simple robotics project

Posted by on May 27, 2007, 3:40 pm

I am totally new to robotics and I need some helpful advice for the
project I'm working on. It is a very simple robotic arm with 2
degrees of freedom powered by two motors. I want it to execute a very
simple sequence of about four steps, activated by the push of a
button. What is the best type of kit or system to use? I am thinking
about using a basic stamp, but I really have no preference. My budget
is no more than $500.
Also, I mentioned that input would come by a button, but I would like
to try and have it be voice-activated. The only way I think I could
do this is by having a simple software program that is voice-activated
which would control this robotic arm. Is it very complicated to have
all input for control be activated by software?

Posted by on May 27, 2007, 4:37 pm

This is exactly what you want for about half of your your projected
budget!

http://www.imagesco.com/speech/speech-recognition-technology.html

Use you remaining cash for added features.

Mark

On May 27, 3:40ï¿½pm, dmehl...@keenebroadband.com wrote:

> I am totally new to robotics and I need some helpful advice for the
> project I'm working on. It is a very simple robotic arm with 2
> degrees of freedom powered by two motors. I want it to execute a very
> simple sequence of about four steps, activated by the push of a
> button. What is the best type of kit or system to use? I am thinking
> about using a basic stamp, but I really have no preference. My budget
> is no more than $500.
> Also, I mentioned that input would come by a button, but I would like
> to try and have it be voice-activated. The only way I think I could
> do this is by having a simple software program that is voice-activated
> which would control this robotic arm. Is it very complicated to have
> all input for control be activated by software?

Posted by Joe Strout on May 28, 2007, 10:59 pm

dmehling@keenebroadband.com wrote:

> Also, I mentioned that input would come by a button, but I would like
> to try and have it be voice-activated. The only way I think I could
> do this is by having a simple software program that is voice-activated
> which would control this robotic arm. Is it very complicated to have
> all input for control be activated by software?

No, that's not complicated. You just need to use a serial motor or
servo controller; Pololu (http://www.pololu.com ) makes several of these.
You can then drive the controller directly from your desktop machine,
which will also be what responds to the voice command. Total budget
should be about $20 for the controller, maybe $40 or so for servos or
motors, and whatever misc. hardware you need for the arm, assuming you
already have a desktop computer with speech recognition. (It's built
into all Macs, but you may need to add a USB microphone.)

As for the motor vs. servo issue, for an application like this, I'd
suggest using servos, since they have built-in position control.
Lynxmotion sells some good (though not cheap) brackets that make it very
easy to connect servos in various ways.

Best,
- Joe

Posted by on May 29, 2007, 12:12 pm

> dmehl...@keenebroadband.com wrote:

> > Also, I mentioned that input would come by a button, but I would like
> > to try and have it be voice-activated. The only way I think I could
> > do this is by having a simple software program that is voice-activated
> > which would control this robotic arm. Is it very complicated to have
> > all input for control be activated by software?

> No, that's not complicated. You just need to use a serial motor or
> servo controller; Pololu (http://www.pololu.com ) makes several of these.
> You can then drive the controller directly from your desktop machine,
> which will also be what responds to the voice command. Total budget
> should be about $20 for the controller, maybe $40 or so for servos or
> motors, and whatever misc. hardware you need for the arm, assuming you
> already have a desktop computer with speech recognition. (It's built
> into all Macs, but you may need to add a USB microphone.)
> As for the motor vs. servo issue, for an application like this, I'd
> suggest using servos, since they have built-in position control.
> Lynxmotion sells some good (though not cheap) brackets that make it very
> easy to connect servos in various ways.
> Best,
> - Joe

That is helpful, but the controllers I looked at require the signals
be sent manually through the serial port. I have no idea how to do
something like that. Is there not a simple software program that I
can use to activate the servo controller, without entering low-level
commands?

Posted by Joe Strout on May 29, 2007, 1:10 pm

dmehling@keenebroadband.com wrote:

> That is helpful, but the controllers I looked at require the signals
> be sent manually through the serial port. I have no idea how to do
> something like that.

You know how to make your computer respond to speech commands, but
sending serial commands intimidates you? That seems backwards to me.
Sending serial commands is very easy -- see for example my tutorial here:

http://www.strout.net/info/robotics/tutorials/Pololu0410.html

> Is there not a simple software program that I can use to activate
> the servo controller, without entering low-level commands?

No. At some level, you have to tell the servos exactly how to move.
Sending simple serial commands to a servo controller is the easiest way
to do that.

Best,
- Joe

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