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RoboSapien Based Autonomous Humanoid Robot

Researched and Presented by Nick Repka

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Introduction: The Need

Small HRI laboratories like the i-lab require access to humanoid robots for research

Purpose built advanced humanoids are too expensive for almost all but the most well funded labs

Robots like the Sony Aibo make great research platforms but, as great as it is the Aibo will always be a dog

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Introduction: The Why

Humanoid robots are on their way to becoming a commodity

Research to determine how these machines will interact with and be controlled by people needs to be carried out before they come to market

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Introduction: The How

Created an autonomous Humanoid robotic platform by modifying an inexpensive toy robot

Added computing power by integrating a cheap mobile computer, in this case a PDA

Use of a plug-in camera or platform native microphone to add sensory capability

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Topics of Discussion

Hardware Review Software Review Hardware Proof of Concept Software Proof of Concept

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Hardware Review

PDA Choice Camera Choice Robot Platform

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PDA Choice             

 

             

 

               

             

 

 

 

               

             

 

 

 

               

             

Manufacturer

Model Processor CF Version OS RAM Mass Price

Toshiba

E830 Intel PXA 520MHz II PPC 2003 128MB 200g $600

Hewlett Packard

IPAQ hx 2190 Intel PXA 312MHz II Win Mobile 5 64MB 164.4g $400

IPAQ hx 2490 Intel PXA 520MHz II Win Mobile 5 64MB 164.4g $550

IPAQ hx 2750 Intel PXA 624Mhz II PPC 2003se 128MB 164.4g $650

Dell

Axim X51 - 416 Intel PXA 416MHz II Win Mobile 5 64MB 167g $300

Axim X51 - 520 Intel PXA 520MHz II Win Mobile 5 64MB 167g $400

Axim X51v Intel PXA 624MHz II Win Mobile 5 64MB 175g $500

Fujistu Siemens  

Loox 720 * Intel PXA 520MHz II PPC 2003 128MB 170g N/A

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Camera Choice

Manufacturer Model Resolution Compatibility Price

LifeView FlyCam-CF 1.3MP PPC 2000 -2003se (WM5 in development) $130

Pretec Compact Camera 640X480 PPC 2002 $90

Veo Photo Traveler 640X480 PPC 2002 Palm OS $100

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Robot Platform

RoboSapien Cheap! Simple Construction Had one on hand Had been used with

success by others

RoboSapien V.2 Not cheap More complex Would have had to locate

and purchase No previous work to follow

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Software Review

PDA Operating System Development Environment IR Remote Software Existing Code

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PDA Operating System

Pocket PC 2002, 2003, 2003SE was used by others with great success for several years, but obsolescence was setting in

Windows Mobile 5.0 starting to become standard Most devices built for PPC 200X won’t run WM5 very

well and a device designed for WM5 wont run PPC200X at all

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Development Environment

Embedded Visual C++ 3.0 Won’t work with WM5

Embedded Visual C++ 4.0 Requires carefully installed SDKs but lacks proper

instructions to tell the programmer how to do so

Visual Studio .Net 2005 Works with all Windows CE versions Finds installed SDKs automatically

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Existing Code

Freiburg University researchers had already done similar research for a soccer playing RoboSapien and published their code online

Most of the basic functionality was present Written in Visual C++ Provided an easy interface to the IR port

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IR Remote Software

Ultramote by CardonWare was the only real consideration Easy to use Cheap and easy to get The C++ code to interface with it already existed

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Hardware Proof of Concept

PDA mounting considerations Light weighting and balancing Final Assembly

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PDA MountingFreiburg 2004 Freiburg 2005

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Light weighting and Balancing

Drilled holes in chassis Removed unnecessary components Cut sections out of chassis and body shell

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Final AssemblyOpted for a Horizontal PDA position Eliminates extra body shell weight Returns the center of gravity close to stock Easier to see and manipulate the PDA

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Software Proof of Concept

Converted EVC 3.0 Freiburg code to a VS 2005 project Compiled, installed and ran test program on PDA Successfully added and modified functionality in the

code base

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Current Limitations

The PDA camera is not working as expected Despite assurances the camera and driver should work

on our PDA it does not Represents a failure to close the control loop with

external sensors

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New Directions

Solve camera issues Extension of existing code base to allow better use of

the RoboSapien’s programmable firmware capabilities Additional sensors Real honest to god HRI research