2015 Robotic Arm Hardware/Software
- Please see the wiki for more information about the subjects below.
###PCBs -Version 3 of the arm board aka "the old-new arm board" is a remake of V2 (the old arm board currently on Phoenix). It is designed to have the exact same functionality as Phoenix, without using a master-slave protocol. It features a TI Launchpad Stellaris as the central CPU, 3 motor controllers that can connect to up to two motors each, and an RS-485 connection to the old dynamixel (MX-64R). It has the additional capability of communicating with the end effector via XBee and receives power from PORN.
-Version 4 of the arm board aka "the illuminati board" is the latest version. It features a TIVA-C for it's central processor and extends the functionality of Version 3. It only has one motor controller for the Pololu actuator, but it connects to multiple Dynamixels over TTL. There is a 9DOF IMU added on the board for additional control capabilities. it also receives power from PORN.
###Motors -The base of the arm as well as the elbow joints use the Dynamixel MX-64T. It operates at a MAXIMUM voltage of 14.8V. Information on these motors can be found here:
http://support.robotis.com/en/product/dynamixel/mx_series/mx-64.htm
http://support.robotis.com/en/techsupport_eng.htm#product/dynamixel/mx_series/mx-64.htm
http://support.robotis.com/en/techsupport_eng.htm#software/dynamixelsdk.htm
-The wrist joints on the arm use the Dynamixel MX-28T. It operates at a MAXIMUM voltage of 14.8V. Information on these motors can be found here:
http://support.robotis.com/en/product/dynamixel/mx_series/mx-28.htm
http://support.robotis.com/en/techsupport_eng.htm#product/dynamixel/mx_series/mx-28.htm
http://support.robotis.com/en/techsupport_eng.htm#software/dynamixelsdk.htm
-The shoulder joint of the arm uses a Pololu Linear Actuator with an 8" stroke and a potentiometer for feedback. It operates at a MAXIMUM of 12V. It will be controlled using an on-board motor controller. Information on this actuator can be found here:
https://www.pololu.com/product/2337/specs
-Software for V3 is nearing completion. It will have basic functionality for the arm for open-loop controls.
-Software for V4 has not started yet. It will be a port from the V3 code to TivaWare.
-After the V4 code has been completed for basic functionality, we need to start writing the framework for more exotic control methods.
-There is a Dynamixel SDK found here:
http://support.robotis.com/en/software/dynamixelsdk.htm
-There is a fully-written Dynamixel Library written for Arduino here:
http://savageelectronics.blogspot.com/2011/01/arduino-y-dynamixel-ax-12.html
if you can't read spanish or use google translate, the various libraries are found here:
http://savageelectronics.blogspot.com/2011/08/actualizacion-biblioteca-dynamixel.html
These will probably be useful to us when writing the further code.
-We may have to write our own PID control for the actuator in the future. Get an introduction to PID for arduino here:
http://brettbeauregard.com/blog/2011/04/improving-the-beginners-pid-introduction/