Project Information

Envy - 4DOF Open Source Mech Project MK III

Synopsis
This is an open sourced 4DOF Quadruped based on Ryan Lowerr's likewise OS Mech project OKQ1. Originally started with a 3mm lasercut plexiglas frame, later upgraded to .5875mm Carbon Fiber frame. Weapons are being redesigned, runs a 5.8ghz wireless video system.
Resources
Created by Tyberius | Forum Thread Link
6 weeks, ongoing
5-10 pounds
60cm wingspan, 35cm height.
<5 Minutes
Arduino Wiring Language/C/C++
Custom Commander based handheld controller
Powersource: LiPO / LiON

2x 4S 2000mAh Milspec Lipos for servos, 1x 3S 900mAh lipo for controllers and camera

Locomotion: Quadropod

4DOF leg design, running modified NUKE for Inverse kinematics and gait.

Controller/CPU: Arbotix-M & ArduPilot

Arbotix-M is used to run all control code via modified NUKE sketch. Ardupilot is currently a separate system used just as an overblown accelerometer/gyro/compass for navigation data and OSD overlay to the video feed.

Sensors

Sonar for distance ranging, wireless 5.8ghz camera system

Actuators

18x MX-64T Dynamixel Actuators in legs and torso, 2x MX-28T Dynamixel Actuators in arms.

Description

This project started as a carbon copy of Upgrayd's OKQ1 Project found here:

http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/sh...F-MX-Quad-Mech

Github found here: https://github.com/RyanLowerr/okq1

Ryan's blog on it here: http://offkilterengineering.com/category/okq1/

I worked with Ryan a bit in finishing up the torso of this robot and fell in love with his well designed 4DOF legs. Initial mockup was an exact replica of the OKQ1, but I didn't personally feel comfortable using plastic for the leg segments and so modified the design a bit to utilize the X-Long & 45 degree custom 5052 dynamixel brackets that Trossen Robotics offers:



From here I added some aesthetic improvements in the form of armor paneling to protect the servo casings. I've had a few RX-64s on Insanity Wolf get rather beat up after a number of rounds of competition, so I'm hoping to keep my shiney new MX-64s in better shape.

I had an offer from Mad Lab Industries to do a custom carbon fiber chassis instead. While the Plexiglas was more than sufficient, I couldn't turn down a free carb fiber upgrade and so after only having it built for a few days, I quickly tore it down to rebuild it into it's final form. We used 1/16" fiber glass and overall trimmed off close to 500g of weight by switching materials. One thing I learned the hard way, exposed edges of CF are VERY VERY conductive, especially with high current items such as Lipos.

As it stands right now, the project is still WIP. I had some issues getting Ryan's code to respond appropriately to the controller, so whipped up a 4DOF version of the NUKE based sketch to run on the Arbotix. I need to finish up a carbon fiber framed set of custom weapons and figure out what software system I'm going to be using, then she's ready for Mech Warfare!