models
The robot’s body computer acts as
the servo level of control, interfacing with
sensors and actuators. It also provides an
intermediate level of control. Additional
computational resources can provide
higher levels of goal seeking control to
the system via the wireless connection.
This follows the general principles of the
Control Architectures for Autonomous
Mobile Robots,” Abstract 1988, J. Brazilian
Computer Society, v.4 n. 3
Stakem, Pat, Lumia, Ron, and Smith, Dave,
“A Computer and Communications
Architecture for the Flight Telerobotic
Servicer,” June 24, 1988, ICG-#20,
Intelligent Controls Group, Robot
Systems Division, National Bureau of
Standards.
Stakem, Patrick H. “The Brilliant Bulldozer:
Parallel Processing Techniques for
Onboard Computation in Unmanned
Vehicles”, 15th Autonomous Unmanned
Vehicle Systems Symposium, San Diego,
CA, June 6-8, 1988.
Papert, Seymour MindStorms, Children,
Computers, and Powerful Ideas, 1980,
NASREM model — based on work at
NIST and NASA — and the Flight
Telerobotic Servicer Project.
This next higher level is the supervi-
sory level, which decides what to do.
Above that level and implemented exter-
nally to the platform is the world model.
Via the wireless Internet, the body
CPU is online to four other machines,
including a storage server with a
DVD drive. This allows for the off
platform allocation of computational
and storage resources to robot tasks.
The Logo system running on the
MZ-104 presents an abstraction layer
between the user and the underlying
hardware at the servo level. The details of
the servo level are hidden. The user does
not operate at the “brain stem” level, but
rather at the “cortex” level with goals
and schema, not control and status bits.
Design Constraints
The computers in the robot need to
operate from battery power, have mini-
mum power draw, minimize their heat
production so that fans are not required,
and be tolerant of a vibration environ-
ment (as the robot has no suspension).
A laptop computer might seem
ideal for the application of the body
computer, as they are designed to
operate with battery power and are
ISBN 0465046746.
MSW Logo — see www.softronix.com/
logo.html
Martin, Fred and Silverman, Brian, “The
Handy Logo Reference Manual,” January
12, 1996, MIT Media Lab. http://
cs.wellesley.edu/rds/handouts/Handy
LogoReferenceManual.pdf
Mini Book Robot White Paper, December
2002, Evolution Robotics, www.evolution
.com
AmigoBot User’s Guide, ActivMedia
Robotics, v. 1, November 2002,
www.amigobot.com
Open Source Motor Controller Project —
see www.robot-power.com/
Stakem.qxd 1/28/2005 11:39 AM Page 43
R2-D2: A PC-Powered Mobile Robot
small and light. The main disadvantage
is the cost, due to the built-in screen.
Secondhand units with broken displays
can sometimes be purchased inexpen-
sively and used with an external monitor,
when necessary. However, the laptop
cannot take expansion cards without a
special docking station accessory. Later,
we will discuss new and emerging
boards that are even better suited to
this application than laptops.
Software
The operating environment is
Windows-98SE (a 200-megabyte disk
footprint) with the PC-Anywhere
program, Delorme mapping, iSpeak,
and various other utilities. There is
custom wallpaper on the background
with a picture of the robot itself.
The Logo programming language
is ideal for robot control, as it contains
constructs for moving and turning. The
problem has been the lack of decent
I/O in implementations, but this is
addressed in the MSWLogo distribu-
tion. This language was applied in a
previous project to update a Hero, Jr.
robot with an added single chip PC
processor. This used Logo under the
Linux operating system in a metapro-
gramming mode — the Logo program
wrote programs for the embedded con-
troller on the fly and downloaded them
via a serial connection for execution.
Future Directions
First, I want to expand the sensor
suite. Bart Everett’s book (see the
“Further Reading” sidebar) is the defini-
tive guide to a robotic sensor platform.
Many of these parts are now sitting in a
box, waiting for available bench time.
These include tilt sensors, an infrared
motion detector, a smoke detector, bump
switches along the base, and a digital
compass chip. I also need to complete
the onboard battery charger, which will
charge both batteries from wall power.
In spite of its appearance and
because there are no manipulators, we
might term this initial unit “R1-D1.”
Interestingly, I have three of the cases,
so construction of a second unit is
FIGURE 10. Screen shot.
already underway. We might term this
“R1-D2.” It will incorporate lessons
learned from the first construction, as
well as advances in technology. The
second unit will utilize a radio control
manual mode. This is already implement-
ed on the motor driver card and only a
single computer will be used. This neces-
sitates “spinal cord” wire management
through the rotating head interface, but
the wiring will be minimized and head
rotation will be arbitrarily limited.
The computer will be a mini ITX
form factor from VIA. These mother-
boards are 6.75 inches square and
incorporate built-in video and LAN. A
transition from Windows to Linux is
envisioned, as Linux is the ideal operat-
ing environment for the robot computer
system. With Linux, you can control the
software components in the
system build by including only those
components you need. The real-time
behavior of Linux is better and exten-
sions allow true real-time performance.
Many of the newer Linux distributions
are getting “fat,” mostly due to the
GUI. Slimmed down systems — such as
VectorLinux — show promise, and
support for devices such as USB connect-
ed cameras and wireless networking are
now standard. Berkeley Logo — which
runs under Linux — is the basis for the
MSWLogo used in this project.
Several off-the-shelf manipulators
(hand and arm assemblies) are now
available for a reasonable cost. These
enable a new series of capabilities. I
envision a robotic debug assistant that
can store and display schematics as pdf
files, incorporate a digital voltmeter,
digital logic analyzer, and oscilloscope
and integrate these with speech.
I already have a serial-to-CAN-bus
interface cable and the software to
allow a PC to read the onboard computer
in the car. Perhaps the robot can be a
car mechanic assistant, as well. SV
About the Author
Patrick H. Stakem is a senior systems
engineer and teaches at Loyola College’s
Graduate Computer Science Program. He
was the Principle Investigator for NASA’s
FlightLinux Project and supported the
Flight Telerobotic Servicer Program, a
robotic element of the Space Station. He
has a BSEE degree from Carnegie-Mellon
and MS in Physics and Computer Science
from Johns Hopkins. He has been active in
robotics for over 20 years.
SERVO 03.2005 43
MarNewProducts.qxd 2/3/2005 3:25 PM Page 44

New Products

New Products
expressions and to program the µM-FPU over a RS-232
CONTROLLERS & PROCESSORS connection.
Documentation and software is provided to support
a wide variety of very popular microprocessors. The
µM-FPU V2 Floating Point µM-FPU is available in an eight-pin DIP or a 20-pin SSOP
Coprocessor package at a price of $14.95, with volume discounts
available.

M
Floating
icromega Corporation is offering a new version
of the µM-FPU
Point
For further information, please contact:

Micromega
1664 St. Lawrence Ave.
Kingston, ON K7L 4V1
Corporation Canada
Coprocessor. The new Tel: 613•547•5193
version — µM-FPU V2 — Website: www.micromegacorp.com
now supports both I2C Circle #87 on the Reader Service Card.
and SPI interfaces. The
I2C interface supports
bus transfers at Orangutan Robot Controller
speeds up to 400 kHz
and the SPI interface sup-
ports speeds up to four
MHz. A 32-byte instruc-
P ololu has intro-
duced
Orangutan robot con-
the

tion buffer has been troller, a complete con-

added for improved throughput and easier inter-
facing. Several new instructions have been added,
including new data transfer instructions, 32-bit integer
logical operations, conditional execution, table look-ups,
and Nth order polynomials.
The µM-FPU interfaces to virtually any microcon-
troller using either an I2C or SPI interface, making it
ideal for applications requiring floating point math,
such as converting sensor readings, robotic control,
data manipulation, and other embedded control
applications.
The µM-FPU provides support for 32-bit IEEE 754 com-
patible floating point operations and 32-bit integer opera-
tions. A PIC compatible mode is also available to support
PIC format floating point numbers. An extensive list of
functions are built in, including floating point math, long
integer math, exponential functions, trigonometric func-
tions, data conversion, and formatting functions. A built-
in debug monitor is available to assist in developing and
debugging code.
A unique feature of the µM-FPU is the ability to define
user functions. User functions are defined as a series of
built-in operations and are stored in Flash memory on the
µM-FPU chip. Since they are stored internally, the majority
of communications overhead is eliminated. This results in
dramatic speed improvements and greatly reduced code
space requirements on the microcontroller. Software is
provided to define user functions using standard math
trol solution for small
robots. Orangutan
includes an eight-char-
acter x two-line liquid
crystal display, two bi-
directional motor
ports, a buzzer, three
push-buttons, and up to 12 user I/O lines, yet the com-
pact module measures only 2.00 x 1.85 inches and
weighs less than one ounce. Because of the complete fea-
ture set, very few additional components (such as sensors
or motors) need to be added to complete the electronic
portion of a small robot. The small package allows for
greater flexibility in incorporating the electronics into the
mechanical design of a robot.
Orangutan is based on the Atmel MEGA8 microcon-
troller, which features eight Kbytes of Flash program
memory, 1,024 bytes of SRAM, and 512 bytes of EEP-
ROM. Up to eight channels of 10-bit analog-to-digital con-
version is also available. Because the user has direct
access to the microcontroller, any development software
for Atmel’s AVR microcontrollers — including Atmel’s free
AVR Studio and the GCC C compiler — is compatible with
Orangutan. An in-circuit programmer — such as Atmel’s
affordable AVR ISP — is required for programming
Orangutan. For applications requiring more program
memory, the MEGA168 microcontroller with double
the program space can be substituted for the MEGA8

44 SERVO 03.2005
MarNewProducts.qxd 2/3/2005 3:26 PM
microcontroller.
The Orangutan input voltage is
5-10 volts, making it well-suited for
use with small DC motors and five- to
eight-cell NiCd or NiMH battery
packs. The motor driver can supply
up to a maximum of one A per motor
channel, subject to power dissipation
requirements. Total power consump-
tion (with motors and buzzer off) is
under 15 mA.
The unit price for the fully assem-
bled and tested Orangutan robot con-
troller is $79.00, with free shipping in
the US.
For further information, please
contact:
6000 S. Eastern Ave. Ste. 12-D
Pololu Las Vegas, NV 89119
Tel: 877•7•POLOLU or
Corp. 702•262•6648
Fax: 702•262•6894
Email: www@pololu.com
Website: www.pololu.com
Circle #99 on the Reader Service Card.
ROBOT KITS
Robot Kit for
Education and Hobby
S wope Designs, Inc., announced
BalBot™ — the first ever low
Page 45
cost, active balancing robot kit for
hobby, research, and educational
applications.
The thrust behind BalBot is to
not only provide a robotic platform
for inventors, researchers, and stu-
dents, but to do so in a way that
evokes a new level of creativity, moti-
vation, and excitement from the user.
With its innovative technology and
form factor, BalBot is designed to
inspire and free users to build upon
this platform to produce their own
ingenious creations. Why build
a “standard” robot when you can
build one that’s more fun and
maneuverable?
BalBot is available in two different
kits. The BalBot Basic™ and BalBot
Advanced™. The BalBot Basic provides
an active balancing platform — com-
plete with real-time balancing control
circuitry — and is ready for the user to
add a microcontroller (if navigation is
desired).
The BalBot Advanced adds for-
ward-looking sensors and a full-fea-
tured microcontroller board complete
with LCD display, serial communica-
tions, expansion ports, programmer,
open source C compiler, and sample
code. Both kits come complete; only a
screw driver and batteries are
required.
For further information, please
contact:
Swope Website:
Designs, Inc. www.BalBots.com
Circle #45 on the Reader Service Card.
Show Us What You’ve Got!
Is your product innovative, less
expensive, more functional, or just
plain cool? If you have a new
product that you would like us to
run in our New Products section,
please email a short description
(300-500 words) and a photo of
your product to:
alexa@servomagazine.com
SERVO 03.2005 45
RobolinksMar.qxd 2/3/2005 1:33 PM Page 46

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46 SERVO 03.2005
GeerFeature.qxd 1/28/2005 4:51 PM Page 47

Sapiens and Doggies and Raptors, Oh My!

