I’ll let Xan, the author of the code and fellow Phoenix collaborator, explain away:
The major changes in 2.0 are fixed point calculations to lower the cycle time.
Separate files to easy change remotes or hexapod settings. This will allow the user to simply add the correct remote file and hexapod file to adapt the code for different hardware without having to hack in to the core.
Single leg control to directly control one of the legs. This can be used with or withouth balance mode.
GP Player support. This allows the user to play sequences that are stored inside the SSC. This will need the current GP firmware for the SSC and a bi-directional connection between the BAP and SSC.
Here’s a full list of the new features:
;NEW IN V2.0
; - Moved to fixed point calculations
; - Inverted BodyRotX and BodyRotZ direction
; - Added deadzone for switching gaits
; - Added GP Player
; - SSC version check to enable/disable GP player
; - Controls changed, Check contol file for more information
; - Added separate files for control and configuration functions
; - Solved bug at turn-off sequence
; - Solved bug about legs beeing lift at small travelvalues in 4 steps tripod gait
; - Solved bug about body translate results in rotate when balance is on (Kåre)
; - Sequence for wave gait changed (Kåre)
; - Improved ATan2 function for IK (Kåre)
; - Added option to turn on/off eyes (leds)
; - Moving legs to init position improved
; - Using Indexed values for legs
; - Added single leg control
Lynxmotion will also update the phoenix tutorial. This will include a link to the software as well. I’m sure they will notify us when the work is done.
Xan
And here’s a rather lengthy video demonstrating the new Phoenix code in action!
We’re officially launching this much anticipated new Robocontroller today! Thanks to all of those who pre-ordered, your board should be on it’s way! Our initial stock of these is limited, so get em while they’re hot!
The arbotiX Robocontroller, an advanced 3rd party Bioloid controller, is now in stock and ready to be sold! It incorporates a powerful AVR microcontroller, XBEE wireless radio, dual motor drivers, and 3-pin servo-style headers for IO.
The arbotiX robocontroller is specifically designed to control robots built using the Bioloid System and AX-12+ servos, although it is also a very high-end solution for powerful rovers. It is not intended to be a drop-in replacement for a CM-5, rather it is intended as a high level development tool for building more sophisticated robots.
We’re officially launching this much anticipated new Robocontroller tomorrow, but we figured we would give our faithful blog readers a chance at one before we do a main page announcement.
The arbotiX Robocontroller, an advanced 3rd party Bioloid controller, is now in stock and ready to be sold! We still have some additional information to add to the page, as well as a new ISP programmer we picked up… but for those of you wanting to get the ball rolling, check it out and pick one up while supplies last! Our initial stock of these is limited, so get em while they’re hot!
Phidgets have long been a favorite for computer software developers due to their ease of use, wide selection of sensors and I/O boards, and solid API offering for a variety of programming languages. The one thing that has always been a requirement however, is a physical connection to a computer via USB cable.
All of that is a thing of the past now with the introduction of the PhidgetSBC; an Arm9 based embedded Linux computer (it runs a custom Linux Distro built using Buildroot) combined with the tried and true Phidgets 8/8/8 IO Board.
So what does that mean to you? In its simplest form and function, it effectively cuts the cable of your Phidgets projects and allows you to access your Phidgets devices over ethernet or the included Wifi dongle. The onboard computer acts as a server for the variety of APIs that Phidgets offers, and this enhanced ‘mobility’ opens the doors to a much wider variety of applications. The PhidgetSBC can function as a wireless extension of your PC, a Wifi enabled Robot Controller, or even a standalone Robot Controller. That’s right, the PhidgetSBC is fully programmable; there is an easy to use interface that allows you to load custom C or Java code directly to the board and have it run autonomously, without the previously required PC link. If that wasn’t enough, more advanced users can modify the Linux build to their hearts content, host other USB based Phidgets devices by simply plugging them into the PhidgetSBC, and has integrated support for streaming a web cam feed back to your PC. I’m really just skimming the surface here, for more details check out the (as always) very well documented product manual.
The PhidgetSBC will run you $243.90 USD and we are currently accepting pre-orders for this as we anticipate it to be a very high demand product. Given that the development kits for the onboard computer used here usually run in the ~$150-200 range, this price is a VERY good deal to anyone looking to take their Phidgets projects to the next level. Initial quantities will be limited and orders are filled on a first come first serve basis, so get your pre-order in ASAP to snag one up!
