Dear Sir,
My name is Ahmad Abou Ammo, I am a Computer and Communication Engineering student, studying at the American University of Science and Technology.
I am doing a robot as my senior project, and I have some questions regarding the Robotis Bioloid Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo and the CM-5 Control Module. I am in the process of buying 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo and a CM-5 Control Module, as well as the Robotis ZIG-100 Wireless Communication Module.
1-Sir, can the CM-5 Control Module send packets to 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo at the same time with everyone doing its own job?
2-If the answer of question is ok, then will it be a delay in the packets reaching the 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo or the packets will reach at the same time?
3-If I want the full torque of the Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo will the CM-5 Control Module give them the full power? And is this done using programming or from external power?
4-Sir, I want to control my robot wirelessly, so is it possible to use the Robotis ZIG-100 Wireless Communication Module to control the CM-5 Control Module?
p.s. I want to control the robot from my computer so is it possible to use the Robotis ZIG-100 Wireless Communication Module to send data to the CM-5 Control Module?
5-Can a single 12V, 15Ah battery power the CM-5 and the 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo, or I need more power?
6-Sir, I am living in Lebanon, so if I order the 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo the CM-5 Control Module and the Robotis ZIG-100 Wireless Communication Module on Monday, so when is the expected date to receive the whole package?
7-Is it possible to pay using an Internet Card, or I must have a VISA or Master Card?
Thank you Sir,
Best regards,
Dear Mr. Jonathan Brunet,
Thank you for your reply that is of valuable help for me in thinking in the right direction in making my robot
I will be using the option of sending a check to the Robot Shop account to purchase my 11 Dynamixel AX-12+, my CM-5 controller and the ZIG-100.
Several questions raised in my head while reading your e-mail.
1-For maximum torque, 10V would be the upper limit. 9.6V is suggested as a power source to the actuators.<-- do you mean to power the Dynamixel AX-12+ from a power source? Or just take the power from the CM-5 controller?
I mean just use a battery of 10V to give power to the motors? Since in the Dynamixel AX-12+ manual you gave an idea on how to connect several Dynamixel AX-12+ to the CM-5 controller with a single bus, so do you mean giving the giving the motors a VDD and GND and the data take it from the controller?
2-The ZIG-100 comes with a transmitter and a receiver, so you mean that I will have one transmitter at the computer and one receiver connected to the CM-5 controller right? My question is that if I need to press L on my PC then I want the robot to turn left and if I press R then I want it to turn right, F for forward and B for backward, so can this be happen using the same method you mentioned?
3-Sir, if I want the robot to move automatically, I mean I made a program with 2 buttons, one is Manual, where I can control the robot as I said above and the second is Auto, where when I press the Auto button I want the robot to move in a certain dimension defined (like a square of 40m2) so what I will need to make it be auto?
Thank you Sir,
Best regards,
Dear Sir,
I want to thank you again and to be sorry for this inconvenience and my bunch of questions and I am really appreciated for your time and help.
Sir, my question is can I order the CM-5 controller to power several Dynamixel AX-12+ with 10V to take a maximum torque, or just I need to connect them to a 10V battery and let the CM-5 controller give the data line only?
Why using the USB to Dynamixel? Can’t I send order from my JAVA program on my PC using the Zig-100 transmitter to the Zig-100 receiver on my robot which will be connected to the CM-5 controller to make the 11 motors do the desired job?
Sir, the CM-5 is a microcontroller base, right? So I can give it an order to do a job by itself and to control the motors by a certain function, right? And I can give her another order to control several functions from my PC, like left, right, forward and backward, right?
Sir, why I need obstacle avoidance, I meant if I want when I press a button on my PC (on my JAVA program) to make the robot move like 30 meters then turn left then another 30 meters. Can this be done using a program on the CM-5 controller; I mean to make the robot do a continuous automatic movement till I want to stop it again by a button?
Sir, is there any CM-5 ready programs to buy or I just have to do the whole program, if I need more programs are there a ready programs come with the CM-5 kit?
Best regards Sir, and thank you again for your help and patience; I know I ask too much
Sincerely,
Dear Mr. Jonathan Brunet,
Thank you so much for your last post to me, I made the design as you advice.
I just want to know if I can connect the 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ to the CM-5 controller and connect the Dynamixel sensor with them too?
Sir, I can sure program the CM-5 controller to control the 11 Dynamixel AX-12+ and the Dynamixel sensor, using the ID of each one to differentiate between them, so is it a must to use the USB to Dynamixel to do so? Because in your last post you said to program the IDs into the actuators: “The USB to Dynamixel is a tool for development in that it can program the ID onto the actuators. It is simply suggested to help you develop your application using Dynamixel actuators since they can be configured easily, as specially if you purchase the actuators individully.”
Sir, how can I get a sample programs for the CM-5 controller, or at least the compiler, since I have to develop the programs myself, so I need at least sample programs, and I cant even find the CM-5 controller Manual on the robot shop web.
Mr. Jonathan, my bank has to know where to send the check, but I want to ask how I will purchase the parts if I send the check to the Robot Shop bank account? And how I will know about the shipping system? And the time will be taken to receive the parts? Shall I send with the check the parts I need? Or how?
Sir, how I pay for the shipping? After the arrival of the parts or included in the bank check? Moreover, if I want to pay more money for service to make the parts arrive early, how can I do so?
Thank you Mr. Jonathan, you are of great asset
Best regards,
Hello Mr. Jonathan,
Thank you a lot Sir, you were of great asset, I appreciate you for that.
