Vol. 5 No. 11SERVOMAGAZINETOUCH BIONICSKILLER ROBOTSHUMANOIDSANDROID ARMSNovember 20070 4 74470 5828511>U.S. $5.50 CANADA $7.00Cover.qxd 10/10/2007 7:56 PM Page 84Order 24 hours a day, 7 days a weekwww.Jameco.comOr call 800-831-4242 anytimeJameco Electronics. *According to the line cards on their web sites on August 28, 2007. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.OTHER JAMECO ADVANTAGES: More major brands of semis than any other catalog. 99% of catalog products ship the same day. Lowest prices guaranteed, or we pay 10%. Major brand names and generic equivalents for even greater cost savings.5101520Were passive aggressiveWhen it comes to passive products, we dont pullany punches: we stock more major brands ofpassive components than any other major cata-log distributor.* So whatever brands you needfrom AMP or AVX to Vishay or Wakefieldyoure more likely to find them all at Jameco.Check our stats below and see for yourself. Its another Jameco advantage.JamecoDigi-KeyMouserNewarkAMP AMP AMP AMPAstec Power Astec Power Astec Power Astec PowerAugat AVX AVX AVXAVX Bourns Bourns BournsBourns Cherry Cherry CherryCherry Corcom Condor Power CorcomCondor Power CTS Corcom Elco ConnectorCorcom Elco Connector Elco Connector GrayhillCTS Fox Electronics Fox Electronics Intl RectifierElco Connector Grayhill Intl Rectifier KemetFox Electronics Intl Rectifier Kemet MolexGrayhill Kemet Molex OsramIntl Rectifier Molex Panasonic PanasonicKemet Osram Potter & Brumfield Potter & BrumfieldMolex Panasonic Teledyne Relays VishayOsram Potter & Brumfield Vishay WakefieldPanasonic Power-One WakefieldPotter & Brumfield VishayPower-One WakefieldTeledyne RelaysVishayWakefieldFree shipping on theseand 83 other major brands.Call for details.CoverInside.qxd 10/10/2007 11:34 AM Page 2First-class customer service...You have provided polite, detailed support when have needed it, have been more than accommodating when it comes to purchasing assistance as well as providing me with lightning Iast email responses, prompt delivery and have met and greatly exceeded my expectation Irom a retailer in every regard Robert 0ordon University, Aberdeen0R0ER 0NLNE:WWW.A0TVE-R0B0T5.00M - TEL: + I0J171 23 27Robonova-1 H0KUY0 PB5-03JN nIrared range nder Iorindoor environmentsAUTH0R5E0 H0KUY0 0EALERH0KUY0 UR0-0LX state oI the art laser range nder5ensor Mounting HardwareRobot chassis, parts & accessoriesEasy 5tep 3000, advanced stepper motor drive and control systemMicromouse chassisEntry level controller suited to small robotics and control applicationsFull Page.qxd 8/8/2007 7:54 PM Page 34 SERVO 11.2007ENTER WITH CAUTION!22 The Combat ZoneDepartments06 Mind/Iron07 Bio-Feedback18 Events Calendar20 New Products31 Robotics Showcase46 Robo-Links72 SERVO Webstore82 Advertisers IndexColumns08Robytes by Jeff EckertStimulating Robot Tidbits10GeerHead by David Geer2007 FIRST Robotics Competition Winners14Ask Mr. Roboto by Pete MilesYour Problems Solved Here56Robotics Resources by Gordon McCombLearning Robotics From the Worlds Robotics Labs62Twin Tweaksby Bryce and Evan WoolleyWelcome to the (WowWee) Family68Dif ferent Bitsby Heather Dewey-HagborgNeural Networks for the PIC Microcontroller Part 3 Hebbian Learning76Appetizer by Bryan BergeronThe Black Widow Contest Winner78Then and Now by Tom CarrollHumanoid RobotsPAGE 62TOC Nov07.qxd 10/10/2007 4:58 PM Page 411.2007VOL. 5 NO. 11SERVO 11.2007 528 AUTOFLEX 2.0by Brian CieslakA new and improved autonomous programming tool for FIRST robots.32 Killer Robots Are Our Friendsby Brett DuesingA look inside the mechanics of combat robots.36 Do You Want it Now?by Fred EadyGet instant gratification with the Firgelli PQ-CIB controller hooked up to their linear actuator.42 Control a TOPO 1by Robert DoerrBreathe new life into an old robot.47 Building an Android Armby Mark MillerPart 2: Putting it all together.51 GPSby Michael SimpsonPart 2: Take a look at the Etek EB-85A,Copernicus, and Holux GPS modules.Features & ProjectsSERVO Magazine (ISSN 1546-0592/CDN Pub Agree#40702530) is published monthly for $24.95 per year by T & L Publications, Inc., 430 Princeland Court, Corona, CA 92879. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT CORONA, CA AND AT ADDITIONAL ENTRY MAILING OFFICES. POSTMASTER:Send address changes to SERVO Magazine, P.O. Box15277, North Hollywood, CA 91615 or Station A, P.O.Box 54, Windsor ON N9A 6J5; cpcreturns@servomagazine.comPAGE 47PAGE 42PAGE 32PAGE 36TOC Nov07.qxd 10/10/2007 5:20 PM Page 5Published Monthly By T & L Publications, Inc.430 Princeland CourtCorona, CA 92879-1300(951) 371-8497FAX (951) 371-3052Product Order Line 1-800-783-4624www.servomagazine.comSubscriptionsInside US 1-877-525-2539Outside US 1-818-487-4545P.O. Box 15277North Hollywood, CA 91615PUBLISHERLarry Lemieuxpublisher@servomagazine.comASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/VP OF SALES/MARKETINGRobin Lemieuxdisplay@servomagazine.comEDITORBryan Bergerontechedit-servo@yahoo.comCONTRIBUTING EDITORSJeff Eckert Tom CarrollGordon McComb David GeerPete Miles R. Steven RainwaterMichael Simpson Kevin BerryFred Eady Brett DuesingBrian Cieslak Mark MillerRobert Doerr James BakerChad New Bryce & Evan WoolleyHeather Dewey-HagborgCIRCULATION DIRECTORTracy Kerleysubscribe@servomagazine.comMARKETING COORDINATORWEBSTOREBrian Kirkpatricksales@servomagazine.comWEB CONTENTMichael Kaudzewebsite@servomagazine.comPRODUCTION/GRAPHICSShannon LemieuxJoe KeungmanivongADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTDebbie StauffacherCopyright 2007 by T & L Publications, Inc.All Rights ReservedAll advertising is subject to publishers approval.We are not responsible for mistakes, misprints,or typographical errors. SERVO Magazineassumes no responsibility for the availability orcondition of advertised items or for the honestyof the advertiser. The publisher makes no claimsfor the legality of any item advertised in SERVO.This is the sole responsibility of the advertiser.Advertisers and their agencies agree toindemnify and protect the publisher from anyand all claims, action, or expense arising fromadvertising placed in SERVO. Please send alleditorial correspondence, UPS, overnight mail,and artwork to: 430 Princeland Court,Corona, CA 92879.In the commercial robotics world,all eyes are on the recent iRobot vs. Robot FX patent infringementlawsuits, in which iRobot is seeking toprevent Robot FX from selling anymore Negotiator robots. While thereare a number of facets to the casedestined for the tabloids, oneundisputed part of the story is thatthe suit comes on the heels of acompetition between Robot FX andiRobot for a $280M contract with theUS military. Robot FX won thecontract. Whether iRobot maker ofthe popular Packbot gets anothercrack at the contract, the suit isimportant in that it marks animportant milestone in the growth ofthe military robot industry.To follow my reasoning, considerthe Gartner Hype Cycle, a popularmodel of technology-based products,first proposed by the Gartner Group(www.gartner.com) in 1995 (seeFigure 1). According to the model, the first phase of a Hype Cycle is the technology trigger, marked by a significant breakthrough, publicdemonstration, product launch, andrelated events that generate press andindustry interest.The next phase the Peak ofInflated Expectations is marked byover-enthusiasm and unrealisticexpectations. In reality, there may besome successful applications of thetechnology, but there are morefailures than winners. The onlyenterprises making money at thisstage are conference organizersand magazine publishers. Followingthis over-hype and user/investorfrustration from unmet expectations,technology-based products enter thetrough of disillusionment. Becausethe press usually abandons the topicand the technology, this is the end formany products. Products that survive the troughof disillusionment which may lastmonths, years, or decades are keptalive by companies that understandthe technologys applicability, risks,and benefits. The slope ofenlightenment marks the time whenthere is practical, commercially-viableapplication of thetechnology that is,some companies enjoycash flow.Finally, the productand underlying technologyreach the plateau ofproductivity, which ismarked by the appearanceof stable, accepted,second, and thirdgeneration products.Because its oftendifficult to directly track the few companiesthat are commerciallysuccessful during theMind / Ironby Bryan Bergeron, Editor Mind/Iron Continued6 SERVO 11.2007VISABILITYTIMETechnologyTriggerPeak ofInflatedExpectationsTrough ofDisillusionmentSlope ofEnlightenmentPlateau ofProductivityGARTNER HYPE CYCLEFIGURE 1Mind-Feed Nov07.qxd 10/10/2007 9:54 AM Page 6slope of enlightenment, external events such as lawsuits serve as useful indicators. Id like to propose this is thelawsuit point (shown in red in Figure 1) between the troughof disillusionment and slope of enlightenment.Historically, companies producing products arentbothered as long as theyre in an academic lab or smolderingin a company barely making a profit on the technology.However, as soon as the technology and market aremature enough to generate significant, sustainable revenue,then holders of patents (and their attorneys) take notice. Themotivation for a suit may be strictly monetary. Some patentholders develop and hold on to a patent with no intent ofdeveloping a product. Instead, they hope that a technologywill become viable before the term of their patent ends. Asuit may be motivated by competition from a rival in themarketplace. In some cases, a suit is simply to establish theright of a company to compete in a given market.The iRobotRobot FX suit suggests that the militaryrobotics industry has survived the trough of disillusionmentand is well on its way to the slope of enlightenment. Therehave been lawsuits in medical robotics, a sign that therobotics industry is making progress in this area, as well.How long before we see major lawsuits for home robotsor assistive robots is unclear. However, when we do seelawsuits, itll be a sign that the field is maturing. Hopefully, therobotics companies involved in these suits will be financially fitenough to not only survive but thrive in the new economicenvironment. SVDear SERVO:Regarding the 09.2007 issue beginning on page 67, TwinTweaks Robot vs.Wild ... the problem stated was that theautomotive