Autonomous rock crawler
@ October 27, 2011
- Actuators / output devices: Futaba hi torque servos, 55T lathe motor
- Control method: Autonomous and optional wireless xbee control
- CPU: Arduino Uno (atmega328)
- Power source: one 9V battery for MCU and sonar, Ni-MH batteries (7.2v total)
- Sensors / input devices: PING))) sonar, and maybe IR
- Target environment: Outdoors / Rough terrain
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| RCC1.jpg | 56.04 KB |
| RCC3.jpg | 76.07 KB |
After putting together the LMR Start Here bot, I knew I wanted to do more. So I set out to convert one of my (many) RC projects into something autonomous. I figured what better choice than a slow moving crawler (so I could catch it if it went awol!).
I took a functioning truck and created an electronics tray out of 1mm carbon fiber. Everything is held on with servo tape. The servos are powered via the battery elimination circuit from the speed controller, which also made it easy to control the motor acting as another servo. Well, I say easy, but I'm still working out the kinks with the ESC. I plan to add a PING sensor for object detection in front, and probably a few IR sensors for side/rear/edges. An xbee serial link allows me to control it from my laptop for now, as I haven't added any sensors yet.
Mechanically, it's 4 wheel drive and 4 wheel steering. The differentials in the axles are currently locked with hot glue, so the added steering is pretty helpful on flat surfaces.
@ Tue, 2012-02-07 16:25
Following closely
I'm building a similar project, but using a venom crawler, Duratrax sprint ESC, xbee and arduino... hopefully i will soon put up some pictures... any exemples of code yet ?
@ Thu, 2012-02-09 20:03
The code I have has caused
The code I have has caused me some headaches, stemming from the speed controller I started with. The LRP AI Runner doesn't save any settings and has to re-learn forward/reverse/neutral every time it's powered on. Timing seemed to be an issue, and it would get them backwards quite often. So I set it aside until I was ready to order another ESC that kept it's settings onboard. Haven't touched it since early November :/
@ Fri, 2011-10-28 08:18
Very Nice
Very cool project. Are you still using the RX board alongside your arduino?
@ Fri, 2011-10-28 16:36
Nope, the receiver is out of
Nope, the receiver is out of the picture at this point. The Arduino is taking up it's duties, the only wireless control I'll have of it will be via xbee serial link with my laptop. It's not in the pictures above, but I'm using the sparkfun xbee shield. I've got it programmed atm to set servo center pos, initialize the esc, and then wait for a command before moving.
@ Fri, 2011-10-28 03:21
What brand of crawler is
What brand of crawler is it?
Also are you planning on using the RC body, or going without?
Personally I'd like to see more robot's using a cosmetic body as I get tired of seeing circuit boards on wheels.
Nice truck!!!
@ Fri, 2011-10-28 16:40
It's a bit of a hodge
It's a bit of a hodge podge! It's got Tamiya axles from a TLT-1. The frame is from Bender Customs from the rccrawler.com forums. And the transmission comes from a Traxxas Stampede. I think the shocks came from a HPI Savage, but I'm not sure.
I do have a body to put on it! A green Bronco shell, I've just left it off to make updating the code simpler. I can have updated photos this weekend to show it off.
@ Fri, 2011-10-28 20:26
I LIKE IT!I LIKE IT
I LIKE IT!
I LIKE IT ALOT!!!
:-D
@ Fri, 2011-10-28 00:48
I like it