My New Robot

Rsadeika

I just took delivery on a new iRobot Create, which will become my Roomba's buddy. I just pulled it·out of the box, added power, and ran the first demo program, everything worked as advertised. My intent is not todo a review, or to push the product, but for a $130, you get quite a bit, it is fully assembled. The most interesting part of the Create is the DB25 expansion port, and the serial port.

iRobot sells an add on device they call a Command Module, I read a liitle bit·about it, and started to think, maybe I can do better using Parallax stuff to make a custom Command Module. I am thinking maybe getting a little discussion going on what would be the best way to go at this thing.

So far, I thought about the different processors that are available, BasicStamp, SX, and the Propeller. I have sort of given up on the SX, so that leaves me with the BasicStamp, or the Propeller. The BasicStamp might be a little underpowered, so it looks like maybe the Propeller might be the choice.

I guess I should describe the iRobot Command Module, it has a DB25 connector, four DB9 expansion ports, and is powered by an AVR168. It uses something called WinAVR, which is programable in C or C++.

Thanks for indulging me.

Ray

tommy

--- well, I'm a "gizmo-guy" - the idea comes first ---> remote control vertical blinds <--- and then the building comes later, and features (open at noon, close at dusk) are added on where possible.·· and we pick sensors and motors and computers to do that.

--- you seem to be starting at the other end ! --- I googled this iRobot Create thing, and still have no idea of what it might do.· ? does it fetch your newspaper ?·· ? does it tell the time ?·· ·I believe your Roomba is an at-random dust-collector of some sort (or something to scare the cat)...·· and you seem to want to bypass a purchased "command module" for this unidentified thing - in favor of a home-built one...··
.··· to do what ?
.······ you've got me at a dead-end before I start.

--- perhaps you should try all 10 demos.· and try to use every one of its 32 "sensors". --- it's tough to build without a goal or direction.

--- for whomever follows: here's a picture
·

--- and here's a "description" that has few specifics.

The iRobot Create Programmable Robot is a durable, reliable, fully assembled programmable robot with out-of-the-box operation. 10 built-in demos and 32 built-in sensors allow you to control Create and experiment with robotics. An open cargo bay and 25-pin expansion port allow you to add your own sensors, grippers, wireless connections, computers or other hardware.·

--- it sounds like this one could be a "dust-collector", too --- but it would collect the dust on the top.

tommy

Post Edited (tommy) : 1/28/2007 8:45:52 AM GMT

Rsadeika

tommy,

Thanks for the candid response, I was trying to keep the thread focused on Parallax items to enhance the functionality of the Create. I was trying to keep a very broad description as to what I hope to accomplish.

I want to address·a couple·of your comments, first, the usefullness of the Roomba. Before I bought the Roomba, I was a much bigger skeptic of the product than you are. But, after I purchased the unit, and used it, I am very happy with the results. The second, Create as a dust collector, you may be right, but at this point I have high hopes for this unit. The third, starting point, the sensors are accessable via the built in commands. So, that part is the least of my worries, it is the expansion capabilities, and·a method of using the built in commands·that I want to address, or at least get a good handle of the possibilities.

The goal that I have in mind is a mobile sentry unit that would be able to move around the house, at night, and depending on the sensors that I will be using, will determine the functionality. One goal might be smoke detection, it detects smoke at one end of the house, it travels to my bedroom, and starts a process to wake me up, like "Quit snoring, and wake up your house is burning down".

So, the main point of this·post is some general ideas for the command module, I am thinking the Propeller, but I am open to other ideas. Of course the command module will probably have to have at least four expansion ports, at a minimum, maybe DB9, RJ11, ..., etc.

Thanks

Gadgetman

I wouldn't trust anything homebuilt to wake me up if it starts burning.

That's what commercial smoke-detectors are for.
(Here in Norway we are required by law to have them installed in all homes. )

Big house?

Get a set that can be connected together.

Difficult to wire it up?
Get a set that uses a radio link.

That said...

I wouldn't mind getting an iCreate myself, to play with later, and will be following your thread to see what you learn about it.
It wouldn't be much use for me at the moment as the apartment I'm renting now isn't laid out so that it can travel very far. (I'll be moving into a new apartment sometime in May/June, and that one is much more open.)

Of course, just about ANYTHING that is powered, can be 'Propelled' if you try hard enough...
(I'm working on hacking the X-UFO at the moment)

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Don't visit my new website...

tommy

hello Rsadeika...
.·· · yes indeed... let this be an iRobot Create thread...· I·was not at all against it, in any way - ' just playing·devil's advocate to entice a better description from you.· Is·"smoke detection" one of the 32 sensors ? - might you name nine more sensors for a start --- let·me guess "time of day" and "light or dark"...

.···· we usually build in the other direction - with 1) a goal in mind and 2) an awareness of what we·are able to·sense...·· the computer-chip part is a tool that sits in the middle of the sensors and looks around over and over and over again.· we "tell" it to do every baby-step with the instructions called, "programming" - it will do nothing on its own.· Your TV is looking for an infrared signal twenty-four hours a day - when you're home, when you're not - when the set's on, when it's off.· If no signal is seen, it simply looks again, and again·- over and over and over, ad naseum.· When a signal does arrive - a voltage is applied somewhere (according to instructions) and some work is performed.· Many little "smart"-chips interact with each other.
.·····It seems intelligent at times, because it can look at many things at once and make a predetermined decision - a thermostat can turn on your heat - you·call that a switch, not a computer.··· but a computer-chip will turn on you heat if 1) it is cold, and 2) if it senses that a person is in the room for 3) more than 30 seconds...······but it's still only a predictable machine.