steering vehicle had trouble making tight turns.The Wooleys solved part of the problem quite accurately withthe Ackermann steering geometry, but you still have a solidrear axle (wheels, axle, and drive gears acting as a single unit).Thus, driving both rear wheels with relatively equal forcewhen you try to turn, the front end gets pushed and you windup going in a wider radius than the front wheels are set for. Inthe process of turning, the rear wheels want to slip becausethe outside wheel is traversing a larger arc than the insidewheel. If youre going in a straight line, like drag racers do, asolid rear end is great. But if you want to make some turns,then you need a differential. And they almost had it lookingat the photo on the bottom of page 69 titled Vex Differential.You need to cut the axle in two (a loose sleeve joining the twoends will allow independent motion and still keep the axlesrelatively concentric) and put a bevel gear on each axle end sothat they mesh with the third bevel gear thats attached to thedifferential carrier. This will allow continuous power to beapplied to both rear wheels, irregardless of each wheelsspeed. You guys are doing great hang in there. Youll neverknow what you can do until you push your limits. Phillip PotterSERVO 11.2007 7continued on page 75Mind-Feed Nov07.qxd 10/10/2007 9:55 AM Page 78 SERVO 11.2007Autonomous RefuelingDemonstratedThe Defense Advanced ResearchProjects Agency (DARPA, www.darpa.gov) has added to its bag of aeronautical tricks with theAutonomous Airborne RefuelingDemonstration (AARD) program,through which it has demonstratedthe first-ever robotic system to refuelairplanes in flight.In a recent series of tests, theAARD was fitted to a NASA-ownedF/A-18 Hornet fighter and operatedout of Californias Edwards Air ForceBase. Using inertial, GPS, and videomeasurements along with somespecial guidance and control techniques the AARD managed topoke a refueling probe into a 32-inchbasket while traveling 250 mph at 18,000 ft above the TehachapiMountains. Some tests were conduct-ed in straight-and-level flight, under a range of turbulence conditions thatinvolved as much as five feet of side-to-side movement of the drogue(the small windsock at the end of therefueling hose).In its most successful configura-tion, the AARD hit the target in 18out of 18 attempts. It also managedto make the connection when the707-300 tanker and F/A-18 wereexecuting a turn, which is not usuallyattempted with a human pilot. In the tests, the fighter was operatingautonomously; the pilots shown inthe photo were on board for safetypurposes.UAV for FarmersMost of the glory in the UAVarena goes to exotic military and security aircraft, but a fleet of miniature planes may soon create abuzz over the fields and forests of theheartland, providing surveillance forfarming, environmental monitoring,and forestry.MicroPilot, Inc. (www.micropilot.com), based in Stony Mountain,Manitoba, offers a range of UAVs,autopilots, and software products,including the MP-Vision airplane.Earlier this year, MicroPilots CropCam division (www.cropcam.com)introduced a version that has beenconfigured specifically for agriculturaloperations.The CropCam AUV is a GPS-guided craft that covers a preprogrammed flight pattern over aquarter section (160 acres) andtakes digital photos along the way.With an overall length of four feetand a wingspan of eight feet, thesix-pound plane can climb to 2,200feet and complete a survey in about20 minutes. Guidance is provided bya Trimble GPS unit, and you canchoose among three Pentax cameramodels to get up to eight megapixelresolution for stills and 640 x 480, 30fps, in video mode.Power is provided by a 0.15 cu inengine that draws from a six-oz tank,but it appears that you can also getone that is driven by an Axi brushlessmotor and lithium polymer batteries.Rumor has it that it will run you about $7,000.Bionic Hand Now AvailableThe Touch Bionics (www.touchbionics.com) i-LIMB Hand, formallyintroduced in July at the 12th WorldCongress of the InternationalSociety for Prosthetics andOrthoticsin Vancouver, Canada,looks like a great innovation forpatients who are missing ahand through accidents, actsof war, or birth defects.Designed to look and operatelike the real thing, it is said tobe the worlds first commercial-ly available prosthetic devicewith five individually powereddigits.The device operates on anintuitive control system thatuses a traditional myoelectricsignal input to open and closeits fingers. Myoelectric controlsThe AARD system performs better than a skilled pilot.Photo courtesy of DARPA.Image taken by a CropCam AUV.Photo courtesy of Cropcam, Inc.The i-LIMB Hand looks and acts like the real deal.Photo courtesy of Touch Bionics.by Jeff EckertRobytes.qxd 10/9/2007 7:56 AM Page 8use electrical signals generated bymuscles in the remaining portionof a patients limb, with the signalbeing picked up by skin-mounted electrodes. Not shown in the photo isthe available cosmesis covering,which makes it appear more lifelike inuse. The device is already being fittedto patients in many clinics in the USand Europe.Build Your Own ROVIts not pretty, but at least itspretty cheap. Designed for ages 12and up, the ROV-in-a-Box kit from!nventivity (www.nventivity.com)sells for $249.95 and includes all ofthe required parts (frame, motors,light, camera, tether, controller, and battery), plus an instructionmanual. It also comes with propellers, switches, connectors,buoyancy devices (presumably thechunks of plastic foam shown in thephoto), and pretty much everythingelse. All you have to provide is PVCcement, tools, and a video monitor.According to the vendor, independent left and right props giveit good controllability and zero-radiusturning, and the light is brightenough to allow night missions. See the companys website for a sixminute video.Interactive BoybotHe looks quite a bit like theJapanese comic book characterAstro Boy, but the new Zeno botfrom Hanson Robotics (www.hansonrobotics.com) is actually namedafter the inventors son. Zenosmain claim to fame is how well heimitates human facial expressions,but he also walks, talks, and canlearn to recognize individual humanbeings (using a camera locatedbehind one of his eyes) and addressthem by name.Like other Hanson creations (recallthe familiar talking Einstein bot), Zenois based on AI capabilities that helphim learn and interact with his environment, a complex range (62, tobe precise) of facial and neck expressions, his somewhat weirdFrubber polymer skin, and the abilityto develop a unique personality.According to Hanson, Zeno and hispals can be used in education, psychiatry, military training, and character development for animation.Some people find him adorable,and others have described him ascreepy, so youll have to judge foryourself. Zeno is still a prototype, butthe plan is to have a commercial version on the market in two years forabout $300. SVRobyt esThe ROV-in-a-Box kit comes more or less complete.Photo courtesy of !nventivity LLC.Zeno a 17-inch mechanical boy walks, talks, and interacts on a personal level.Photo courtesy of Hanson Robotics.SERVO 11.2007 9Robytes.qxd 10/9/2007 7:57 AM Page 910 SERVO 11.2007In 2007, the Worcester PolytechnicInstitute (WPI) supportedMassachusetts Academy ofMathematics and Sciences at WPI (orMASS Academy, Team 190) won theFIRST Robotics World Championship in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta onApril 14. Team 190 designed and constructed the winning robot Goat-Dactyl early in the season.Goat-Dactyl is a wheel-locomotiverobot with sensors for autonomouscontrol and R/C for remote. Team 190designed the robot to accomplish specific, competition-related tasks aspart of the FIRST 2007 competition.The robot completes the tasks as partof a game in competition and collabo-ration with other teams robots.This years competition game called Rack N Roll tested the students and their robots ability to (1)hang inflated colored tubes on pegs,configured in rows and columns, on a10-foot-high center rack structure;(2) program a robotic vision system tonavigate the robot; and (3) lift otherrobots more than 12 inches off thefloor, according to Brad Miller, a Team190 member.The leaders of the competitionformed the aforementioned rack structure out of eight columns withthree pegs each on which robot teamscould place their tubes.Every other column had a greenlight. The teams calibrated theirrobots cameras to track the light. Six robots took the field during amatch. Officials assigned the robotsto either the blue or red alliancefor competition. The teams earnedpoints by hanging their alliance-coloredtubes on one or more of the rackpegs, says Miller.According to Miller, each hungtube was worth two points unless itwas contiguous (either vertically orhorizontally) with another hangingtube of your alliance color. Thetotal point count in this case wasequal to two raised to the powercorresponding to the length of thematched tube row or column (e.g., onetube = two points, two tubes = fourpoints, three tubes = eight points ... afull circle of eight tubes = 256points!), Miller explains.Team 190 made the Goat-Dactylrobot from a kit that every team had toadhere to. The kit includes parts for therobots pneumatic and electrical systems, as well as a choice of motors.The robot itself consists of four CIM FR801-001 motors, which drivethe robot.The large, broad metallic gripperthat is the primary capability of therobot opens and closes with the aid ofan RS-540 gear motor (Banebots). TwoGlobe 409A587 motors actuate therobots ramps.The team machined both theContact the author at geercom@alltel.net by David Geer2007 FIRST RoboticsCompetition WinnersThe FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)Robotics Competition pits high school robotics teams against each other(and themselves!) with a different robot kit and task each season.Students with Goat-Dactyl competitionrobot and control console queuing upbefore a match. The driver is thinkingabout strategy. Dan Jones, robotoperator, is in the foreground andColin Rody, driver, is in the background.Goat-Dactyl, mouth wide open, justbefore completing the lift of alliancepartners. Dan Jones, operator, operatingthe controls in the background.Photos are courtesy of Brad Miller,Team 190 member.Geerhead.qxd 10/9/2007 7:53 AM Page 