All of us run into an identical downside when constructing robots: we spend dozens or tons of of hours excitedly designing and fabricating the robotic itself, then attain a degree the place it turns into apparent that the robotic received’t work with out some option to management it. The result’s usually a controller that seems like a tacked-on afterthought. The answer is a flexible controller that may work with quite a lot of robots. Aecert Robotics wanted a greater option to management his hexapod robotic, so he constructed this Arduino-based RC transmitter that works with that and will be reconfigured to work with future robots.
This venture has been within the works for greater than a 12 months, with a number of completely different iterations exhibiting up on the Aecert Robotics YouTube channel over the months. 11 months in the past, Aecert Robotics uploaded a video masking the creation of the gadget’s customized PCB. In his most up-to-date video, he accomplished the venture with a pleasant 3D-printed enclosure and a elegant person interface that was tailor-made to the hexapod’s movement and features.
The complete RC transmitter is constructed round an Arduino Mega 2560 Professional growth board. That isn’t an official Arduino design, however one offered by a number of third events. It’s principally an Arduino Mega 2560 in a smaller type issue.
That displays enter, updates the show, and communicates with the robotic. Not like a standard RC transmitter, that communication goes each methods—the controller can ship instructions to the robotic and obtain information again from the robotic. That’s useful, as a result of it allows suggestions. The robotic can, for instance, ship details about the battery standing to the controller, which may then show that on the controller’s display screen. The hexapod robotic additionally accommodates an Arduino, so it may ship any variable.
The controller’s Arduino and the robotic’s Arduino talk through Nordic Semiconductor nRF24L01+ radio transceivers. The “+” in that mannequin quantity is essential, as a result of it signifies that the modules can deal with the aforementioned bidirectional communication.
The display screen on the controller is a big monochrome OLED. As well as, the controller has joysticks, toggle switches, buttons, and rotary encoders. These all go on the customized PCB and that matches into the engaging 3D-printed enclosure.
Aecert Robotics put plenty of effort into the UI, which fits the distinctive motion and gait of the hexapod robotic. As an example, the show reveals a simplified overhead view of the hexapod so the leg positions are seen.
And, after all, Aecert Robotics can reprogram the controller to go well with any robots he builds sooner or later, so he doesn’t must preserve reinventing the wheel every time.