My RDS Bot is shaping up

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

This is the first test run of the motors and wheels. Every thing you see was cut on the CNC. The wheels are two parts with a tire insert. I use skate bearings. The large gear driving the wheels is sized to get the wheels back to a one-to-one ratio with the motors.

I am using a 18Ah battery to power the thing. The battery will also power a full PC as well as all the low level sensors and the Kinect.

I still have to cut the upper platform and the Kinect mount and a control pannel.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOH7AckxQWc

[Bruce Page]

There is a lot of nice engineering going on there!

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Very Cool but will it do the dishes?

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

No but it will be able to open the fridge and fetch me a beer.

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

Here is the bot doing a little maneuvering.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzgmcDcgyuk

[james mcgrew]

you are having wayyyy too much fun !!

[Jim Underwood]

Awesome! You thinking of entering it in some contests?

[Keith Outten]

Michael,

The first video was pretty slick.
In the second video I think you are just showing off your new driving skills :)

I like the Bot and can't wait to see what you design and build next.
.

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

Eventualy this puppy will have a full blown Dual 3Ghz PC for a brain and a Kinect for eyes. But before I do that I have to make sure the design is up to it. I had problems with the motor stripping out the D slot on the Hubs. MDF just not strong enough against metal. Eventualy much of this will be done in UHMW plastic. UHMW would not hold up against the power of the gear so I had to cut the hubs out of aluminum.

Now I have to see if the gears themselves will hold up while banging into things. So far so good.

Currently the bot is about 40lbs. Once all the is said and done I suspect she will be over 50lbs. The goal is to take some of that pink rigid foam insulation and cut out a round body with the CNC.