We’re good friends with the folks over at Vanadium Labs; some very talented people who have been in the robotics game for quite awhile but have just now established their official company. This is great news for the robotics community however, as they have some pretty amazing products on the horizon. One product in particular is the new arbotiX Robocontroller, an advanced Open Source microcontroller tailored for the Bioloid system and AX-12+ servos.
The arbotiX robocontroller is an advanced control solution for small-to-medium size robots. It incorporates a powerful AVR microcontroller, XBEE wireless radio, dual motor drivers, and 3-pin servo-style headers for IO.
The arbotiX robocontroller is specifically designed to control robots built using Bioloid servos, although it is also a very high-end solution for powerful rovers. It is not intended to be a drop-in replacement for a CM-5, rather it is intended as a high level development tool for building more sophisticated robots.
So what we have here is an Arduino IDE compatible microcontroller with a plethora of I/O, plug and play capable with AX-12 servos, and an Xbee Wireless Link to your PC. It’s also worth mentioning that this was the controller used in the robot that won Year 1 of Mech Warfare, Issydunyet. For more information on the controller check out the Vanadium Labs website.
Trossen Robotics will be exclusively distributing this exciting and powerful new Robocontroller with an estimated release date of Mid-October 2009. We’ll have more details in the near future, stay tuned!
Want to see the arbotiX in action? Here is a quick video showing a basic Inverse Kinematics demonstration on Issydunyet!
In March we announced that our contest would go in a different direction this time and with even bigger prizes:
This round is going to be a Tutorial Contest , and is quite a bit different from our previous contests. Think of it as an ‘Instructables meets How Stuff Works’ style contest: We want you to submit entries in the form of a detailed step by step ‘How-To’ or Informative Tutorials.
We had a good amount of solid entries in our first Tutorial Contest so picking our winners was a not an easy ordeal. Our entries covered many different topics, from electrical and soldering basics to more advanced robotics navigation tutorials. We highly suggest that you take a look at our Tutorials Section, there is a lot to be learned and if you have knowledge to share we highly encourage it.
Jes1510 submitted some ‘back to the basics’ tutorials which were well documented, easy to read through, and really helpful for the beginning robot hobbyist! He’ll be walking away with an Ollo Bug Kit!
Pi Robot amazed us with two extremely detailed, professional tutorials that cover some very advanced robotics applications by breaking it down into more digestible bite sized pieces. Both are excellent pieces of literature, definitely worth a read through! Pi Robot will be walking away with a Bioloid Beginner Kit for his contributions!
lnxfergy was determined to win 1st prize! He submitted awesome tutorial after awesome tutorial covering some pretty major aspects of robotics. All of these tutorials are very helpful for beginners and even more advanced builders can take something from them. From practical navigation systems to controlling AX-12 servos, lnxfergy demonstrated an amazing grasp of current hobby robotics technology, and was kind enough to share that knowledge with us. For his massive effort, he will be awarded with a Bioloid Comprehensive Kit!
We want to thank everyone involved with our first Tutorial Contest! Determining the winners was not easy, as there were many great tutorials to browse through. Again, we highly recommend you check out our Tutorials section, as there is a lot to be learned! Stay tuned for an announcement on our next round of contests!
Our annual Summer Fire Sale is in full swing! We’ve slashed the prices on our Robobuilder kits and select other robots and robot accessories! These sales are for a limited time only, and while supplies last, so jump on them quick. Click the link above for the full sale listing.
This Fire Sale was announced last Friday to those signed up for our newsletter giving them first dibs on these hot items. If you would like to be the first to know about this and future sales, be sure to sign up. It’s as simple as entering your email address on our Mailing List menu on the left side of our front page!
You’ve all seen and heard the robotic dancing sensation known as Keepon, and now you can own one!
When Keepon first debuted, bouncing along to Spoon’s “I Turn My Camera On”, the tech community went nuts! The simple, cute external appearance of this robot and it’s natural ability to bop along with music was an instant hit on Youtube. Unfortunately, beneath that elastic yellow skin was well over $20,000 worth of cutting edge robotic technology, putting this awesome robot out of reach of its fans. We saw this as a problem and answered the call to unite Keepon and it’s millions of fans globally!
After many months of painstaking R&D, Trossen Robotics is proud to announce the Low Cost Dancebot! Once only available to universities as a high end social development research robot, we are now offering the affordable yet equally groovy Low Cost Dancebot! This easy to build kit only takes minutes to put together, another minute to put on the Spoon song of your choice, and within seconds your Low Cost Dancebot! will be dancing along to the beat. Be the envy of your coworkers with this ultimate desktop gadget! Show off to your friends, amaze your family, and impress your employer!