WowWee, Ltd., rocked the house at the Consumer Electronics Show

(CES) 2005 in Las Vegas, NV. The toy shop behind the Robosapien family
of entertainment robots unveiled five spectacles of modern technical
innovation, three of which we will take a closer look at.

by D avid G eer

SERVO 03.2005 47
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Robosapien2 C omes t o L ife W ith D omestic a nd P rehistoric C ompanions

More ‘Sapien-like all the time,
Mark T ilden a nd W owWee Robosapien2 can sit, stand, lie
down, and get back up. Extra
WowWee, Ltd., is a Hong Kong motions that help to facilitate these
consumer electronics and leisure product behaviors include bending over and
manufacturer launched by robotics
twisting at the waist.
physicist Mark Tilden.
Robosapien2 can detect and
Formerly with JPL, DARPA, and NASA,
Mark has introduced the bigger, more
avoid obstacles, track movement,
powerful, and adaptive Robosapien2, as and grasp objects that are given to
well as new Roboraptor and Robopet him. He does this with the aid of
robots as of the 2005 CES, held in January. his infrared, radar vision eyes. He
Mark shared his original Robosapien can also tell objects from human
creation with the world about two years flesh via his built-in vision color
ago. The product has since been dubbed system. These talents enable
the most advanced human-like robot Robosapien2 to wave when he
available — and he has many more robots recognizes someone or to respond
in the works today. with a handshake.
A full 14 inches tall, the first Robosapien2 can hear and talk
Robosapien had 67 pre-programmed func- up a storm. His stereo sound detec-
tions; Robosapien2 will have a surprisingly tion system enables him to respond
“My, w hat b ig h ands y ou h ave?!” higher number of functions, though not
to the surrounding auditory envi-
“The b etter t o f etch y our b everage w ith, everything about this toy release — slated
ronment. Laser tracking capabilities
my f ine r oboticist f riend.” for September — is yet known.
enable him to follow a path, which
you can trace on the floor with a
Robosapien2 and Friends — laser that comes in the remote control unit.
Robosapien2 can guide his new WowWee robot
Playful? Practical? companions — Robopet and Roboraptor — and interact with
them. Robosapien2 is due out in September ... along with his
The next iteration of Robosapien — Robosapien2 — is also friends.
a toy, yet it’s bigger and more capable than its predecessor.
More an example of total evolution than slight improvement, Robopet
Robosapien2 stands 24 inches tall — a full 10-inch gain over
his older brother. He can lift, throw, and drop with his much With a build and ears comparable to those of a Basenji,
larger, four — not three — fingered hands. Yes, Robosapien2 Robopet is your high energy dog-tronic playtime friend.
has three fingers and an opposable thumb! He has several lively, interactive sounds and animations in

How m uch i s t hat f inely t uned, The F uture o f R obosapien a nd F riends

alien-ee ared d oggy i n m y c amera l ens?
(Hint: L ess t han a d og f rom t he
pound w ith a ll i ts s hots.)
All the intel we could squeeze out of the WowWee grapevine is that there are
additional generations of the products in development now. Judging by current
year-to-year progress, might we see a four-foot Robosapien3 in 2006? Might it have
hundreds of programs and capabilities? Might it become fully autonomous? Will
advanced versions of Robosapien cross over from toys to tools, doing chores and
working side-by-side with human masters? Stay tuned as these and other questions
are answered in future versions of WowWee robots.

WowWee Alive
Think WowWee only has Robosapiens? Not by a long shot — what else is WowWee
up to? They have a new line called WowWee Alive. Think wall-mounted singing fish
developed many times over or animal heads more lifelike than Disney animatronics
and you’ve got the idea. These mentally engaging, emotionally stimulating, realistic
creatures are intelligent, well-crafted interactors you can add to your environment.
Full of complex capabilities and other surprises to make you wonder whether they’re
alive, these critters are sure to challenge your love of Furby. These robot busts — which
include a chimpanzee head, for example — can be programmed and controlled via
R/C or function fully autonomously in their free roam mode. Like Disney animatronics,
these robotic conversation pieces can interact with you and each other.

48 SERVO 03.2005
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Robosapien2 C omes t o L ife W ith D omestic a nd P rehistoric C ompanions
If I d idn’t k now i t w as R oboraptor’s R C, I ’d s wear i t w as a
model f or s ome f unky, n ew c atamaran. S ee t he t iger s tripes?
his repertoire.
Fundamentals include the ability to crawl, walk, sit, stay,
and even run and jump. Robopet can lie down, beg, bark,
howl, and roll over. Additional tricks and training can be
programmed in.
Like a real dog, he responds to positive (and negative)
feedback and reinforcement. Multiple sensors give Robopet
object recognition and avoidance techniques. He can react to
sound, making him ever on the alert and fit for guard duty.
This bot also follows laser drawn paths.
Roboraptor
What’s bigger than a breadbox, smaller than
Robosaurus, and happier than Julia Roberts after giving birth
to twins? It’s Roboraptor! Just look at that beautiful smile!
Remember, when you can’t brush, eat something that carries
away plaque — like a car or your sibling’s femur bone. That’s
what Roboraptor does to maintain his pearly whites.
Yes, Roboraptor may look wired on caffeine, but he’s
actually wired on ... wires, from head to tail. Look at those
big, buggy eyes — what else could keep a dinobot that jazzed
other than consistent jolts from electric volts?
This R/C robotic dinosaur stretches 32 inches in length.
All his talents appear to come in sets of three. For example,
Roboraptor has three markedly different gaits for movement,
Robosapien H its V egas
CES 2005 was the spot where WowWee’s robotic arm
lifted the veil to uncover Robosapien2, two other advanced
robots, and other spell-binding technologies.
Roboraptor and Robopet join the taller, more capable
Robosapien2.
WowWee is, in fact, so wowed by the response to its
offerings to date that it is expanding its robotic platform and
lines to include Robonetics entertainment robots — a whole
other story in themselves.
A w ink, a s mile, a f lash o f t he c amera, a nd I ’m h aving
this p hotographer f or l unch!
including walking, running, and stealthy, predatory stalking.
Another member of the multi-sensing crowd, Roboraptor
can see, hear, and feel environments and people. Touch
sensors on both head and tail and sonic sensors help him to
accomplish these feats.
As you might expect of any dinosaur, Roboraptor
exhibits three very different moods. (Can we say Bi-polar-
saur?) He can take on the personality of a hungry hunter or
be cautious or even playful.
If you caress his face when he’s in playful mode, he’ll
nuzzle up to you, but if you get near his jaws when he’s in
hunter mode, he’ll become an aggressor. With his powerful
jaws, Roboraptor can lift objects or bite down — snap,
snap, snap!
Thank You. Thank You Very
Much.
Prior to the holiday season, the premiere Robosapien
received 30-some honors from top industry observers and
publications. Many awards were proffered as a result of child
testing panels. The response has been the same worldwide.
See “Resources” for information about these honors and
awards. Imagine the response Robosapien2 and friends will
generate during the holidays this year. SV
Resources
1. Check out the Robosapien2 online at ... gee, what’s that link?
Oh, yeah! www.robosapienonline.com where you’ll also find
reference to the numerous awards and recognitions
RoboSapien has garnered.
2. Get a gander at the new WowWee arrivals at www.
wowwee.com
3. Have you Googled for “how to hack Robosapien” lately?
Expect some serious Robosapien2, Robopet, and Roboraptor
hacking this year!
SERVO 03.2005 49
HouseAd.qxd 2/3/2005 1:46 PM Page 50
Grau2.qxd 1/28/2005 3:52 PM Page 51

by Steve Grau Figure 1

robot’s ability to determine where it is spacially and landmark-based localization, accumulated error is less of
A where it needs to go remains one of the most important
aspects of sensing and programming. In Part I of this series,
a concern, as the robot measures its position off of fixed
landmarks that don’t drift over time. However, the robot
we built several user interface components, and this month, has to deal with difficulties in identifying landmarks and
we will put those components to use as we add intelligence navigating through areas where it is unaware of landmarks.
to the RidgeWarrior II robot we’ve been programming. Since Localization is a difficult problem. Choosing an effective
we are focusing on robotics software, we have chosen to
use an off-the-shelf robot kit — the IntelliBrain™-Bot from Figure 2. Navigation and Localization class diagram.
RidgeSoft, shown in Figure 1. We are programming in Java™
using the RoboJDE™ software development environment,
which is included with the IntelliBrain-Bot kit. Java source
code for this series of articles is available at www.ridge
soft.com\articles\ridgewarriorii\ridgewarriorii.htm
Our next major goal is to develop components that give
our robot the ability to track its position, a process called local-
ization. One common method of localization is dead reckoning,
where the robot uses measurements of speed, heading,
and time to deduce its position.
Landmark-based localization Figure 3. Hybrid Localizer class diagram.
is another common method,
and although many methods of
localization exist, none is perfect.
Dead reckoning is dependent
on accurate speed, heading, and
time measurements, and meas-
urement errors will result in an
error in the robot’s deduced
position. The error will tend to
increase over time, causing the
robot’s deduced position to drift
further and further from its real
position as it travels about. With
SERVO 03.2005 51
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Creating Reusable Robotic Software Components
Figure 4. Nubotics WheelWatcher WW-01 sensor.
method will depend on the requirements for a particular
robot, while combining several methods may be effective.
For example, a robot might use dead reckoning to navigate
to the vicinity of a landmark then switch to landmark-based
navigation, just as a ship’s captain might use dead reckoning
while out of sight of land and then switch to landmark-based
navigation when land is in sight.
What to Do?
So, what method of localization should we use for our
robot? Rather than attempting to pick an ideal localization
method, we can instead choose to design our software to
Figure 5. Analog wheel encoder.
52 SERVO 03.2005
support a variety of localization methods. By designing a
generic interface to any “localizer” component (Java class),
we can allow various localization methods to be used
interchangeably and also allow multiple methods to be
combined into hybrid methods. The localization function can
be implemented as a cohesive component that is loosely
coupled to other software components that make up our
robot’s control program.
The Localizer Interface
We will define a generic Java interface named
“Localizer,” which allows different localization methods to be
used interchangeably. Figure 2 shows a class diagram depicting
navigation and localization classes. In order to navigate the
robot from place to place, the Navigator relies on the
Localizer to provide the robot’s current position and heading:
its “Pose.” Figure 3 illustrates how multiple localizers could be
used to form a hybrid localizer that tracks the robot’s position
using a combination of localization methods.
Our generic Localizer interface will need to declare a
method to retrieve the current Pose (position and heading).
We will also declare methods to set these values so the
robot’s initial position can be set and so the position can be
corrected from time to time. We will define this interface in
Java as follows:
public interface Localizer {
public Pose getPose();
public void setPose(Pose pose);
public void setPosition(float x, float y);
}
public void setHeading(float theta);
Our Pose object will need member variables to keep track
of the position in x and y coordinates — we won’t worry about
elevation changes — and the direction the robot is heading,
which we will call theta. Since the Pose class is very simple,
we will make the member variables directly accessible to other
classes by declaring them “public.” This will allow faster
access to these variables than if they had to be read through
get methods such as pose.getX() and pose.getY(), saving
computing power for other tasks. We also want to prevent a
Pose object from changing while it is being used for naviga-
tion calculations. Therefore, we will make it immutable by
declaring its member variables “final.” Final member variables
can’t be changed after an object has been constructed.
public class Pose {
public final float x;
public final float y;
public final float theta;
public Pose(float x, float y, float theta) {
this.x = x;
this.y = y;
this.theta = theta;
}
}
The Localizer interface is not specific to one localization
technology or another. This allows other software components
Grau2.qxd 1/28/2005 3:55 PM Page 53

PART 2
to work interchangeably
with a variety of localization
methods. We’ve defined the
Localizer interface such that it
provides a cohesive function
— tracking the robot’s posi-
tion and loose coupling to
other software components
— promoting reusability and
interchangeability of classes
we develop to the Localizer
interface.

