#robotics Logs

Mar 20 2017

02:12 AM Jak_o_Shadows: That thing rue, where you tap one side f the motor to get the torque direction - that's a good idea
02:23 AM rue_bed: :/
02:23 AM rue_bed: yea I know
02:24 AM rue_bed: I started writing the more advanced doc
02:24 AM rue_bed: I'v got atleast 40 characters in
03:32 AM Jak_o_Shadows: That's more than the title!
03:32 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Maybe a section header even
06:15 AM mrdata__ is now known as mrdata
09:28 AM max12345: hello, I'm going to do stuff with my raspi that will hopefully count as robotics and I was wondering if there is a python framework that I can use, for sensors and motors and all that. Maybe someone already wrote one?
09:28 AM max12345: Other languages might work too, anything related helps really. Thanks!
09:30 AM rue_house: dont have anthing for the pi
09:31 AM max12345: that's ok... It's just that the code for integrating a sensor into some kind of machine/robot seems like *the* most common problem to have when someone starts using sensors...
09:34 AM z64555: python? hm. coulda sworn I saw a sensor fusion package for it some time ago
09:35 AM z64555: That just provides algorithms that blend sensor data together, you still have to provide some sort of firmware, drivers, etc. to be able to read the sensor values directly
09:36 AM z64555: some sensors offer a library, of sorts, for particular controllers, especially if they're featured on a dev board
09:38 AM max12345: well in my case the first thing I'll deal with is a differential pressure sensor that has a pdf data sheet with function that tells how much change in voltage corresponds to which difference in pressure
09:40 AM z64555: alrighty, so it would be as simple as implementing that function in the sensor read routine
09:40 AM z64555: You know how to use the A2D on the pi, right?
09:41 AM max12345: not yet I think I bought a separate piece of gadgetry to do that... but now that I know there is such a thing I'll research it.
09:41 AM z64555: the A2D (Analog To Digital) module is what converts analog voltages into a digital value that the processor can work with
09:42 AM z64555: it's the voltmeter, of sorts
09:43 AM max12345: yup, I think I have one lying on my desk.
09:44 AM z64555: eh, since it's an external module, you'll also have to figure out how to get the pi to communicate with it. Thankfully those are more standardized and thus more likely to have a published library/package for it
09:45 AM max12345: ok so "library for part" is more common than "library for part archetype"?
09:47 AM z64555: kinda. sensors are "simple" and can be just described as a formula or set of formulas in a small .pdf, whereas devices and modules like an A2D need more housekeeping procedures to get them to work
09:47 AM z64555: So A2D's get a thicker .pdf, and sometimes also libraries
09:49 AM max12345: ok... I used google foo and found http://www.ros.org/ but that seems to be more of a pointy clicky solution form what they show on their website...
09:59 AM max12345: I looking around github now.
09:59 AM max12345: there is some stuff but they're specific solutions as far as I can see...
10:05 AM max12345: heh i found my uni's robot football team.
10:07 AM deshipu: ros is far point-and-click
11:21 AM veverak: lol
11:21 AM veverak: not even close to point and click ;)
03:58 PM akaWolf1 is now known as akaWolf
03:58 PM Triffid_Hunter_ is now known as Triffid_Hunter
03:59 PM JT-Shopp is now known as JT-Shop
07:04 PM alphor_ is now known as alphor
09:04 PM Elleo_ is now known as Elleo
10:39 PM anniepoo_: you know, I've been saying this thing's a puppet
10:39 PM anniepoo_: I'm thinking I should literally make it a puppet -
10:40 PM anniepoo_: I'll make a vaguely human arm, and make a puppet by conventional puppet making techniquest that goes on it.
10:40 PM anniepoo_: that way if I need to change how it works, I just have to make a new puppet
11:08 PM z64555: well, a robot is a puppet that moves under its own power, so there's that
11:14 PM anniepoo_: yes
11:14 PM anniepoo_: but I've been trying to make it more like an animal - with the body closely defined by the skeleton
11:15 PM anniepoo_: it's the engineer in me - I want to draw it all out and have it all under control
11:16 PM z64555: that, uh, sounds like something completely different than engineering
11:16 PM z64555: :P
11:17 PM z64555: (pun on the verb "draw," which can mean "to pull or take")
11:17 PM anniepoo_: lol
11:20 PM anniepoo_: ok, I should do a test
11:20 PM anniepoo_: I'm going to take my blender file and make a test rig
11:20 PM anniepoo_: then animate it some
11:22 PM rue_house: and never build the real robot?
