While the goal is to build a Robot that acts like people think a Robot should act, this is probably not possible at this time. So instead of working for many many decades (which I may do anyway) at creating a autonomous goal seeking machine it makes sense to do this in steps. At least I will get some early satisfaction:

 

Step 1. The Machine.

This is what most of this site is about, see the other pages.

 

Step 2. General mobility and remote control.

Once the actual Robot-machine is designed and built a system of remote control and monitoring should be devised. Obviously the design considerations from Step 2 should be included in step 1.  And this will serve to work out some of the problems before proceeding to the next step.

 

Step 3. A degree of artificial intelligence, or, "Igor! Bring me the brain!"

 

 

So, at least at first,  some form of remote control will be used. Fortunately (unfortunately?) there are many possibilities. Some are strictly short range such as hobby RC systems and Bluetooth. Other have effectively unlimited range such as a GSM cell phone based system.

 

I have decided that the short range system will be this: A 10 channel code hopping remote control system. Much like that used in garage door openers and car lock remote systems. A very small transmitter, certainly less conspicuous then a large RC airplane transmitter!

The remote control receiver board comes as a kit, you will have to make about 200 solder joints to assemble all the components. Just be sure you use a good soldering iron with a small tip and proper electrical grade solder. And some components like the diodes and capacitors must be installed the right way round. Lastly be sure to use a heat sink clip to protect the transistors and diodes from heat when you are soldering them in.

 

There are two things that have to be worked out with using this board in this particular application: Power capacity and latching.

 

• Power capacity. The relays included in this kit are only good for 1 amp. The tread drive motor can draw almost 3 amps. An additional set of relays will have to be used. This sort of thing should be watched out for.

 

• Latching. As received in the kit the PIC16F628a microprocessor in the receiver is programmed to latch a relay if its remote button is held down for more then 2 seconds. A little inconvenient for operating the tread motor: Hold the forward button down for 3 seconds and the Robot will go straight, down the street, go out of range and not stop till it hits something solid or sees a pretty girl robot. Not good.

 

But all is not lost, it was/is simple to reprogram the microprocessor with revised software so the latching setting is more difficult to disturb. If you want such a modification E-Mail me and I will send you a reprogrammed processor for a very reasonable fee.

 

It works like this: Hold down any button on the remote while powering up the remote board. One of the green LED’s will start flashing to tell you its in “programming mode”. Release the button on the remote. Now press and hold any button or combination of buttons on the remote to change any relay between latch and momentary, that LED will flicker again to tell you that its done it. Release the button, do anymore relays you want the same way. Note that relays will not actually operate at this time. When you are done power off the board and power it back on without holding a remote button. Its done. The latch/momentary settings are set and will not change like with the original software.

 

This revised software is really great! It essentially makes the remote control board programmable. Setting the forward and reverse relays for momentary its easy to do close maneuvering.  Changing them to latch and the Robot drives like a car.

 

To connect this relay board to motors that will be run in both directions requires that the relays be connected in pairs and wired like this:

This is a fairly efficient use of the available relays: Motors that must be reversed need two relays, non-reversing motors (or lights) only need one.

 

Initially the buttons on the remote will work like this: Press the oblong button on the right to go forward, the rectangular middle button does reverse, small round button on the Left turns the steering hub motor left, larger round button turns steering hub motor to the right. This will take 4 relays.

 

Beyond that requires two buttons to be pressed together: small round & oblong turn torso left, large round button & rectangular button turns torso right. This will take 2 more relays.

 

A latter goal is to use a small PLC and another pair of buttons (probably the oblong and rectangular) to return the steering hub to center. Only a single relay for this.

 

The remote control receiver board is mounted directly to the waist plate and is visible/accessible thru a hole hacked in the donut. This is actually a very good place for the board: Its fairly high up (good radio signal), LED’s are visible thru the torso programming bay opening, and most important the “learn” button to match the remote transmitter to the receiver is easy to get to. Wires from the remote receiver board wires to the motors and batteries in the tread section go thru a hole in the waist plate and down one of the pipes.

The revised software in the remote control board came in handy: Relay 8 is used as a remote "off/on" switch, it controls a larger 24 volt relay that supplys power to the 24 to 12 volt converter. It is set as a latching relay and it stays that way.