PropRover - Multi Sensor Platform

Gareth

I have always wanted a robot with multiple sensors to absorb and shout out about the environment in which it lives.
So what you will be seeing with "PropRover" is a journey exploring not only common but also some weird and strange sensors.

It uses a Propeller - i am confident that it will be able to handle the things i will be throwing at it.

Above is the basic "Soap-Box" chassis ....... you may notice my "PlankoTilt" system mounted on the front , ready for camera and various probes....

Its a Laser cut Plexi-glass 3D mount i designed for cameras,lasers and sensors. this will all unfold with time).

I am using my" Elfish Computer"as it has already keyboard,mouse,audio and Bluetooth connectors built in.

The drive system to the GM motors are basic LD293s (working) - with "QRD1114 encoders" to pick up rotational info.

These are the latest Videos of it in action.....just for an idea of what is to come........

[video=youtube_share;fqyHMGhUQmw]
[video=youtube_share;0j6eq_MHw8A]
Update 2012.09.12 MCP 3208 8 Channel 12 Bit Analog input

Update 2012.09.05
Lots of data flowing in needs some house keeping.... so i have installed a 2G MicroSD card ....(no extra components required)
Using the Character map from the Spin IDE makes light work of including circuits schematics into the code....







Update 2012.08.31 7-Segment Debug Egg and Binary input switch Plus Vocal Tract OBJ and Singing Seven Demo OBJ

With all these sensors its getting more and more of a challenge to debug and switch-in various processes "on-the-fly"
So i have made the a 7-segment and switch arrangement to help and give extra feedback.......

Also coming into the forefront is the Audio system - AKA Stereo amplified speakers.
Providing Speech synthesis and Stereo spacial widening and positioning ..Yes what you hear comes direct out of the propeller.

Update 2012.08.28 Sensor Tower installed and First compass video added .....Lasy Susan edition....Looks like my "Plug&Play" idea might be plausible now.
Sensirion SHT-11 Temperature/Humidity/Dew-point Sensor SHT-11 OBJ



BMP085 Pressure/Altitude/Temperature Sensor. BMP085 OBJ


Here is first data .... needs to be averaged ... and not sure why first 2 values are invalid !!
NB. this is not corrected to local barometric pressure referenced to sea level (more about that soon)
I live @ 765M so you can see the uncorrected error...

3 Axis Gyro (hacked out of a Wii-Motion+ add-on) Wii-Motion OBJ

1. U6 Gyro IDG600 InvenSense Dual axis gyro 'X and Y Axis
2. U3 E x3500w EPSONTOYOCOM Crystal Gyro-Sensor single axis 'Z Axis

Sample gyro data , here you can see a backward/forward tilt response on the x-axis
(in this case samples were taken every 1/10 second.....it goes muchmuch faster than this)
Normal static probe data hovers around 0,0,0 ..... averaging required to reduce noise.

HM55B Compass module HM55B OBJ


All sensor data so far has been displayed via the serial port - meaning sensor data is easily manipulated.
The propeller Serial Terminal "obj" allows control over the cursor position....
Below is a simple graphic showing live data with sensor showing the East direction.

Connector system are 0.1" inline header sockets
I figured 6 pins as standard

1. 3.3V
2. gnd
3. Spare 01 (led ..thought cool idea to light them up ,or switch,etc)
4. Spare 02 ditto
5. SCL I2C clock
6. SDA I2C data

I Need some kind of reader to scan and log data off this Liquid Crystal ThermoChromic sheet........ any ideas greatly appreciated.....

RobotWorkshop

Nice project. You may be able to use the sensor from this project to scan the ThermoChromic sheet:

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?142228-Propeller-based-Thermal-Imager

Either that or snap an image with a camera and analyze the colors.

How are you going to use that sheet with the robot?

SRLM

Ok, I love that Easter egg idea. It's pretty darn smart.

It would be really cool if you could make the eggs wireless, and drop them all over the place and make an ad-hoc sensor network. Maybe a self destruct mode by shorting it's lipo battery?

mindrobots

Gareth,

I saw this on Let's Make Robots over the weekend and thought it was a great idea with the sensor capsules. I'm glad you posted it here too!

You certainly have some creative ideas!

ElectricAye

Very cool. Looks like a lot of fun.

Gareth

I have been using the Thermochromic sheet by laying it on top of circuit boards to show the heat pattern given off ....ie to detect which components are running hot. Its a direct visual guide... however an automatic "Scan and Save" would be neat.
Somehow i know i have to go down the camera line ....even if its gray scale...(but to date i have failed to add a camera to my Propeller).

Gareth

SRLM wrote: »

Ok, I love that Easter egg idea. It's pretty darn smart.

It would be really cool if you could make the eggs wireless, and drop them all over the place and make an ad-hoc sensor network. Maybe a self destruct mode by shorting it's lipo battery?

Easter-Eggs = Kinder suprise eggs ......(Here in Switzerland these sturdy plastic eggs are at the start covered by a layer of Chocolate, and contain a random something that normally requires building ending up bigger than the egg its self )

Your idea re:- deploying these are separate sensors intrigues me..... It would require a round Propeller board circa 1.25" (30mm) ....a XBee does fit in one (that will come soon) or simple 433mhz RFlink and a Lipo to suit....
....Mission Possible...... (not sure about the exploding Lipos though)

Gareth

I am afraid i seem to be only one of a few trying to PUSH the Parallax Propeller over there............ :-(
Maybe LMRians will fall off their chairs and wake up before the Propeller II Glows its potential and wipes out the age_ing problematic "timer" micros.......

Gareth

Thanks for your support..... Yes the idea is fun .......
.... I am more than curious just how many Sensors can be run concurrently on the propeller ....... Cool finding is that the math,serial,string OBJs are all common , so the more sensors i place the easier it seems to get..........