Inverted Pendulum Robot Project
In one of my classes (Embedded Systems/Microcontrollers) I have students list three projects that interest them as a potential final project. In my current class 3 out of 5 students listed "Inverted Pendulum Robot" as one of their possibles, and during the discussion, all 5 decided it would be a good team project.
Their initial research noted that Parallax already has almost all of the required hardware. They were also impressed by the wealth of documentation on just about anything Parallax related.
They divided the project into three phases:
1. Inverted pendulum just stands in one area without falling.
2. Robot has basic sensors and can wander rather randomly, avoiding obstacles.
3. Robot can perform more complex navigation.
The students decided on doing a Phase 1 robot, with the possibility of doing Phase 2 if time permits.
Since we are in a college, I found six foot high cardboard cutouts of graduating male and female students in caps and gowns. The plan is to paste them back-to-back so we have a six-foot inverted pendulum robot to show off in the school hallways.
My plan is to provide full documentation and reporting on how this project proceeds. If there is any interest and/or feedback here, I would be glad to share what my students discover, build and present. Ultimately, I would post a complete article on the project in sufficient detail to allow others to build this robot. I will also be posting info on my web site http://www.richardvannoy.info.
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
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Their initial research noted that Parallax already has almost all of the required hardware. They were also impressed by the wealth of documentation on just about anything Parallax related.
They divided the project into three phases:
1. Inverted pendulum just stands in one area without falling.
2. Robot has basic sensors and can wander rather randomly, avoiding obstacles.
3. Robot can perform more complex navigation.
The students decided on doing a Phase 1 robot, with the possibility of doing Phase 2 if time permits.
Since we are in a college, I found six foot high cardboard cutouts of graduating male and female students in caps and gowns. The plan is to paste them back-to-back so we have a six-foot inverted pendulum robot to show off in the school hallways.
My plan is to provide full documentation and reporting on how this project proceeds. If there is any interest and/or feedback here, I would be glad to share what my students discover, build and present. Ultimately, I would post a complete article on the project in sufficient detail to allow others to build this robot. I will also be posting info on my web site http://www.richardvannoy.info.
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
·
Comments
Leon
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
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- Stephen
exciting and informative learning experience.
The BASIC Stamp is an ideal choice for this project and
the inverted pendulum robot works perfectly fine with
the BASIC Stamp as evidenced by successful completed
projects.
You can see one example of a completed project that uses the
BASIC STAMP posted at the link, on the Parallax web page.
www.parallax.com/tabid/505/Default.aspx
This project was submitted to Parallax by Juan Pablo Angulo
(founder of the Microbotica Robotics Society in Mexico City)
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humanoido
*Stamp SEED Supercomputer *Basic Stamp Supercomputer *TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
*Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer *Three Dimensional Computer *Penguin with 12 Brains
*Penguin Tech *StampOne News! *Penguin Robot Society
*Handbook of BASIC Stamp Supercomputing
*Ultimate List Propeller Languages
*MC Prop Computer
Post Edited (humanoido) : 1/24/2010 5:43:49 AM GMT
Since I want to have a more complete inventory (I only have 7 BOE-Bots, 3 Ping)))s and an SX) I guess I can order a Propeller and then it will be handy if the students need it.
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=21&m=162898
Of course this is limited not just in that the robot doesn't go anyplace, but also in that it is balancing by reference to distance from a level floor. Integtrating an accelerometer and rate gyro to balance from inertial sensors is much harder and I don't think anyone has done that with a Basic Stamp.
Going from phase 1 to phase 2 will be a real challenge and that too probably needs a faster processor like the Propeller.
/John
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
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www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=self+balancing+robot+spinoffs&aq=f&aqi=&oq=
humanoido
Post Edited (humanoido) : 1/31/2010 5:12:36 AM GMT
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Ron aka sailman58
Post Edited (sailman58) : 2/1/2010 7:34:34 PM GMT
Our parts are on order, so we'll be starting soon. As the parts come in, I will be documenting with photos, part numbers, prices, etc.
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
·
By the way, your maze solving documentation is very impressive.
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Post Edited (Whit) : 2/6/2010 2:40:06 AM GMT
Most of the parts are in.
Any time I have something to add, I'll put it at
http://www.richardvannoy.info/inverted-pendulum.php
So you can check there to see our progress.
Thursday, the team made a 6 X 3 foot frame for the graduate cardboard cutouts.
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
·
You can read the article in PDF format here.
www.circuitcellar.com/archives/viewable/224-Sander/Sander-224.pdf
Vision-Guided Robotics
A Next-Generation Balancing Robot
and online here:
www.circuitcellar.com/archives/viewable/224-Sander/index.html
humanoido
Great start on your documentation. What a funny idea with the grad cutouts!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
The team assembles Thursday for final assembly and testing.
I'll be there taking pictures, videos and notes.
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
Right now the inverted pendulum responds to tilt (although backwards), so something needs to be reversed in the output.
The BS2sx board, motor controller, accelerometer all work flawlessly, independently. We are very close!
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Richard Vannoy
Programming and Electronics Instructor
www.RichardVannoy.info
·
Just for sport, now I'll do it with a vanilla·BS2 and some relays. And maybe some vacuum tubes. Poor Cousin, get ready to do·some wheelies.
Will advise. I smell another ROBOT magazine article in the offing.
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·"If you build it, they will come."