#robotics Logs

Nov 23 2013

00:42 rue_house hahahaha
00:42 rue_house its based off using old telephone cable
00:42 rue_house red, green
00:42 rue_house black, yellow
12:35 random-jellyfish hello, I'm working on a web-based multi player robot fight simulator in which the players program their virtual robots with AI code and then the robots fight each other autonomously in a simulated virtual world
12:35 random-jellyfish what do you think about this concept?
13:39 GuShH random-jellyfish: old
13:39 GuShH 80s idea, seen it in the 90s
13:39 GuShH there have been multiple games like this
13:39 GuShH some rather big, in their respective community
13:40 random-jellyfish GuShH: you mean the concept of "programming game", yes it is old
13:40 GuShH no, specifically fighting robots.
13:40 GuShH it's out there, I don't remember the names.
13:40 GuShH we used to play it with a friend
13:40 random-jellyfish but this one is going to be web-based and available 24/7 for everyone who wants to play
13:40 GuShH of course a python based, much improved version could be fun
13:40 random-jellyfish yeah it was called Robot Wars I think
13:40 GuShH or perhaps just js
13:40 GuShH web-based or not it's rather irrelevant these days
13:41 GuShH heh I remember you could share the robot profiles
13:42 GuShH If you're thinking about any deep level of detail, this would be a serious project involving many, many hours.
13:42 GuShH the kind of project most people would rarely would finish
13:42 GuShH err remove that would, I was reading something on the other screen
13:42 ShH brainfa
13:49 random-jellyfish GuShH: you can program the robot either using a programming language of choice(python and js will be initially supported) or by visual programming(dragging, dropping and connecting blocks of logic)
13:51 random-jellyfish yeah I'm aware of the complexity, I'm not planning to start with a very big level of detail
14:12 GuShH is it me or ..... http://www.furfeatherandfin.com/product/111/hz01/rudolf-nut-cracker.html
14:12 GuShH surely that's it's dick cracking the nuts?
14:19 random-jellyfish not sure why but I don't wanna think of an answer to that question
14:37 GuShH haha
18:50 GuShH Tom_itx: any tips on cleaning the burrs left by drilling holes into aluminum tubing?, a reamer big enough would suffice or are there other cheaper alternatives?
18:50 GuShH 1/2" and 3/4" even with the right feed and speed using a new bit, it leaves burrs inside
18:51 GuShH holes are 3 to 4mm
18:53 GuShH I'd have to buy several adjustable reamers and anything bigger than half inch gets expensive real fast
19:03 ShH doesn't have a boring bar for this, plus it may not be the ideal
19:11 Tom_itx i sometimes use an xacto
19:12 Tom_itx a proper tool would be a debur tool
19:12 Tom_itx like a hook that swivels
19:16 GuShH Tom_itx: yeah but there are multiple holes throughout!
19:17 GuShH the parts are not too deep, but wouldn't a reamer do a finer job?
19:17 Tom_itx i can't see what you're doing now can i?
19:17 Tom_itx a reamer might work
19:17 Tom_itx you seem to have sold yourself on using one
19:17 GuShH think 1 inch tall tube with holes drilled all around
19:17 GuShH No, and I don't have one this size either.
19:18 GuShH adjustable ones are not cheap
19:18 Tom_itx i probably do
19:18 Tom_itx 1" tube with 1/2 and 3/4 holes drilled all around?
19:18 Tom_itx not much left of the tube
19:19 Tom_itx oh.. 3 and 4mm
19:19 GuShH the tubes are either 3/4 diameter or 1/2 diameter, sorry
19:19 GuShH one to two inch tall
19:20 GuShH Tom_itx: and if you don't have it, your magic friend will!
19:20 GuShH I even have to wait until Tuesday, Monday is a national holiday
19:20 MrCurious i want a magic friend.... where do i get one
19:21 Tom_itx you make them
19:21 Tom_itx sometimes it takes years
19:22 Tom_itx yes i have no doubt he'd have one
19:23 ShH hates drill
19:23 MrCurious wonder if its easier to make friends or enemies
19:23 GuShH enemies.
19:23 Tom_itx nowdays enemies come for free
19:24 GuShH emma: you suck damp ass
19:24 GuShH I just made one
19:24 MrCurious i thought they came some assembly required
19:24 GuShH Those are women in general.
19:24 Tom_itx http://www.travers.com/workhorse-deburring-blades-tool-sets?Category=UserSearch=debur%20tool||UserSearch=block%20id%20106138%20and%20class%20level3%20id%20297907
19:25 GuShH would enlarging the holes with a tiny endmill fix the burrs issue or make it worse?
19:25 Tom_itx was what i had in mind
19:25 GuShH I wonder if a center bit won't be better.... I gotta try
19:25 Tom_itx yeah you go fark it up good boy
19:25 GuShH o.o
19:27 Tom_itx http://www.travers.com/87802-99-000-100?Category=UserSearch=debur%20tool
19:27 Tom_itx that one has a few extra blades
19:27 GuShH Tom_itx: if I were to use one of those deburring tools I might just die old
19:27 GuShH they're nice for edges but inside holes? am I that insane?
19:28 Tom_itx so run a reamer down the end of the tube
19:28 GuShH Israel!
19:28 Tom_itx or a dowel with sandpaper on it
19:28 GuShH I won't have a reamer this size until Tuesday
19:28 Tom_itx EUREKA!
