EEtwidget Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 If you don't know me I'm big on electronics. I worked on robotic weapon systems in the Navy, industrial automation as a civilian, product development on embedded systems, and I even had the opportunity to design exhibits for Discovery Science. Im using my GI Bill, studying Mechatronics (Mechanical, electrical, computer engineering). The engineering comes easy to me, calculus... Not so much. Anyway, this semester I have been building a lot of robots. I built a Hexapod for one of my instructors, a humanoid bipod who I'm teaching Kung-fu, quads, & maze solving rovers. These toys cost thousands of dollars and I wouldn't normally get an opportunity to play.. I mean learn, with them if it weren't for an engineering research class I'm taking. I originally signed up for the class because I was 1 unit short of full time. It didn't take long for me to settle intomore of an active teaching role. I enjoy the field and it's a lot of fun when I get to show-off and teach people who have PH.D. in Physics. The is the Hexapod. I built/coded/& debugged it in one day. Lots of work but I wanted to get it finished in order to demo to the High Schoolers. We are building 6 Quadcopters in the engineering class. I had to solder and configure some GPS modules so I threw together this rig to speed up production. My truck was in the shop so I loaded up the wifes Subaru and headed over to an event where I demonstrated some robotics and gadgets for high schoolers. Brought along my solar generator. Branded with a TIA sticker, this thing rocks! It powered all my demos while charging my laptop and cellphone. It's a great talking point too This is the Humanoid robot. I'm teaching him Kung-Fu. Maybe I should teach him to build something? Its really a cool kit, able to build many different styles including robot T-Rex *i have some videos but can't seem to post them from my phone 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Neat stuff EE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poisonfangs85 Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 That is so cool. I love how "no big deal" you sound. Ya know I built a robot and coded it, and I'm teaching it Kung fu, no biggie. Keep eps up the good work! Mite great that you are sharing your knowledge with the next generations. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR99 Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Alphabet the new patent company of Google is selling Boston Dynamics They didn't like the negative pr from this Atlas video that came out. It really freaked some people out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Cool stuff, you seem pretty good at that stuff Jimbo Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WigWagWorkshop Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 I have always been intrigued by robotics, and all the possibilities that can be achieved in the future. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 those are pretty cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 here's a pic of some of the kids in the engineering class. Dr. Sims in the center on the floor showing the students how to attach motors to a block of wood with plumbing strap. ? I brough some some tools in that day and for many of the students it was the first time they used a power drill. I think I created a few Milwaukee fanboys/girls. ill get get some pics of the students robots today. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 interesting..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Also, moral objections aside, DARPA is hosting a weapons design competition. They want people to build weapons from normal house hold objects. Think macgyver type stuff. Weaponized toasters! TIA inspired weapons? What can we make from power tools? http://www.maxim.com/maxim-man/darpa-improv-program-2016-3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted March 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 We can do better then a flamethrower ? But yes, I actually learned to build a flamethrower from this Russia guy I worked with. I uploaded my first YouTube video. Nothing special, just shows the Humanoid doing some moves, including a headstand. My dog Alley makes an appearance. She doesn't trust technology. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted March 20, 2016 Report Share Posted March 20, 2016 Well robots are the direction everything is moving. Soon the whole dairy industry will be robotic. They already have robotic alley scrapers. Automatic feeding machines and several companies have their own robotic milkers. The human element is getting rapidly phased out. We are probably going to install robotic milkers at some point because of how quickly they can pay for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted April 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 Just updating with a new robot build. This one is called the mDrawBot. It's a kit that can be configured into 4 different XY Plotters. mScara (current configuration) is a robotic arm plotter. Originally designed to clamp onto the edge of a desk. I mounted it to some MDF, finally discovered what MDF was good for. mSpider: Can draw on horizontal surfaces like a whiteboard. I am going to build this unit next mEggBot: is great for Decorating Easter Eggs . mCarBot: Maybe useful for making custom parking spot decals. I will need to do a TIA Print, but for now here are a few I did. The print resolution and quality isn't the best but its pretty cool. I need to work on my video editing skills. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99_XC600 Posted April 10, 2016 Report Share Posted April 10, 2016 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrsalas Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Lmfao...... Now that's funny Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99_XC600 Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Now if they did the voice over in Bender's it would have been legendary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 That's pretty sweet! Jimbo Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigmikez Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted April 11, 2016 Report Share Posted April 11, 2016 4 hours ago, PROTOOLNUT said: If I was the robot, I'd turn my head to look at him and say. Push me again and just see what happens. And in a flash protool nut pulled out his 7 1/4" ryobi circular saw and bevel cut that mother F%&$#* to death!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnarlyCarl Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Hey @EEtwidget time to arm those plotters with different color of pens!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted April 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Im actually going to take it apart and configure it to write on a white-board. I have some Kreg T-Track i'm going to use to make an adjustable mount. Something I can take into the classroom and throw up on the board, press a button and away it goes. Butt I'll draw a TIA Logo with the arm first. Today I made a few circuit boards with my friends CNC Mill. I really need a CNC of my own but they are just so damn $$$. I keep hoping Dan will give his away. Check out the youtub video I took of the mill in action. This PCB is a shield that attaches to the Arduino Mega board. A few sensors plug into it and turns the Arduino Mega into a flight-control for quad-copters. Nice relaxing music too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyB Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Very cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted April 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Another quick robot update. Meet Baxter. He is our latest & greatest 'toy'. Baxter is made by a company called Rethink Robotics. Marketed as an easy to use automation bot, Baxter can be programmed by simply moving his arms. Here is a short video of the first run. I'm just calibrating his arms but next week I'll program him to do something cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted April 29, 2016 Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Thats pretty cool, robots have definitely come a long way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEtwidget Posted April 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2016 Yes they have. The UN just had a meeting talking about Robots on the Battlefield. Many think it's inhuman for a robot to kill a person because the robot doesn't have any emotional consequences. https://www.stopkillerrobots.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.