HEXAPOD ROBOT
GROUP MEMBERS:
Veena Mechanical Support
Marianne Software & Mechanical Support
Wong Mechanical Support
Amy Webpage Designer, Mechanical Support
Mustafa Mechanical Support
COMPONENTS LIST:
12 Servo Motors
2 Toggle Switches
2 6-cell, 7.2 Volt Battery
1 LCD
1 Next Step Microcontroller
2 Serial Servo Controllers
1 9 Volt Battery
14 Ball Link Sockets (or equivalent)
1/2" Acrylic Plastic Panels
Tapping Screws
Machine Screws
Nuts & Washers
6 Rubber Feet (made from mousepads)
IRPD Proximity Sensor
GENERAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Our group is to create, from scratch a hexapod robot. We will use Lynxmotion's hexapod as a model. The final outcome will be a hexapod scaled up 4:1. In the near future other students will enhance the features of our robot.
HEXAPOD LEGS:
Each leg is driven by two servo motors to provide a total of 12 degrees of freedom. One servo provides rotation from front-to-back. The second servo lifts the legs up and down.
HEXAPOD SOFTWARE:
Hexapod.bas is a full-featured control system. This program utilizes the LCD display and two buttons on the Next Step Microcontroller to create an effective interface which allows the user to select which behavior or routine the robot will be controlled by without the need to connect to a host PC. The base "Rover" routine utilizes the IRPD for a no-contact obstacle avoidance. The program will be written in Pbasic. Constants are defined for the horizontal and the vertical movement of the legs as well as the timing. The program sets the legs into home position, then displays a menu on the LCD for user input.
Borrowed from: Lynxmotion
HEXAPOD BEHAVIORS:
Standard "Rover" -- conservative gait (good for carpet)
Skating -- very fast shuffle (good for tile)
Tall -- aggressive lift of legs
Mantis/Spider -- poses as a preying mantis and a spider
Borrowed from: Lynxmotion
FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS:
Adding a head, arms, and torso
More sensors
Adding paint, contact paper, etc.. to bring robot to life
Finding different construction material for body
Creation of a lab manual
CHALLENGES:
Incompatible schedules and availability
Stability -- weight of torso
Linking of future arms and head
Finding correct parts
Length of time for parts to be sent away and returned
Finished hexapod leg with horizontal and vertical servo motors.
The picture below is our finished hexapod (and Veena).
To the left is the IRPD sensor. To the right is the LED, Next Step Microconroller and 2 serial servo controllers.