10GEERHEADchassis and gripper elevator fromscratch. They used 6061 aluminumC-channel and Lexan materials. Theycut the lifting ramps via laser out of5052 aluminum sheet metal. Theyused sheet metal in gauges rangingfrom .02 to .065 in thickness.Team 190 folded the aluminumramps over, dimpled them with holes,and then riveted everything together.The gripper top is Lexan; the gripperbottom is fiberglass.The pneumatics included aThompson compressor, accumulatortanks from Clippard, solenoid valves from SMC and Parker, andBimba actuators.The actuator specs included three1.5 bore by 3 stroke cylinders perside of the robot, which presentedsufficient force to lift competingrobots off the floor by more thana foot. The robot also featured a.75 bore by 8 stroke cylinder forgrabbing onto and lifting the largeinflated rings.Both of these maneuvers were useful for competition scoring.Computer ControlledEach team is constrained to a kit that includes two PIC 18F8722 microprocessors. One is the slave andone is the master processor. The master processor controls the motorand communications and interfaceswith the human operator.The slave contains all the originalprogramming from the teams coders.The robot passes some data betweenthe master processor and the slave toprocess the actuators values.Team 190 coded the robotsprogram in the C language. Thecoders used both the Microchiptools that come with the kit, and theEclipse IDE.While teams in the FIRST competi-tion can stick with Microchips toolsthat come with the kit, they are free touse other programming tools.Our students use Eclipse as thedevelopment environment (IDE) fortheir in-class projects and are veryfamiliar with it. So, we adapted somework developed by other teams tomake a development environmentthat suited us. Eclipse has a hugenumber of collaborators so eventhough its free, it is much higherquality than many of the commercialproducts, says Miller.Team 190 also uses a softwarelibrary named WPILib, which is a development framework that supportsthe standard FIRST devices like speedcontrols, the CMU camera, and gyros,for example.Command andControlTeam 190, as other teams, built acustom control system for interfacingwith the competition-specified operator interface. That interface is thecontrols that enable the drivers and therobot to talk to each other.The FIRST supplied controller connects with joysticks, switches,potentiometers, and other controlhardware. The controller transmitscontrol positions to and from therobot. This enables the robots driver tomanipulate the robot in competitionwhile designing a unique set of controls for their purposes.Team 190 used two joystick controls for driving, and a separatecontrol box of arcade buttons and switches to control the tubemanipulator and robot-lift functions,according to Miller. Two operators handle the robots, one controlling the drive and the other controlling themanipulator and peripheral functions.The robot has many sensors,which help automate tasks such as lowering the robots lifts and raising the tube manipulator to SERVO 11.2007 11Team 190 members Dan Jones, operator,(back) and Paul Ventimiglia, mechanicallead (front) making last minute repairs on the robot between matches.Team 190 putting a tube on therack despite blocking attempts by a robot from the red alliance.Team 190 hanging a tube on themiddle section of the rack.During selection for team alliesbefore competition, Team 190 chose teams with compatible designsand tactics.Through our excellent scoutingand intelligence program, we wereable to pick teams that we knewwould make our alliance strong. Littledid we realize that they would alsomake us look good, as well, says BradMiller, a Team 190 member.From among all the possibilities,Team 190 ended up collaborating withteams that all had maroon team shirtcolors similar to their own.Denying that matching team shirtswas one of our selection criteria, wenonetheless took this as a good sign and have since celebrated thisoccurrence by producing Dont MessWith Maroon championship shirts,says Miller.SELECTING ALLIESGeerhead.qxd 10/9/2007 7:53 AM Page 1112 SERVO 11.2007pre-specified heights.The goals for the robot were toendow it will the best abilities to winthe game set before all the robotswhile staying within competition limits.The major constraints for the robotsinclude weight 120 lbs and under total size, the ability to recognizeother robots, compete better thanother robots, and to stay within cost limitations.The AnswersIn response to these goals and limitations, Team 190 worked on lowering their bots weight whileattaining its overall goals.Our original robot-lift design wasdouble the acceptable weight. Wewent through many different designapproaches, including using aluminumhoneycomb surfaces or making ourown foam-core sheets, before finallysettling on a unique sheet-metal boxstructure which was dimpled forimproved strength. This same approachwas used in nearly all aspects of thedesign, says Miller.The tube gripper lays in front ofthe robot to grab tubes from theground and catapult them high in theair to rack them up for scoring. (Thetube gripper is in the front of the robotthat can grab tubes from the groundand lift them to any height on the rackfor scoring.)Two of the unique features ofthe gripper are: It can grab tubes on the fly, without requiring the robot to come to a stop to pick themup; and second, it closes and lifts using a mechanism driven by a single pneumatic actuator. Usually two motions like this would requiretwo actuators, but due to some clever design, only one is needed,Miller explains.The team mounted the tubegripper on an extension mechanism(elevator) to get it to the right heightafter it grabs the tube and sets it tothe proper angle, Miller furtherexplains. The gripper is empoweredby a single air cylinder that bothcloses the robots claw and raises thetubes up to a 55 degree angle in asingle motion.In addition, says Miller, the top digit of the claw is a four bar articulated linkage that curls aroundthe tube, giving us maximum wrap, while allowing it to fit within ourstarting box. SVGEERHEADWorcester Polytechnic Institutewww.wpi.edu/index.htmlWPI FIRST Robotics Resource Centerhttp://first.wpi.eduWPI Robotics Engineering Majorwww.wpi.edu/Academics/Majors/RBEWPI Winning Robotics Team 190http://users.wpi.edu/~firstRESOURCESGoat-Dactyl using its tube gripper tolift a tube during competition.The robots tube gripper is mounted onan extension mechanism (an elevator)that it uses to get it to the right heightafter it grabs the tube and sets it tothe proper angle.Team 190 between finals matches, on the field resetting the robot to play again while being overlooked byhead ref, Aidan Browne.Tormach PCNC 1100 Features:Q Table size 34" x 9.5"Q R8 Spindle 1.5 hp variable speed to 4500 RPMQ Computer controlled spindle speed and directionQ Precision ground ballscrewsQ Digitizing and tool sensing supportQ 4th axis and high speed spindle options3 Axis Mill$6800plus shippingWhen youre serious about hardware, you need serious tools. Whether milling 0.020 traces on prototype PCBs or cutting steel battle armor, this CNC mill can do it all. Weighing in at more than 1100 lbs, the PCNC can deliver the hardware end of your combined hardware & software projects.Precision CNC MachiningMill includes Control, CAD and CAM software. Optional stand, coolant system, computer and accessories are extra. Product information and online ordering at www.tormach.comGeerhead.qxd 10/9/2007 7:54 AM Page 12SERVO 11.2007 13Full Page.qxd 10/10/2007 11:40 AM Page 1314 SERVO 11.2007Q. It is my understanding thatthe HSR-8498HB servos thatare used in the Robonovahumanoid robot have position feedback capabilities, so I bought acouple of them from Tower Hobbies. I have been trying for several days now to figure out how to get positiondata from these servos. From what I have seen on theInternet, all I have to do is send theservo a 50 microsecond pulse, and it will return a position signal that issimilar to the regular pulse width to move the servo. I am missing something here. Can you help me? Pete SenganniA. The key to doing this is to usea pullup resistor on the signalline. This is required for bi-directional communication since the signal line is an open collector.Figure 1 shows a simple schematic forconnecting an HSR-8498HB servo to a BASIC Stamp. Here, I used a 1K ohmresistor as a pullup resistor on thesignal line. Without the resistor, you will not receive a signal back from the servo. Figure 2 shows asketch of the PWM (Pulse WidthModulation) control signal timing thatis required for this servo to return itscurrent position.To obtain the current position ofthe servo, you need to send a 50 spulse to the servo then wait for a minimum of 2 ms before measuringthe width of the return pulse. The critical element required to measurethe pulse width is to make sure that the servo signal line that is connectedto the microcontroller is changed froman output signal line to an input signalline immediately prior to measuring Tap into the sum of all human knowledge and get your questions answered here!From software algorithms to material selection, Mr. Roboto strives to meet youwhere you are and what more would you expect from a complex service droid?byPete MilesOur resident expert on all things robotic is merely an Email away. roboto@servomagazine.comP1P5P7P6P3P4P2VSSP0SINATNSOUTP14BASICSTAMP2FAMILYP10P8VSS P9P12P11P13P15RESVDDVIN1 K+5VSIGNALGND4.8-6.0V+4.8 - 6.0V SERVO POWERHSR-8498HB SERVO AND CABLESERVOFigure 1. Connecting an HSR-8498HB servo to a BASIC Stamp for positional bi-directional control.MrRoboto.qxd 10/9/2007 10:34 AM Page 14the pulse width. Or there will be no return signal from the servo (thatyou can see).The following BASIC Stamp sample code is all that is needed tomeasure the position feedback fromthe HSR-8498HB servo. This code sample assumes that the signal line isconnected to P15 on the BASIC Stamp.The Delay_50us constant of 63 is theconversion factor for a 50 s timedelay on a BASIC Stamp 2px. This delayconstant will be different for differentStamps. The tmp*8/10 is a conversion factor to convert thePULSIN value back to microseconds on a BASIC Stamp 2px (again this conversion factor will be different fordifferent BASIC Stamps).Tmp VAR WORDPosition VAR WORDServo_Pin CON 