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[DPRG] Re: Spring Robots
Subject: [DPRG] Re: Spring Robots
From: David
dpa at io.isem.smu.edu
Date: Mon Jan 21 11:13:13 CST 2008
Howdy,
Looks like we might have as many as half a dozen robots ready to
do the DPRG outdoor challenge at the Roborama in May.
I might not have made it clear that jBot will be there to do demos
and provide inspiration (I hope) but will not actually compete in
the events. So you don't have to beat jBot --- just everybody else.
At this point Kenneth is not sure he can be ready in time, and Robert
has just changed software and computing environments (seems like it's
pretty close to curtain-time to be learning a new instrument, but we'll
see). !!Dean is working on a nice design, and Randy has a couple of
students
that might have something ready. James says he might dust off his robot and
be able to run a couple of the exercises, and we haven't heard back from
Dr. Huff and Co., to know if they are interested this year. Same thing
with the Austin club. The DPRG club TankBot could probably compete if
someone (Ed?) takes an interest in getting it off it's perch and onto the
floor.
Anybody else thinking about entering?
Remember that the first two exercizes are conducted in a big flat
obstacle-free
parking lot and so an "outdoor" robot is really not needed, other than the
distances required. I'm pretty sure that my little LegoBot can run
them, guess I
will bring it and find out.
The four exercises are designed to get your robot up and running, in
sequence, and
it's not necessary to enter all four. These are actually the steps used
to develop
jBot, from the first testing of motors and encoders and PWM, all the way
to navigation,
obstacle avoidance, and path planning.
Those using compasses or IMUs (Kenneth, Robert, Randy's Team) will find
the first
two contests are exactly what's needed to calibrate for hard and soft
iron anomalies,
and the second contest is what Borenstein uses for odometry
calibration. So your
robot probably needs to be able to complete both of these tasks in the
normal course
of development anyway, in addition to the DPRG contest itself. At least
that's the
idea.
I'm working on a post that looks at several different strategies to run
these
exercizes which I hope might start a dialogue on possible techniques.
More on this
anon....
Happy Roboting,
dpa
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