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Help or/and opinions — Parallax Forums

Help or/and opinions

CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
edited 2006-08-27 20:10 in Robotics
I have a real question this time. I am going into electonics and I am planning to buy a Homewok Board and the other supplies in a kit. Later on I will build a robot·using a propeller chip. I ... I·need helpscool.gif·.·I... smilewinkgrin.gif! I want to build robotic legs that move like a spider's leg. What supplies do you think I needsmile.gif ? I will show you a little pencil animation later.

Comments

  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2006-07-03 04:19
    You might want to take a look at some of CrustCrawler's robots -- some of them are quite spider-like and may give you ideas for your own designs. Their walkers are built with lots of servos (which you can run from a Propeller chip (also any microprocessor and a servo controller peripheral like the Parallax Servo Controller).

    crustcrawler.com/products/nomad.php?prod=3
    www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28023

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  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-03 20:07
    Here is the little animation, I tried my best to put it in a good format. You might have to have Windows Movie Maker to play, but there might be an errormad.gif·. I uploaded this video just to describe how I want the leg to move. If it can't play, anyone,·just post the complaintcry.gif .
    MSWMM
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    Forum Schedule.MSWMM
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  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-03 20:23
    If it doesn't work.....idea.gif ! I have another idea. I will only tell if somebody posts a complaintsmile.gif.
  • Kenny LevinsenKenny Levinsen Posts: 19
    edited 2006-07-04 22:39
    I attached a very bad drawn picture (paint rocks! :P )
    I hope you get what i tried to draw [noparse];)[/noparse]

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  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-08 08:24
    confused.gif·I made a little mistake. Can any of you reading this post tell me what supplies I need to make a spider leg move. Any of you, everyone! (:O!
  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2006-07-08 08:51
    If I were you and wanted to learn about them, I'd purchase something like this spider-like robot, and learn from it, before I tried to build my own:
    http://www.robotstore.com/store/product.asp?pid=254&catid=1550

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  • Matt WhiteMatt White Posts: 60
    edited 2006-07-08 17:25
    I would check out these two websites (in addition to what's already been suggested). From what I've looked applications like this need at least a servo controller board (which Parallax sells on their website), lots of brackets and servo's in addition to a microcontroller and carrier board. Most use the BoE with the BASIC Stamp. I haven't seen much done with the Propeller chip... its a pretty advanced chip and unless you've already spent time programming in assembler I'd stick with the stamp.

    Also I'd suggest getting a prefabricated kit at first, simply for the documentation and example code to make it all work.

    http://www.lynxmotion.com
    http://www.servocity.com

    Best of luck!
    Matt
  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-11 04:41
    confused.gif·Are you sure this is useful Bruce Bates? Did you watch my video?
  • Bruce BatesBruce Bates Posts: 3,045
    edited 2006-07-11 04:57
    No, I didn't as my system doesn't recognize that filetype (MSWMM). In fact, my system doesn't recognize any filetype with more than 4 characters in it - sorry.

    Regards,

    Bruce Bates

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  • Matt WhiteMatt White Posts: 60
    edited 2006-07-11 05:29
    I think is more along the lines of what you are looking for: http://www.lynxmotion.com/Category.aspx?CategoryID=92
  • Will__SWill__S Posts: 19
    edited 2006-07-11 19:46
    I created some legs from scratch. They're some what spider like. They only have 2dof, though it wouldn't be too hard to add another servo. Unfortunately I kinda gave up on making a custom robot with the spider legs because I bought 8 servos to use with the legs(2 per leg) and they seem to be underpowered and I didn't want to spend another $100 for stronger servos. I broke down, and ordered a hardware kid for a 4 legged bot a few days ago (from lynxmotion) and it should be here tomorrow! Hopefully the servos I have will let me play around for a while with the better engineered critter until I buy stronger servos.