15Delay_50us CON 63READ_PWM:LOW Servo_PinPULSOUT Servo_Pin, Delay_50usPULSIN Servo_Pin, 1, tmpPosition = tmp*8/10DEBUG CRSRXY, 0,0,DEC5 POSPAUSE 5GOTO READ_PWMBecause of the pullup resistor, thelogic state of the Servo_Pin will behigh when it is not driven. Sincethe PULSOUT command on a Stamptoggles the current state of the outputpin, it is manually set LOW prior tosending the 50 s pulse to theservo, so the servo willrecognize the 50 spositive pulse. On aBASIC Stamp, thePULSIN command auto-matically changes thepins state to an inputstate, so nothing spe-cial needs to be done tomeasure the incomingpulse from the servo.This program willcontinually read theposition of the servoand display the resultson a debug window.When the servo horn ismanually rotated backand forth (from left tothe right), the position will changeon the debug window. Notice what Isaid here when the servo horn ismanually turned. Whenever the position is being read, the power to theinternal motor of the servo is turnedoff, which allows the servo horn to beeasily rotated by hand. This is actuallya good feature to have when you areposing a humanoid robot for teachingnew body positions. The drawback tothis, however, is that the motor losespower for a moment when the positionis being read. This may cause someservo jittering in some closed loopposition control applications.The HSR-8498HB servo doesrequire the position command pulse tobe updated every 20 ms, like regularanalog servos. If you continually readthe servos position once betweeneach position update cycle (i.e., onceevery 20 ms), the servo will jitter, andhave about half the normal outputtorque. It is best to read the servotorque once every several positionupdates, such as once every fiveupdate cycles (or once every 100 ms).This will begin to minimize the amountof servo jitter and torque loss due toreading the servo position.For those that are not familiar withthe HSR-8498HB servos, these servosare specifically designed for roboticapplications. They look quite a bit different from standard R/C servos.Figure 3 shows a photo of two ofthem. One of the nice features of theseservos is that they can be reconfiguredfor different applications, whichincludes a bearing joint at the bottom of the servo case, so that themain servo horn isnt supporting theentire weight of the robot when theservo is used as a joint.Figure 3 shows one of these servosSERVO 11.2007 15Figure 3. HSR-9498HB servo configurations;traditional servo configuration (left); RoboNovaservo-bracket configuration (right).50s500 - 2500 s2s (MINIMUM)OUTPUT FROMMICROCONTROLLERTO SERVOOUTPUT FROMSERVOTO MICROCONTROLLERGNDVHIFigure 2. PWM signal for position feedback for the HSR-8498HB servo.Operating Voltage 4.8V-6.0VNo-load Speed @ 4.8V 0.26 sec/60No-load Speed @ 6.0V 0.20 sec/60Stall Torque (4.8V) 84 oz/in (5.2 kg-cm)Stall Torque (6.0V) 103 oz/in (7.4 kg-cm)Idle Current Draw 8 mANo-load Current Draw,Running200 mAStall Current Draw 1200 mAPulse Range (~180) 600-2350 sCentering Pulse 1500 sDimensions1.57 x .78 x 1.85(40 x 20 x 47 mm)Weight 1.92 oz (54.7 g)Table 1. HSR-8498HB specifications.MrRoboto.qxd 10/9/2007 10:34 AM Page 15configured to look like a standard R/C servo, and the other servo is configured for a robotic knee joint.Each servo comes with an accessorypackage with the different configura-tion options. Table 1 shows the specifications for this servo.In Figure 3, you may havenoticed that wires to theservo are all black, and not thetraditional yellow-red-blackcolored wires in other Hitecservos. This can make determining the signal wirefrom the ground wire a bitchallenging. The signal wire isactually dark-gray in color, butit can be difficult to see. Thesignal wire is the wire closestto the two tabs on the side ofthe connector housing (seeFigure 4). The power wire is inthe center, and the groundwire is on the other side of the connector.One of the advancedfeatures of these servos isthat they can also be controlled andprogrammed via RS-232 serial communications. In fact, 127 of theseservos can be daisy-chained togetheron one signal line. In addition, the serial communication protocol canallow changing the proportional andderivative gains and dead bands onthe servo, servo ID, battery status,position, current draw, and turning theservo on and off.The servos that I used for thisanswer had an older firmware versionwhich doesnt allow for the serial communication. The minimumfirmware revision must be at leastv1.10. There is a little sticker on theinside of the servos bottom platewhich identifies the firmware version. Ihave sent my servos back to Hitec tohave the firmware version upgraded.Next month, I will continue this topicwith a discussion on how to use serialcommunications to control this servo.For more details about the PWMposition feedback signals and theserial communication protocol, go tothe Hitec Robotics website (www.hitecrobotics.com) and look underthe download page for the Pulse ofHMI Protocol subject. There you willfind a file called HMIprotocol.pdf,that will keep you busy until nextmonth. SV16 SERVO 11.2007Figure 4. Closeup view of the connector for the HSR-8498HB servo the control signal wire is dark gray in color located next to the side tabs on the connector.HE8EJIFH;?J;9)0' The results of an informal poll taken recently at the First Annual World Domination Symposium are now in. Robots prefer Hitec servos 3:1 over other servo brands. They know the wide selection of Hitec analog and digital servos provide them with the power and depend-ability needed to eventually take over the World. Make your robot happy, use Hitec servos. 12115 Paine Street | Poway | California | 92064 | 858-748-6948 | www.hitecrcd.com>_j[YEj^[h8hWdZ.EW2OBOT3ERVOSHSR-5980SGSpeed: 0.14 secTorque: 417 oz/inSteel GearsHSR-5498SGSpeed: 0.19 secTorque: 187 oz/inSteel GearsHSR-5990TGSpeed: 0.14 secTorque: 417 oz/inTitaniumALL SPECFCATONS AT 7.4 VOLTSMrRoboto.qxd 10/9/2007 10:35 AM Page 16Full Page.qxd 10/10/2007 11:42 AM Page 17Know of any robot competitions Ive missed? Is yourlocal school or robot group planning a contest? Send anemail to steve@ncc.com and tell me about it. Be sure toinclude the date and location of your contest. If you have awebsite with contest info, send along the URL as well, so wecan tell everyone else about it.For last-minute updates and changes, you can alwaysfind the most recent version of the Robot Competition FAQat Robots.net: http://robots.net/rcfaq.html R. Steven RainwaterN No ov ve em mb be er r3 DARPA Urban ChallengeThe former George Air Force Base, Victorville, CAAutonomous ground robots compete against each other in a simulated urban environment tocomplete a waypoint-following course.www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge10-11 Canadian National Robot GamesOntario Science Center, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaEvents include novice, advanced, and master mini-Sumo, full-size autonomous and RC Sumo,fire-fighting, line-following, photovore, a walkingrobot race, and a search and rescue contest.http://robotgames.ca16-17 All Japan MicroMouse ContestTsukuba International Conference Center,Tsukuba, JapanIncludes Micromouse, Micromouse Expert level,and Micro Clipper events.www.robomedia.org/directory/jp/game/mm_japan.html17 DPRG RoboRamaMuseum of Nature and Science, Dallas, TXThe usual assortment of events including Quick Trip, T-Time, wall-following, line-following, and can retrieval. An outdoor waypoint-following eventknown as the Long-Haul will also be included this year.www.dprg.org23-24 Hawaii Underwater Robot ChallengeUH Manoa Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex, Oahu, HIROVs built by university and high school students com-pete in this event, which is part of the MATE (MarineAdvanced Technology Education) series of contests.www.marinetech.org/rov_competition24 ROBOEXOTICAMuseumsquartier, Vienna, AustriaA competition for cocktail robots that includesevents such as serving cocktails, mixing cocktails,bartending conversation, and lighting cigarettes.www.roboexotica.org/en/acra.htm24 Roaming Robots Grand FinalKent, UKRemote-controlled vehicles destroy each other.www.roamingrobots.co.uk/events_calendar.htm30 ARADBOTSantiago, Dominican RepublicAutonomous robots compete in line-following andmini-Sumo events.www.aiolosrd.com30 Texas BEST CompetitionTexas Tech University, Lubbock, TXStudents and corporate sponsors build robots fromstandardized kits and compete in a challenge thatchanges each year.www.texasbest.orgD De ec ce em mb be er r7-8 Souths BEST CompetitionBeard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, Auburn University, Auburn, ALRegional BEST teams from multiple states competein this regional championship.www.southsbest.org8 Penn State Abington Robo-HoopPenn State Abington, Abington, PAAutonomous robot basketball event in whichrobots must pick up foam balls and shoot or dunkthem into a basket.www.ecsel.psu.edu/~avanzato/robots/contests/robo-hoopsSend updates, new listings, corrections, complaints, and suggestions to: steve@ncc.com or FAX 972-404-026918 SERVO 11.2007Events.qxd 10/9/2007 11:28 AM Page 18Full Page.qxd 10/10/2007 11:44 AM Page 192 MHz Pulse-Width ModulatorMicrochip Technology,Inc., now offers theMCP1631 2.0 MHz, high-speed pulse width modula-tor (PWM). The highly inte-grated device contains a 1ampere integrated MOSFETdriver, high-speed compara-tor for over-voltage protection, and both battery-currentand voltage-sense amplifiers in one small package.Protection features, such as under voltage lock out (UVLO)and over-temperature protection, come standard with thePWM, which is capable of charging multiple batterychemistries, including Li-Ion, NiHM, NiCd, and Lead Acid.The MCP1631 PWM provides a means to close thefeedback loop in Switch-Mode Power Supplies (SMPSs)that use microcontrollers for general system intelligenceand control. The integration of the PWMs SMPS input andoutput interface via its voltage comparator, battery-voltage, and current-sense amplifiers plus its 1A MOSFET driver enable designers to use this single deviceto perform many different functions in their designs. Theresult is a smaller design footprint and lower overall cost.Additionally, the MCP1631 is controlled by an easily-programmable microcontroller, meaning that exact chargeprofiles for a variety of battery-charging systems can beaccurately met, while closing the feedback loop with thespeed and precision needed for safe charging and long bat-tery life. The PWMs UVLO and over-temperature protectionfeatures enhance the safety of battery-charger designs.High-voltage versions of the MCP1631 PWM are available (Part # MCP1631HV), which operate from 6V to16V and include a linear regulator (LDO). The standardversions of the device operate from 3V to 5.5V, and do notinclude a LDO. Possible applications include handheldNew ProductsCONTROLLERS & PROCESSORSNNEEWW PPRROODDUUCCTTSSMaximumRobotics.com1-800-979-9130Wiring Robot Controller Atmel ATMega 128 128k Memory 43 Digital I/O Pins 8 Analog Inputs 8 External Interupts 6 PWM Channels 2 Serial Ports including Bi-Directional USB The Wiring Programming LanguageThe Wiring language provides a simplified subset ofC or C++ that hides more advanced concepts likeclasses, objects, pointers (while still making themaccessible for advanced users). You get the powerof C or C++ with the ease of a language like Basic.Programs execute at full C++ speed on the board.