Difference between revisions of "Swarm Robot Project Documentation"

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=e-pucks=
=e-pucks=
The e-puck is a cylindrical robot with a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 53 mm, with a stepper motor driven wheel mounted on each side of the body. The e-puck’s size was ideal for the project, and its stepper motor driven wheels offered consistency and accuracy—highly desirable features for motion planning and dead reckoning. In order to address the requirement for wireless communication, the original extension module on the e-puck which contained peripherals including a speaker, infrared receiver, and mode selection switch, was replaced by a custom-made extension module that held an XBee radio module which connected to the serial port of the microcontroller.
The e-puck is a cylindrical robot from EPFL with a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 53 mm, with a stepper motor driven wheel mounted on each side of the body. The e-puck’s size was ideal for the project, and its stepper motor driven wheels offered consistency and accuracy—highly desirable features for motion planning and dead reckoning. In order to address the requirement for wireless communication, the original extension module on the e-puck which contained peripherals including a speaker, infrared receiver, and mode selection switch, was replaced by a custom-made extension module that held an XBee radio module which connected to the serial port of the microcontroller.


Information about the e-puck can be found at [http://www.e-puck.org/ http://www.e-puck.org/]
==e-puck code==
==e-puck code==



Revision as of 16:43, 19 January 2009

e-pucks

The e-puck is a cylindrical robot from EPFL with a diameter of 70 mm and a height of 53 mm, with a stepper motor driven wheel mounted on each side of the body. The e-puck’s size was ideal for the project, and its stepper motor driven wheels offered consistency and accuracy—highly desirable features for motion planning and dead reckoning. In order to address the requirement for wireless communication, the original extension module on the e-puck which contained peripherals including a speaker, infrared receiver, and mode selection switch, was replaced by a custom-made extension module that held an XBee radio module which connected to the serial port of the microcontroller.

Information about the e-puck can be found at http://www.e-puck.org/

e-puck code

XBee Radios

XBee Radio Configuration

XBee Interface Extension Board

The XBee Interface Extension Board was created with Traxmaker. The extension modules plug into the e-puck via Samtec BTE-020-02-L-D-A connectors, which can be obtained directly from Samtec or one of their distributors. The Traxmaker parts library, which contains the connector and can be downloaded here: Media:Traxmaker_XBee_Lbrary.zip.

Current Version

E-puck XBee board v1.gif

The Traxmaker file for the current version of the XBee extension board can be downloaded here :Media:e-puck_xbee_board_v1.PCB. Note that the CTS and RTS pins were connected to the sel2 and sel3 pins (instead of y0 and y1) by soldering on jumper wires.


Board In Development

Epuck xbee board v2.gif

A version of the e-puck with a color sensor circuit built in can be downloaded here: Media:epuck_xbee_board_v2.PCB. This version uses a high-impedance op-amp to amplify signals from three photodiodes (for red, green, and blue), and feeds the outputs into the ADC channels formerly used by the X,Y, and Z axis accelerometers. A 10k potentiometer adjusts the sensitivity for each channel of the amplifier. The RTS flow control line on the XBee is connected to the sel3 line of the e-puck. The CTS line is not hardwired to the sel2 pin, but can easily be connected with a jumper.


Localization Vision System

Analysis Tools

Real-time Display

Data logger

Packet Sender