.··· ·the "chip" part.· you mentioned three.· The BASIC STAMP is a good place to start - the instructions are (sort of) similar to English, and many of them do a whole lot of (let's say) looking (or going and getting)...· so that the code is not overly tedious.
.···· the SX-series uses Assembly language which is more of a schock to those attempting control, and each tiny instruction is only a baby-step within a procedure - it is highly accurate, however - there are no mysteries - the machine does only what you tell it to do and not a thing else.· Like the BASIC STAMP, the SX-series can look at a dozen things in turn and make pre-programmed "decisions".
.···· the PROPELLER chip is a marvel of the 21st century, but it is simply seven complete little computer chips built into one package.· You might program one of the seven to look for infrared signals all of the time (!), and another one to listen for sounds all of the time, etc. etc - and you would save the last of the seven sections to monitor the first six - and again, make pre-programmed "decisions".···

.···· and finally, to keep this section short --- the "looking" consists of a determination of whether "pin 6" has 5 volts on it, or none...·or starting a procedure that you must entirely conduct·that ends up with 5 volts or none.····· ··· the action consists of putting either 5 volts or none on "pin 8"...· which may start a whole 'nother sequence and end up turning a motor shaft three and a quarter revolutions...··using another routine.· ---> you guessed it - you have to write that routine, too.···· The only "magic" is that in 2007, a good many whole routines are already built into black plastic chips - life is getting easier· - your computer doesn't have to count the seconds anymore - it just asks another chip for the time.
.·· ·· though some results may be unanticipated, all must be planned in advance.··· ? can you now, tonight get your iRobot Create to bark like a dog ? ?· ---· I can't either.····· more information is required.

.···· goals will come from within the human brain, but to be practical, they must be possible - ? what can·iRobot Create·sense·?·- ·please name ten.

' catch ya later.·· tommy

.················ curiouser and curiouser, said Alice...

Rsadeika

This is just an update with some pictures as to what I have been doing with my project. It took me quite awhile to get to this point because I was trying out different processors for my robot. I was trying to make an SX52 protoboard work, but that did not pan out. It just was not going to have enough horse power for my project. So, I have been concentrating on the propeller, so far so good.

At this moment all I have is an IR detector implemented with which I can manually move the robot around, and, with the push of a button I can start some of the built in canned programs. I am starting to catch on to programming with spin, now I can proceed with other things. Probably my next step will be to get the pcf8583 chip up and running, which will be part of the user interface for doing some schedulling of jobs for the robot. At the same time I want to expand on the remote control for doing things like mapping.

Eventually I see adding an SD/MMC reader, xbee, ounce some·code becomes available, and maybe the static ram mini-board from Futurlec. Although that may be a problem because their is no code written for an SPI bus system, I would hate to use·more pins than I really have to.

I thought I would just give a broad overview of where I am at with the project. Some where down the line I will attach some spin code. At the moment the code is undocumented, so it would be a struggle to figure out what is going. More to come ...

Ray

Paul Baker

Interesting breakout board for the 25 pin connector, is that something they provided?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

Rsadeika

The breakout board is made by Winford Engineering, the way it is·supposed to be used is on the desktop. My usual setup is the breadboard, and the breakout board are on the desk while I am programming the propeller. I have a separate DB25 ribbon cable to conect it to the robot. And a plug for Winford, they make some excellent products. I am thinking of some solutions for replacing the breakout board, I think what I will do is take a DB25 cup and start soldering wires as I need them.

Ray

Dgswaner

I have a Roomba Red, and a Roomba Discovery. I love them. Very good product. even tho Tommy was seeming to be a bad mood or something he did have a valid point? what is this robot going to do? I've wanted to hack my roomba Red for a while now but I can't really seem to think of what to do with it. I have too many robots that just roam randomly. I'd love to hear what you have in mind. I have too many unfinished projects already so I can't stop working on my current project until it's done (new years resolution). but hacking a roomba is on the to do list. it's a very good unit.

I built a robot "sentry" that was going to be a security guard/smoke detector. I soon realized because smoke rises a floor roaming bot wouldn't be much good as a smoke detector. and as far as I know CO2 and CO gas are best detected at 5-6' above floor level. due to some poor design/engineering on me part and the lack of direction with this bot I decided to scrapped the project.

Microsoft Robotic Studio supports the roomba create I didn't really look into it much though. it would be interesting to know if it's of any value.

I tried to find out what the sensors were on the Create. I know Roomba's don't have 32 sensors... to my knowledge anyway. I'm assuming that on the create they added IRPD in addition to the bumpers and ledge sensors but I can't imagine what the rest of the sensors would be, nor could I find it in the documentation. Could you list what they are if you know. I may have have to get a create rather than hack my Roomba red.

I thought it would be cool to program both my Roombas in tandem so they work in more of a formation rather than at random but that's a headache for another day. I also thought about turning them into hide and seek bots. I also wanted to experiment with room mapping. just my thoughts on what to do with them. I'll be watching your project for inspiration when I get to my project!

Best of luck!