Mechanical Robotic Kits

[MikeJ675]

I know it's not quite what you were looking for, but as far as quality and power go, these are probably the best robot kits you'll find.

BattleKits
These kits are made by Carlo Bertocchini, of Biohazard fame.

"Kit" might not be the best word to describe our products. We ship them fully assembled, (except for electrical connections), so that you can go right to work adding your finishing touches. Leaving the armor and weapon up to you preserves maximum versatility and flexibility and it requires you to use your creativity to come up with a winning design. We did not want to create a situation where several identical robots show up at a competition. We would rather provide a rugged, low-profile, mobile platform on which you can build the next killer robot.

[Mike]

Heh, kinda forgot about this thread =X

As far as my design goals, I want...

• Fast speed isn't necessary, a top speed of 4-5fps
• The terrain wouldn't be too tough. I'd say the average New England backyard area. Mostly grass, some dirt/gravel... a few sticks here or there.
• It will be carrying a pretty large payload of sensors. Cameras, ultrasonics, infrareds, etc.
• In the beginning, it will be fully autonomous. Once I get the money to buy a transmitter/receiver kit it will have rudimentary I/O
• Doesn't have to be too big. I'd say about 1.5' long by 1' wide.
• Right now I'm saving up for a car... so I'd like to keep costs to a minimum. However I am willing to spend enough if it's good quality. Lets say maximum of $150 for the frame/wheel setup/motors.

What I am doing is creating a robot that will be able to autonomously travel to a dynamic waypoint. I'm going to create a module that emits some kind of signal (ultrasonic, infrared... still deciding) and fits in a snug little package. I'll then go and put that module in a hidden spot and have the robot find it. The robot will have to figure out where it is and plan the best direction to head, avoiding all obstacles.

I recently saw the Rogue ATR base this is pretty much exactly what I'm looking for... but a tad too small. It is 8x4.5", I want to at least double that. However the frame looks pretty simple, could a mechanical guy look at this for me and tell me how possible it would be to make it enlarged with wood?

Thanks,
Mike

[Not2B]

Originally Posted by Mike

Heh, kinda forgot about this thread =X

As far as my design goals, I want...

• Fast speed isn't necessary, a top speed of 4-5fps
• The terrain wouldn't be too tough. I'd say the average New England backyard area. Mostly grass, some dirt/gravel... a few sticks here or there.
• It will be carrying a pretty large payload of sensors. Cameras, ultrasonics, infrareds, etc.
• In the beginning, it will be fully autonomous. Once I get the money to buy a transmitter/receiver kit it will have rudimentary I/O
• Doesn't have to be too big. I'd say about 1.5' long by 1' wide.
• Right now I'm saving up for a car... so I'd like to keep costs to a minimum. However I am willing to spend enough if it's good quality. Lets say maximum of $150 for the frame/wheel setup/motors.

What I am doing is creating a robot that will be able to autonomously travel to a dynamic waypoint. I'm going to create a module that emits some kind of signal (ultrasonic, infrared... still deciding) and fits in a snug little package. I'll then go and put that module in a hidden spot and have the robot find it. The robot will have to figure out where it is and plan the best direction to head, avoiding all obstacles.

I recently saw the Rogue ATR base this is pretty much exactly what I'm looking for... but a tad too small. It is 8x4.5", I want to at least double that. However the frame looks pretty simple, could a mechanical guy look at this for me and tell me how possible it would be to make it enlarged with wood?

Thanks,
Mike

Excellent!
And thanks for the picture - that helps alot.
So, to boil this down to a few items, in order of importance (in my mind)...
- Simple
- Cheap
- Large area to mount sensors on top
- Ground clearance for irregular objects (say, approx 2" tall)
- 1.5' by 2' or there abouts

Re-order, add, subtract, or whatever. I picked this order because:
a) You don't seem to want to mess with a complex build. You only have a few tools. And you want to get on with the sensors.
b) You want to keep it under $150, with motors, and save the real money for sensors (and wheels, man.)
c) Got to have a place for the sensors - that's the whole reason for the project. Unless of course you have a place for sensors on a $1000 base that MIT students couldn't put together. (That's why simple and cheap are first...)
d) I suppose if you had to you could run it on a parking lot or gym floor.
e) Really - whatever size that hits the above targets should make you happy - this is just a guide.

Anyone have any other ideas? Mike, any other ideas or comments? I'll be the first to admit I might not have this all right. I did just come in from a few hours of yard work and I'm tired...

If this is about right, let see what some of the gearheads can come up with. I'm guessing we can get a wood base with wheels and motors in a simple enough package. Maybe some metal sides to re-enforce it. I say we target under $100 for frame and wheels. Not sure if that's possible, but it's a good target.