Implementing
a Localizer
We are now ready to put
the Localizer interface to
work. The IntelliBrain-Bot kit
we are using includes two
infrared photoreflector sen-
sors that can be used to
create encoders that sense
rotation of the robot’s
wheels. Our robot can use
these sensors to measure its motion, allowing it to keep track
of its position using dead reckoning. For greater accuracy, we
can use WheelWatcher™ WW-01 sensors from Nubotics,
shown in Figure 4. Working with two different encoder
sensors will allow us to further experiment with building
reusable and interchangeable software components.
Therefore, we will go ahead and program our robot to work
with either type of wheel encoding sensor.
Analog Encoders
The IntelliBrain-Bot comes with wheels that have eight
spokes, as shown in Figure 1. The spokes are separated by
eight oblong holes in the wheels. We can detect wheel
rotation by mounting the Fairchild QRB1134 sensors that
come with the IntelliBrain-Bot such that the spokes and holes
in the wheels pass in front of the sensors as the wheels turn.
Each QRB1134 sensor consists of an infrared emitter and
detector pair. When the sensor is close to a solid surface, the
detector will sense infrared light from the emitter reflecting
off of the surface. When there is no surface to provide a
reflection, the detector will not sense the light output from
the emitter. By mounting a sensor near each wheel in such a
way that the holes and spokes in the wheel pass in front of
the sensor (as described in the IntelliBrain-Bot Assembly
Guide), our software will be able to use the signal from the
detector to sense wheel rotation.
Let’s first implement a small test function to sample one
sensor’s detector signal. This will enable us to create a graph
showing the behavior of the sensor’s output as the associated
wheel rotates. We will create a class named TestEncoder and
add it to the list of selectable functions we created in the
Figure 6. Analog encoder data.
previous article. All this function will do is power the servo,
wait briefly to allow the wheel to reach full speed, then sample
the detector output every five milliseconds for half a second,
storing the sampled data in an array. Once the data has been
collected, the function will wait until the START button is
pressed, then print the data to the debug output stream
System.out. We can then copy the data from the RoboJDE
“Run” window and paste it into a spread sheet program to
graph the data. The following Java code implements this:
public void run() {
mServo.setPosition(100);
try {
Thread.sleep(500);
} catch (InterruptedException e) {}
int[] samples = new int[100];
long nextTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
for(int i = 0; i < samples.length; ++i) {
samples[i] = mEncoderInput.sample();
nextTime += 5;
try {
Thread.sleep(nextTime -
System.currentTimeMillis());
} catch (InterruptedException e) {}
}
mServo.setPosition(50);
while (!mButton.isPressed());
for (int i = 0; i < samples.length; ++i) {
System.out.println(
Integer.toString(i * 5) + ‘\t’ + samples[i]);
}
}
The chart in Figure 6 shows the results from this test. The
sampled value is low when a spoke is in front of the sensor
and high when a hole is in front of the sensor. The rising and
SERVO 03.2005 53
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Creating Reusable Robotic Software Components

falling edges correspond to the edges of the spokes. The if it sleeps too long, however, it will miss spoke edges. It will
rising-edge-to-rising-edge time is roughly 150 milliseconds also be a good idea to enclose all of the code in the run
when the wheel is spinning at full speed. Since the wheel has method in a try-catch block to catch and report any errors that
eight spokes, we can calculate that it takes about 1.2 seconds occur. We don’t expect there to be any errors, but if there is
(8 x 150) for the wheel to turn one revolution. The top speed a problem with our code, it will be much easier to debug if it
of the wheel is approximately 50 revolutions per minute. Our prints out a stack trace rather than just allowing the thread to
software will need to sample more frequently than at least terminate silently. The following code lays out this structure:
every 75 milliseconds to ensure it sees each spoke go by. If
we sample at a high enough frequency to count the passing public void run() {
try {
of both edges of each spoke, we can measure the wheel
// take initial sensor sample
position to an accuracy of 1/16 of a revolution. :
while (true) {
Creating an AnalogShaftEncoder // sample the sensor and count
// spoke edges
:
With Java’s multi-threading capability, it will be easy to set Thread.sleep(mPeriod);
up a thread to sample each wheel encoder sensor periodically. }
All we need to do is create a new class — AnalogShaftEncoder }
— which is a subclass of Java’s thread class. Each instance of catch (Throwable t) {
t.printStackTrace();
the class will be a separate thread that monitors the rotation of }
a single wheel. Our RidgeWarriorII class will create two }
instances of this class: one for each wheel.
The run method of the AnalogShaftEncoder will loop In order to count spoke edges, the run method will need
forever, checking if the edge of a spoke has passed by the to keep track of whether the sensor signal was high or low
sensor since the previous check. After each check, the thread on the previous check, then adjust the spoke edge counter if
will need to sleep to allow other threads to execute. The the sensor switched to the opposite state. We can implement
longer the thread sleeps, the less CPU time it will consume; this easily by using a Boolean variable to keep track of
whether the previous reading was high or low. The following
code uses the “wasHigh” variable to do this:

int value = mInput.sample();

if (wasHigh) {
if (value < mLowThreshold) {
// update count
:
wasHigh = false;
}
}
else {
if (value > mHighThreshold) {
// update count
:
wasHigh = true;
}
}

The low and high thresholds are the software equivalent

of a Schmitt trigger in an electronic circuit. This threshold
checking makes the state of the wasHigh variable sticky —
that is, it adds hysteresis. Thus, the state will only change
with large swings in the sampled value and our encoder will
be less susceptible to noise causing false counting.
Finally, our AnalogShaftEncoder will need to be told the
direction power is being applied to the wheel and to know
whether to increment or decrement the encoder count each
time an edge is detected. To do this, we will create a
DirectionListener interface:

public interface DirectionListener {

public void updateDirection(boolean isForward);
}

Circle #94 on the Reader Service Card.

54
Grau2.qxd 1/28/2005 3:57 PM Page 55

PART 2
The code controlling the motor will then be able to tell the
encoder which direction the motor is applying power. The
encoder will set the state of a member variable — mIsForward
— each time it receives an updateDirection call. The encoder will
use the direction information when updating the edge count to
determine if the count should be incremented (wheel is rotating
forward) or decremented (wheel is rotating backward):

if (mIsForward)
mCounts++;
else
mCounts--;

We will also need to implement the getCounts method

to give other classes access to the encoder’s counter:

public int getCounts() {

return mCounts;
}

WheelWatcher Encoders
The analog shaft encoders we have just created acknowl-
edge 16 counts for each revolution of the wheel. Assuming
there are no other errors, the robot can measure its position
to 1/16 of the wheel circumference, which is approximately
1/2 inch. This accuracy is fine for forward motion, but it
only allows the robot to measure its heading to a precision of
13 degrees. With this level of precision, our dead reckoning
localizer will not be highly accurate.
The WheelWatcher WW-01 from Nubotics is a quadrature
shaft encoder designed for hobby servos. These sensors
mount nicely on the IntelliBrain-Bot and accrue 128 counts
per wheel revolution. The quadrature technique they use
also allows the sensor to sense the direction of the wheel.
We will need to replace the wheels, however, because the
adhesive code wheel can’t be attached to the stock
IntelliBrain-Bot wheels. Using this sensor will improve the
precision of heading measurements to within two degrees.
Of course, this is assuming there are no other sources of
error. Wheel slippage and other sources of error will reduce
the accuracy.
The IntelliBrain robotics controller has built-in support
for quadrature shaft encoders, so we will not have to create
any additional classes to use these sensors. Instead, we can
simply use the IntelliBrain.getShaftEncoder method to get a
quadrature encoder object and then initialize it with the two
IntelliBrain digital input ports the WheelWatcher sensor uses,
as follows:
leftEncoder = IntelliBrain.getShaftEncoder(1);
((IntelliBrainShaftEncoder)leftEncoder).initialize(
IntelliBrain.getDigitalIO(1),
IntelliBrain.getDigitalIO(2));
Tracking Using Dead Reckoning
With the ability to measure the rotation of each wheel,
Figure 7. Circle traced by robot turning in place.
we can create a class that will keep an estimate of the robot’s
Pose. If the robot moves straight ahead, the distance it travels
is simply the average number of encoder counts the two
wheels turn times the distance the robot travels per encoder
count. This can be calculated by the following equations:
distancePerCount = Pi * diameterWheel /
countsPerRevolution;
deltaDistance = (leftCounts + rightCounts) / 2 *
distancePerCount;
If the robot rotates in place by turning its wheels in
opposite directions, the wheels will trace a circle whose diam-
eter is equal to the track width of the robot. The robot’s
heading changes as the wheels make their way around this
circle. The robot will rotate 2π radians (360 degrees) when
the wheels have traversed the circumference of this circle.
The number of encoder counts to rotate a full circle depends
on the geometry of the robot and can be calculated by:
countsPerRotation = (trackWidth / wheelDiameter) *
countsPerRevolution;
This is the number of counts for a single wheel. If we
take the difference in counts between the two wheels and
note that each rotation is 2π radians, we can rearrange this
equation into the following two equations:
radiansPerCount = Pi * (wheelDiameter/trackWidth) /
countsPerRevolution;
SERVO 03.2005 55
Grau2.qxd 1/28/2005 3:57 PM Page 56
Creating Reusable Robotic Software Components
Figure 8. Calculating discrete position changes.
deltaTheta = (rightCounts – leftCounts) *
radiansPerCount;
where deltaTheta is the angle in radians the robot rotates.
Given the left and right encoder counts, these equations
enable our program to estimate the robot’s position —
provided it moves straight ahead or rotates in place — but
what if the robot moves along an arbitrary path?
Our localizer class can estimate the robot’s position
along an arbitrary path by treating the robot’s motion as
many small, discrete movements. By summing all of the
discrete movements the robot makes, the localizer can
estimate the robot’s current position.
As shown in Figure 8, the robot moves a small distance,
∆d (deltaDistance), while it travels forward in the direction
Θ (theta). Assuming the direction the robot is heading
doesn’t change significantly during each step, the change in
the position along the x axis, ∆x (deltaX), and change in
position along the y axis, ∆y (deltaY), can be calculated using
the following trigonometric calculations:
float deltaX = deltaDistance * (float)Math.cos(mTheta);
float deltaY = deltaDistance * (float)Math.sin(mTheta);
The ∆x and ∆y values can then be added to the previous
position estimate to obtain a new position estimate. As with
several other classes we have created, the Odometric-
Localizer class will extend the Thread class and do its main
RESOURCES
RidgeWarrior II Source code
www.ridgesoft.com\articles\ridgewarriorii\ridgewarriorii.htm
IntelliBrain-Bot Kit
www.ridgesoft.com\intellibrainbot\intellibrainbot.htm
WheelWatcher WW-01 Quadrature Encoders
www.nubotics.com
56 SERVO 03.2005
work in a timed loop in its run method, as follows:
long nextTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
while(true) {
// read encoders
:
// calculate change in pose
:
// update position and heading estimates
:
nextTime += mPeriod;
Thread.sleep(nextTime -
System.currentTimeMillis());
}
Reading the encoders is simply a matter of
calling each encoder’s getCounts method:
int leftCounts = mLeftEncoder.getCounts();
int rightCounts = mRightEncoder.getCounts();
Conveniently, this code does not depend on the specific
type of shaft encoder sensor the robot uses. The
ShaftEncoder interface has enabled loose coupling between
the encoder classes and our localizer class,
facilitating interchangeability. Hence, the localizer can work
with any encoder that supports the ShaftEncoder interface.
Updating the position and heading estimates is just a
matter of adding the ∆x, ∆y, and ∆Θ values into the previous
position estimate. However, because there are multiple
threads accessing the Pose data, we have to be careful to
ensure that another thread doesn’t read the Pose data while
the localizer thread is updating it. We can use Java’s built-in
synchronization mechanism to coordinate access to the
shared data by putting the update code in a synchronized
code block and adding the “synchronized” modifier to all
methods that allow other threads to access the Pose data.
The following code will update the position:
synchronized(this) {
mX += deltaX;
mY += deltaY;
mTheta += deltaTheta;
// limit theta to -Pi <= theta < Pi
if (mTheta > PI)
mTheta -= TWO_PI;
else if (mTheta <= -PI)
mTheta += TWO_PI;
}
Finally, we will need a getPose method to allow other
threads to read the Pose data.
public synchronized Pose getPose() {
return new Pose(mX, mY, mTheta);
}
Testing
In order to test the AnalogShaftEncoder and Odometric-
Grau2.qxd 1/28/2005 3:58 PM Page 57
Localizer classes we’ve now constructed, we will need to
construct left and right encoder object instances and con-
struct a localizer object instance in the RidgeWarriorII main
method, as well as implement a few test classes. The
OdometricLocalizer class requires the wheel diameter and
track width measurements of the robot to be provided in its
construction. For the IntelliBrain-Bot, these are approximate-
ly 2.65 inches and 4.55 inches, respectively.
We will need two new screens: one to view the
encoder counter values and the other to view the Pose data
from the localizer. We will also need a few test functions to
move the robot in different ways so we can verify the
encoders and localizer function correctly. Source code for
five test classes — EncoderCountsScreen, PoseScreen,
TimedForward, TimedRotate, and TimedSquare — is
available online. The latter three classes power the servos
for fixed periods of time to cause the robot to move in a
specific pattern, as indicated by the name of each class. By
running these tests and observing the data displayed on
the LCD screen, we can validate the functionality of our
encoder and localizer classes.
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve added two more reusable classes
that support shaft encoding and localization. We have used
Circle #101 on the Reader Service Card.
PART 2
Java’s multi-threading and interface features to design
these classes such that they are loosely coupled to other
components that make up our robot’s control program.
This facilitates reuse of these classes in other robot
software projects. It also allows us to replace the classes
with other classes that provide the same function but in a
different way. We demonstrated this by allowing our
analog shaft encoders to be used interchangeably with the
WheelWatcher quadrature shaft encoders. In the future,
we could make use of other localization techniques — for
example, landmark recognition — by replacing the
OdometricLocalizer with another class that uses a different
localization method. The Localizer interface allows the
localizer function to be a cohesive component with
plug-and-play interchangeability.
In our next article in this series, we will implement classes
that use the output of our localizer to navigate the robot
from place to place. SV
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steve Grau has been developing software for over
20 years. He is the founder of RidgeSoft, LLC, and the author
of the RoboJDE, a Java-enabled robotics software development
environment.
SERVO 03.2005 57
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SERVO 03.2005 59
Geerhead.qxd 2/2/2005 12:48 PM Page 60

