Ok. I’ve seen you strutting around at the competitions, with your fancy clothes and your fancy platinum jewelry and your fancy modded KHR-2HV. I know you think you’re the O.G. of the hobby robotics scene. Well… you’re not. I’m sorry. You’re not as cool as you think you are, because you do not have this:
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The Bioloid Expert Kit. Shiny.Now available from Trossen Robotics |
Compared to the Comprehensive kit, the Expert kit boasts a slew of additional hardware and software. In addition to extra frames, actuators, sensors, and controllers; there are a number of new items that set this kit apart from all of the others. More programming tools have been added, as well. The manual is full of tutorials for programming your Bioloid using the Motion Editor, Behavior Editor, and C++. Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s take a look under the hood.
| Open up the top compartment, and you’ll find a complete Comprehensive Kit. Eighteen AX-12+ actuators, one AX-S1 sensor module, CM-5 controller, and all the usual trimmings. |  |
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Remove the top compartment. This action requires the unbuckling of four latches, so the initial un-boxing is very dramatic. The bottom compartment is where the real fun is. You’ll find three more actuators, two more sensor modules, and another complete Comprehensive frame set; but that’s not all! |
| What you’re looking at here is the Robotis wireless camera set. The receiver can connect to a computer via USB, plus it has an RCA composite video output so you can connect it directly to a TV. |  |
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The camera itself is about 1 cubic inch, and it sports two AX-series Dynamixel connectors. The Expert Kit CD contains image processing tools, which you can integrate into your programs to add motion tracking, line following, path detection, and many other vision-related capabilities! |
 Everything’s going wireless! You can install these Zig100 modules in the CM-5 controllers for exchanging data between robots, or you can use one CM-5 as a remote to control the other. And what’s this? A Zigbee to RS232 converter! Now you can command your Bioloid creations wirelessly from your PC. (I know it’s already pretty easy to accomplish this by hacking a Bluetooth transceiver, but now there’s an off-the-shelf solution for less adventurous users.) |
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USB2Dynamixel adapter. I’m really excited about this particular gadget. It allows you to control a network of Dynamixels directly from your computer, bypassing the CM-5 controller entirely! |
| Bonus! In addition to the standard Bioloid 3-pin TTL port, the USB2Dynamixel has a 4-pin RS485 port, which would theoretically allow you to control Robotis’ shigh-end DX series of Dynamixels. I say theoretically because I haven’t tried it yet, and there’s no info in the manual about controlling RS485 Dynamixels. |  |
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In addition to all of the previously mentioned goodies, you get a pile of fuses and a nice fine-tipped screwdriver.Also, our kit contained an impressive quantity of silica gel packets, ensuring that everything is free from moisture. I know it looks delicious, but the packaging clearly states that it should be thrown away rather than eaten. |
Well, thanks for reading the Bioloid Expert Kit Unboxing Extravaganza! Final word: This kit is just stacked full of awesome stuff, and I can’t wait to see all the different ideas that it will inevitably inspire.
