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Inverted Pendulum Robot Project — Parallax Forums

Inverted Pendulum Robot Project

RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
edited 2010-03-12 05:34 in Learn with BlocklyProp
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
·

Comments

  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2010-01-23 20:20
    I doubt if a Stamp will be fast enough, or have enough memory.

    Leon

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    Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2010-01-24 02:40
    Leon is probably right and you should consider the propeller chip.

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    - Stephen
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-01-24 05:21
    Richard Vannoy: This is a really great project and will be a very
    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
    Juan Pablo Angulo said...
    Facts about my robot - Because the BS2p Microcontroller can process 12,000 instructions per second, and most of my program is composed of pretty simple tasks, it takes only a few milliseconds to go through the whole process of sensing, computing and commanding motors, therefore the sensor can be monitored and motors commanded some 800 times per second, making the robot pretty stable!

    bwaypar1.gifbwaypar.gif
    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
  • RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
    edited 2010-01-25 19:18
    So... 2 votes for "No way" and one vote for "It can be done and here's proof"

    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.
  • JohnBFJohnBF Posts: 107
    edited 2010-01-25 21:49
    There no question that phase 1 can be accomplished with a Basic Stamp. Here's one I did:

    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
  • RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
    edited 2010-01-31 00:53
    We are going to do a "Phase 1" pendulum, so we should be good to go. I'll post here and on my web site for those who want to follow along. My goal is to have a fully documented project so others can duplicate it if they desire.

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    Richard Vannoy

    Programming and Electronics Instructor
    www.RichardVannoy.info
    ·
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-01-31 05:06
    We look forward to following along with this very interesting class project. How soon will you start? This type of project can lead to self balancing vehicles, which is undoubtedly a great prospect in the future. Here's a link with a lot of self balancing robots, each made with a different design philosophy, and some information about robotic vehicles.

    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
  • sailman58sailman58 Posts: 162
    edited 2010-01-31 15:20
    There is a full chapter on DanceBot in the new Propeller Book. Unfortunately, it arrived on Friday afternoon and I had to go out on Friday evening and all day yesterday so I have barely skimmed the content. If you don't already have a copy or one on order, it would probably be a good addition to your library. I look forward to seeing what your students come up with.

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    Ron aka sailman58

    Post Edited (sailman58) : 2/1/2010 7:34:34 PM GMT
  • RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
    edited 2010-02-01 19:04
    humanoido

    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
    ·
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2010-02-06 02:30
    I look forward to seeing this too, RoboticsProfessor.

    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
  • RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
    edited 2010-02-21 16:40
    The work on the inverted pendulum has started.

    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
    ·
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-02-22 03:50
    The book is not the only source for DanceBot. Circuit Cellar magazine ran an article March 2009.
    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
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    edited 2010-02-23 03:21
    RoboticsProfessor,

    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
  • RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
    edited 2010-03-02 23:56
    See below for what the 6 foot graduate cutouts look like.
    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
    grad-female.jpg
    162 x 432 - 56K
    grad-male.jpg
    184 x 500 - 16K
  • RoboticsProfessorRoboticsProfessor Posts: 54
    edited 2010-03-11 22:51
    The students have all the components working.
    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
    ·
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2010-03-12 05:34
    Dangit, fellas. All I need is for someone to say "it can't be done with a Basic Stamp" to egg me on.

    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."
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