    Anyway, maybe you can customize my cheap design. I had to drill like 5 holes per leg, but used all basic components from my local home depot.
    For the leg I used an L brace (the kind that are made of tin and hold up shelves)
    and attached the servos with a variety of braces I found in the hinges section (a "T" 3 little "L"s and a few bigger flat "L"s bent into shape)
    and a hinge
    I used pushrods and they're associated connectors from the local hobby shop.

    It's not an easy feat trying to build legs from scratch. Mine took over 60 hours to completion and nothing is quite exact (drilled by hand with no vise). Hopefully they'll inspire you. It may be easier to do like some of the other members suggested and start out with some kits first, and/or maybe customize the kits to suit your needs.

    I'll try to post some pics later when I get home.
    ---07/11/06 16:27 (-08:00 GMT) Uploaded 3 pics, and 1 zipped quicktime video. ---

    Post Edited (Will__S) : 7/11/2006 11:28:05 PM GMT
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  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-16 19:38
    burger.gif·Anyone else?smile.gif
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2006-07-17 15:16
    Here is another link on spider legs:
    http://freepatentsonline.com/5423708.pdf

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  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-25 00:11
    eyes.gif·....tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock tick-tock.................................................
    confused.gif·.....! Do any of you have a simple idea or can't any of you you brain-storm?confused.gif ..... Anyways.....Anything else?smile.gif
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2006-07-25 01:32
    No we we can't...

    Bean.

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    Low power SD Data Logger www.sddatalogger.com

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    ·
  • Charlie JohnsonCharlie Johnson Posts: 147
    edited 2006-07-25 14:44
    CLG/BLT -- The simplest design woud be a dead spider....no moving parts.
  • AImanAIman Posts: 531
    edited 2006-07-25 21:07
    If memory serves there at examples of servo movment in the 'Whats a Microcontroller' book. By linking servos you can time your PWM to make legs move in the sequence you want. Make sure that your code has your PWM run through each leg and that all servos are of correct speed.
    If you don't want that approach then check out servo control for RC Airplanes.
    The only other thing you could do is try to pull up servo control code from the web. That will take some research and you will probably need to rewrite the code to fit, but its a starting point.
  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-27 00:00
    What's wrong with both of youconfused.gif , I am not mad or cranky.·confused.gif···There are thousands even millions of users in this forum. eyes.gif· I am sorry for pushing any of you too hard. For AIman's post, that is a great ideasmile.gif ! I will remember that when I get higher. To understand better about my plan, go to... See the next post in a moment.
  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-27 00:08
    Go to: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=594347
  • DarkCrawlerDarkCrawler Posts: 24
    edited 2006-07-27 00:24
    Try the Boe-Bot with the Crawler Kit! It's sorta like the Spider III exept programable.

    Post Edited By Moderator (Chris Savage (Parallax)) : 8/28/2006 3:46:17 AM GMT
  • AImanAIman Posts: 531
    edited 2006-07-27 00:54
    I have a Spider III and a few others from OWI. They go to some of the local elementary schools to do demo's for the kids. Its kinda fun to see their faces when they can be hands on.hop.gif
  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-08-05 00:01
    Anyone reading this post, I just want any of you to know DarkCrawler's idea sounds like a blast. Well.. I guess it wouldn't be hard to try the Boe Bot with the Crawler Kit.
  • scary_botscary_bot Posts: 32
    edited 2006-08-06 05:11
    lynxmotion will most likly be a good bet. They have a huge assortment of walker bot kits to play around with. Some,(the allunimun) seta are quit expensive, but cool. They do however have a largew selection of well made lexan kits, that are much more affordable.··As far as parts needed, well it really depends on whant your wanting to do.· As far as basic items... you'll· need a microcontroller, servo controller. And what ever sensors you might want to experement with. This of course is a very basic list.....

    Post Edited (scary_bot) : 8/6/2006 5:22:52 AM GMT
  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-08-27 20:10
    ·Okay, now that I have everybody's idea, let us see what happens, because I might get a "What's a Microcontroller?'' kit. smilewinkgrin.gif· Yes! yeah.gif .
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