Well, I ordered the Robotis Bioloid Comprehensive Robot Kit, plus 2 more Robotis Bioloid Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo to add them to the connection, and a ZIG-100 pair to control them using my PC.
I just have a question which is can the Bioloid Dynamixel AX-12+ Smart Serial Servo be modified to have a continuous turn (I mean 360 degrees)? If yes, so how can I modify it Sir?
Many thanks and appreciation for your advices,
Sincerely,
Hello Sir,
You said that the Dynamixel actuators can be used as a DC motor for endless turn, ok, but can I use it as a DC motor and to control it using the CM-5 controller? Or I have to use a special feature or device for that, since as you know Sir I am controlling 11 Dynamixel actuators 4 for positioning system as a servo and 6 for making my robot move forward, backward, and 1 for head moving, so is it possible to use them all on the same CM-5?
Thank you Sir,
Regards
Dear Sir,
I have purchased the Bioloid comprehensive kit.
I have merged several programs together and I made a detective robot.
Sir, I am now doing a small robot. I am using only the Dynamixel sensor and one Dynamixel motor.
I want when I turn on a light in several direction the motor turn in the same direction too. I mean I want a light detector that turns the same as my light when I direct the light to the left and right of the sensor (to turn left when I direct my light to the left sensor, and right when I direct my light to the right sensor, and if I keep lighting to the right sensor to keep on turning to the right (continuous turn) and if I keep lighting to the left sensor to keep on turning to the left (continuous turn)).
Do you have a source program for this robot on the Behavior Program?
Many thanks sir,
Regards
Hello Zephyrus, and welcome to the RobotShop community.
Each Dynamixel AX-12+ is addressed independently so yes you can control them simultaneously on a TTL serial BUS. Since the commands are sent in rapid succession at up to 1Mbps, the delay is not noticeable.
For maximum torque, 10V would be the upper limit. 9.6V is suggested as a power source to the actuators.
For wireless control you may use a ZIG-100 on the PC and another on the CM-5 controller as described in the manual.
The 12V 15Ah battery should work well, but you need to regulate down to 9.6VDC for the Dynamixel AX-12+ but the CM-5 can be powered directly at 12V.
RobotShop ships worldwide, to determine cost and time for shipping (we do have various options), visit robotshop.ca and place the items in the cart, then simulate the order.
RobotShop accepts Visa/AMEX/Mastercard and Paypal. You may opt to do an electronic money transfer too.
You would probably be better off letting the CM-5 power the actuators directly and see how that works for you before trying to modify the actuator wiring.
You can create custom software for control of Dynamixels, but we would suggest for direct control using the USB to Dynamixel. For autonomous behavior, we suggest the CM-5 with loaded program onto it using standard Bioloid Software. To allow obstacle avoidance, the AX-S1 sensor module is very useful.
We would therefore suggest the Bioloid Comprehensive Kit (which comes with software to program CM-5 for autonomous behavior), or at the very least the Starter Kit, and the USB to Dynamixel adapter for direct PC control via your custom software.
You may however be able to puppeteer the robot with your custom application via the CM-5 and have both puppeteered and autonomous operation, but the USB to Dynamixel will be a useful tool for your development.
The CM-5 will provide power to all the actuators. Ideally you should not modify the cables and simply plug them into the CM-5.
The ZIG-100’s would link the PC to the CM-5 controller. The USB to Dynamixel is a tool for development in that it can program the ID onto the actuators. It is simply suggested to help you develop your application using Dynamixel actuators since they can be configured easily, as specially if you purchase the actuators individully. ID’s are already set up when purchasing a kit.
You can do anything you want, including direct PC control or Autonomous operation. The AX-S1 sensor could help make the robot truly autonomous and is not absolutely required.
The CM-5, when purchased alone, is not provided with a CD for Bioloid software. This is why we suggest at a minimum purchasing a starter kit.
Yes, the actuators and sensor module are connected to the same BUS. Each is addressed independently.
In the kit, all the actuators and sensor are already addressed sequentially. If you opt for the purchase of additional actuators then the USB to Dynamixel is suggested to configure them easily.
This is why we suggest a kit, the CM-5 controller (sold seperately on our website) is ideally meant as a replacement if you damage the one in your kit. It is not provided with the Bioloid CD. The Bioloid CD contains Bioloid Software and examples to get you going. If you decide to create custom software in C# or other language, then the manufacturer offers no support for this. You could check out the Bioloid API:
ohloh.net/p/bioloidapi
RobotShop does not generally accept personnal checks. A bank transfer would therefore be required. To determine the shipping cost/time, place your order on robotshop.ca and choose “bank transfer” as payment method. You will have all the information and shipping options during checkout. Then you can proceed to the bank transfer and we would then ship out your order.
The Dynamixel Actuators can be used for propulsion like a DC motor with encoder in which case it can turn in any direction endlessly.
It can also act as a servomotor for precise position control over 300 degress no problem, but not 360 degrees. We are not aware of a method to extend the 300 degress to 360 degress without a mechanical contraption of some sort. Either way you will only get 1024 steps.
Yes, they are all used via the CM-5, all on the same “BUS”. This is very easy to use this way and you will have no problem with only 11 actuators all together.
This is basically a 2 axis sun tracker.
Ideally you would require 3 to 4 light sensors in an equilateral triangle or cross configuration.
By determining which sensor has more light, you can determine where you need to move in steps. Once all light sensors have the same value, you should in theory be pointing straight at the light source. You could possibly even determine the distance by knowing the light intensity. This will require a bit of custom coding since your requirements are unique, but this should not be very difficult.
