Below is a short list of robot kits available from some on-line resellers. I
have no connection to any of the companies or Web sites mentioned nor have I
used and of the kits listed here.
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http://www.electronickits.com/robot/Bioloid.htm
$350 USD - Beginner's Kit (4 servos - Dynamixel AX-12x)
$895 USD - Comprehensive Kit (19 servos + 1 sensor module)
$3,500 USD - Expert's Kit (21 servos + 3 sensors + wireless com + wireless
camera set)
All models are based on Atmel Atmega128 8-bit RISC architecture MCU with 64KB of
RAM and 16K on-board programmable flash memory (plus board space for another
64KB of flash memory) , up to 16MHz clock speed. No soldering required.
All software is Windows-based (i.e. you need a Windows-based computer to use
their robot programming software). Once uploaded to the robot, the RS-232 cable
(if not wireless) is disconnected and the robot moves around "on its own."
The robot's "brain" is the Atmega128 of the AVR Series from Atmel. There is
apparently an AVR series version of the GNU GCC compiler that Bioloid recommends
for use programming the Atmega128 (a RISC chip). The CM-5 (the robot's
controller, of which the Atmega128 is a part, sports an RS232 interface. This
could be used to add a Gumstix (http://www.gumstix.com/products.html) or other
such Linux-based, full-featured computer that would run the cognitive software
and use the Atmega128 and it's 64MB of RAM (plus 16MB of flash memory) to talk
back and forth with the Atmega128 (which would be used only for low-level
control of the servos and sensors).
Gumstix are called that because that is their approximate size (a pack of
chewing gum). Their basix model motherboard sells for $129USD and a "tweener"
board for $20USD (this board provides the RS232 I/O port). It would be
relatively easy to mount the Gumstix + tweener combo to the CM-5 and have it
talk to the Atmega128 through the serial port. Some inventive ways to power the
Gumstix board would have to be found (e.g., battery power, solar power). The
Gumstix CPU is based on an Intel RISC CPU. Instead of the tweener, a board can
be purchased with an SD slot (so flash memory could be increased up to 1 GB at
least (indeed, SanDisk is currently selling 2 and 3 GB SD cards).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.electronickits.com/robot/KHR-1.htm
KHR-1 "Eco Robot" High-Performance Humanoid Robot. 17 servos ($1,200 USD)
KHR-2HV Advanced Humanoid Biped Robot. 17 Servos ($959 + wireless controller for
$199 more)
The KHR-2HV is the newer model. Both are bipedal humanoid. And, if you shop
around, you will see that it's quite a good deal (compare with prices on Dr.
Robot for the same functionality). It's a kit, but it doesn't require soldering.
They have a pretty cool video of the uint doing back flips and cartwheels:
http://www.electronickits.com/robot/khr1demo.wmv
The manuals are written in Janglish (Japanese English) and can be difficult to
read. Lots of pictures though. I only mention this because they make a big
deal out of the fact that their manuals and software are in English. It's just
really poor English. Kinda like my California Spanglish. ;-)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you don't need a humanoid bot (i.e., any autonomous bot will do)...
iRobot sells a non-humanoid development bot based on its Roomba vacuum cleaner
robot. No assembly required. Comes with an Atmel-based MCU (apparently, a
popular MCU for robotics work) that connects to your PC (for uploading programs)
with a serial cable. There's one demo video where the bot goes to a
refridgerator (the portable kind, so it naturally sits near the floor), opens
the door, and grabs a can of soda/beer (using an extra-cost robot arm
extension), and takes the can back to its starting point (the human who sent
it). Just one problem: once the robot's got the can in its arm, it can't close
the refirdgerator door! And, if you tilt the refridgerator so that the door
would close automatically, it would also close on the robot while it was trying
to fish the can out of the fridge. Interesting demo, nontheless! And (without
the robot arm), the price is very reasonable: $399 USD. Includes the C/C++
compiler for your PC (Windows only again).
Cheers,
Brad
Bob Mottram wrote:
2008/7/11 Ed Porter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Interesting article about EU's open source AGI robot program at
http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208808365
<http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208808365>
The fact that iCub is open source is to be welcomed. In the past I've
been critical of "secret source" robots which were just re-inventions
of the wheel. However I think that open source robotics at the
present time is more of an aspiration than a reality. For an open
source project to thrive you need:
1. a bunch of developers with time on their hands
2. the internet
3. software development tools which anyone can use (i.e. they're not
prohibitively expensive)
4. a common hardware platform
The first three are all in place, but there is still a gap on the
fourth point. We're still waiting for a relatively inexpensive PC
based robot to arrive, which anyone with sufficient interest can go to
a store and buy then experiment with, rather like the early days of
home computing in the 1980s. I think the time when that's possible is
going to arrive soon, but for people like myself it has been a long
rather exasperating wait which fundamentally all boils down to the
price/performance of PCs.
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agi
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