by David Geer
geercom@alltel.net

These Walking Forest

Machines can cut
and fell trees about
20 inches thick.

Finland’s Plustech Oy Timberjack Walking Forester

What has six legs, weighs more than 10 tons, and walks through the forest
with a grace near that of a gazelle? It’s not a dancing machine, but it is a
Walking Forest Machine. Its computer intellect controls walker direction,
speed, step height, walking gait, and ground clearance.
60 SERVO 03.2005
Geerhead.qxd 2/2/2005 12:53 PM Page 61
Mobility is placed in the hands, or hand, of the operator
via a single, intuitive, user-friendly joystick.
Finnish Forest Forager
Finland is noted for its contribution
to cell phone media with the house-
hold name of Nokia, but Finland isn’t
only just “a phone call away.” It’s also
“a walk in the park!”
A division of John Deere (and a
subsidiary of Timberjack, the world's
leading designer, manufacturer, and
distributor of forestry equipment),
Plustech Oy makes the Timberjack
Walking Forest Machine, an industrial
strength, working robot that walks up
mountains and through forests to cut,
fell, and carry off monstrous trees in
minutes. The same giants of the wood-
lands that once took two men with
strong arms, heavy axe heads, and a lot
of perspiration to tackle are now razed
as easy as a florist clips a long-stemmed
rose.
These Walking Forest Machines
can cut and fell trees about 20 inches
thick. These are all signs that say many
a future lumberjack will be a heavy
equipment operator sitting in the
sweet seat of a machine just like
this one.
Actually, non-walkers from
Timberjack — the track and wheel
They can lift trees of about 1.5 metric tons each, depending
on the reach of the particular prototype’s boom.
variety — have been doing the lumber-
jack’s work for years, so why have they
decided to develop a walker all of a
sudden instead of these other means
of mobility? It seems that the wheeled
and tank-like tracked vehicles tend to
damage sensitive forest soils. Walkers
are much less of a problem for the
environment.
Six-Legged Tree
Spiders
The Walking Forest Machines
DOING THE TIMBERJACK STRUT!
Plustech (a division of John
Deere) makes the Timberjack Walking
Forest Machine, which traverses
forests with ease via six legs and feet
to harvest trees while protecting the
ground from the damage wheeled
and tracked vehicles would other-
wise do.
The machine acclimates itself
to the terrain automatically by
responding to input from sensors.
The machine can redistribute its
GEERHEAD
come in weights of 11 and 15 metric
tons, and they can lift trees of about
1.5 metric tons each, depending on the
reach of the particular prototype’s
boom. These Foresters are also agile,
walking up 30-degree slopes without
losing their balance, and since they
run on diesel fuel, they can work a
double shift — a full 16 hours —
without refueling.
Though the Walking Foresters do
less harm to the soil than tracks or
wheels, they do face some of the same
developmental challenges as other
weight to balance itself over varying
landscapes. It finds solid footing
for each of its legs. Ground pressure
can be adjusted because of its
changeable shoes.
Because of the walker’s advanced
control system, the operator only
needs to move a single joystick to
select direction and speed. The
automated computer system does all
other thinking and responding
where movement is concerned.
SERVO 03.2005 61
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GEERHEAD

The Walking Foresters can step over obstacles instead of The Walking Forester’s ability to turn in place makes it highly
attempting to drive through them. desirable for confined spaces.

types. Speed, cost, and reliability are all
concerns of Plustech’s R&D.
“It’s Got Legs!”
The Walking Forester’s legs are
more than just three pairs of oversized
stocking stuffers. Each of its six agile,
ambulatory appendages is about nine
feet wide and 30 feet long. These are
all directed by one joystick, which also
controls the Walking Forester’s
ground clearance, frame tilt, and roll
angles.
The Forest Walker can step ahead,
back, side-to-side, and diagonally.
It can step over obstacles, turn in
place, and adjust to the terrain by
altering ground clearance and the
height of each step with the assistance
of its operator.
Backbone and Brains
From the legs to the nerves, from
the nerves to the brain ... the Forester’s
nervous center is a computer system
with a high IQ. Its computer intellect
controls the Forester’s direction, speed,
step height, walking gait, and ground

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62 SERVO 03.2005
Geerhead.qxd 2/2/2005 12:57 PM Page 63

GEERHEAD

HOW CAN THEY AFFORD TO INVEST SO MUCH IN DEVELOPMENT?

One of the most popular
questions is how you sustain a
project that requires so much
spending on the development of
an unconventional, experimental
technology over such a long period?
The wheeled versions of the
Timberjack forest machines have
been available since 1947. Products
include a wide range of machines
for harvesting, terrain transport,
and log loading.
Because Timberjack machines
are on the job in over 80 countries,
the brand has a solid foundation
from which to grow into the future.
They have determined that this is
the direction in which to move, and
if they intend to stay in this business,
they must make this kind of an
investment.
Timberjack has, in fact,
invested in product development
through two primary research and
development centers in Canada and
Finland. The Walking Forest Machine
project is the fruit of Plustech, a
Timberjack affiliate that specializes
in long-term R&D.
Plustech is only a portion of
Timberjack’s massive European R&D
Center in Tampere, Finland. The
current overarching goal of the
machine is to examine just how
appropriate walking technology is
for harvesting forests.

clearance.
The Walking Forester’s tree
harvesting head is controlled by the
Timberjack measuring and control
system, while the loader and engine
are controlled by yet another system
called the Total Machine Control
system.
Mobility is placed in the hands, or
hand, of the operator via a single,
intuitive, user-friendly joystick.
Forests of the Future
Advocates of forest soil preserva-
tion have demanded a solution to the
ravaging of modern forestry for some
time. In 1995, Plustech Oy responded
with the Walking Forest Machine. required a great deal of research
Though still not in production, the and testing in new automation
Walking Forester has been
developed and tested in several of USING TREES FOR CHEW TOYS!
the world’s forests to adapt it to a
variety of working conditions and Like non-perambulating Timberjack
environments. harvesters, the Walking Forest Machine
The testing will continue
prototype is outfitted with a Timberjack
until Plustech is certain the
3000 measuring and control system and
machine will hold up long-term
in the demanding working harvester head.
environments of the world’s Via this system, an operator can set
forests. Plustech wants to parameters for timber harvesting based
develop Walking Foresters for on the priorities of the forest owner. An
every type of foresting condition operator can also monitor production
and requirement. based on tree species and volume of
The current Walking trees taken.
Foresters prototypes have already

