Hi there
Sorry for this post as I`m sure there are many like this....
I need to be able to control upto around 70 servos and motors from a pc or networked pc`s
I want to start with one servo and one motor for now.
the thing is tho, I know there is MANY products to set up a sequence of movements on software -> download to controller then run the sequence. or something like that
I NEED to be able to have the function to use my computer to output values to move the motors / servos in realtime - like RC. - if I move a joystick or press arrowkeys, the servos will follow. Then I need to be able to do this for upto 70 outputs....
I know its a lot to ask, but I`m just starting to `try` to develop the OS for my J5 robot (www.input-inc.com)
Thanks
Simon
SD84 servo controller at
SD84 servo controller at Trossen Robotics, use PC USB connection to control up to 84 servos or use up to 36 estra for analog measurments.
The king is here!!
HEY GUYS!!! THIS IS THE INPUT-INC GUY!!! WOO-HOO!!
Dude, you are a legend arond here. I/we are wicked impressed with your machining and metal work. Fantastic.
C’mon guys, Bazzuk74 is the real-deal --help him out, would ya?
what if?
XBees. one on a PC. 2 on 2 Arduino MEGAS. network all 3 together. then build a custom proto shield for both 'duinos, powering the servos with a big honkin battery(seperate power source), and then the input (white wire) for the ardy control. if you hit a button on your PC, have it send out a signal to the ardy, which then interprets it onto the servos. bluetooth could do the same thing as xbees, just smaller range
SD84
The SD84 from Trossen seems like your cup of tea. The price is a bit stiff, but it gives you 84 channels!
You can controll RC-style Motor Speed Controllers from the servo outputs, or make your own and controll them digitaly. You can even run different type of servos on different voltages, as the servos are feed V+ externally in groups of 8.
You can use the additional channels to control other functions like the liplight, lasers and lenses. Or use them for feedback to the computer from a tiltsensor or for battery charge status…
BTW looove your work, feel free to tell us about any other projects your working on. OK?
Thanks!
Thanks all!
Ill look into getting that SD84 as it does look like the most useful thing to connect J5 to PC.</p><p>To let you know, yes I plan to place at leaset one Pico ITX onboard, one in the head to control as much as that as I can ( about 20 servos, and a few other lil bits & bobs), and another Pico ITX wherever I can fit one!</p><p>Does the SD84 let me control other motor controllers ? We have at least a couple controllers planned that are used to turn high power motors into servos via a POT feedback. Terry of the input team knows more of that has he has one ready to play with.</p><p>What do I need to learn to use the SD84? - as in although Im trying to workout an OS for J5, I have only really pissed about programming in Dark Basic… I`m guessing thats not quite the right tool for the job tho ? lol
once again, thanks for the help, and thanks for your interests in our work! The only other project that we are working on is the Mini J5. Its a long way off, mainly ideas at the moment as designing something that small and complex is proving to be a bit of a challenge ( making it feasible is a BIG challenge! ) lol
Simon
should think so
I have not done any work with the SD84 myself, But I think it would work fine to use it with other motor controllers, sending serial out.
Why run two computors? Wouldnt it be easier to just have one doing all the sensor- and actuator routines?
SD84 stuff
There are a number of motor controllers that take an RC servo signal to produce PWM drive or regular brushed DC motors. I think the majority of the controllers on this page have the ability to operate from a servo signal as generated by the SD84.
To run the SD84, there needs to be a program on your PICO that generates serial commands for it. Lower on that page is a demo tool to run on a PC. Your own app would be custom. I’ve seen suggestions of using Visual Basic with .NET or Python to send and receive serial data, might have to search a bit for a few how-tos and code. I don’t know Dark Basic so maybe it could work.
Thanks all again! Just to
Thanks all again!
Just to let u know, if u wanna check out darkbasic, www.thegamecreators.com. its primarily a game creation BASIC coded program , but as its BASIC, it can also be used for many other apps - so Ill play with it more I think as I know it quite well(ish) compared to visual C or C++( never used.... )</p><p>( the bit below is what I want- tho not necassarily going to put in J5 )</p><p> As for 2 PICO computers... reason is that the head is so complex. I want to put cameras, stereo & long range mic, VR control of movement, as well as all the servos to move the eyelids (10 !), then a further 5 just for eye functions! I also want to run an AIML program on the head Pico with text to speech and speech recognition , so J5 cantalk... yes I know thats a lil far fetched... but I wanna try anyway :P</p><p>The main Pico will be used to control the rest of the robot, inc an TFT display, full motion control, including realtime collision detection of its own limbs ( IE not crashing arms into tracks when crouched down ).</p><p> </p><p>Anyway, enuf ofwhat I want lol, and back to what I need :P</p><p>I know Dark basic can use custom DLLs, and I think it does have ways of using the serial port,… but not sure about USB ( tho I know thats serial… )
I am away on Holiday for 2 weeks from thursday, but when I get back, I`ll see about getting a version of the SD84 that only runs a couple of servos for me to play with first.
Thanks
Back from Hols
HI all again,
Thanks for all the info and inspiration so far!
from what I have been reading - can anyone confirm these :
The SD-84 can be used as a pre-preogrammed servo sequencer, as well as a realtime controller via USB from a PC.
It can be used to power High-Power servos, that are fed by a seperate power source.
the data lines on the SD84 are able to be used as feedback to the PC ( via usb ) for the possible use of feedback from potentiometers and
I see from the manufacturers page - http://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/htm/sd84tech.htm, that I need drivers that are available from a link on the site.
Tho I have just spoken to Terry, and we have discussed that 84 is enough, but as our J5 will be fulls size, and is tightly mechanical designed in places, it would be unfeasable to run all the wires from all over J5 to one contorller. So would this be any better for this solution : http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/390/resources ?
Does anyone know if I can connect say 4 of these to a single pc and have a single program running them simuleaneously?
Thanks again
Simon
