SplatBot MkII
@ January 31, 2009
- Actuators / output devices: speaker, 2x geared motors, 2x standard servos, 2x minature servos, 2x 12V water pumps
- Control method: autonomous
- CPU: Picaxe 28x1
- Power source: 7.2V NiMh 2500mAh (6xAA)
- Programming language: Picaxe basic
- Sensors / input devices: Maxbotix EZ1sonar, bumper switches and occasionally IR
- Target environment: Outdoor mainly
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| SPLATBOT_MKII_V2.BAS | 15.22 KB |
Sleeker and with twice the firepower, SplatBot Mk II has some obvious improvements over the original. Noticably the water bottles and pumps are on the chassis making the cannon much lighter and more responsive. I've also doubled the storage capacity and pumping power. each pump is individually controlled for multicolour writting. Both videos can be viewed in high quality mode.
The first video is the most recent and is for the purist. Directed from afar :)
He sounds like an excited cousin of R2D2 but this is actually the sonar range readings converted to sound to help test that the sonar is working properly.
The second is my earlier experimentation with video editing software syncronised to some suitable music with our new logo hastily added before uploading :D
The chassis is the same as the original with some meccano supports to hold the water bottles (not shown). The two pumps and a DC-DC converter have been added to the back.
The DC-DC converter is configured as a voltage step up current regulator. This means that the output is a higher voltage than the input and the current is regulated to control the brightness of the LEDs.
The LEDs used are 0.5W 10mm green and white LEDs. They are very bright, in the video's they are turned down to minimum brightness. The white LEDs in the water bottles are for lighting up water that has been coloured with food colouring. Unfortunately the only video with that working was the two colour LMR attempt. The dye had to be very dark to show up well on the sand and did no light up as well as hoped. I plan to do a night video that should be better.
I've attached the code for SplatBot although it's incomplete. The IR tracking routine will be re-written to suit the next sensor design and the LMR routine has been written in a less than efficent manner to make it easier for me to tweak the font. If I'm ever happy with it then I'll condense the code.
@ Thu, 2011-06-23 12:29
Sonar
Awesome work to be honest. My question may sounds a bit silly, but how did you connected the EZ1 maxsonar to the picaxe28? is it the same as srf ultrasound series.
@ Fri, 2011-06-24 01:34
No the EZ1 sonars have both
@ Thu, 2009-05-14 23:00
I'm working on a project
I'm working on a project inspired by you, and I've bought a simular looking pump, as I couldn't find a battery powered water gun either.
Is the pumps output made for tubing that are 5mm measured on the inside? I'm sitting looking at the plastic tube joiners that came with it and they seem to be to wide to function as a nozzle. Were the "black plastic fishtank tube joiner" you mention in your original splatbot text something else?
Right now I'm experimenting with wind screen washer nozzles, but they give more of a thin spray than a jet...
@ Thu, 2009-05-14 23:55
Tubes and nozzles
PUMP OUTPUT: The fishtank tubeing seem to come in two types. A flexable plastic or a silicon rubber type. I used the rubber type as it is softer and more flexable. It was difficult to stretch it over the pump connections but it stretches a fair bit. You could also try silicon rubber fuel lines used for model engines and whippa-snippers. Otherwise you may need an adaptor.
NOZZLE: The black joiners had an inside diameter of only about 1.5mm. This seemed to be fine for the pressure developed by my pumps despite being underpowered. It was nothing fancy. You might want to try plugging the tube with some polymorph instead and just drilling a small hole in the end. Start with a 1mm hole and work your way up untill you get the right flow. I used a set of drills designed for circuit boards. They came in a pack of 0.8mm, 1mm, 1.2mm, 1.5mm, 2mm and 2.5mm.
PRESSURE: The nozzle is dependant on the pressure developed by your pump. Make sure you have a breather tube in your water container so you don't end up with a negative pressure inside. Have your pump below the container if possible and make sure there are no air bubbles in the pump. Because I refilled my container by pushing water back through the pump it helped to prevent air being trapped in the pump.
@ Fri, 2009-05-15 00:30
thank you for being so
thank you for being so helpfull, Oddbot. Your an inspiration and an asset.
-And the only other person I've said that about had to do this to get such acclaim
@ Fri, 2009-05-15 02:15
Your welcome :-)
I am always happy to help as many are happy to help me. Still I can't imagine you would look as Kylie in those tight gold shorts :P
@ Fri, 2009-05-15 09:39
I'm not sure you wanna
@ Wed, 2009-04-01 17:32
Oh man, I hadn't seen this
Oh man, I hadn't seen this one until Rik linked it from his Pulse, but that's effing great :) The two-color LMR in the sand is incredible. Nice job with this.
Dan
@ Wed, 2009-04-01 17:34
Wow
That's all kinds of sad!
We really need to get you back into the loop dude! Between Pulses especially.
@ Wed, 2009-04-01 21:28
I agree with Rik considering
I agree with Rik considering the number of times this was updated. Then again now that I'm working (till the end of the week anyway) I understand how hard it is to keep up with everything.
Oh well he's going to China in about 2 weeks and I still haven't got the IR tracking working the way I want. The MkIII will get built soon with my 6 wheel drive base but that will be going to Danmark. Frits is going to teach it to piss in the snow :D