Just thought I would post about my project. [url]http://gotastromech.com/Blog[/url]
I am in the process changing out my Arduino’s and putting in FEZ boards into my droid. I am about 95% done with the actual droid change, and I am now working on a custom controller.
Does anyone have any experience with creating custom controller\joystick enclosures? That is the one area I don’t have experience in, as we always bought the enclosures and they were more square and bulky than what I need.
Love the blog, twitted it 
Thanks, Currently I have 2 Panda II’s and 1 Panda I, I might go for something with a little more kick like a Cobra at some point. I really would like to put a display inside. People always want to see what is inside. 8)
Currently I am using your Music shield to record messages and play them back, ala Lei message. Working on streaming some sounds wirelessly at the moment as well as that custom controller.
Nice job! I love the robot arm!
Very nice — not sure how I missed this the first time around.
[quote=“Samurai”]Yes the Raptor is for pretty much every primary system as it is in the body. I have a smaller board cerberus in the dome and another one on the wireless controller. A “coprocessing” PC is sometimes used, mainly for voice recognition and some image processing. The PC isn’t needed for operations. AI, I have a neural net AI I have been playing with for years and trying to incorporate it in R2 using the PC. autonomous functions are limited to non mobility operations and in non crowed environments.
R2 1.0 was all metal, mainly aluminum. R2 2.0 will be also. He is getting a new frame… well pretty much a complete rebuild, only 5%-10% is from 1.0.[/quote]
So what type of image processing are you doing on the PC?
Not sure what the budget is, but have you looked into a NUC? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856102002
I wonder what the power consumption would be like on one of those.
Maybe you could do something like this: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12656 for voice recognition.
I started to do some research on an R2 and it looked like ALOT of effort and cost. My next plan was (and some day maybe I’ll get to it) was a K9 from Doctor Who or a Wall-E as well.
Image processing is just targeting objects in view, having the droid follow is a little hard as I am using the radar eye for the view port and in 3 legged mode the tilt limits the view. Budget isn’t the main issue with all this, space it the main factor. With 2-3-2 space is at a premium, then you get into balancing the droid for transition. I am already resigned to the fact I will most likely have to go with LiPo batteries to get the power and the Ah I need in the space I have.Droid #1 in his maxed out configuration was about 225lb. Droid #2 has some newer lighter parts, but also has new parts added.
R2 use to be built on an Arduino system, but I started moving to .NET a while ago with a FEZ Panda I and II. The Raptor will be a welcome change. For this upgrade I am also working on custom Gadgeteer modules. I was, still might, do my own electronics for R2, but for now I already have electronics in R2, and so do most other builders, I think get more people to really think about using gadgeteer in their droids I need a may for them to use what they have… So right now the idea is to use “piggyback” gadgeteer modules to plug into the interfaces of the current electronics and write drivers for them. I have been playing with 2 modules setups so fat, but these are my first gadgeteer modules so it is slow going… and I am not really sure if there is anyone else who wants to use them besides me.
BTW, here is some test animations of the 2-3-2 shoulder actuators. This was testing the use of 3" and 4" actuators and the placement to the mounting locations.
Here is and older video demonstrating the Holoprojector movement mechanism.
This is an awesome project. What do you mean by “2-3-2”? Is that just what you are calling your new version or is there more to it? What software are you using for the modeling & animations?
2-3-2 is the transition a droid going from 2 legged mode to extending his 3rd leg and tilting and back again. in the movies this was never really done by a real droid. only ever saw him go from 2 -> 3, and if you saw 3 -> 2 it was probably the film being played in reverse. The droid the was used for the 2->3 transition pretty much shook himself apart int he process.
The term I am using for my droid is R2-D2 “Uber” 2.0, as he is the next generation of my 1st droid (R2 1.0). He will do the complete 2-3-2 transition. In the dome I have mobile holoprojectors, lifeform scanner, periscope, and all doors and panels opening. In the body he will have all his doors opening, I have sets of CPU arms (the ones that come out and spin as he interfaces with other computer), I have the grasping arm as seen the empire (MGA), There is also the body zapper (though I doubt I will get it to fit with the 2-3-2 mechanism). There is plans for the magnetic grappler that comes out the back, ala EPIII when R2 drags C3Po’s head around. I should be able to get that one in. I do have models for the Zapper in the dome, but it is not easy to articulate and will most likely be an attachment I can plug on. Same goes for the drink tray. I have plans for that and a PVC version, but am working on getting it made in wood. I also have plans I am working on for a new version of the drink tray.and the dispenser. So all this… hence the “uber” call sign. I have extra domes for and R3, R4, R5, and i am working on plans for a R6. I have more R2 domes. The completed one I have came off a group run where one was used for EPIII. The new R2 dome I am working on matches more with the original trilogy. More domes means I can change the droid’s look quickly if need be.
The models are done the Rhino3D v5. The animation is using Bongo 2.0 and the raytracer is Flamingo nXt. Those are older videos and I was still testing the raytracer. Bong just came out of beta.
[quote=“ianlee74”]
And his full size Falcon project…
When in 2 mode, is truly 2 or is the 3rd wheel still in contact with the ground?
Or are there multiple wheels on each side pod?
Otherwise, I’d imagine that having to balance all that weight on 2 wheels across one axis might be quite tricky.
Nope, each foot has 2 wheels in it. The droid balances on 2 legs instead of 3. A R2 isn’t the most stable platform. There is have been face plants with other droids.
So R2D2 actually just segways?