11:22 PM anniepoo_: no, I'll build the real robot
11:23 PM anniepoo_: I'm just having trouble deciding where to put the joints in the nect
11:23 PM anniepoo_: neck
11:23 PM anniepoo_: 3 mins, decarpal
11:39 PM anonnumberanon: that's a legitimate concern
11:45 PM anniepoo_: ok, so, here's what I'm thinking -
11:47 PM anniepoo_: I'll make a pretty crude arm, just fasten servos to some brazing rod or something
11:47 PM anniepoo_: and mock it up.
11:48 PM anniepoo_: then I can feel more confident I have the morphology right before I spend lots of time building the final robot
11:48 PM anniepoo_: but even the final robot will still be this 'sticks' robot inside, with polyester batting holding the 'puppet' out
11:48 PM anonnumberanon: what's a robotics, embedded or IoT project that at&t would like to see me to make? tired of working with C# and no circuits
11:48 PM anonnumberanon: pls halp
11:49 PM anniepoo_: at&t?
11:49 PM anonnumberanon: my job
11:49 PM anniepoo_: so, what's your job title that you get to decide that? not quite understanding
11:50 PM anonnumberanon: im the top dev on my team and everything i say turns into reality, so i have freedom in design decisions
11:50 PM anniepoo_: 8cD
11:50 PM anniepoo_: nice
11:51 PM rue_bed: a occupancy sensor to automatically put your phone in DND when your not in
11:51 PM rue_bed: IT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE PHONES
11:51 PM anonnumberanon: rue_bed, dude
11:51 PM anniepoo_: I'd start by asking what strong position at&t has that could be turned into an entry into robotics, iot, etc.
11:51 PM anonnumberanon: lol ill make that
11:52 PM rue_bed: :)
11:52 PM anniepoo_: yes, that's a good idea - tie into Alexa etc and figure out when the user's at home/in bed/etc and adjust phone accordingly
11:52 PM anonnumberanon: replace phone with our internal chat system that everybody uses heavily and that could be a thing
11:52 PM anniepoo_: but consider the ux issues -
11:53 PM rue_bed: OK, I'M READY TO BE SLEEPY NOW!
11:53 PM rue_bed: > >
11:53 PM anniepoo_: eg I actually WANT the phone to ring at 3am if it's my biz partner calling me to say the shop's on fire
11:53 PM rue_bed: < <
11:53 PM anniepoo_: Oh! another one 0
11:54 PM rue_bed: CAN I BE SLEEPY NOW?
11:54 PM anonnumberanon: no
11:54 PM rue_bed: :/
11:54 PM anonnumberanon: i need three ideas
11:54 PM anniepoo_: look at Cynthia Breazeal's 'grandma bot'
11:54 PM anonnumberanon: cause they'll say no to two of them
11:54 PM rue_bed: I had 10mg melatonin
11:54 PM anonnumberanon: that herbal stuff?
11:54 PM rue_bed: I wantrefined triptophin
11:55 PM anonnumberanon: Silk Road
11:55 PM orlock: anonnumberanon: it's produced by the brain
11:55 PM orlock: makes you sleepy
11:55 PM anniepoo_: they made a little robot that docks a smart phone. It's got minimal 1 axis arms, expressive face
11:55 PM rue_bed: no, melatonin is produced by your whole body
11:55 PM anniepoo_: and lets grandma interact more expressively with the kids
11:55 PM rue_bed: just mostly by your brain
11:55 PM anonnumberanon: lol
11:55 PM anniepoo_: look at material on pervasive computing
11:56 PM rue_bed: someone please turn me off, I want to sleep now
11:56 PM anniepoo_: another idea -
11:56 PM orlock: at&t are likely working on next-gen radio interfaces designed for IoT
11:56 PM anniepoo_: at&t would be an excellent company to bring virtual presence bots into the home/office environment
11:56 PM * anonnumberanon solders 24Ah 5V to rue_bed 's terminals
11:56 PM orlock: rue_bed: thats why we give our daughter that too
11:57 PM rue_bed: there are side effects
11:57 PM orlock: Not that we have seen
11:58 PM anonnumberanon: one side effect is you fall asleep
11:59 PM anonnumberanon: i like that anniepoo_
11:59 PM anonnumberanon: i think about that a lot
11:59 PM anonnumberanon: this idea mixed with machine learning could make for a great combination