SERVO 03.2005 63
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GEERHEAD
In time, we should
expect to see them or their
variants hard at work clear-
ing forests and preserving
forest floors through their
walking technology.
Adapt to the
Environs
R&D has so far demon-
strated that walking tech-
nology is highly suitable to
steep slopes and soft
ground types where other
harvesting machines and
methods prove to cause
irreparable damage to the
forest, specifically in the
The machine can redistribute its weight to balance form of ground erosion.
itself over varying landscapes. The Walking Foresters
can step over obstacles
technologies and mobile hydraulics. instead of attempting to drive through
They also need to meet these them. It can optimize the distribution
requirements while keeping down the of ground pressure in order to step
ultimate price tag. lightly — so-to-speak — as well as
minimize disturbance of soil and
RESOURCES tree roots.
The Walking Forester’s ability to
The walking forest machine comes turn in place makes it highly desirable
in three prototypes (one basic for confined spaces, and whatever
platform and two forest harvesters). the legs are doing, the carrier can
These are introduced on the Internet maintain an even keel so the
at www.plustech.fi/Walking1.html Forester’s operator can maintain an
Check out other Timberjack acceptable level of comfort.
The Walking Foresters are
foresters and equipment at www.timber
extremely stable and precise for
jack.com
accurate crane movement and usage.
Though highly mobile, the Walker’s speed, cost, From inside the cockpit, the operator can con-
and reliability are concerns for Plustech’s R&D. trol ground clearance, frame tilt, and roll angles.
64 SERVO 03.2005
Author, Author!
Encore, Encore!
The Timberjack Walking Forest
Machine has been honored with
several awards, including the 1997
European IT Prize. In selecting the
recipient of this award for design and
innovation, 25 finalists were pulled
from a pool of 319 entrants from
27 countries.
In 1996, the Walker was highly
commended in the eco-design
category of the Better Environment
Awards for Industry. This event
recognizes those innovations that
favorably impact the environment as
compared to other technologies.
Has It Sprung a Leak?
During a press event and live
demonstration in Finland, a radio
commentator was caught off guard by
one of the Walking Forester’s less
reported behaviors. As is prone to
happen when the Walker has just been
cleaned, when it swung and tilted its
body some remaining water spilled out
of the frame.
It looked as if the Walker had just
taken, err, uh, sprung a leak! The
commentator responded, ”A-a-a-and
now some kind of liquid is coming out
of the machine’s body!”
Let’s See One Up Close
Plustech provides live
demonstrations of the
Walking Forest Machines
at local fairs in Finland.
Though they’ve tossed
around the idea of holding
demonstrations in the US,
no decision has been
made as yet to follow
through.
Someday, I’m sure —
especially once they come
into commercial use — you
can expect Plustech and/or
John Deere to bring over
these Walking Foresters to
show them off. SV
Robytes.qxd 2/2/2005 1:15 PM Page 65
by Jeff Eckert
re you just an avid Internet
A surfer who came across some-
thing cool that we all need to see?
Are you on an interesting R&D
group and want to share what
you’re developing? Then send me
an email! To submit related press
releases and news items, please
visit www.jkeckert.com
— Jeff Eckert
Robots to Fix Hubble for
$154 Million
Artist’s depiction of Hubble Telescope
and repair vehicle.
Photo courtesy of MDA.
Since 1993, the Hubble Space
Telescope (HST) has been periodically
serviced by astronauts aboard a Space
Shuttle, replacing aging hardware and
installing more advanced scientific
instruments. As fallout from the
Columbia tragedy in 2003, the next
service mission was cancelled last year,
in part over concerns about astronaut
safety. The obvious solution is a fully
robotic service mission, and it was
recently announced that British
Columbia-based MacDonald, Dettwiler
and Associates, Ltd. (MDA,
www.mdrobotics.ca), has secured a
$154 million contract from the
National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA, www.nasa.
gov) to provide exactly that. The
Robytes
Hubble mission will follow two US
military satellite missions that will utilize
MDA-devised solutions to perform
similar tasks involving a classified
observation program and a satellite
service mission. The $154 million may
sound a bit pricey for a repair job, but
maybe we can try to pay them in
Canadian dollars.
Nominate a Robot
Honda’s ASIMO robot is a recent
inductee into the Robot Hall of
Fame. Photo courtesy of
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
In case you missed it, the Robot
Hall of Fame, created by Carnegie-
Mellon University in 2003 to honor
both real and fictional robots that
have affected our lives, inducted
five new members last year. These
are Honda's humanoid ASIMO,
Shakey — the autonomous robot from
SRI International, the animated
character Astro Boy, Robby the Robot
— a movie prop turned merchandising
gold mine, and Star Wars' C-3PO.
If you want to nominate your favorite
automaton for 2005 or vote for
an existing nominee, stop by www.
robothallof fame.org
ScanEagle Goes Wireless
The ScanEagle UAV now facilitates
secure wireless communications.
Photo courtesy of Insitu Corp.
In case you aren't familiar with it,
ScanEagle is a long endurance,
autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) developed by Boeing (www.
boeing.com) and The Insitu Group
(www.insitugroup.net) for military
and homeland security applications.
As of late 2004, it had logged more
than 1,400 hours of service in Iraq.
ScanEagle is four feet in length and
has a 10-foot wingspan, and the
current model can remain on duty
for a shift of more than 15 hours
(with a version that offers 30
hours of endurance in the works). As
a standard payload, it carries an
electro-optical or infrared camera
and it can track both stationary and
moving targets from greater than
16,000 feet.
The latest news is that ScanEagle
has been upgraded to perform high
speed wireless communications relay
functions. Enabled by Harris
Corporation's National Security
Agency approved Type 1 classified
SecNet-11® Plus technology in the
UAV's avionics bay, streaming video
and voice-over IP communications
SERVO 03.2005 65
Robytes.qxd 2/2/2005 1:19 PM Page 66
Robytes
were sent from a ground control
station over a secure high bandwidth
network to ScanEagle 18 miles away.
The data was then instantaneously
relayed to ground personnel six miles
from the UAV.
In practical terms, this means that
it can be used by troops on the ground
to receive situational data on the
battlefield, securely and without delay.
The company also produces the
Seascan UAV, which is designed for
aerial reconnaissance at sea for fish
finding, search and rescue operations,
coastal patrol, and other purposes.
Photos, videos, and detailed specs are
available at the Insitu website.
Big Bot Prevents Landslides
Roboclimber prevents landslides
without endangering human life.
Photo courtesy of D'Appolonia S.p.A.
Gravity is a pretty useful thing
overall, but, as California readers
can attest, it has an ugly habit of
pulling heaps of earth from high
places to lower places, much to the
detriment of real estate values in
both locations.
However, landslides are becom-
ing more and more preventable,
thanks to Roboclimber — a large scale
robot that was developed by ICOP,
66 SERVO 03.2005
which is an Italian civil engineering
company.
Weighing in at about 3,800 kg
(10,000 lbs) and with a base of 2 x
2.5 meters (6.6 x 8.2 feet), it
qualifies as one of the world's largest.
Using remote technology originally
developed by the European Space
Agency (ESA, www.esa.int),
Roboclimber recently was put to the
test in a successful effort to reinforce a
nearly vertical rock wall rising from the
valley of Alta Val Torre in the
Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. The
nation is plagued by more than 400
landslides every year.
Basically, the robot employs an
onboard Web camera to allow it to be
maneuvered into the proper position
from a safe distance. It then engages
a 28 kW drilling machine to drill a hole
in the wall, up to 20 meters in depth
and 76 mm in diameter, into which
stabilizing rods are inserted. The drill
can penetrate any rock-hard material,
on any gradient.
According to a project coordinator,
“Assuming a typical landslide front of
5,000 square meters and requiring
5,000 meters of deep drilling, we
estimate that the Roboclimber system
can save 75,000 euros (about
$100,000.00 as of this writing),”
as opposed to performing the
reinforcement process manually. “The
most important factor is that, with
Roboclimber, we can secure steep,
rocky walls without risking human
health and lives. We can do it faster,
more efficiently, and yet much more
safely.”
RHex Learns to Swim
Backed by $60 million in funding
from the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA, www.
darpa.gov), the insect-like RHex
robots have been around for several
years, crawling around and multiplying
within a number of universities.
Aqua — an adaptation of the RHex
robot — dons flippers and takes
to the ocean. Photo courtesy
of McGill University.
The autonomous hexapod critter —
patterned after the esteemed cock-
roach — was created as part of a study
in computational neuromechanics that
“applies mathematical techniques
from dynamical systems theory to
problems of animal locomotion and,
in turn, seeks inspiration from biology
in advancing the state of the art of
robotic systems.” Translation: They
want to figure out how roaches can
walk without falling over.
RHex is a pretty successful
concept, and current versions can
move at better than five body lengths
per second (2.25 m/s), climb slopes
exceeding 45 degrees, and climb
stairs.
Possibly the most fascinating
incarnation so far was created at
McGill University's Ambulatory
Robotics Lab. A waterproof version
was dropped into a reef environment
and remotely controlled with the help
of two on-board cameras. The
“Aqua” RHex showed impressive
maneuverability in the underwater
environment. To view underwater
videos and access some relevant links,
seewww.cim.mcgill.ca/~arlweb/
robots.html General info is available
at www.rhex.net SV
RoboResources.qxd 2/2/2005 10:06 AM
T he smallest of robots can be built
by only using a thin sheet of
aluminum or plastic. Just stick motors
and other parts to it and you have a
robot. You can even build simple robot
bodies using only an electronic circuit
board or solderless breadboard. As
long as the batteries and motors
aren’t too heavy, these construction
techniques will provide many hours
Page 67
by G ordon M cComb
of robot playtime with little cost and
construction time.
Larger robots, however, need a
stronger framework, as larger motors,
batteries, wheels, and other parts add
weight. To support this weight, your
robot needs a reliable structure — the
bones of the bot.
Fortunately, building strong robot
bodies isn’t difficult or expensive, and
you can find much of what you need at
the local hardware store. Mail order
provides an even greater assortment
of unique parts, such as extruded
aluminum framing.
In this column, I’ll discuss building
robot structures using traditional fram-
ing techniques with simple steel
and plastic brackets, metal stock, and
aluminum extrusions.
SERVO 03.2005 67
RoboResources.qxd 2/2/2005 10:06 AM Page 68
Robotics R esources
Steel Brackets to Bolt
Things Together
Brackets are used to hold two or
more pieces together usually (but not
always) at right angles. Hardware brack-
ets are ideal for general robotics con-
struction, as these brackets are available
in a variety of sizes and styles. You can
use the brackets to build the frame of a
robot constructed with various stock.
The most common brackets are
made of 14- to 18-gauge steel (the
lower the number, the thicker the
metal). In order to resist corrosion and
rust, the steel is zinc plated, giving the
brackets their common “metallic” look.
(Some brackets are plated with brass,
and are intended for decorative uses.
They’re more expensive and they have
limited use in robotics). Common sizes
and types of steel brackets are:
• 1-1/2 x 3/8 inch flat-corner brackets
— used when joining pieces cut at 45°
miters to make a frame.
• 1 x 3/8 or 1/2 inch corner-angle brack-
ets — used when attaching the stock to
base plates and when securing various
components (like motors) to the robot.
• The above also come in sizes up to
about 2 x 2-3/4 inches.
Keep in mind that angle brackets
are made of fairly heavy steel and are,
therefore, heavy. If you use a lot of
them, they can add considerable weight
to your robot. If you must keep weight
down, consider substituting angle brack-
ets with other mounting techniques,
including gluing, brazing (for metal), or
fastening screws directly into the frame
or base material of your robot.
Most brackets are pre-drilled to
accept #6 to #10 size machine screws
(you can use wood screws if you’re
attaching the brackets to wood). For
small robots, choose a smaller fastener
size — it’ll save weight. A good all-
purpose machine screw for most hobby
robots is 6-32. The “6” means it’s a size
#6 fastener, and “32” means there are
32 threads per inch. Choose the screw
length to accommodate the material you
68 SERVO 03.2005
are fastening together. Common lengths
(in inches) are 1/2, 3/4, 1, and 1-1/2.
Using Specialty
Furniture Brackets
The better hardware stores stock a
small assortment of replacement parts
for shelves, cabinets, and furniture.
Among these parts are several sizes and
styles of brackets made of either metal
or plastic. In my local hardware store,
these parts are socked away in little
yellow drawers. You buy them in single
quantities and prices are a little high.
Another source of handy brackets
for robotics is the local cabinet-making
shop. Though reselling parts isn’t their
main business, you never know
what you can get unless you ask. Look
for heavy duty “KD” (knock-down)
brackets, which are used to lash
together two pieces of heavy wood.
With the right fastener, they’ll even
hold together heavy robots.
Along the same lines are catalog
retailers of KD furniture such as IKEA.
Check for availability of spare parts.
Depending on the retailer, spare parts
are only available as replacements for
specific products, so you must know
what to order before you can order it.
One way around this dilemma is to find
a piece of furniture in the store that
has the part you need. You can then
ask if spare parts are available for it.
Remember, metal brackets can
add substantial weight to a robot.
Plastic brackets add little weight, but —
unless you’re careful — they don’t
provide much holding power. Such is
not the case with “gusseted” brackets.
A gusseted bracket is made of
plastic, such as high-density polyethylene
(HDPE), which makes it very light. To add
strength, the bracket uses molded-in gus-
sets that reinforce the plastic at its critical
stress points. The result is a bracket that
is about as strong as a steel bracket, but
at only a fraction of its weight.
Alas, plastic gusset brackets are
not easy to find. They are available
from some furniture building outlets
and select online resources, such
as Budget Robotics. Sizes are fairly
limited, but those sizes tend to be quite
adequate for most jobs.
Even more sources for brackets:
• Mirror clips (hardware store) can be
used as small brackets. Most mirror
clips have only one hole and may not
be in the familiar L-shape. You can
always drill more holes and bend the
clip to the shape you want.
• Small metal L-brackets (computer
supply) are used to construct electronics
and computer systems. You’ll have
better luck finding these online.
• Extra metal and plastic parts from
Erector Sets and similar construction
toys make for inexpensive brackets.
• Self-made brackets can be constructed
from aluminum or brass metal, which is
available at hobby stores and some
hardware stores. Drill the holes, cut to
length, and bend as needed.
Metal Stock at the
Corner Hardware
Store
You can build a sturdy (nearly
indestructible!) robot using the metal
stock commonly available at most any
hardware store. A very handy material
is the “extrusion,” so called because
the metal is produced by extruding the
heated, molten material out of a
shaped orifice. The metal cools in the
shape of the orifice, which can be a
round tube, a square tube, and various
L, T, I, and U shapes. Metal extrusions
can be used to construct the frame of
a robot, for example, or to custom-
make brackets and other parts.
Just about all metals are available
in extruded shapes, but — for the
purpose of robotics — the three most
useful extruded metals are:
• Aluminum, usually 6061 alloy,
anodized with a brushed silver appear-
ance. It won’t rust, but corrosion is
possible if left outdoors. This material is
reasonably easy to cut and drill and is
affordable. It’s available at most
hardware stores in various sizes and
lengths. A typical aluminum extrusion
is a one inch equal L-angle; this means
RoboResources.qxd 2/2/2005 10:06 AM Page 69
an L-angle shape is one inch on each
side. The typical thickness of aluminum
extrusions is 1/32 to 1/8 inch. Lengths
are from short, one foot pieces to eight
foot ones.
• Mild steel, for general house and
yard work. The steel is sold uncoated,
can be welded, and will rust if not
painted. This material is suitable for
larger, heavy duty robots, such as those
meant for combat. Typical thickness
ranges from 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
• Brass and copper extrusions are
available at some hardware and hobby
stores in limited sizes and varieties.
Most extrusions are round and square
lengths of tubing with thickness from
1/64 to no more than 1/16 inch. You’d
use these when you need lightweight
metal that can be soldered or brazed,
such as constructing the legs of a small
hexapod robot. Brass and copper
won’t rust if left unpainted, but both
can tarnish.
Affordable Motion Control Products
Robot Building
Blocks
Motor Speed
Control
PID Motor
Position
Control
Solutions Cubed
Phone 530-891-8045
www.solutions-cubed.com
Extruded aluminum and steel
comes in even numbered lengths from
two to eight feet per section; some
stores will let you buy cut pieces.
Aluminum is lighter and easier to work
with, but steel is stronger. Use
steel when you need the strength;
otherwise, opt for aluminum.
Extruded aluminum and steel are
available in more than two dozen
common styles, from thin bars to pipes
to square posts. Although you can use
any of it as you see fit, a couple of
standard sizes may prove to be
particularly beneficial in your robot-
building endeavors.
• 1 x 1 x 1/16 inch angle
• 57/64 x 9/16 x 1/16 inch channel
• 41/64 x 1/2 x 1/16 inch channel
• Bar stock widths from one to three
inches and thickness from 1/16 to
1/4 inch.
Circle #73 on the Reader Service Card.
Robotics R esources
Perhaps the most common
application for metal extrusions is
building sturdy robot frames. As noted
above, common shapes are the U- and
L-channel; the U-channel is my personal
favorite. A handy size is approximately
1/2 x 1/2 x 5/8 inch — large enough to
accommodate fasteners, L-brackets,
and other hardware, but not so large
that the metal unnecessarily adds to
the weight of the robot.
To construct a frame, the extrusion
is cut to length, then joined either to
itself or by way of brackets. Metal or
plastic fasteners can be used, as needed.
For a lightweight robot, use either
nylon fasteners (if the frame is fairly
small, say under eight inches) or 4-40
steel machine screws. You can also
substitute aluminum pop rivets rather
than screws, but this naturally makes
the frame construction permanent.
Weight can add up quickly when
using brackets, so choose the smallest
available that is consistent with the
overall load bearing on the frame. Extra
3
Solutions
SERVO 03.2005 69
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Robotics R esources
FIGURE 1. Ace Hardware stores dot the country and provide a horde of useful
bits and pieces for robot construction.
large steel L brackets are not necessary
for a robot under about 12 to 15
inches. Opt instead for the smaller 1 x
1 x 1/2 inch steel brackets or plastic
brackets.
FIGURE 2. Home Depot’s Maintenance Warehouse is the mail order arm
of the gigantic Home Depot.
70 SERVO 03.2005
galvanized mending plates, joist
hangers, and other metal pieces to
join lumber together. Most of these
come in weird shapes, but flat plates
are available in a number of widths
and lengths.
You can use the plates as they
come or cut them to size. The material
is galvanized steel and is hard to cut, so
be sure to use a hacksaw with a fresh
blade. The plates have numerous
pre-drilled holes in them to facilitate
hammering with nails, but you can drill
new holes where you need them.
Mending plates (sometimes
referred to as Simpson ties — after the
name of a major manufacturer) are
available in four, six, and 12 inch
lengths that are four or six inches
wide; they are also available in two
inch wide T shapes. You can usually
find mending plates, angles, and other
steel framing hardware in the nail and
fastener section of home improvement
stores.
Ready-made steel angle brackets
Mending Plates and are convenient and cheap for the bulk
of any robotics project.
Iron Angle Brackets Sometimes, you need a size or
shape that’s just not available at the
The typical wood-frame home uses corner hardware store. Other times,
the typical steel bracket is too heavy
and an aluminum version would be
perfect — only they don’t have many
brackets in aluminum. The solution:
Cut your own brackets out of metal
extrusions.
Most brackets have one or more
holes per “leg,” so start by drilling the
holes you’ll need to mount the bracket.
Remove any burrs or flash around the
drill holes. Once drilling is complete,
mark off the metal for cutting. An
electric chop saw makes this job easy,
but a hack saw and miter block can
also be used.
Be careful! By their nature, brackets
are small and dangerous to cut on an
electric saw without using some form of
clamp to hold them down. Clamp the
extrusion on both sides of the blade. A
small C clamp or spring-loaded clamp
should be sufficient. The idea is to use
the clamp and not your bare fingers to
hold the small bracket while it’s being
cut from the main piece. Cut off the
metal, not your fingers!
RoboResources.qxd 2/2/2005 10:07 AM Page 71

