Mini-Butler

Let's Make Robots Robots
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Mini-Butler

Butler is a very unused word and will work great with voice commands to ignitiate.  Butler will be able to hold conversation with an individual.  Butler will be able to turn on the spot to get out of tight spots or respond to voice command.  If butler does not recognize command, he will ask what do you mean?  Hope to have robot understand new term and add it into his language.  The AI will be interactive and able to improve.  On humans, we can tell when we are waiting for an answer.  A light or some kind of move will happen when the robot is waiting for a response.

Steps Done:  

1. Learned basics of robotics
2. Bot has moved around with basic programming. Confirmed chips and wiring is working properly.
3. Added kill switch in case bot malfunctions during procedures.
4. Battery display works great!  Shows current charge of rechargable batteries so we can monitor power.

Steps in progress:

1. Waiting to receive parts for sound recognition.  Will output commands and understand commands.  Future goal is to start a conversation with an individual.
2. Replacing wheels with track assembly to allow "turning on the dime" rather than needing a large area to turn.
3. Working on body of bot to hold circuits, wiring, and track assembly.

Move autonomously, make its own decisions, help clean with different attachments, multi-terrain

  • Actuators / output devices: Servos
  • Operating system: Picaxe 28x1
  • Power source: 4 x Rechargable 2300 mAH AA Battery
  • Programming language: Basic
  • Sensors / input devices: SHARP IR sensor
  • Target environment: indoor, outdoor
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://community.robotshop.com/robots/show/mini-butler
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Under the hood of the box

Under the hood of the box while prototyping.

underthehood.jpg

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Showing a picture of a bubble level in a bot chassis,

and not telling us what it does or why it is there causes some of us to come up with all kinds of wild ideas. :slight_smile:
On a different note, good start. 

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With respect to "turning on a dime"

Rather than change to tracks, you could orient your wheels to the center of the chassis and make sure your weight is low and over the tail wheel.

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Nice start! Keep it going

Nice start! Keep it going and you’ll get to your goals.

For more info on how to turn on a dime with wheels, take a look at this video here: https://www.robotshop.com/letsmakerobots/node/31454

I would not trade the wheels for treads on a butler robot. Treads are good for climbing over obstacles, but are poor at map following since they have a lot of slipage. A butler robot will need to be able to go to specific places in the house and wheels with encoders make that easier.