Help with Simple Balancing robot

.:John:.

Ok, first I want to say that I am sorry I have never accomplished any of the projects I waste your time asking about. Right now I am working on a simple balancing robot that uses a counterweight to always stay upright. If I am correct, this should be able to handle ANY slope. I am deciding on which motors to use from robot marketplace. Does anyone know a connector that would allow my to connect the motors to bike wheels. I intend to use this mostly inside as a personal assistant.

I have a rough concept of what i intend to do.

Post Edited (curious_roboticist) : 7/26/2008 9:34:22 PM GMT

LoopyByteloose

I would love to see Parallax have a contest for the best balancing robot. Of all the robotic platforms out there, the balancing bots really get across the beauty and spirit of microcontroller managed mobility.

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It's sunny and warm here. It is always sunny and warm here.... (unless a typhoon blows through).

Tropically, G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse] 黃鶴 ] in Taiwan

.:John:.

I decided to forget about bicycle wheels so that I can get a better connection to the motor.

I have had trouble finding a geared motor that is in my price range (100 dollars or less each motor) that has the required torque. I do not actually know yet how much torque the motors should have but I am thinking that about 30-40 ft/lbs should be pretty good for my first design. However, I want to get that without massive current.

LoopyByteloose

Another thread recently mentions some very powerful and reasonably priced 24v electric drill motors. But it may be easier to buy a whole assembly of motor, wheel and bracket.

http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=15&m=280795

That may be what you are looking for.

Most of us don't have machine shops available to integrate these parts. Parallax has some complete assemblies.

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It's sunny and warm here. It is always sunny and warm here.... (unless a typhoon blows through).

Tropically, G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse] 黃鶴 ] in Taiwan

Post Edited (Kramer) : 7/27/2008 9:04:22 AM GMT

parts-man73

how about a Wiper motor from a car, or a power window motor? Easy to obtain at a salvage yard or auto parts store. They lack speed but have plenty of torque. They also lack feedback, you'll have to add some sort of mechanism to sense the rotational speed or position of the output shaft.

*** edit - I just remembered something about most wiper motors, they have something called a park switch, that most have built in. It "switches" when the motor is in a certain position. This allows your wipers to always "park" in the same place on the windshield. The car then has circuitry to stop the motor in this position. You can monitor pulses from this switch to count revolutions. Not very accurate, but better than no feedback)



I had thought about a robot based on these for motors, and small bicycle wheels. I had saved a pair of 12" bike wheels when my son moved up to a bigger bike.

All Electronics has a selection of surpus motors (including a wiper motor) for cheap, maybe one of those will do the trick.

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Brian

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