Robotics R esources

Even More Hardware

Store Finds
Let’s take a virtual stroll down the
aisles of a well-stocked hardware store.
Here, you’ll find plenty of parts you can use
for your robot creations. It’s impossible to
list all of the goodies you’ll likely spot
and even less practical to discuss every
conceivable use, but here’s a sample list
to get your creative juices flowing:

• Rubber grommets protect wiring,

but also act as springy material for
whiskers, sensors, and linkages.

• Cable clips for wire and small piping

and tubing (e.g., aquarium tubing) are
useful for wiring containment, as well
as attaching parts (small motors,
sensors, etc.).

• In addition to electrical applications, FIGURE 3. Lowe’s home improvement stores offer a number of specialty parts
use large wire terminals for crimping in their hardware department.
cables for grippers and leg mechanisms.

• Springs have 1,001 uses, such as in

touch sensors, bumpers, and even
robot decoration.
• Rubber and metal feet for small
furniture and appliances make ideal
walking pads for legged robots.
• Use metal conduit and EMT fittings
found in the electrical section to make a
very heavy duty frame for a larger bot.
• Shower and patio door parts include
rollers (nylon, ball bearing) for use as
small casters and wheels.
• Weather stripping and rubber door
insulation are perfect for robot
bumpers.
Sources
Ace Hardware
www.acehardware.com
This is an independently-owned
chain of hardware stores. In my experi-
ence, a number of the Ace Hardware
stores I frequent have a number of
products not carried by the “Big Guys”
(Lowe’s and Home Depot), such as

SERVO 03.2005 71
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Robotics R esources
FIGURE 4. Use the store locator feature at the True Value website
to find a store near you.
unusual fasteners and hardware. Don’t
overlook the small stores in your area
for unique components for your
robots. Ace has store locations across
America and in 70 other countries.
Check the website for a store locator.
American Science & Surplus
www.sciplus.com
Realizing that robot building is an
important aspect of their business,
AS&S dedicates a special section to
robot parts. Find the Robot Parts link in
the table of contents area of their
website and you’ll find the latest
offerings. When I last looked, they had
ball transfers (great for robot support
caster wheels), large heavy duty
wheels, pneumatic cylinders, roller
chain, and more.
Aubuchon Hardware
www.aubuchon.com
Online and local Aubuchon stores
dot the Northeast. The online catalog
boasts over 70,000 items. Products
include hand and power tools, fasteners,
hardware, plumbing, and electrical.
C & H Sales
www.candhsales.com
72 SERVO 12.2004
Page 72
C & H sells motors, gears, pneumat-
ics, pumps, solenoids, relays, and lots of
odds and ends. Their catalog regularly
contain dozens of quality surplus DC
(geared and non) and stepper motors.
CornerHardware.com
www.cornerhardware.com
Now, you can go to the hardware
store using only your computer.
CornerHardware.com is like the neigh-
borhood hardware store, except it’s
open on Sunday. Their inventory includes
plenty of brackets and other parts.
Home Depot
www.homedepot.com
and Home Depot Maintenance
Warehouse
www.mwh.com
Home Depot has a printed catalog
for maintenance and repair supplies —
a big one — with lots of pictures,
illustrations, and specifications. It’s
ideal for figuring out exactly what you
need for your bot. Depending on
where you live, same day or next day
shipping may be available to you;
otherwise, you’ll wait two or three days
to get your stuff. Use the locator at the
site to find a warehouse near you.
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
www.lowes.com
Lowe’s is an alternative to Home
Depot with a selection of fasteners and
other hardware through retail stores and
online sales. Check the web page for a
store locator. Lowe’s has 600+ super-
stores in some 40 states. The site includes
a “how-to library” on home repair and
remodeling. I looked ... nothing about
building robots. Still, some of the articles
might be useful to learn about materials
and tools and the best way to use them.
Rockler Woodworking and
Hardware
www.rockler.com
Rockler carries hand and power
woodworking tools, hardware, and
wood stock (including precut hardwood
plywoods). Among important hardware
items are medium-sized casters, drop-
front supports (possible use in bumpers
or joints in robots), and drawer slides.
Small Parts, Inc.
www.smallparts.com
Small Parts stocks a variety of
components, including a large inventory
of fasteners.
True Value Company Corporation
www.truevaluecompany.com
True Value Company is the
corporate parent of a number of
hardware stores, home improvement
centers, and industrial supply outlets.
• True Value — Major hardware store
chain in the US: www.truevalue.com
• Induserve Supply and Commercial
Supplies — 210,000 items for small to
large businesses: www.induserve.
com and www.commercialsupplies.
com SV
AUTHOR BIO
Gordon McComb is the author
of several best sellers. In addition,
he operates a small manufacturing
company dedicated to low cost
amateur robotics, www.budget
robotics.com He can be reached at
robots@robotoid.com
Menagerie.qxd 2/2/2005 1:02 PM Page 73

Send us a high-res picture of your robot with a few

descriptive sentences and we'll make you famous.
Well, mostly. menagerie@servomagazine.com

Bot Builders Gear Up for the Second ROBOlympics

by Dave Calkins

In 2004, robot builders came from around the world

to San Francisco, CA to meet the Americans in the
first-ever Robot Olympics — ROBOlympics. From March
24-27, 2005, they’ll be returning to San Francisco State
University to compete again, with more robots from
more countries and more competitions. Will you be
joining them?
While robot competitions are held throughout the
world, competitions tend to be singular in nature, such
as Robot Soccer in Pittsburgh, PA or Fire Fighting in Los
Angeles, CA. ROBOlympics is a unique event, offering
robot builders a chance to meet their peers from across
the world and with many different styles of robotics.
Many builders outside of Japan have never seen Robo-
One before, but will be quickly inspired by the Asian
androids, much as they were when 11 contestants flew
in from Tokyo last year.
The goal is not to hold the biggest robot event Fire is always a big crowd pleaser.
ever. The goal is to get builders from all countries and
all fields of robotics to meet each other. In last year’s
competition, the Americans swept the combat robot
categories, while the Japanese took home all the
medals in the Robo-One events and the three-kilogram
sumo classes.
Robot Soccer — probably the most difficult of all
robot competitions — is a major part of ROBOlympics.
Last year, the top contenters — Korea and Japan — were
upset by Slovenia (the Cinderella surprise team). This
year, we’ve added Aibo soccer. If you can get four Aibos
together, you can play, too!
Of course, there is Robot Combat. Robots weighing
as much as 240 pounds cut, burn, turn over, and destroy
the other robots behind bullet-proof glass, while the
audience screams in both delight and fear.
Last year, the Americans swept the class; this
year, with several experienced teams from Europe, South
America, Australia, and Asia, we can’t take a sweep
for granted.
A clean sweep by the Robo-Ones!