$69.95Robot ControllersARC1.1 Robot Controller Atmel ATMega16 1k SRAM, 16k Flash Dual 1.1 amp motor drives Supports motors up to 25V Dual quadrature encoder support Programming cable included with kit No additional hardware needed Works with BASCOM and AvrDude programming softwareIdeal for controlling your small robot. With a Microcontrollerand onboard motor controllers, you get all the electronicsthat you need (except sensors) on one board.Kit $37.95 / Assembled $41.95Programmable Robot KitsINEX MicroCamp Mega8 Atmel ATMega8 Dual DC motor drivers 2 Buttons, 2 LEDs Serial port 5-Analog ports for sensors +5V switching power supply No soldering required Supports In-system Programming via ISP connectorwith included PX-400 Serial ProgrammerIncludes eveything you need to build a simple mobilerobot. Add your own additional sensors for evenmore complex robots.$59.95MicroBric Viper Screw-together Assembly BasicAtom Microcontroller 2 motor modules Bump sensor modules Switch Modules IR Remote & Receiver ModuleWith microbric, you can build complex electronicdevices with little or no prior electronics knowledge.As no soldering is involved and the parts are fullyreusable, you can build and rebuild programmablerobots as many times as you like.$89.95Also Available:Electronic ComponentsServosMotorsHardwareWheels & Tiresand More!More New Products on the way!20 SERVO 11.2007Nov07NewProd.qxd 10/10/2007 4:56 PM Page 20medical, consumer, and industrial electronic devices thatrequire power management and SMPS technology, with afocus on battery charging. Examples include intelligentpower supplies, smart battery chargers, RF remotedevices, handheld scanners, parallel power supplies, andAC power factor correction.For further information, please contact:Robot ControllerBoard That Does it AllEfficient Computer Systems, LLCannounces the BOTLOGIC Controller.This 4 x 6 inch board controls up to 32RC servos; 24 of these servo channelshave load sensing circuitry to allowrobots to detect the amount of forcebeing applied by each servo. This servofeedback will help a robot sense whena leg has touched the ground, as wellas how much of the robots weight ison each leg. When used with a gripper, it will helpdetect when the gripper has touched an object andhow much force the gripper is actually applying to anobject. Twenty user inputs are available for connectingto bumper switches or other sensors, allowing yourrobot to explore its environment. Also on-board is a three-axis accelerometer which is perfect for todays balancingBOTs. The built-in SD card interface can be used for load-ing new programs into the robot, as well as storing dataand sound files to use with the built-in audio recordingand playback circuitry. User messages or diagnostic datacan be displayed on the 2 x 16 character LCD. High current LED drivers can deliver power to up to six externally mounted high brightness LEDs to illuminate theenvironment, show system status, or just look cool. Thethree two-amp solenoid drivers can be used to poweraccessories such as motors or fans. The daughterboardconnector allows for future expansion or customadd-on features.Control your robot with the optional wireless interface to a PC or through most wireless/wiredPlaystation 2 Gamepad controllers. Development toolsare available for both Basic and C.For further information, please contact:Website: www.microchip.comMicrochipNew ProductsSERVO 11.2007 21MOTOR CONTROLLERSWebsite: www.BOTdeveloper.comEfficient ComputerSystems, LLCNov07NewProd.qxd 10/10/2007 4:57 PM Page 21Featured This MonthParticipation22 Being a Safety Jerkby Kevin Berry23 Rules for First TimeParticipants by Kevin BerryFeature23 Updating the British Fleetby James BakerTechnical Knowledge26 Building a LightweightLaunch Bot by Chad NewEvents25 Results Aug 11 - Sep 1127 Upcoming Nov & DecIn my opinion, there is notougher job at an event thanbeing the Safety Officer (exceptfor Event Organizer, that is).Most of the builders are yourfriends, theyve worked hard toget ready, and are very posses-sive of their designs. You asthe person in charge of keep-ing people from getting hurt have a real responsibilityto do the right thing.The first step whenasked to be a SafetyOfficer is to have a discus-sion with the EO. Youneed to understand theirtolerance for gray areas inthe rules. For example, if the rulesays a bot must spin down in 30seconds, what do you do with a33 second bot? Do you insistthey meet the 30 seconds, are you allowed to use judgement, or do you refer this to the EO? Understanding the rules ofengagement is an important stepin avoiding misunderstandings.The next step is to communi-cate with the participants aheadof time, if possible. Let them knowyou are going to be tough onenforcement, so they arent surprised during check-in. EOsvary widely on safety, so someonecoming from an easy event to a22 SERVO 11.2007PARTICIPATI NBeing a Safety Jerk by Kevin BerryThe December edition of CombatZone will be All Armor. We solicited articles from builders across the spectrum, from antweights tosuperheavies, from newer buildersto seasoned pros. Like our WeldingSpecial and Heavy Power editions, this is intended to be aresource for builders who want tocreate tougher, nastier bots. Whichis really what the sport is all about! Kevin BerryCombatZone.qxd 10/9/2007 10:28 AM Page 22SERVO 11.2007 23Rules for First Time Participants by Kevin BerryStarting in any new sport, club, or activity brings with it some uncertainty, hesitancy, or just plainlack of knowledge. Robot combat iscertainly the same way, especiallywhen coupled with the concept ofinstant destruction of your hard-built,first creation!Like anything in life, the bestapproach is a combination of humbledemeanor and regular, thoughtfulquestioning. Veteran builders represent a cross section of society:from casual participants to intensecompetitors; tolerant to impatient;non-technical to deeply specialized.No matter how tolerant or patient,nobody wants to reply to a post oremail like this one: I want to build arobot and I dont know how. Whatdo I do? The first answer to thistype of question is do the research!There are several good books, manyteam and club websites, and locatorsfor nearby competitions that areavailable to first time builders.Next, lay out a design. Even ifyou arent sure exactly what you aredoing, give it a try. Builders are muchmore likely to give advice if its in context of a potentially buildable bot,rather than a mythical dreammachine. I laid out this bot usingthe Whyachi gearboxes, but I reallycant afford them. Anyone got experience with less expensive alternatives like modified HF drillmotors? This kind of question willbe much better received and moreimportantly get a better answer.Builders are busy people and reallydont want to spend a lot of time educating people who wont do their homework.Finally, try to meet some buildersin person. Sure, wed all like to take abot to our first event, but maybe a better approach is to go as a volunteer, get access to the pits,spend time with participants, andlearn, learn, learn! There has neverbeen an event held that has hadenough willing hands, skilled or not. I know after getting eliminatedin the very first fight of a three day event, my son and I spent the next two sweeping the box and wrangling bots, and had a hugely successful introduction to the sport. SVAs in the USA, the sport of robotcombat lives on in the UK,despite the continued absence ofnewly televised events on the scale ofRobot Wars and Battlebots. Thissport survives only for the efforts ofthose few dedicated event organiz-ers. On both sides of the Atlantic,these events sustain robotcombat. In turn, it is therobot builder and theirmachines that sustain theevent organizers and theirtough one might be shocked orangry if they are denied entry.The final step during actual safety checks is to make sure to becalm, level-headed, and non-involved.That means making the rules the badguy, not the Safety Officer. Id liketo overlook that weapon twitch, butthe rules say no movement, and itsunderlined, so youre going to haveto fix it. Another tack is personal,but not threatening. If you or someone else gets hurt, Im going tofeel terrible about it, even if you sayits not my fault. Lets work togetherto fix that.Sooner or later, though, you aregoing to have to 86 a bot. Before I do that, I consult with the EO, even if we have reached an earlierunderstanding. Good will is 90% ofrunning an event, and spending theEOs good will ought to involve them.In the long run, out of the frenzy andemotion of an event, its easy to seethat if the rules are known, buildersshould follow them, and our sportprides itself on a clean safety record.No builders, staff, or spectators hurt.Period. SVA selection of robots from theXbotz fleet. The current updateaims to use just two speedcontroller types across all of the robots.UPDATING THEBRITISH FLEETEvolution of a Rob t Army by James BakerCombatZone.qxd 10/9/2007 10:28 AM Page 2324 SERVO 11.2007events. The more combat robotsavailable to event organizers, thestronger our sport becomes.My teammates and I (TeamXbotz) keep a robot battle fleet big-ger than most, but as in the military,even the biggest fleet needs to bekept up-to-date and at