I’m sorry for not beeing so active on this forum.
For the time I’m working on a hexapod robot. The coxa design is highly inspirated by micromagicsystems.
The hardware consists of SSC32, 18 servos and BlueSMIRF.
The software on PC is Sequencer and a excel program that I have spent a lot of time creating.
The excel program take cares of forward and invers kinematics and body rotation along all axes. It is possible to easy define direction of walking and define center of rotation.
Ex. you can define center of rotation at the center of left forward tars (foot).
But the most important thing is that it is possible to create sequences and walking gaits that I can copy into a .csv file and import the project in Sequencer…
VERY NICE 'bot! That’s the first hexapod I’ve seen with machined joints. I’m inclined to parts and brackets that I can machine as well.
Your spreadsheet for IK is also quite interesting. Can you provide more information on it? Will you be making it available?
I’ve been considering exporting the foot and leg positions from the Atom gait engine in a CAD compatible format that I can import into my CAD program. I’d like to be able to study the movements of the legs further. But perhaps you’ve already solved that the other 'way around! It looks like you have some sort of a view of the leg in the spreadsheet.
Perhaps there is an animation program out there that suits our needs. Anyone heard of one?
Hi!
Thanks for all yours comments!
I will give you some more information later, I have to paint our bedroom first. (My wife are a litle upset for all the time I’m using on the robot… )
If the servo whine? No not more than usual. The robots weigth is 1,8 kg with battery and the 645 servos have good torque. One part I’m a bit unpleased with is the 475 servo i’m using on the coxa, they have average torque but they jitter (shake…) when I slow down the speed. Maybe I have to replace them with 645, but then I have to rebuild the coxa because 475 and 645 don’t have the same measures.
OK… Have to paint again…
Here are a old video with walking. (These sequences are not made with the excel program…)
I have been working with a new body and tibia design. To night I was winished with the body. I had forgot how timeconsuming calibrating of the legs was…
The plastic parts are sawed with a common vertical band saw.
First I draw them on paper, then take a copy of the drawing and then glue the drawing on the plate of plastic. (I don’t have the exact name for what kind of plastic material it is, I will check it later at the store).
Then I cut the part with the band saw.
For the tibia parts I first make a prototype of aluminium the same method as mentioned above. To be sure that all tibia’s are in register with the servo holes I first make the holes and tapp them (3mm).
After that I fasten the aluminium prototype with four 3mm screws on the plastic plate, and then I can saw out the tibia.
Repeating this six times and I got all the tibias.
After sawing I have to rub them with sandpaper, so they look smooth and nice… 8)
Hi!
Last Q first: I have been thinking of making tibias with flames, that would be very cool but I have to make them with a shape that dosen’t make them crash with the body when the legs are lifted high above the body. I like fleksibility…
Excel program:
It generate steps and sequences, I then copy them into a .csv file. Save the file in excel (cells separated with tabs…) then convert the .csv file with a very simple program called Convert XLS (can be downloaded free at softinterface.com). I set up the Convert XLS to replace ASCII TAB with semicolon ; .
Then I import the .csv file into lynxmotions sequencer.
DONE!
Yesterday evening I created a advanced ripple walking sequence with over 100 steps. The hole prosess was done in less than 5 minutes!
Already the excel program has saved me from several ours of plundering with simple sequences maked with only the sequencer program.
Its all hand cut? You must have a steady hand. I would never be able to cut something that clean. My hands shake too much
Ahhhh, thats cool. But I still don’t exactly understand how excel controls the hexapod. Does it send COM commands via wifi to the SSC-32? Or like how? There aren’t any cables attached to the bot.
OH MY GOODNESS! THAT is the CUTEST robot I have seen in a while. I love the part where he (she?) puts his front legs up and dances ^^;;
I will have to say that Phoenix is my new most favorite hexapod, wait no! Robot in general, on lynxmotion!! Followed of course by Johnny 6, 5, and others.
Very great work Zenta! Keep it up! I sooo want one of these T_T.
You ever tried making him (her?) do bench presses? Would be interesting to see how powerful those legs are.
ehm strong words comming from you there… THANK YOU!
About the excel program:
The excel program generates the seuences, it dosen’t send any signals to the robot. The sequencer program from lynxmotion takes care of that. In the sequencer program you can import and export projects. Meaning that I import the sequences from the excel program.
I use bluetooth interface BlueSMIRF from SparkFun. NO CABLES… 8)
Bench press? No haven’t tried that. But shouldn’t be a problem. I will try it sometimes
Here is another picture giving you a better view of the body. I must say I love the skintexture on these plastic material…
So, your trying to say that you hacked and figured out how the SEQ works and its file output and used excel to create the seq, then you imported the csv file into the SEQ and used bluetooth via BlueSMiRF to send data to the SSC-32? Brilliant!
Why do you use excel over doing it in SEQ? (Sorry if I missed it) I dont really understand. You mentioned something about capture. You can move the legs and excel will record the position?
I like the texture too. Make sure to let us know what plastic that is next time your in the store.
8) Your hex sure has a lot of movement, its probably one of the more flexible hexs i have seen
)
strong words comming from you there… THANK YOU!