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Low Cost Ground Robot Chassis That Can Traverse Challenging Obstacles

Posted by timothy on from the how-does-it-fare-against-angry-toddlers? dept.

Hallie Siegel writes In order for a robot to be useful in our world, it must be able to traverse unpredictable obstacles, including stairs. But currently available robot chassis tend to be either too small or extremely expensive, and most platform kits cannot leave a controlled environment – a huge problem for makers who want to get outside the lab or workshop. This has been an extremely hard problem for roboticists to solve, but the Ground Drone Project wants to change all that with its low-cost ground robot chassis. Check out this innovative design. (Currently, the project is raising money through Kickstarter; if it succeeds, "the instructions and bill of materials will be available for all.")

38 comments

  1. Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not a single comment so far is actually on-topic. It's not a record for trollology, but... yeah.

    Anyway, on-topic, this is really cool, but it seems pretty expensive to get up to the level where you're getting more than just the BOM. If I don't have a plasma cutter for those panels, what do I do? Guess it's back to the hacksaw, drill, and belt grinder (one heckuva tedious process; speaking from experience here since I have mostly hand tools, not fancy machine tools). Unleash the tin snips!

    1. Re:Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NO TO OBAMACARE

      Restore freedom in healthcare!

  2. We've been selling these since 2010 by spiritplumber · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Android based ground robots that can do stairs? Go to http://www.robots-everywhere.c... and ask us about the Renegade chassis. The working drawings are on thingiverse, too.

    --
    Liberty - Security - Laziness - Pick any two.
    1. Re:We've been selling these since 2010 by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      What has my attention was all the Milling and CNC required for the prototype. I guess 3D Printing was beyond the scope of the Design Team? I thought, "2 segments, not 3. And how heavy is this thing? I've got wood floors, and watching their prototype move accross my floor would be a challenge."

    2. Re:We've been selling these since 2010 by Immerman · · Score: 1

      Milled parts will typically be far stronger than a 3D printed version of the same basic material (or cast for that matter). Not to mention much cheaper to produce. Moreover, lots of the cost-optimizing design decisions you make for milling-based manufacture will tend to be far more compatible with mass-production techniques - should you have loftier long-term ambitions for your design.

      For now 3D printing only seems to have two real advantages: versatility (especially important if you only have the space/budget for a few manufacturing tools), and the ability to create geometry that is essentially impossible with any other manufacturing process.

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      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
    3. Re:We've been selling these since 2010 by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

      For now 3D printing only seems to have two real advantages: versatility (especially important if you only have the space/budget for a few manufacturing tools), and the ability to create geometry that is essentially impossible with any other manufacturing process.

      not true at all! a huge advantage is the price of making a one-off part. $1K for a mold you are only going to use once is very prohibitive.

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    4. Re:We've been selling these since 2010 by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      I take it that Pricesion Machinsts are dirt cheap. But I do thank you on one news item. CNC and Milling machines have become dirt cheap also? Where? I would be very interested in looking into that.

    5. Re:We've been selling these since 2010 by delt0r · · Score: 1

      You don't need CNC and learning machining is not that hard. You don't make a mold for a one off part either. I got a mill and lathe setup for only 2k. Consider that high end 3d printers are more expensive than that its not bad. These days CNC and high end 3d printers are similar in price. As for cheap 3d printers. Well they are crap. We had one at a maker space, and you basically end up "machining" it afterwards anyway, its weak, inaccurate with an awful finish and the plastic is not exactly cheap.

      --
      If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
    6. Re:We've been selling these since 2010 by Immerman · · Score: 1

      I'd say that makes it *very* versatile, wouldn't you? Suppose that might merit it's own point though.

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      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  3. Stairs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I find most stairways to be quite predictable.

  4. If it was really tough... by demon+driver · · Score: 1

    ..., than perhaps it could be truly labeled ground-breaking?

    1. Re:If it was really tough... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Otherwise fit it with a suitably powerful beam distributor and make it level the ground for easier traversing: Exterminate! Exterminate!

  5. What kind of electronics do you guys suggest? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I am seriously thinking of getting one of the Level II chassis - the $500 option, in which the electronics, the drives, the threads, and the cogs are left to the users to fill in

    What kind of electronics and all the related ding-dongs that you guys recommend?

  6. Impressive, but.... by DiamondGeezer · · Score: 2

    ...what happens if you put the robot upside-down, or on its side? It looks to me like the robot is fine so long as it doesn't tip over. It's like a tank, but able to be flexible by not carrying a fixed payload.

    Nice hobby object, but I can't see the point.

    --
    Tubby or not tubby. Fat is the question
    1. Re:Impressive, but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Those boxes in the center carry fixed payloads. If you want a larger payload, scale it up or articulate your payload.