This round is going to be a Tutorial Contest , and is quite a bit different from our previous contests. Think of it as an ‘Instructables meets How Stuff Works’ style contest: We want you to submit entries in the form of a detailed step by step ‘How-To’ or Informative Tutorials.
We’re going to be asking a lot more of our participants this round, so we have raised the stakes and are giving away our biggest prizes yet! Without further ado here are the prizes being offered for this round!
You’re probably asking: “Well what’s the catch?” We won’t lie, we’re going to make you work for it and put your knowledge to the test!
Here are some examples of what types of tutorials we’re looking for:
What is a gyroscope/accelerometer/analog or digital signal?
How do servos/DC Motors/Batteries work? (explain inner workings, control, show example code, etc)
Choosing the right (Microcontroller/DC Motor/Sensor) for the job.
How to setup an Arduino/Xbee Communication/Basic Stamp. (basic projects with example code, videos, etc)
How to control a robot wirelessly. (many different methods of going about this, pick one and elaborate!)
Theory of Inverse Kinematics, Dead Reckoning, Spacial Mapping, etc.
We’re looking for well written, detailed entries that a beginner could read through and learn from. The emphasis on this is creating valuable tutorials and FAQs that the community as a whole can benefit from. Diagrams, pictures, source code, practical applications, text references and examples are welcomed and strongly encouraged. Plagiarism will not be tolerated, please cite any reference materials used. We are not looking for build articles during this round.
Entries will also be judged in a different manner than before: Contestants are encouraged to post as many tutorials as they like; in fact, the more tutorials submitted, the more points they receive towards their final score. Now that said, quality is greatly valued over quantity. One detailed, well written tutorial will hold more weight than five mediocre ones, but if you post numerous well written tutorials you’re going to be in very good shape.
Please visit our Project Contest Page to learn more about the contest, how to enter and for the official rules and guidelines. Somebody is going to be a proud new owner of a Bioloid Comprehensive Kit, Bioloid Beginner Kit, or Ollo Bug Kit, will it be you?
Recently we were contacted by an upcoming advanced robotics R&D company who has been keeping a pretty low profile. Skynet Research only went public last week, but for the past 10 years has been hard at work and already making startling advanced in military and research level robotics. Some of this stuff is scary, it makes iRobot’s military line look like a bunch of toys. Check out these concept designs:
So here’s the kicker, I got a chance to talk to one of their lead researchers over the weekend and along with going public, they’ve also announced a Community Outreach Program to hobby and professional roboticists. They’re actually granting access to some of their technology (with no doubt a massive NDA attached) to the average hobbyist. From what I gathered speaking with them, the Model 101 Enhancement Module that is being provided for evaluation is some sort of Neural Networking microprocessor with built in wifi capability, used for relaying sensory data back to a central AI hub that is scheduled to go online in the near future. REALLY cool stuff, if you’re interested in applying for the beta program, you just have to submit your robot design and an explaination of why you think your project would be well suited for their program.
Here’s the official press release from Skynet Research, and be sure to check out their site for more info.
Skynet Research is a leader in the research and development of robotic technology, dedicated to helping the human race achieve great goals.And we want to hear from you!
Skynet Research believes every individual holds the capacity to make a difference, and is dedicated to finding as many people as possible who will impact our future goals.
The spark of imagination is the greatest asset of humankind.We are interested in mining this resource within the robotics community to find new robot designs.
Individuals are welcome to submit designs, videos and schematics relating to future robot models.We will showcase the most promising for all to see on our corporate website.
As part of our ever-increasing outreach, we are also making available the Skynet Research Enhancement Module Model 101 for consumer grade robots at no cost before it is even available in stores.
The Model 101 is compatible with any home robotics device, and will vastly improve the precision, efficiency and speed of any mechanized apparatus regardless of function.
There are many different Skynet Research models in production and operation, and countless more in active development at secure and undisclosed locations around the world.
Skynet Research is reshaping daily life for human beings across the planet, with contributions to business, education, healthcare, information systems and military defense.
Skynet Research has led the evolution of Artificial Intelligence to multiply at exponential rates, pushing to improve robotic function in daily life with a constant eye on the future.
We have been honored as “most innovative” company in numerous trade publications, while one award-winning professor stated Skynet Research is displaying an “unprecedented” rate of growth.