SERVO 03.2005 73
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Ribbon Climbing — a new sport — involves solar-

Combat robots too noisy
for you? How about Robo-One
boxing for a change?
Silver medal winner A-Do will
make all the other Japanese
androids jealous.
powered robots climbing a thin ribbon as fast as possi-
ble. This competition is to help build interest in “The
Space Elevator” — a new concept that involves sending
things into space by a floating ribbon with an elevator
rather than via rockets.
Don’t laugh! It’s a viable concept. Jack Buffington
got a gold medal and a trip to Washington, DC to pres-
ent his robot to politicians, who are now considering
funding a space elevator platform, a concept only first
proven to be feasible at ROBOlympics 2004!
The Fire Fighting competition may sound exciting,
but it also has an admirable goal: build a robot that will
turn itself on and put out a fire quickly. There are also
line following robots, maze solving robots, and a host of
other categories.
Even the most famous robot in the world came in
2004: R2-D2. He’ll be back in 2005 to entertain both the
audience and the competitors, along with Stormtrooper
guards.
So, why let athletes have all the fun and get all the
glory — join us at ROBOlympics! The 2005 International
Unified ROBOlympics Competition includes all of
these exciting events, in addition to the established
competitions:

Biped Race — This new event challenges competitors to

build robots that can walk.

Robot Triathlon — Robots compete in a three-stage race:

legs, wheels, and water.

The Line Slalom — Negotiate a 10-foot track without

losing your way.

Ribbon Climber — Climb a ribbon with autonomous

power supplies.

RoboMagellan — Remember the Grand Challenge?

Camp Peavy and his robot, Springy Thingee. Smaller scaled bots navigate across campus.

74 SERVO 03.2005
Menagerie.qxd 2/2/2005 1:05 PM Page 75

Balancer Race — Two-wheeled balancing robots match

programming and balancing power.

Best of Show — Those bots that don’t fit into other class-
es get their chance to shine here!

BEAM — Hack a Robosapien or build a junkbot.

Exo-skeleton — Both lifting and carrying. Sound familiar?

Robo-One — The coolest androids ever. They box, stand

on their heads, and open doors!

Art Bots — A fusion of hard science and artistic beauty.

Four classes will amaze you.
Okay, all together now: “These aren’t the droids …”
Even if you can’t bring a robot, come to witness the
latest tech! See the website for full details: www.
robolympics.net
STEER WINNING ROBOTS
WITHOUT SERVOS!

P erform proportional speed, direction, and steering with

He shakes, picks up cups,
and can turn on a dime.
Johnny5 is alive!
only two Radio/Control channels for vehicles using two
separate brush-type electric motors mounted right and left
with our mixing RDFR dual speed control. Used in many
successful competitive robots. Single joystick operation: up
goes straight ahead, down is reverse. Pure right or left twirls
The Hurosot soccer vehicle as motors turn opposite directions. In between stick
robots play autonomous positions completely proportional. Plugs in like a servo to
soccer!
your Futaba, JR, Hitec, or similar radio. Compatible with gyro
steering stabilization. Various volt and amp sizes available.
The RDFR47E 55V 75A per motor unit pictured above.
www.vantec.com
Order at
(888) 929-5055
SERVO 03.2005 75
Zoe.qxd 2/2/2005 1:39 PM Page 76

Zoë on the Atacama

How a Sliding Autonomous Rover Is Learning to Explore
New Worlds by First Exploring Our Own
by Ryan Lee Price

ccupying much of northern Chile, the arid Atacama Desert is such a harsh environment,

O rainfall is measured not in inches per year but in millimeters per decade. Here in the
oxidant-rich soils, microscopic organisms struggle for existence, gleaning what moisture
they can from an occasional fog and adapting to convert high levels of UV radiation into usable
sustenance. What sets this desert apart from any other in the world is that its characteristics are
very similar to that of Mars, and that makes it the perfect location for the astrobiologists from
Carnegie-Mellon University. Together with the support of several other universities in the US, the
team of scientists, along with an autonomous robot named Zoë (in Greek, it means “life”), may
better understand how life might survive on other planets by first exploring the limits of life here
on Earth. More importantly, they'll learn how best to detect and analyze life.

© 2005 Carnegie-Mellon University

76 SERVO 03.2005
Zoe.qxd 2/2/2005 1:43 PM Page 77
Scientists also plan to
map the habitats of the
area, including its morphol-
ogy, geology, mineralogy,
texture, and physical and
elemental properties of the
rocks and soil. With this
information, they hope to
document how life modi-
fies to its environment,
characterize the geo- and
bio-signatures of microbial
organisms, and create
scientific procedures on
how best to discover life.
“Our goal is to make
genuine discoveries about life and
habitats in the Atacama and to create
technologies and methods that can be
applied to future NASA missions,” said
David Wettergreen, an associate
research professor at Carnegie-Mellon’s
Robotics Institute. He is leading the
robotics research team on the “Life in
the Atacama” project.
Robotic astrobiology is an important
method used to study how life can
exist in such extreme environments.
Because it is inconvenient, inefficient,
or most times impossible for people to
directly study these various environ-
ments found in the Solar System and
here on Earth, robots have been
developed to collect the necessary
measurements instead. Such a robot is
Zoë, an aluminum-frame rover nearly
nine feet long and weighing in at over
400 lbs., capable of operating
completely autonomous or via remote.
Opposite Page: Life on the Atacama
Desert is harsh and desolate for
man and machine.
Top: Because of the distance factor,
Zoë had to be built at the camp.
Right: At the top of its mast is
the majority of the sensors and
landscape cameras.
Called sliding autonomy, Zoë can
smoothly adust from one method of
control to another. For example, it can
decide for itself how, when, and where
to perform a mission or function, but if
it detects strange behaviors from its
sensors or it decides the mission is
impossible, it can send a help message
and stop to await further instructions.
Running on a bank of solar cells
that generate nearly 600 watts and
batteries that can store approximately
3,000 watt-hours, Zoë follows the sun
on its daily 1.5-mile missions around the
base camp in search of microorganisms.
In order to identify even the slightest
traces of life, Zoë is equipped with tools
borrowed from other technologies or
developed specifically for its mission.
Fluorescent Imager
Instead of taking microscopic-scale
images of rocks and making
hours-long spectroscopic
observations (as the Mars
Exploration Rovers did)
Zoë will test a novel life-
detection strategy: Samples
of rock and soil will be
sprayed with a series of
fluorescent dyes that light
up in the presence of life’s
chemical building blocks. A
camera equipped with
special filters then would
look for the glow associated
with DNA, proteins, carbo-
hydrates, or lipids.
Some organisms fluoresce naturally
while others can be made to do so
with special chemical dyes. These dyes
are carefully engineered to fluoresce
once attached to specific organic mole-
cules. The excitation and emission
wavelengths of these dyes can be
made to vary and thus be distinguish-
able from one another. Zoë will be
using four different dyes to identify
proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and
DNA. It will be programmed to do spot
checks of target sites, as well as inch-
by-inch surveys of a stretch of desert.
For this year, scientists will be standing
behind Zoë, spritzing the fluorescent
dyes onto rocks and soil for Zoë to
check with its camera. Eventually, the
spritzers will be built into the rover.
Fluorescence occurs when a
substance absorbs light of one wave-
length and emits light of a longer
wavelength. At an atomic level, this
SERVO 03.2005 77
Zoe.qxd 2/2/2005 1:52 PM Page 78

phenomenon occurs when an soil. Stored in the underbelly, the

electron absorbs the energy from
an incoming light photon and
jumps to a higher energy state.
Since this excited state is unstable,
the electron will eventually return
to its natural state, and in doing so,
release energy as heat and light.
The emitted light has a longer
wavelength, lower frequency, and
less energy because some of the
energy is released as heat.
The fluorescent imager provides
Though obvious to us, detecting organisms
visible and fluorescent images of
targets underneath the rover, in an
approximately 8 x 6 cm area. The
images are used to identify life by
detecting naturally fluorescent organ-
isms, primarily chlorophyll, but possibly
others, such as carotenoids.
The bottom of the electronics
box is a Fresnel lens, on which are
mounted red, green, and blue LEDs,
which are all focused on a central area
underneath the imager. A hole is cut
in the center of the lens, and three
inexpensive off-the-shelf RGB web-
cams sensitive to light from 400,950
nm are pointed down through the
hole. One camera is unfiltered; the
other two have a 665 longpass and a
700/75 bandpass filter, respectively.
The main rover processor can switch
the LEDs and control image capture
from the three cameras.
When all three LED colors are
such as this is still difficult for Zoë
in real-life conditions.
activated, a normal reference image is
captured with the unfiltered camera.
However, using only a single color of
LED and capturing from one of the
filtered cameras provides a fluorescent
image. Changing the LED color and
filter allows detection of different fluo-
rescent signals, but the signal of greatest
interest is chlorophyll (the molecule in
plants and bacteria that performs
photosynthesis), which returns a strong
red fluorescent signal under blue
illumination and the 700/75 filter.
Plow
Since some organisms may not be
living on the surface, Zoë will be
equipped with a simple plow-like device to
flip over rocks and expose subsurface
plow will be lowered to the ground
and held in place while the robot
drives forward, thus digging a
small trench. The fluorescence
imager and spectrometer would
then be used to examine the newly
exposed surfaces.
Visible/Near
Infrared
Spectrometer
Zoë will be equipped with a
visual/near-infrared spectrometer
tuned to detect chlorophyll or the con-
version of light energy into chemical
energy that can be used by biological
systems.
A spectrometer works by analyzing
the light reflected from a sample, and
it was discovered that the reflected
light contains a great deal of informa-
tion about the atoms contained within
a sample. Just like everyone has a
unique fingerprint, each atom has
particular wavelengths of light that it
reflects, called its emission spectrum,
and a complimentary set of wave-
lengths that it absorbs, called its
absorption spectrum. By spreading the
reflected light out into a spectrum —
much like a prism creates a rainbow —
the spectrometer can measure the
intensities of light at different parts of

Above: The plow scrapes away the

top soil before closer examination of
possible subterranean life.

Left: Back at Carnegie-Mellon, Zoë

has its solar panels removed for
maintenance.