the sharpedge to survive.The Xbotz fleet has been fighting regularly for a couple ofyears now, and to be honest, arestarting to look very tired. The technology they use is now sevenyears old in some cases, so a majorupdate of all the robots is now beingundertaken. This article hopes to givea little insight into the efforts of oneteam to stay competitive, but alsopractical, as running an active fleetthis big is a huge drain on time andresources, but I personally think it isreally worth it. We are still buildingnew machines, as well.For whatever reason, be it arenaconfiguration, available components,or a wider statement of nationalstereotypes, the past has shown thatthe majority of British robots lackedthe horsepower of their Americancousins, relying instead on good control and agility to bring theirweapons to bear, but leaving themvisibly slower.By far, the most popular drivesolution for robot combat in the UKwas the Bosch 750 watt, 24V motorwith 4QD speed controllers. This wasa good solution for us, and it wasrare to see someone successfully use more powerful drive systems. All of the currently active Xbotzheavyweight robots originally used4QD speed controllers.It is a big job to completelyoverhaul a heavyweight fightingrobot, but to update a whole fleet of heavyweights, featherweights,hobby weights, and artbots within arealistic timescale and budgetrequired a very clear decision-makingprocess. We decided that theupgrades must all be reliable; easy touse; offer a packaging, weight, orsize advantage; and be good valuefor the money. We also decided that logistically, having all the robotson common components where possible would be a huge advantage.This is mainly so we can carry fewerspares.First upgrades on the list werechassis, armor, and weapons, butthose subjects are a whole other article, so we can skip those for now.Second on the list were drive sys-tems namely motors, gearboxes,batteries, and speed controllers. Thewheels are fine as they are.All the robots have good, well-proven drive systems already, sorather than change the motors andgearboxes, it made more sense to usto update the speed controllers andbatteries only.Speed controllers are one areaof your robot you must get right, oryou will always struggle in the arena.We did not want to take advice andWheely Big Cheese climbsthe fence at a school science fair.Our 60 lb walking artbot Venom withelectric crushing pincers uses a singleRobot Power Scorpion XL and R/C switchers.The 30 lb robot Bug with electric grabber,uses a Scorpion XL for drive and anMtroniks Viper for the grabber.Our 220 lb robot Wheely Big Cheese with250 lb driver James Baker. This robot lostfive lbs just by swapping to a Sidewinder.The 30 lb robot Tantrum uses NiMHbatteries and a Scorpion XL for drive, withseparate NiCd cells for the weapon motor.Our other 220 lb robot Edgehog has swapped4QD speed control and Hawker batteries for aRobot Power Sidewinder and NiCd cells, savingover 20 lbs. This was used for extra armor.CombatZone.qxd 10/9/2007 11:15 AM Page 24SERVO 11.2007 25then regret it later, so we tried sever-al controllers head to head. I was soimpressed with one particular speedcontroller; I became the Europeanagent for the company that makesthem. The Robot Power Sidewinderlooked really good on paper, and during testing it exceeded our require-ments by a long way, so we now use them in all of our heavyweightsand one of the featherweights.We had a similar experience withthe smaller bots, identifying theRobot Power Scorpion XL as by far the best controller for all of thesub-30 lb machines, and the artbots,except one. We used a Robot PowerScorpion XXL (a modified XL) for thisone robot, as it needed the extrapower the XXL offers.The Robot Power Sidewinderwas the mainstay of the UK champi-onships this year, stepping in tokeep many robots running whentheir regular controllers failed. Onekey feature to this was that the speedcontroller being removed from arobot was always bigger than the Robot Power option, so it always fit. The space saved in our axe-bot Edgehog was unbelievable;swapping a laptop-sized electronicsbox for something so small gave usroom to make much needed weaponmodifications.Batteries are also an area whereyou cannot afford to get it wrong oryour robot is going to struggle. AllXbotz heavyweights ran Hawkersealed lead acid batteries prior to theoverhaul, which always served uswell, but a switch to nickel cadmiumcells was an easy upgrade, allowingus to lose weight and gain voltage.Two of the smaller bots now usethese also, with the remainder of thefleet running nickel metal hydridecells. We considered lithium basedpower, but decided on the NiMHmainly because of the lower cost.Our third area to look at wasradio control. All Xbotz robots use40 MHz Futaba systems, and wesaw no reason to change that. Thenew 2.4 GHz technology is veryimpressive, but the 40 MHz equipment has always done the jobfor us, so the money was betterspent elsewhere.The updates to the fleet are progressing well, with the robots doneto date showing improved speed andagility. Wheely Big Cheese, for example, is completely transformed.The whole Xbotz army of robots willbe updated before the 2008 seasonstarts, with detailed informationabout each robot, and each event weattend available on our website(www.xbotz.com) plus an onlineshop for European builders, thanksto www.leafish.co.uk.See www.robotcombat.comor www.robotpower.com for infor-mation about the speed controllerswe use at Team Xbotz. SVRobot Battles held their annualLabor Day event at Dragon*conin Atlanta, GA. Results were notavailable at press time, but will befeatured in an upcoming issue. Go towww.robotbattles.com for moreinformation.The UK HeavyweightChampionships, presented byRoaming Robots, were held August28th-31st at Haven Hafan y MrHoliday Park, North Wales. Go towww.roamingrobots.co.uk for moreinformation. Results are as follows: Heavyweight 1st: Big Nipper; 2nd:Terrorhurtz; 3rd: Iron Awe 5. Annihilator Tilly Ewe 2. Featherweight Little Flipper 2.Robots Live presented a show onSeptember 1st-2nd atSportspace Hemel Hempstead. TeamWind Power took home 1st placein the Feathers and Heavies, andTeam Big Nipper took home 2ndin both weight classes. Go towww.robotslive.co.uk for moreinformation. SVEVENTSRESULTS August 11th - September 11thA Scorpion XL is at the heart (literally)of our 30 lb artbot Hellraiser.Another 220 lb robot Carnage uses a RobotPower Sidewinder for both drive motors andanother for both weapon motors. The LeadAcid batteries have been replaced with NiCdpacks, saving 10 lbs.CombatZone.qxd 10/9/2007 10:28 AM Page 2526 SERVO 11.2007These days, it seems that thetrend within combat robotics isfor people to build two basic types ofrobots. They are either a super powerful KE spinner which tries todestroy everything in its path orsuper tough wedge type robotsmade to withstand the punishmentfrom the spinning robots. Somerobots will deviate from this trend,but for the most part, the majorityfall into these categories.In the half dozen years that Ihave been involved with this sport, Ihave mainly built sub-light robots,which are robots that are less than30 pounds. I have always wanted tobuild a pneumatic robot capable oflaunching another robot into theroof; however, due to the weightrestrictions on the sub-light classes, Iwas never able to build a robot thatcould achieve my goal.One day after seeing videosof various UK pneumatic robots, Idecided it was time to build a full size60 pound lightweight robot. Thisrobot would be something differentthan the norm; a robot that could(hopefully) take the abuse fromthe powerful KE robots and sendthe wedge type robots flying out ofthe arena.In this build report, I will givea description of how my 60pound launch bot Rocket becamea reality.The DesignIn todays game, there are manyrobots that wield weapons thatcan destroy an opponent in shortorder, especially in the lightweightclass. For this reason, I enlisted thehelp of my friend Bryan Ruddy tohelp me CAD and design this robot. After much talking, we agreedon a list of things that had to be achieved for this robot to be successful.We both agreed that therobot should be centered on theflipping system, be highly maneu-verable, have an armor systemwhich could stand up to thetough KE robots, and mostimportantly be able to shoot anopponent to the roof! After a fewweeks of CADing, this iswhat we came up with(Photo 1).DriveThe drive on Rocketuses four BaneBot 42 mm16:1 (www.banebots.com) gear motorsupgraded with the 775sized motor. This drive packagemounted to 3 wheels gives a greatbalance of speed and pushingpower. Also, the placement of themotors and shape of the base plate were designed for optimalmaneuvering and to eliminate scrubbing of the wheels. Whenmounted correctly, I have found theBaneBot units to be very durable andwork extremely well.ArmorOther than the pneumatic system, the armor arrangement is myfavorite part of this robot. It wasdesigned to take and repel theattacks from other robots, as well asfacilitate self-righting by letting thearm contact the ground at all times.All of the sides are sloped in order toreduce the amount of surface areathat other robots might be able toget a hit on. The armor is very low to the ground making it difficultfor vertical spinning robots to gripand damage.Also, the armor is mounted tothe base plate on a system of customrubberized shock mounts whichallow the armor shell to move andsomewhat flex when hit. Made from1/8 titanium, the shell is extremelydurable and has also been designedto allow various attachments to beadded, depending on the opposingrobot; all of which have yet to be debuted.ElectronicsRocket utilizes some of the bestelectronics available in order to freeup weight and improve durability.Control is handled by the newAirtronics M11 2.4 GHz system(www.airtronics.net) which theyBuilding a Lightweight Launch BotTECHNICAL KN WLEDGE by Chad NewPHOTO 1. After manyweeks of design,the final CADemerged.PHOTO 2. Parts cut and systemsinstalled, the frame is now readyfor wiring and final assembly.CombatZone.qxd 10/9/2007 10:29 AM Page 26SERVO 11.2007 27modified for me by adding abutton which can be pressedwhen I want the flipping armto be activated. This buttonallows me to focus on drivingthe robot while giving the flip-ping control to a team mate.The