19:28 GuShH hey that's a ghetto solution that might just work
19:28 Tom_itx i'm a ghetto kinda guy
19:28 Tom_itx of course it will work
19:29 GuShH good excuse to clear out the crap that currently sits over the wood lathe
19:29 Tom_itx slit the end and use emery paper
19:29 m_itx feels he must spell it all out for G
19:29 GuShH haha
19:30 Tom_itx make the emery paper long so it will slap you in the face first
19:30 GuShH reminds me of this japanese tv show...
19:32 GuShH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9vYie48DJE
19:32 GuShH MrCurious: you too watch it!
19:32 Tom_itx MrCurious, watch it for me
19:33 GuShH there's a point where you go "no, it can't possibly .... NO NO NO!"
20:14 MrCurious GuShH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rju2wPaHhko
20:15 MrCurious such tiny hands... i cant stop looking at their hands... they are so tiny
20:15 GuShH makes your drill bit look bigger
20:15 GuShH Tom_itx: well it more or less works, but it's a lot slower than a reamer, lot uglier!
20:18 GuShH http://www.ironbutt.com/
20:21 MrCurious wonder if sodium machines well
20:25 Tom_itx so go get a reamer if you don't like ghetto
21:14 GargantuaSauce yay, hexapod electronics sorted
21:14 GargantuaSauce just replaced all the point to point wiring
21:16 Jak_o_Shadows Almost figured out the electronics for the robot.
21:16 Jak_o_Shadows It's not terribly sophisticated, but if I can get it driving around, that's a start.
21:16 GargantuaSauce sure is
21:24 GargantuaSauce these servos jitter on occasion, and it's annoying as hell
21:24 GargantuaSauce because when one starts it will trigger others
21:25 GargantuaSauce goes away when they start bearing weight, but whenever the thing takes a slow step often all legs that are stepping are also spazzing the fuck out
21:25 GargantuaSauce at like....5hz
21:26 GargantuaSauce i wonder if i should lightly load them with elastic bands or something, just enough to prevent that ocillation
21:29 Jak_o_Shadows lightly load em with elastic bands or springs such that it allows em to take more load
21:29 GargantuaSauce no need for that really
21:30 GargantuaSauce they have a stupid amount of torque
21:30 GargantuaSauce like when i'm testing them with my hands i start worrying about destroying the gears long before the motor gives up
22:39 MrCurious GargantuaSauce: do you need a choke in there somewhere to supres the interplay?
22:40 MrCurious and note i dont understand choke but it felt like the riht time to say it
22:41 GargantuaSauce no it's physical
22:41 GargantuaSauce the instability spreads by the periodic transfer of inertia through the whole thing vibrating
22:42 MrCurious hmmmm
22:42 MrCurious perhaps you need to de-power servo's that are inactive
22:42 MrCurious to take them out of play, and rely on their desire to not move
22:42 GargantuaSauce it's fine when they're touching the ground
22:43 GargantuaSauce (and when they're not, they need to be on to KEEP not touching the ground :V)
22:43 GargantuaSauce anyway it's a non-issue i think
22:44 GargantuaSauce presently the control is 100% over the air and the link is kind of low-bandwidth so it's kinda jerky
22:44 GargantuaSauce and i think the discontinuities in commanded position are a factor
22:45 GargantuaSauce so when i get around to implementing the walking onboard again it'll be a lot better
22:46 MrCurious ok
22:46 MrCurious had me worried that the servo's i was amassing were not optimal for a hex
22:47 GargantuaSauce i am still quite sure they're the best choice in the market
22:55 Jak_o_Shadows robot is driving around via bluetooth :D
22:55 Jak_o_Shadows Not quite perfect: It steers slightly to the left, and it can't steer right as well as left, but that's mechanical. I haven't got the drive wheels quite aligned.
22:55 Jak_o_Shadows Shouldn't be too hard to fix, just don't really have the drillbits for it
22:56 GargantuaSauce i assure you it's more than a mechanical issue
22:56 GargantuaSauce it's impossible to get the two drives 100% identical so you need to approach it as a control problem
22:56 MrCurious PID
22:57 Jak_o_Shadows Yeah, i'll put a compass on at some point, but it's largely mechanical.
22:57 Jak_o_Shadows The wheels arn't aligned.
23:01 Jak_o_Shadows But yeah, for the time being, i'm going to mount an android phone on it, use it's compass/gps to drive straight.
23:01 Jak_o_Shadows Maybe try some SLAM with the help of it's camera and some ultrasonic sensors.
23:03 MrCurious SLAM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_localization_and_mapping
23:04 GargantuaSauce i bet the downstairs neighbours fucking hate me
23:04 GargantuaSauce stompstompstompstomp
23:06 MrCurious send the hex to visit them
23:06 MrCurious add a sound module that repeats "EXTERMINATE!"
23:06 GargantuaSauce i havent tackled stairs first
23:06 GargantuaSauce yet*
23:07 GargantuaSauce onboard control and real ik come before that
23:08 GargantuaSauce managed to make it draw 7A moving pretty quick with the tripod gait
23:08 GargantuaSauce will likely be less once the control is smooth
23:09 GargantuaSauce which makes for pretty decent runtime, about 20 minutes with one of the lipos i have kicking around
23:09 GargantuaSauce and it'd probably carry 8 of them without trouble
23:16 Jak_o_Shadows I'm going to dive into IK soon