    2. Re:Impressive, but.... by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      From what i saw, it doesn't appear that it would tip over easily unless you placed something tall on it to chang its center of gravity substantially.

      The point seems to be to pass the design on and make parts availible to those without the machining tools or skills neccesary to get a scalable, proven design operational. There ate itherkits similar availible but i think their niche here is the ability to keep teaction in rough enviroments and not be thrawted by a stick on the ground or curb or whatever.

    3. Re:Impressive, but.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...what happens if you put the robot upside-down, or on its side? It looks to me like the robot is fine so long as it doesn't tip over. It's like a tank, but able to be flexible by not carrying a fixed payload.

      Nice hobby object, but I can't see the point.

      There are lots of example uses of these rough terrain robots. In particular they used in the RoboCup Rescue challange, which is an initiative to develop disaster recovery robots. They are also used for things like bomb disposal.

  7. They're called legs by tomxor · · Score: 1

    Although the general prediction is that future robots will not look like humans because other forms are easier to create... If the robot needs to not have debilitated dalek-like transport then legs are so far the most versatile way a being can move itself around and scale things if you include arms. I'm interested in simpler alternatives but caterpillar tracks are no comparison.

    1. Re:They're called legs by PPH · · Score: 1

      And they are going to need them if we expect them to drive cars for us. Three legs, in fact. Because my car is a stick shift.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    2. Re:They're called legs by Immerman · · Score: 1

      With modern cars increasingly be drive-by-wire, with no actual mechanical linkages between the cockpit and control systems,why not just install an "R2-D2 control port"? Then your robot chauffeur can be nothing more than a sensor-box you mount on the dashboard with an interface cable coming out of it. Cheaper, far more compact, and it bypasses any potential problems with the mechanical input devices, not to mention the immense lag introduced by having mechanical inertia in the communication pipeline.

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      --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.
  8. Global Village Construction Set by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://opensourceecology.org/gvcs/

    The Global Village Construction Set (GVCS) is a modular, DIY, low-cost, high-performance platform that allows for the easy fabrication of the 50 different Industrial Machines that it takes to build a small, sustainable civilization with modern comforts. We’re developing open source industrial machines that can be made at a fraction of commercial costs, and sharing our designs online for free.

  9. What about open ground by Taylor123456789 · · Score: 0

    It looks great going on a sidewalk or up stairs, which is fine if you live in the city. But, it looked like it was having trouble going over open ground. With such a low clearance, I don't think it could do much in the yard, or over uneven or natural terrain.

  10. Re:Targeted Individuals - Government and Military by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

    Really? Yawn.

  11. Re:Targeted Individuals - Government and Military by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    WOAH Thats like totally deep, man!

  12. Already Available by Robotics Specialty Corp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Robotics Specialty Corp. has a commercial kit for hobbyists wishing to building such robots. The kits is a controlled by an Android app and costs only $135.00.

    Check their website for how to purchase same.

    1. Re:Already Available by Robotics Specialty Corp by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Their RSP1001 model works very well on stairs but I cant get it to traverse rocks or other such uneven well.

      The problem is that it has a gyro scoping levelling mechanism but it is does not adapt to dynamic and unplanned movements. Such movement does not occur on stairs which remain stable at all time.But rocks and such loose obstacles can move resulting in a dynamically changing platform.

      For students it still remains a great learning system,.

  13. Great for Nerds by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Without such invention nerds need to leave the basement for such simple tasks as retrieving the mail. Said activities present risk of encounters with females.

    Now for said tasks nerds can use services of robot to avoid light of the day.

  14. boston dynamics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    boston dynamics is probably the leader in the field producing for the u.s. military:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Dynamics
    http://www.bostondynamics.com/

  15. can it climb real stairs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    that is, ones with gaps between the steps, and no risers. That's typically a real challenge because there's no riser to butt up against and push the leading edge.

    And can it climb stairs without ripping the front off the stairs. That's the other challenging problem: a tracked vehicle (think tank) will put a lot of force on the leading edge of a step as it surmounts it. A typical stairs has a projection beyond the riser that sticks out, and is easily broken off.

    Once you've got the incredibly common "step with no riser" stair configuration, now show me how it climbs a spiral staircase, which are a common architectural feature for the last 2000 years, at least.

    Otherwise, you're just playing with toys.

  16. Ground Drone Creator by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey,

    2 vs 3 segments is an option that'd work.

    Approx 25 lbs

    The first thing we did was start 3D printing parts but found that it was not affordable concerning time or resources. ABS was not strong enough for supporting the stress the tread housing required.

    You can add another triangle section to the back (section 3) of the robot making it omni-directional.

    If you add a payload that alters the center of gravity you will have troubles but I've never successfully flipped it short of driving off a cliff.

    I'm excited to see how others implement a payload on top of this platform.

    Thanks for the support everyone.

    Phil