battery is a 5,000mAh 14.8V Li-Poly made byThunder Power (www.thunderpowerrc.com). This packwas able to free up a lot ofweight, allowing a better distributionfor other items. The speed control isRobot Power Sidewinder; which maybe overkill; however, it gets the jobdone well. The guys down atBaneBots built and designed me acustom voltage booster/timed switchto operate the valve for the cylinder.The valve requires very high voltageand only needs to be open for a fraction of a second; this device takescare of that task.FlipperThe flipping system uses a custom-made pneumatic cylindercapable of withstanding C02atpressures greater than 800 PSI. Activation of this cylinder is controlled by a large solenoid valve.Feeding this system is two 20 ozpaintball tanks, also with an inlinebuffer tank to allow for gas expan-sion. This arrangement gives Rocketover 20 shots at getting its opponentout of the arena. With the massiveamount of force that this system produces, the arms were made from.6 titanium with a .5 S7 steel push-ing plate. Overall, I believe this to beone of the best and toughest flippingsystems in the lightweight class.ConclusionAfter Rockets first event atRoboGames 2007, I found a flawin the design where the armor willrub against the arm when invert-ed, thus not allowing the arm toretract into the body making therobot able to right itself. I believe thatonce I fix this problem, Rocket will bea serious contender in the lightweightclass. I also hope that by building anexciting pneumatic robot, it will spurinterest in other types of robots, notjust the powerful KE spinners andbrick wedges. I strongly encourageeveryone to go after their goalsbecause you never know what mightcome out of them! SVHORD Fall2007 willbe presentedby the OhioRobot Club inBrecksville, OHon November3rd. This event is for Fairy, Ant, andBeetle weight combat robots. It willbe held at the Cuyahoga ValleyCareer Center (CVCC) (south east ofCleveland). For complete detailsincluding rules, safety forms, releaseforms, maps, and local hotels, seetheir website at www.ohiorobotclub.org.Roaming Robots will present anevent at the Maidstone LeisureCentre in Kent, England, onNovember 24th, and at the HarveyHadden Sports Complex December1st in Nottingham, England. Go towww.roamingrobots.co.uk formore details.RoboChallenge will present theirThinktank Christmas SpecialDecember 28th-29th in Birmingham,England. Go to www.robochallenge.co.uk for more details. SVPHOTO 3. Rocket putting theLW wedge Homer into orbit.PHOTO 4. Thearmor mocked uponto the frameready to be sentfor welding.PHOTO 5. Shined up and with newstickers, Rocket, ready for its first event.EVENTSUPCOMING November and DecemberCombatZone.qxd 10/9/2007 2:44 PM Page 27In the March 06 issue of SERVO Magazine, I introduced you to a program called AutoFlex atool used for developingautonomous routines for FRC(First Robotics Competition)robot controllers.The program was created by members of FRC Team 1675 whenthey realized that they were going tothe FIRST (For Inspiration andRecognition of Science andTechnology) National Championshipsin Atlanta, GA without anyautonomous functionality for theirrobot. Without having access to therobot until the event, they needed away to quickly program the robotto perform some task during theautonomous period. The solution wasto create a program that would allowthe teams driver to teach the robotwhat it had to do during theautonomous period by recording thedrivers commands as he drovethrough the autonomous routine.Training took place on the practicefield before the matches started. At the beginning of the match, therobot would repeat the commandsthat it was taught.In 2005 during the Triple play competition, the robot scored twotetras during each autonomous period. During the 2006 Aim Highcompetition, the robot could drive up to the goal and shoot an entiremagazine of balls through the hole(most of the time).The original program was a littlecumbersome and complicated to use.While the driver commanded therobot through the routine that wasto be recorded and then played itback during the autonomous mode,a programmer with a laptop connected to the robot via a serialcable chased (or was chased by) therobot as he captured data. Thedata then had to be loaded into afile and the whole program wasrecompiled and reloaded into therobot. From the sidelines, this was funto watch, but those actually involvedin the process were often quitestressed and in peril.Autoflex has been simplified andupdated to version 2.0 to take advantage of the internal EEPROMmemory available in the FRC robot controller. Commands are now writtendirectly to the EEPROM memory. Nomore laptops and cables, editing data,and reprogramming. Programmerstress levels have been greatly reduced!Imagine This!During practice, you set yourrobot on the playing field, click abutton on the operator interface andstart driving. Then you set your robotback to the starting point, connect adongle to the competition port of theoperator interface and flip the dongleswitch to autonomous and the robotwill replay the practice session you just recorded. Dont like what yousee? Just reset the dongle switch back to the off position and just clickthe program button again to re-recordanother session until you get itright. Neat, eh?? Your robot is AUTOFLEX 2.0New and Improved AutonomousProgramming Tool for FIRST Robots28 SERVO 11.2007FIGURE 1. Team 1675s first robotprogrammed with Autoflex for theFIRST Triple Play competition wouldknow one tetra from the goal andcap the second during theautonomous period.by Brian CieslakPhotos courtesy of FRC Team 1675 The Ultimate Protection Squad.Cieslak.qxd 10/9/2007 11:25 AM Page 28ready to run during the autonomousperiod, all in about 15 minutes.Getting StartedA .zip file can be downloadedfrom the FRC Team 1675 website (seeWeb Links sidebar) that includes a version of the FRC default code withAutoFlex included. I/O mapping for thedefault program is as follows:Joystick 1 - Y axis to PWM_1 Joystick 2 - Y axis to PWM_2Joystick 1 - X axis to PWM_5Joystick 2 - X axis to PWM_6Set your robot to program modeand download the FRCAutoFlex.hex fileusing the IFIdownloader program available from the IFI website (www.ifirobotics.com).Attach a programming dongle tothe competition port of the operatorinterface (instructions on how to makeyour own are also available from the IFIwebsite) and set the autonomousswitch to the open position. You arenow ready to start programming your robot for autonomous operation.The FRCAutoFlexCode.hex programrecords four inputs: joystick 1 x-axis,joystick 1 y-axis, joystick 2 x-axis, andjoystick 2 y-axis.Click the trigger on the port 1 joystick to start recording. You nowhave 15 seconds to drive through yourautonomous routine. After 15 seconds,the robot stops recording commandseven though it lets you keep driving.To replay what you just recorded,close the autonomous switch on thedongle. Watch out! Your robot willstart to execute the code you justrecorded. The robot will play 15 seconds of commands and then stop until you open the autonomousswitch again.Once you are satisfied with theautonomous routine youve recorded,place a jumper on the digitalinput 1 pins. This write protectsyour autonomous programfrom being accidentally erasedif you click the trigger whiledriving around.Thats the basic operation.Now you are anexpert.For theBeginningFIRSTProgrammerIf you are justlearning to programa FIRST robot, asample project thatis fully functional isincluded in the zipfile you can download from the Team1675 website that can serve as a tem-plate to get you started. The program-ming kit that comes with your robotincludes a disk with the MPLAB-IDEprogramming environment and theC18-Complier Version 2.4, as well asthe downloader program. You willneed these tools to compile and down-load your program to the robot.Adding Autoflex toYour Existing CodeAdding AutoFlex to your existingcode is simple if all the calls to yourcontrol functions (motor control,manipulator arm, etc.) are made fromthe Default_Routine() function foundin the User_Routines.c file.You must do the following (referto the sample code provided):1) Copy the following files to your project folder, then open MPLAB andadd them to your project:a) AutoFlex.cb) Autoflex.hc VEX_eeprom.cd) VEX_eeprom.h2) Open the user_routines_fast.c file. Add a call to the function autoflex_playback() to the user_autonomous_code() function as shown in Figure 2. Also add the#includeAutoFlex.h statement at thebeginning of the file.3) Open the user_routines.c file. Add acall to the function autoflex_recorder()to the Process_Data_From_ Master_uP() function as shown in Figure 3.Also add the #includeAutoFlex.hstatement at the beginning of the file.4) Open the main.c file. Add a call tothe function rewind_autoflex_playback() to the main()function asshown in Figure 5. Also add the#include"AutoFlex.h" statement at thebeginning of the file.SERVO 11.2007 29FIGURE 4. Team 1675s Aim High robotwould drive up to the goal and shootmost of its 10 balls through the hole.FIGURE 2FIGURE 3Cieslak.qxd 10/9/2007 11:25 AM Page 295) Configure Autoflex.h to reflect yourrobot system. Sections that you may want to consider changing includethe following:a) Determine how many inputs youwant to capture and which ones.//add defines here to assign//commands to user controls that// you want record/#define AUTO_COMMAND1 p1_x//left Joystick x#define AUTO_COMMAND2 p1_y//left Joystick y#define AUTO_COMMAND3 p2_y//right joystick y#define AUTO_COMMAND4 p2_x//right joystick x//#define AUTO_COMMAND5//uncomment to add another input//#define AUTO_COMMAND6//uncomment to add another input// Number of inputs we plan to//record// Default is set up to save 4 inputs.//You can save up to 6// inputs. You can define two auto//command lines above.// then change the number of//inputs on the line below.#define NUM_OF_INPUTS 4ib) You can determine what you wantto use as the Record Button. Thedefault is port 1 trigger Button.//define the mechanism that will//act as the record button. //In this example port trigger is a//button on the OI.