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My penguin wont walk — Parallax Forums

My penguin wont walk

MacoreMacore Posts: 41
edited 2010-04-12 11:48 in Robotics
First off I am using program: Penguin-ServoCalibration-v1.3.bpx to try to calibrate my penguin. When I step the values of the Stride Servo it kinda buzzez and shudders a little and then over or undershoots its mark unless I pick it up from the desk and then it will align. After running the alignment and saving the values to E2PROM, I try the Walk command and he takes 1 step gives a high beep and redisplays the debug screen and stops.

Anybody have any help on this???

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Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
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Comments

  • David CarrierDavid Carrier Posts: 294
    edited 2010-03-11 18:25
    Macore,
    It sounds like your Penguin is resetting when it tries to walk. This could be because the Penguin either has low batteries, or it is binding when it tries to move. I would recommend trying fresh batteries, and/or loosening the screws that hold the legs in place. See the third paragraph of Step 5 on page eight of the documentation at http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/robo/27313-6 PenguinDoc-v1.4.pdf for more information about tightening the leg screws.

    — David Carrier
    Parallax, Inc.
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-12 00:18
    OK, David... I agree it seems to be resetting. But, the batteries are fresh and the legs move very fluently. He get one foot out and then resets. Could there be a bug in the program? I downloaded from the website here?

    Help, saddened Penguin owner with crippled Penguin...

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-03-13 03:14
    Macore, this seems really odd but perhaps your Penguin board has a defect in the power supply. Please contact me by PM and I'll get you a replacement board. Include your shipping address too, please.

    Thanks for your patience.

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    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-13 05:58
    Thanks Ken, PM sent...

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • jaegjaeg Posts: 156
    edited 2010-03-13 23:27
    I had an issue similar to this. The batteries that came with my Penguin weren't working right for some reason. When I checked them with a multimeter they had enough voltage but it kept resetting. When I replaced them the robot worked fine. I'm wondering if it's a bad batch of batteries or something.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2010-03-15 20:28
    I also had a bad penguin--in fact, I still do! It's sitting on my desk collecting dust [noparse]:([/noparse] because it does not walk, but twitches and jerks and makes a beeping noise. I even got a replacement naro servo for it, but it did not solve the problem. I will check if new batteries help, and poke it with my multimeter a few times....

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  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-03-16 03:43
    edit: post moved to Penguin Sticky

    humanoido

    Post Edited (humanoido) : 3/16/2010 6:54:12 AM GMT
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-03-16 04:52
    @humanoido: thank you - my experience always led to battery voltage being a problem.
    @macore: your PCB will go out tomorrow. I'll include some new CR2 batteries and test it before we ship.
    @vaati: new batteries are likely the cure. Have you tried a regulated power supply?

    We don't want any twitching penguins. Always feel free to let us know if you have a problem like the ones you describe above.

    Thanks,

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    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-03-16 06:27
    Ken has the best handle on Penguin with the latest information
    and support. Penguin has become one of the most important
    biped robots in evolutionary robotics. It's unique combination
    of servos, ports, display, compass, infrared system, button
    (keyboard), sound, vision sensors, and extremely powerful on-
    board processor make it programmable for an incredible number
    of applications and unique experiences.

    My tests with the rechargeable batteries was a fantastic experience.
    Penguin was singing, dancing and walking around all afternoon. I'm
    moving the "battery" post to the Penguin sticky so others may benefit
    from the idea of using rechargeable batteries.

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=890745

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    humanoido
    *Stamp SEED Supercomputer *Basic Stamp Supercomputer *TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
    *Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer *Tiny Stamp Supercomputer *Penguin with 12 Brains
    *BASIC Stamp Supercomputing Book *Three Dimensional Computer *StampOne News!
    *Penguin Tech *Penguin Robot Society *Toddler Humanoid Robot Project
    *Ultimate List Prop Languages *Prop-a-Lot *Propalot Stuff *Prop SC Computer
    *Prop IB Hypercomputer - under development *Hobby Space Program

    Post Edited (humanoido) : 3/16/2010 7:08:19 AM GMT
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-16 22:34
    Thanks guys, I was playing around with him with a different battery set with strange results. I think Ken may have a handle on mine, suggesting a new PCB. I will post my results here when I get it installed. Here's hoping we all get our little fellows up and hoping along, lol.