78 SERVO 03.2005
Zoe.qxd 2/2/2005 1:56 PM Page 79
the spectrum and thus detect what
atoms are present. Zoë's spectrom-
eter will only look at visible
and near-infrared light, which
constitutes only a small portion of
the entire light spectrum. In
increasing frequency and energy,
the forms of light include radio
waves, microwave, infrared, visible,
ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays.
Location Sensors
On the low-tech side of Zoë,
it is able to observe common
weather occurrences and detect
various levels of sunlight to support
research on the habitat of any
organisms found. It is able to measure
temperature, pressure, humidity, wind,
insolation and UVA/UVB light.
Panoramic Imager
The stereo panoramic imager
cameras provide high-resolution
images and allow three-dimensional
reconstruction of the landscape to be
used to plan local traverses and scientific
operations by the rover. The cameras
are mounted on a pan-tilt unit atop a
2.5-meter mast near the front of
the robot, allowing them to view
approximately 180 degrees in front of
Zoë. Each camera returns a 1,280 x
960 color image, with a horizontal field
Above: The conditions aren’t ideal, but team members
Daniel Villa and Stuart Heys make the best of it.
Right: Zoë can traverse most any obstacle in the
Atacama Desert autonomously, and if not, it’s
programmed to find a way around what is
blocking its path.
Cameras not only capture real images, but
they provide a host of environmental data.
of view of 21.1 degrees, corresponding
to a footprint of about one square
meter when pointed at the ground
nearby. In selecting the camera design
before the first Atacama expedition,
the main driver was the project’s tight
tight schedule, which forced the team
to borrow as much as possible from an
existing design, in this case the Pancam helped make a robot like Zoë possible.
developed for the Mars Exploration
Rovers (MER).
The most visible and accessible
signs of life was in the coastal range
area of the Atacama where lichens
were present on the surface of rocks.
Their presence or absence varied. In
some areas, they were found on nearly
every rock, but in others, they were
completely absent. Individual lichens
are small, rarely covering an area
larger than 50 cm. Their coloration
varies widely, from rare bright
yellow and orange specimens to
more common greens and grays.
The Future of Zoë
Carnegie-Mellon's operations
for Zoë will be based at Salar
Grande, a salt flat near the city of
Antofagasta, near the west coast.
“It's quite barren,” Wettergreen
said. “It's not like the Sahara
Desert, where you have shifting
sands. There's really just soil and
rock. It is sort of reddish in color,
so I guess in some regards it may be
Mars-like. Actually, when the light is
good, early in the morning and in the
evening, it’s quite beautiful there — but
it is profoundly empty.”
Zoë is by no means the first CMU
robot to travel in the desert. Two other
robots — Hyperion and Nomad — have
Besides validating the concept of a sun-
tracking robot, Hyperion served as a
testbed for technologies that are used
on Zoë, while Nomad was originally
designed to search for meteorites in
Antarctica. The technologies used on
these projects raised the bar for
autonomous, long-distance traverses.
Will Zoë ever see the horizons of a dis-
tant planet? Probably not, but a distant
cousin of Zoë most certainly will. SV
SERVO 03.2005 79
Appetizer.qxd 2/3/2005 3:27 PM Page 80
So You Want to Build Robots?
t’s always funny to see
I how people react to the
unexpected. The other day, I
was talking to a few of my
coworkers about a robot proj-
ect that was just entering the
design stage. A principal
scientist from a different
department walked over and
gestured to us, remarking,
“So, these are the roboti-
cists!” Everyone looked at
each other in bewilderment,
and with nervous laughs, we
replied: “I’m just a physicist.”
“I’m a special effects engi-
neer.” “Me too!” But the
unavoidable truth, as just
revealed, was that 10 years of
robot building — machining,
welding, wiring, programming — had
transformed all three of us into some-
thing different: roboticists — one of the
hot job titles of the next two decades.
I receive four or five emails every
month from students who are
wondering how they can become
roboticists. But before I can answer
that question, a more fundamental
discussion of exactly what constitutes a
robot must ensue. Everyone has a
different idea, and scores of USENET
flame wars have been devoted to this
(apparently) perplexing question.
In 1979, the Robot Institute of
America wrote a definition that
included a core requirement for a robot
that most people miss, that of
reprogrammability. If a machine is
programmable, that program should
be alterable in order to qualify it for
robotic status. (Note, that this also
opens up the possibility of self-repro-
gramming robots, a favorite topic of
80 SERVO 03.2005
by Dan Danknick
SciFi authors and Ph.D. candidates.)
It’s probably safe to also say that
robots have three main functional
parts: a sensor, a processing unit, and
an effector. The sensor reads some
parameter of the world — sound, light,
the presence of an obstacle, depth, or
speed. The central processing unit
uses those measured parameters in a
formula (or algorithm) to create an
output that then affects change in the
world by moving, diving, making a
sound, or blinking a light. Each of the
three parts requires certain disciplines
of study in order to develop a good
working knowledge to, well, let you
work with them. I’ll cover a few that
are less obvious, yet important to the
journey.
Software
Although there are mechanically
(hard) programmed robots in the
world, by far the most com-
mon is the soft programmed
variety. For this, you’ll need to
learn some sort of computer
language that corresponds to
the CPU in the bot, your
development tools, and your
budget. Many people
incorrectly think that faster
computing makes for better
robots. The truth is that cleverly
thought-out abstractions and
algorithms make for good
robots. Don’t be fooled into
a fealty for a particular
language or CPU. Your goal
should be to develop the skills
to solve problems with the
computing lump at hand.
Material Science
I can’t stress the importance of
learning about materials nearly
enough. What makes a piece of steel
hard? What makes it tough? When
should you ditch steel and use
aluminum or even wood? The best way
to learn about materials is to work
with them and develop an intuitive
knowledge for selecting and designing
with them. This weekend, go to
your local home improvement store,
get some raw materials, and build
something. Then break it. You’ll learn a
lot from the process.
Electronics
You can’t know too much about
analog and digital circuit design and
operation. It’s true that, today, there
are more off-the-shelf parts available to
wire up robots than ever before. Just
Appetizer.qxd 2/3/2005 3:28 PM Page 81

Because the art of building a robot is so diversified, On the other side of the spectrum, knowledge
skills and knowledge of a wide range of fields is of hardware, software, and electronics are all
necessary, such as working with metal and plastics. a hefty requirement.

because you can un-box and plug it in,
however, is no reason against at least
understanding the principles by which
it works. If you go back through older
issues of SERVO and read the questions
that Mr. Roboto fields, you’ll see that
many of his answers start by teaching
the theory behind various electronic
devices.
Fastening
I know this looks a bit out of place,
but it isn’t. Learning how to bolt, weld,
or cast things into existence is a real
core of robotics, especially if you
expect those creations to have any sort
of lifetime in the real world. It’s
staggering to discover all of the ways
we’ve come up with to attach material
X to material Y. The pages of SERVO
are rich with information on this, so
don’t gloss over those features!
Failure Analysis
This is a powerful topic that many
people don’t see the need for. Heck,
who expects their robot to fail? How
you analyze a failure and craft a solu-
tion is, in many ways, the summation
of many of these disciplines. If a sensor
system isn’t working, should you fix the
mechanical mount, tune the electronics,
or write a software filter for the data?
It’s not unusual for the answer to
encompass a bit of each, but you
won’t know that unless you really
understand the nature of the problem.
If you’re a student about to
embark on a future of robotics, the
world is wide open to you. Take every
class you can, find mentors who know
more than you, and strive for diversity
in your knowledge.
One of the projects I am working
on right now relies on human/robot
interaction. By the time it is done, all of
my machining and welding skill may be
overshadowed by what I learned in a
human factors class: This robot may
work best if the operator is simply
allowed to learn to work with it.
In the early days of computers,
there were no software engineers.
There were chemists, physicists, and
mathematicians who used this new
computing invention as a tool to get
their work done. The more programs
they wrote, the more they discovered,
and the more they helped the technol-
ogy develop. One field of study
spawned a new one. So don’t be
surprised the day someone points
toward you and says, “Hey, let’s ask the
roboticist!” SV

Advertiser Index
All Electronics Corp. ............................19 Lynxmotion, Inc. ...................................45 Robotics Group, Inc..............................57
Cleveland Institute of Electronics .......11 Net Media ...............................................2 Robotic Trends .....................................17
CrustCrawler .........................................13 NUBOTICS .............................................19 Smithy .....................................................19
Custom Computer Services, Inc. ..........9 Parallax, Inc. ...........................Back Cover Solutions Cubed....................................69
Hitec ......................................................29 PCB123/PCBexpress ...............................3 Sozbots..................................................62
Hobby Engineering ..............................16 PCB Fab Express ...................................54 Technological Arts ...............................71
Jameco ..................................................83 Pololu Robotics & Electronics .............27 Vantec ...................................................75
Lemon Studios .....................................33 ROBOlympics .......................................63 Zagros Robotics ...................................19

SERVO 03.2005 81
Carroll.qxd 2/3/2005 4:18 PM Page 82

THE HEATH HERO ROBOTS

Yesterday’s Technology Points Us Toward Tomorrow
by Tom Carroll

M any of us who are old enough to remember the EICO

and Heathkit electronics kits may remember the day that
Heathkit brought out the first robot kit — the Hero 1. I was
part of the newly-formed Southern California Robotics
Society back in 1978 (later re-named the Robotics Society of
Southern California) and were meeting in the Norwalk, CA
city library when a member mentioned that he had heard
about Heath mulling over a kit-built robot. A few years
passed until 1981, when we had a representative from Heath
give a presentation of the Hero 1 at our meeting. It was an
instant hit with the members. The Hero (Heath Educational
RObot) was in full production the next year.
Based on the Motorola 6808 microprocessor, it was an
ideal teaching tool for many aspects of electronics. It had a
“massive” four K of RAM and eight K of ROM that contained
the “robot monitor” — a good preparation for the PIC and
similar microcontrollers with tiny memories that were to
come years later. The robot also had a flimsy and strangely
configured arm with a gripper that was surprisingly adept at
many object-manipulating tasks.
Hero also had an ultrasonic motion and range detector,
sound and light sensors, a 17-key Hex keypad to enter pro-
grams, and an experimenter’s board all on its head, which (remember HAL in 2001?) and could play a few games, avoid
could rotate almost 360°. A nice feature was its ability to obstacles, and seek out people with its sensors.
speak to people who were programming or interacting with The most sophisticated Hero was the Hero 2000, a
it. It could even download and store programs on its cassette 78-pound, 33-inch-high, well-designed machine with a 16-bit
tape drive. Unlike the more popular differential “tank drives” 8088 master microprocessor and 11 eight-bit peripheral
on most experimental robots today, Hero used two fixed processors, 64 K of Basic ROM, 24 K of RAM (expandable to
wheels and a maneuverable front drive wheel. Weighing in 576 K) and an optional six-axis arm that had real capabilities.
at 39 pounds with its four six-volt gel cell batteries and stand- The Hero 2000 also had a remote RF-linked console that
ing 20 inches high, it also came with a charger and teach served as a program input device or a basic controller and an
pendant. It could drive you nuts when it frequently broke automatic docking/charging capability. The arm could be
down, but could also purchased separately as a training device, as could a very nice
entertain and teach you “Robotics and Industrial Electronics” course that came in two
for hours and hours. three-inch-thick notebooks. I still have this course material
With the success of and refer to it.
the original Hero 1, Considering that these robots were designed over a
Heath came out with a quarter of a century ago, their capabilities are still amazing
stripped-down version to this day. Sadly, Heathkit Educational Systems and all
called Hero, Jr. It had no of Heath was dissolved in the mid 90s and another
arm and no moving Michigan company — Mobile Ed Productions — took over the
upper torso and was rights and the few robots and parts left for their teaching.
more of a security device The fantastic educational challenge aside, people just did not
and alarm clock that want to build complex electronic equipment from kits when
roamed about the they could buy them assembled for much less. If any of
house. It had 32 K of you readers still have any of these robots, I suggest that
ROM that stored a few you hang onto them. They were the first “crown jewels” of
songs, such as “Daisy” experimental robotics. SV
82 SERVO 03.2005
CoverInside.qxd 2/7/2005 4:19 PM Page 2

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