// that you would press to the//forward position to start recording#define \AUTO_BUTTON_REV_THRESH \(unsigned char)100 // used by Vex#define \AUTO_BUTTON_FWD_THRESH \(unsigned char)154 // used by Vex#define \AUTO_NEUTRAL_PWM_VALUE \(unsigned char)127#define AUTO_RECORD (p1_sw_trig)//port_1 trigger to start recordingc) You can adjust the length of timeyou want to record commands bychanging the TIME_LIMIT value.Default is 150 tenths of a second(or 15 seconds). The maximum valueof TIME_LIMIT depends on thenumber of inputs you are tryingto save. The max number of command values that can be savedis 1,024. To determine the max timeavailable, use the following formula(1024/ number_of_inputs) - 1 =max_tenths_of_seconds. For exam-ple: (1024/4 inputs)-1 = 255, soTIME_LIMIT could be set to 255tenths_of_seconds. (25.5 seconds).// The length of the autonomous routine in tenths of seconds#define TIME_LIMIT 150d) You can assign which digital portyou want to use for your WRITE_PROTECT jumper. If you dont wantto write protect your autonomouscode or you have used up all your digital ports, re-define WRITE_PROTECT to 1.// if jumper in place then do not//record (assuming jumper pulls pin//low)#define WRITE_PROTECT \(rc_dig_in01)e) Since an FRC robot uses a longer timing interval than VEXrobots during autonomous opera-tion, uncomment the #define FRC 1line to adjust the timing if you areadding Autoflex to a FRC robot.No More Excusesto Sit Idle!When I attended FIRST Regionalcompetitions in Milwaukee, WI andCleveland, OH and the FIRST NationalChampionship in Atlanta, I was surprised by how many robots sat idleduring the autonomous segment ofthe match. Our team started toutingthe benefits and simplicity of theAutoflex program there and enabledseveral teams to compete during that15 second period at the beginning ofthe match. Even sending the robot outto a defensive position is better thanjust sitting there.I do want to emphasize, though,that Autoflex is not a substitute for awell thought out autonomous programthat uses sensors and feedback algorithms. To be truly autonomous,the robot must be aware of and reactto its environment. So programmers,you are not off the hook.See you in the Pits. SVFor Autoflex fileshttp://team1675.com/teamdownload.htmlFor competition port donglewww.ifirobotics.com/oi.shtmlWeb LinksBrian Cieslak is a mentor for FIRSTTeam 1675, The Ultimate ProtectionSquad. He can be contacted viaemail at K9WIS@yahoo.com.Contact the Author30 SERVO 11.2007FIGURE 5FIGURE 6. Autoflex was used to programa large claw-like manipulator during theautonomous period at the beginningof the Rack-n-Roll competiton.Cieslak.qxd 10/9/2007 11:25 AM Page 30IMServiceP. O. Box 1 42, New Hudson, MI 481 65 Voice: 888-451-1670 or: 248-486-3600imsrv. comServo CNC RoutersStarting at $1995DeskCNCDesktop CNC Solutions12 x 12 x4 90 or 175 ipm 12 x 24 x 4 NEW 400 ipmThePower SchmartModulewill power up yourcircuits with your choiceof -9, -12, +2.5, +3.3,+5, +9, and +12 volts.$15Very Schmart!www.schmartboard.comThe Escape Robot`s built-in microprocessor enables it to 'think on its own. (KSR4) $29.95 20 second voice recorder/playback module. The electret microphone is on the board. One button records, the other button is momentarily pressed to replay the message. (pre-assembled) (A96010) $6.605mm White water clear LED 3.5V 10,000 mcd (AB287) $0.56The Velleman Personal Scope is not a graphical multimeter but a complete portable oscilloscope at the size and cost oI a good multimeter. 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But a closer look into thesport of combat robotics revealssomething more. The escalatingwar of robots produces some surprising spoils. As you enter atechnological future dominated bysatellites, wireless gadgets, andhybrid cars, you may have theseevil-natured robots to thank.Life After BattleBotsThe sport of combat robotics firstentered the public consciousnessthrough the BattleBots show onComedy Central, which aired five tournaments from 2000 to 2002.As far as thesport goes, some robotbuilders argue whether not being onTV anymore is good or bad, says BillyMoon, leader of Team Moon Robotics.On one hand, the show gave thesport a lot of recognition. No matterwhere we go, inevitably people haveseen one of those shows.The sport received so much attention that it briefly became a pieceof pop-culture currency. The trappingsof BattleBots the glitzy graphics andoverexcited announcer commentary also gave the broadcast a veneer of manufactured hype. During theshows reign, fighting robots were parodied on The Simpsons and theTonight Show.In the five years since the lastBattleBots aired, much has changedabout bot bouts. The events organizedunder the new national RoboticFighting League (RFL) are austereand down-to-business. Design andstrategy has taken center stage.I think overall its been good to beout of the spotlight, says Moon. Itseliminated the people who just wantedto get on TV. Its let the sport progressthe way it should.Moon started building robots forhimself when he was only 10. Now, atthe age of 46, he works at CiscoSystems as a Distinguished Engineer,the highest rank of technical professional. Only a couple of dozen multi-disciplined Ninja-Class engineers work for the firm, taking onspecial projects that require the mostout-of-the-box solutions. During his professional career, Moon has createdmore than 200 new patents, at anaverage rate of one every six weeks.Moon is also a popular guy in theDuesing.qxd 10/10/2007 12:33 PM Page 32office on Bring your Kid to Work Day,when he will bring in many of histeams remote-controlled creationsfor a parking lot demonstration.Weekends are spent building and fighting robots with the rest of TeamMoon, a small coterie of family members and engineering colleagues.Team Moon began competingin combat robots six years ago, atthe height of the BattleBots craze. Itsearly heavyweight robot, Vladinator,dominated many of the televisedtournaments. Now active in the largerand independent RFL, as well asthe yearly (untelevised) BattleBotscontest, Team Moon operates abouta half dozen robots competitively,each ranking near the top of theirweight class.Most contests are double elimina-tion tournaments of three-minutebouts, where two robots of the sameweight class fight to disable each other.The operator controls include a tap-out button for when the operatorwishes to surrender the match andsave its fighter from further damage or humiliation. Most fights end withthis forfeit button, where one robotobviously dominates.If the three-minute bell rings,judges award points to the contendersbased on aggression, strategy, anddamage. Typically, it takes two peopleper robot to steer the action with radio controls one to drive the botaround the rink, and the other to fireits weapons.Weapons on super-heavy weightrobots (around 340 lbs) are not kiddingaround anymore. In a three-minutematch, the offensive maneuvers consisting of kinetic thrusts, spinningblades, or bursts of flame push outup to 200,000 joules of energy, pumping from 2,000 amp, 30 voltreserves of electric power.You might think a good armorwould be 1/4 inch thick 4130 or 4340steel, says Moon. Most weaponsnow will cut through that like butter.Since the sport has left the TVspotlight, more responsive engines andmore sinister hardware have emerged.The top competing machines are now developed through advancedengineering software, digitally simulat-ed, and CNC cut.The Devils WorkshopWhats nice about robotics is thatits a full system: mechanical, electronic,and artificial intelligence, Moon says.You have to know a little bit of everything when youre building arobot, and that to me is very satisfying.For robot builders fascinated with performance, strength, power,mechanical motion, and the gratingsound of metal-on-metal it is appropri-ate that the most advanced addition totheir workshop is, in a sense, a robotitself a robot that uses mechanicals,electronics, and programming.The biggest addition to the Moonworkroom has been a CNC mill, whichcuts metal pieces automatically fromthe computerized part models. Moonpurchased one of the first personalCNC machines on the market. Thenew mill, put out by Tormach, Inc., isable to precision-cut the thick titaniumarmor, but is smaller and more afford-able than the historically huge factoryequipment. The personal in the trendof CNC can be likened to the first per-sonal computers, where the technolo-gy finally became practical for an indi-vidual in cost, size, and performance.And with the advent of easy-to-useCAM (the software which convertsCAD files into machine cutting paths),CNC technology is becoming closer in practice to just sending a Word document over to a printer. Of course,in this case, the printer is carving outthree-dimensional steel parts. Im far from being a machinistmyself, admits Moon. The Tormach isan excellent example on how easy CNCmachining is getting. If we can use it,then anyone can do it. The technologythe way it is now, its very affordablecompared to taking your parts to amachine shop every time. In contrastto factory-sized CNC mills that bottomout at around $30,000, the PCNC 1100costs under $7,000.My older boy actually took in aweeks course over the summer to dothe CAM programming using a software package called CAMWorks,The Team Moon robot fleet.Team Moon wooden design models.SERVO 11.2007 33Duesing.qxd 10/10/2007 8:48 AM Page 3334 SERVO 11.2007says Moon. Hes interested enoughthat hes actually making a few partson the Tormach machine, which is anamazing thing to do for a high schoolkid. My objective for getting him to usetools has surpassed my expectations.Robots Making RobotsSix years ago, a Team Moon robotbegan as a cardboardmodel, then a wooden one.The physical prototypeswere tested and tweakedmanually, before the metalparts were finally fabricated.It took us about a year todesign it and about sixmonths to build it, becausewe had to do so much stuffby hand.Now, the shop can pushout the most modernmachines in half the time,thanks to an automateddesign process that is inmany ways more advancedthan that of some commer-cial manufacturers. Robotsare now fully designed in SolidWorks, a3D solid modeler. For his newest cre-ation called Eugene Moon used amechanical simulation software(Cosmos) for various mechanical parts,like stress analysis of the assembly, orrepair exercises, which used volumetricdata to ensure clearances inside themachine for different sizes of tools.The majority of the robot parts arevery complex in construction, having alot of curves and circles that