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-03-17 19:10
    There is another new posting in the Penguin sticky
    that gives a reference guide to various battery voltages
    and their effects on Penguin. Basically anything below 5-volts
    will drive your Penguin bananas. The BAT Penguin program
    is designed to read the battery voltage level and respond
    accordingly. The code has a writeup in Penguin Tech
    Magazine.

    humanoido
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-26 22:44
    I am getting the same results here. I was initially having trouble getting my penguin to walk at all. Key sent me a new PCB and Batteries and now I am getting the 8. on the display and the legs splitting problem. It works perfect as long as the USB cable is hooked up and the Terminal window is open. Also I noticed that if the terminal program doesn't have enough size to display the whole start-up message for the Calibration program V1.3 it will crash when I hit some keys and do nothing when I hit others, so it is hard to get it calibrated. Since I got the new PCB and Batteries, the Calibration program is still flaky and now I am getting this 8. thing as well. I have tried: re-booting the PC, all 3 sets of Batteries that I have all which read 3.0v or better on my Multi-Meter, a different USB cable and standing on one foot and holding my breath. This is really frustrating, I am beginning to dislike my penguin and the BS2 and am really rather sorry I bought it now. I wonder how others get theirs to work? I won't even get into the several issues I had putting it together. A BOE Bot with a Spin Stamp is much more fun to work on. I should have bought a Stingray...

    Sighs, ready to put this thing up on the shelf...

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...

    Post Edited (Macore) : 3/26/2010 10:51:19 PM GMT
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-03-26 23:09
    Macore,

    This is really interesting. I'm not sure what's wrong but I'll get my hands on the problem on Monday. Our internal tech support has tested the PCBs and tells me that this problem doesn't exist, so I'll check into it myself. Sorry for the inconvenience - we'll get it straight right away.

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    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-03-26 23:22
    Macore - I'm wondering if one of your servos is somehow bound (or at least a massive current draw) and causing the Penguin to reset. I've had trouble with these servos before.

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    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-27 01:06
    Well I am gonna go ahead and put the older PCB board back on and try it again. I was not getting this split leg and 8. display problem before I installed the new PCB, so maybe I can isolate it to that. Its very strange he walks and avoids obstacles and everything just fine as long as he is tethered and the serial terminal is running. He doesn't seem to be continuously re-booting like he was with the other PCB and batteries. The other problems I have worked through, they are just jading my feelings towards the penguin and the BS2, I never had any troubles like this with propeller and BOE BOT, sighs.

    I appreciate all your help and stuff though... I think you have a good company and I really enjoy propeller and your sensors and stuff. Too bad you have no Job openings, I am a semi-retired programmer with over 30 years in the industry. I would come out of retirement to work for you guys....

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-03-27 16:49
    Macore: does your Penguin have the REVB board?
    It has a 3-position power switch.

    humanoido
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-30 05:48
    It does now... The original board that came in the kit was not Rev B. The one Ken shipped to me is Rev B...

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-03-30 09:29
    Good! You should edit your first post, and change the title to add "Fixed" or "Solved."
    Glad to know its working.

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    humanoido
    *Stamp SEED Supercomputer *Basic Stamp Supercomputer *TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
    *Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer *Tiny Stamp Supercomputer *Penguin with 12 Brains
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    *Penguin Tech *Penguin Robot Society *Toddler Humanoid Robot Project
    *Ultimate List Prop Languages *Prop-a-Lot *Propalot Stuff *Prop SC Computer
    *Prop IB Hypercomputer - under development *Hobby Space Program
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-30 19:06
    nothing is solved I am still having all the problems I have described in these posts.
    I tried everybodys suggestions, I tried everything I could think of and nothing changed...

    But anyways its ok, I dont want to use the penguin anymore. am returning to the propeller
    I pretty much disklike the basic stamp and dont want to use it any more, I am really sorry
    that I bought the penguin, sighs

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-03-30 20:31
    Macore, we can learn something from your Penguin problems. We need to see this robot up close and analyze it for ourselves. Please send it back to my attention ASAP For a full credit. Thanks -

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    Ken Gracey
    Parallax Inc.

    Follow me at http://twitter.com/ParallaxKen for some insider news.
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-30 22:47
    No thanks to me, but many thanks to you, Ken, appreciate all your help. I really do... Will get that in the mail tomorrow...

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    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...

    Post Edited (Macore) : 3/31/2010 11:18:32 PM GMT
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-03-31 13:12
    Macore, you've just got to hang in there! It's totally a fixable thing. As a Penguin robot enthusiast, (I love these Penguin robots!) I can tell you it's one of the best and most reliable. I've had many different robots, various products, from various companies, but Penguin and Parallax are simply the best.

    Sometimes we pull a card out of the deck that's missing a line of print (it happens to everyone now and then), but no problem because Parallax is a company that fully supports all of us whenever we need help. Few, if any, companies in today's fast paced world offer so much support and high quality well designed products.

    I can tell you, I've written over a thousand Penguin programs and that's a lot of reliability out of that cute little robot. So when you get up and running, you're welcome to visit our web site (Penguin Robot Society), stay a while, and join in the fun!