I'll check back here in a few days to see what came up, or add my own simple/cheap design. Good luck!

*EDIT*
What about speed controllers? Where is that included in your budget?

[Rob2713g]

How about this http://www.budgetrobotics.com/shop/i...?shop=1&cat=66 on a wooden base? I bought a different servo set they had earlier and it was pretty easy to use. Hope this helps.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by Not2B

Excellent!
And thanks for the picture - that helps alot.
So, to boil this down to a few items, in order of importance (in my mind)...
- Simple
- Cheap
- Large area to mount sensors on top
- Ground clearance for irregular objects (say, approx 2" tall)
- 1.5' by 2' or there abouts

Re-order, add, subtract, or whatever. I picked this order because:
a) You don't seem to want to mess with a complex build. You only have a few tools. And you want to get on with the sensors.
b) You want to keep it under $150, with motors, and save the real money for sensors (and wheels, man.)
c) Got to have a place for the sensors - that's the whole reason for the project. Unless of course you have a place for sensors on a $1000 base that MIT students couldn't put together. (That's why simple and cheap are first...)
d) I suppose if you had to you could run it on a parking lot or gym floor.
e) Really - whatever size that hits the above targets should make you happy - this is just a guide.

Anyone have any other ideas? Mike, any other ideas or comments? I'll be the first to admit I might not have this all right. I did just come in from a few hours of yard work and I'm tired...

If this is about right, let see what some of the gearheads can come up with. I'm guessing we can get a wood base with wheels and motors in a simple enough package. Maybe some metal sides to re-enforce it. I say we target under $100 for frame and wheels. Not sure if that's possible, but it's a good target.

I'll check back here in a few days to see what came up, or add my own simple/cheap design. Good luck!

*EDIT*
What about speed controllers? Where is that included in your budget?

Are you my long lost twin? You seem to have a perfect understanding of what I'm trying to do... wow.

I already have encoders/microcontroller/gyro (they are the teams, but I use them to develop systems that we will use on future robots... this potentially being one of them) so we can cut those out of the budget. So right now I need to get

• Frame
• Motors
• Wheels/tracks
• Sensors

I figure if I make the frame from wood, it won't be too expensive. I just have to pay for the raw materials. I'm gonna ask my team if we have any spare small motors. We've been around for seven years so we've gotta have some lying around. From what I've seen, wheels and tracks aren't horribly expensive. These will most likely be the most expensive thing (barring sensors) that I will need to buy out of pocket.

We won't start discussing sensors yet, but I'd be more than willing to have an excuse to buy some fancy doodads

I really do love the design of that Rogue kit. I'm going to do some googling and get some better pictures to see how complex it is.

Thanks much



EDIT: Some quick google image searches for "Rogue ATR" returns a lot of information. It doesn't look like a complex setup at all, certainly feasable by those who are mechanically challenged. The only thing I see posing a problem is the tracks (I'd much rather have tracks than wheels). They just seem so... confusing to setup. You need to have idlers, tensioners, the wheels that actually turn the track, something to stop the track from slipping off the wheels. Could someone explain tracks more to me?

[Dillon Compton]

no idea about tracks, having never used them- however, for the situations you described if you use a fairly grippy wheel you should be fine- see if your team has any old Skyway Pneumatic wheels from past KoPs. I'd say that the rogue atr (or a similar base) would be relatively simple to set up; I'd suggest essentially re-creating the kitbot on a reduced scale, with wood and a top plate (piece of plywood) for mounting sensors. Download the kitbot video, or look for pictures of it, if your team has not used it. It should be a relatively simple project, and well within your tooling capabilities. To add strength, use 2x4 structural brackets, which can be bought at home depot and are fairly foolproof and easy to use. Expenses should be as follows:

2x4s (or similar): under $20. You wont need many, especially for a small robot.
Plywood: under $20 (depends on the quality and quantity you purchase).

Theoretically, at least, your team can probably help you out with the rest of the materials (being: wheels/tracks, axles, motors, etc...). I'd suggest going with the FP, Globe, or Window motors to drive this. Also, using only 2 driven wheels may be to your advantage, as it will require fewer speed controllers & motors to work nicely.

If my team is any indication, mentors will be pleased at your interest in pursuing knowledge on your own; with luck they will be happy to donate or LEND motors, speed controllers, RCs, etc- even if they need them available for next year, you may be able to secure a loan of the items untill the next build season.

Good luck, and I'd be more than happy to help you out in any way I can.

Dillon Compton
Team 1394

[Jeremiah Johnson]

I'm doing about the same thing. Except all out of pocket and for fun. E-Clec-Tech has some fairly cheap motors, sensors, ect. that I've seen.