Hi c6jones720
Im actually doing the new BSc Robotics course which started 3 years ago. i transfered from Portsmouth Uni after doing a yr and half there, into the second year of the robotics course. Now into the 3rd year and final (the first 3rd year ever there - so we are guinea pigs!) and because it is new there is just me and a fellow greek guy on the course.
The other vision robot shown on youtube by me was completed as part of it - by Phil Culverhouse.
For the picaxe, I have been using Picaxe since college (i introduced it there too) and i am not using it with the university, tis my own doing - controlling 10 servos (initial thoughts) using an 8051 is difficult, so much easier to use picaxe.
I do believe the uni does use them in the first year, but i not seen, heard or used them through the uni. tis my own choice
demonicpicaxeguy
As far as sensing goes, there are several options i came accross - either a mass of variable pots on each joint (seriously, have a look on google images for 'data glove' and u see some odd bizzare spider looking things!) or something i came accross by accident about a year an half ago. Flex sensor (bend sensor) the greater the bit of painted plastic is bent, the greater the resistance. they start off at 10k and increase to 40k+ at 90 degrees. The sensors are painted with a resistive paint, with greater resistive paint splats on them, making the bending = greater resistance...
There are several bad things but also good things with them...
BAD They are about 10cm long
GOOD they can be cut in half to provide 2 5cm lengths or of how many - bearing in mind they need to bend!
BAD WEhen cut, it is very difficult to attach pins to the cut edge, as the paint vanishes at any sight of a soldering iron
GOOD using the molex style pins for the connectors - the bits of metal you put the wire into then put into the housing, you can bend them and use these to pinch onto the paint surface, this provides a good and positive connection - tho maybe a solid fixing is needed to stop them wearing away as they are used.
- possibly adding a small amount of silver conductive glue helps - i tried it. £7.66 from maplins for a tiny ammount - it is made of silver tho!
(i can supply pics of what i mean, just let me know)
BAD - the edges are rough
GOOD, a simple filing with you partners/friends nail file sorts that out!
GOOD, you can plug them straight into the picake ADC ports - as directed on the handbook (there are also circuit examples on the net - again google Flex Sensor circuit or something)
i can supply pics of mine as i have also used a 10k pot to enable the cut sensors to be set to a resistance for the glove.
BAD and possibly the most expensive!
They (well i cannot find) are only available from 3 places at the moment.
BADDER STILL
There available from America (well for me thats bad being in the uk!)
They are available from:
IMAGESCO (CHEAPEST! $10 each (pandp is also cheaper)
JAMECO $12.95 (expensive p&p)
?????? and someone else also at $10+? but p&p makes it more costly - and it seems like they buy them from imagesco in the first place!
i got 10 of them and cost me $100 for sensors plus $25 p&p so $125 = £88 -just the sensors blew my budget of £55 for my project.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN GETTING SOME, I MAY WISH TO TAKE A FEW ON MYSELF! SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW
I WILL BE POSTING A BETTER VIDEO OF THE PROJECT ON YOUTUBE LATER ON IN THE WEEK, SO KEEP LOOKING - and please comment!
If anyone wants a few pics, i can send them to you via email, just let me know. if any people are in plymouth and wish to see the final robotic hand in person, the university is holding an open day for us all to demo our projects to the public. just let me know and i will tell of dates.
hope this helps (sorry for making it a long post!) - ooh juty made it longer... sorry... ooh and sorry for that...
Edited by - roboteernat on 21/01/2007 23:25:19