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    humanoido
    *Stamp SEED Supercomputer *Basic Stamp Supercomputer *TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
    *Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer *Tiny Stamp Supercomputer *Penguin with 12 Brains
    *BASIC Stamp Supercomputing Book *Three Dimensional Computer *StampOne News!
    *Penguin Tech *Penguin Robot Society *Toddler Humanoid Robot Project
    *Ultimate List Prop Languages *Prop-a-Lot *Propalot Stuff *Prop SC Computer
    *Prop IB Hypercomputer - under development *Hobby Space Program
  • MacoreMacore Posts: 41
    edited 2010-03-31 23:21
    Thanks for the note of good cheer humanoido, but I have thrown in the towel, I really don't like the basic stamp much anyways and with all the problems I had it just wasn't worth it. I really like the propeller and spin better. I am a semi-retired software engineer and have written code in over a dozen languages over my 30 years in the industry. I will be learning assembler for the prop cause I love assembler and really just wouldn't have time for the penguin anyways. Right now I am trying to finish my re-write of the BOE BOT which I am converting to spin and using a spin stamp on the BOE instead of a bs2. This is a lot of fun for me and more my style. But thanks again for all your help, I know we will be talking in the future, I like your style, friend...

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Often the joy is not so much in the having, its in the building...
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2010-04-03 19:38
    Well, my replacement tilt servo broke this morning. A tooth of one of the gears broke off, and it had even stopped moving before that.

    I found out that I have a Rev. A main board on my penguin, and my power board only has two positions so I guess it's Rev A as well.

    As for the batteries, I'm going to rig up a 6xAAA to 2xCR123 adapter and see if that helps fix the problem.

    Who can I contact to get another replacement naro servo?


    For some reason, I am very unlucky when it comes to my penguin. [noparse]:([/noparse]
    Must be because I got it for free....

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    MCU Projects·- my new site where I will be posting all projects, code, etc.

    Quit buying all those fixed voltage regulators, and·get an Adjustable Power Supply·for your projects!· Includes an LED testing terminal!

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  • jaegjaeg Posts: 156
    edited 2010-04-04 02:38
    How do you tell what revision you have? My power board only has two positions but other than that I'm not seeing any other markings indicating the version.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2010-04-04 19:11
    Didn't humanoido say that power boards with 3 positions are rev B? It's a post in this thread...

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    MCU Projects·- my new site where I will be posting all projects, code, etc.

    Quit buying all those fixed voltage regulators, and·get an Adjustable Power Supply·for your projects!· Includes an LED testing terminal!

    SD Card Adapter·- Add extra memory to your next Propeller project with ease!
  • jaegjaeg Posts: 156
    edited 2010-04-04 19:20
    Yah. I didn't know if the main board and the power board had separate versions though. So I know my power board isn't Rev. B but I'm not sure about the main board.
  • SandhuamarinderSandhuamarinder Posts: 85
    edited 2010-04-05 12:51
    Ok i am student but guessing that could be the problem.

    I am working on Robot arm project. What was happening in my project was it drains so much energy and the Robot restarts. And red light blinks again and again like u are saying.

    The reason behind that is that there is leakage of current bcoz of that this is happening. Are your battery wires connected properly with it. Hope the negative and positive are not touching each other its not getting contact with some steel surface. Batteries could also be the problem. Do one thingtry changing the batteries to power supply adapter and check with voltmeter. Or try running the servo on serperate power supply.

    Or

    Other reason could be you are attaching alot of big power servos or something like that to micro controller which is not capable of that

    That could be the reasons.

    I am just a student. I maybe wrong. Dont get disappointed if it still doesnt work.
  • VaatiVaati Posts: 712
    edited 2010-04-05 13:10
    Thanks for the suggestions--I am probably going to mod a 6x or 5x AAA (or simply a 9 volt battery) onto my penguin so I don't have to buy special batteries that are at least $3 each.

    I'm going to try my naro servo today using my BS2 to see if it works.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    MCU Projects·- my new site where I will be posting all projects, code, etc.

    Quit buying all those fixed voltage regulators, and·get an Adjustable Power Supply·for your projects!· Includes an LED testing terminal!

    SD Card Adapter·- Add extra memory to your next Propeller project with ease!
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2010-04-08 14:44
    Jaeg said...
    I didn't know if the main board and the power board had separate versions though. So I know my power board isn't Rev. B but I'm not sure about the main board.
    The Revision B boards come as a matched set. The Rev. B main board has two expansion ports instead of one. The added expansion port is located next to the segment display and the power light is amber instead of blue.

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    humanoido
    *Stamp SEED Supercomputer *Basic Stamp Supercomputer *TriCore Stamp Supercomputer
    *Minuscule Stamp Supercomputer *Tiny Stamp Supercomputer *Penguin with 12 Brains
    *BASIC Stamp Supercomputing Book *Three Dimensional Computer *StampOne News!
    *Penguin Tech *Penguin Robot Society *Toddler Humanoid Robot Project
    *Ultimate List Prop Languages *Prop-a-Lot *Propalot Stuff *Prop SC Computer
    *Prop IB Hypercomputer - under development *Hobby Space Program

    Post Edited (humanoido) : 4/8/2010 2:50:19 PM GMT
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