|
|
Robotics
I inherited this little beauty years ago from a fellow who came across it at a trade show he attended. He had no idea what to
do with it or how to make it 'run', so he traded it to me in exchange for a computer for his business. I must confess I havn't
done much with it either, but I have obtained a manual and some batteries for it. I did connect it to my Commodore SX-64
and sent some commands to it and know it does at least move and flash its LED's. It will end up being a joint project for my
grandson and I to work on in the near future though. I'm retired now and he's a tinkerer and beginning a robotics course so
the time is getting near to finally make this thing do something.
These were originally manufactured for "educational assistance" in schools years ago. They were manufactured by General Robotics but its changed hands a few times over the years. There is a website, RBRobotics, that still exists but I think there are only parts available now until the existing inventory is depleted. There is also some good info on that site. My RB5X is a very early model with limited utulity. I have found that the educational software made for it to be very expensive for the most part, so I think I will probably replace the electronics inside with more up to date microcontrollers. This should make it a bit more versatlle and easier to program. It would be nice to install some kind of homebrew manipulator arm too. Hey, maybe even a laser! Who knows where it will stop. Later models of this robot had many options available for them, including voice recognigion and speech synthesis, a manipuilator arm, an RF link, and video, to mention a few. I have found a few hobby users/owners online as well as schematics and info for building the original vioce syntesizer that was available for it. Back to the updated microcontroller or SBC idea, I know there are a few ways of generating speech in software without the need of the hardware board, so there's that option also for giving it a voice.
These were originally manufactured for "educational assistance" in schools years ago. They were manufactured by General Robotics but its changed hands a few times over the years. There is a website, RBRobotics, that still exists but I think there are only parts available now until the existing inventory is depleted. There is also some good info on that site. My RB5X is a very early model with limited utulity. I have found that the educational software made for it to be very expensive for the most part, so I think I will probably replace the electronics inside with more up to date microcontrollers. This should make it a bit more versatlle and easier to program. It would be nice to install some kind of homebrew manipulator arm too. Hey, maybe even a laser! Who knows where it will stop. Later models of this robot had many options available for them, including voice recognigion and speech synthesis, a manipuilator arm, an RF link, and video, to mention a few. I have found a few hobby users/owners online as well as schematics and info for building the original vioce syntesizer that was available for it. Back to the updated microcontroller or SBC idea, I know there are a few ways of generating speech in software without the need of the hardware board, so there's that option also for giving it a voice.
Meet RB5X... Looks a bit like R2D2
This is RB5X with the "hood" removed. It comes off with just a
slight twist. The ultrasonic "sonar" is visible about half way down
(the gold circle), with it's control board just off to the side. In the
center is a card cage for 6 large cards, about 10" X 11" each.
Room for lots of electronics! There is space for two 6V
batteries, one for drive and one for electronics. On top is a
display board (just "pretty lights"). There are two round brass
electrodes at the bottom for contacting matching electrodes in a
charger bay (which unfortunately didn't come with it).
This is the back side of RB5X. On the aluminum panel are the reset
button, power switch, and RS-232 interface port (a DB-25
connector). The main processor/controller board can also be seen.
The white squares that surround the base are momentary pushbutton
switches that can be used to sense collisions, or for diagnostic /
data input, or for educational games. The drive train is just two
wheels indvidually controlled by signals from the control board
according to commands in whatever program it is running at the
time. There are two desk chair type caster wheels, one front and one
rear to keep it from tipping over when the motors start and stop. The
main board is programmed through the connector that is seen on the
aluminum plate below the power switch.
I'm currently working through a beginning robotics course with my middle grandson and at some point we will begin working
on RB5X together after he has learned enough to feel like he can understand how to control different aspects of the robot and
how to apply sensory inputs and such. We will probably disable the existing processor board and, as mentioned above, install
an arduino board or two for easier programming. I'm looking forward to that!
I intend to leave the original equipment in place in case I want to experiment with the original programming at some point.
I intend to leave the original equipment in place in case I want to experiment with the original programming at some point.