Need Some Help for a College Level Design Project

Sounds like you've gotten some interesting ideas - I'm just throwing a post in here that robotics (although not in my emphasis) is one of the classes I taught at the University. Our students were asked, "To do something interesting," to quote the curriculum - which means I've had to troubleshoot everything from a machine that juggled (cool) to an automatic CD organizer to a "demon" teddy bear(scary). Sounds like you've already got robotics experience, but if want another brain to bounce things off of, I wouldn't mind dusting off the old EE/CSci/ME crazy mix required of such a project - would be fun!

/Not allowed to go to the local surplus store w/o an escort who can be trusted NOT to encourage me.;)

That's awesome that you're undertaking that...waaaaay over my head. I'd say laundry and the dishes are my two biggest pet peeves for house work. I like mowing the grass and don't mind taking out the trash, etc. but the laundry, loading/unloading the dishwasher and just generally picking up around the house SUCK, lol! I'd go either way with the humanoid or not but would prefer simplicity rather than something I have to read a manual on. I tend to have a very short attention spa...hahahahahaha! I don't know, something simple to use/operate on the K.I.S.S. principle and as to appearance, whatever. Look forward to seeing how it turns out for you; good luck and let us know!

Aaron, I would like to see a slightly different concept for whole house integration. Rather than a stand-alone robot that would have to navigate floors and stairs, I think it would be cool to see a ceiling based track system that would allow more freedom throughout the house with less ground based navigation issues. Integration into a whole house CPU would be a must, control with smartphone and tablet PC applications. If the bot could be small enough then a telescoping mount could allow it to reach lower to the ground when necessary, it would be awesome if it could release itself and be able to do some ground navigation at times, but if integrated with a whole house CPU then a lot of tasks could be managed while suspended. I guess the real trick would be designing functional arms with proper articulation in such a small package. . . . Since so many appliances are becoming network enabled, you may want to take that into consideration, the integration factor between user, the entire house system, and the bot itself. just a couple ideas. . . hope it helps!:)

KISS... I would suggest something simpler. I robotic laundry machine or addition to the top that could sort clothes according to colour groups set the washing machine. start the washer, and unload wet clothes to a hamper. Then start the next colour group and repeat the cycle all with out input. It has some challenges but is still manageable project. Perhaps some sort of notification when the loads are done.

Aaron, I know the tech for this already exists at every Chevron station in the country, but what I would really like is a reasonably sized (stores in a garage) automatic car wash robot. Something I can attach to a garden hose and then sit back with a Mojito while it washes my Blazer. It does not have to look like Pam Anderson in a Baywatch one piece (though I would not turn that down).

Challenges I see with a project like this:
Water and electronics don't mix well without some high speed shielding.
Weight - If it slips off the drive way a hits the grass will it destabilize and fall?
Size - Can it fold small enough to fit in my garage?
Cost - I understand unit cost is driven by sales volume, but 500K a copy won't help me.

If this thing could safely wash my car, I'd be happy to take out the trash...

I hate laundry. It gets old real fast. Something to sort, seperate, and fold clean laundry?

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EE FTW!!!

Hmm a 'robot' to fold clothes shouldn't be really that difficult to program/design. The hardest part would probably making it recognize what kind of item it has to fold (ie: shirts, pants, socks, etc...)






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Thanks for all of the replies, I can't believe I am only just now seeing them...

I have actually already started the project, so I'll give you all an update. (I have some pictures/computer renderings but not with me so those will come later)

What I have decided to do is build a base... that is modular, cheap, and expandable.

Basically what I am building right now is a control system and drive base that later on I will be able to design/build manipulators capable if doing specific tasks.

(I plan to make a business of this after I graduate)

My goal is to have a base with some capabilities (such as vacuuming, basic cleaning (picking objects off the floor), getting the mail, bringing you small objects (and by small I mean hand held))

My price range goal is $5,000-$10,000 (this greatly depends on how the price for the electronics goes down in the next few years right now the necessary processors costs about $2,500 alone but in 5 years when I am actually trying to bring a product to market they should be much cheaper.

Every aspect of this robot is expandable. The main Processor will act like a hub, giving directions to other less powerful "local" processors that will control manipulators and such. This division of processing allows the main processor to not get bogged down/slowed down as more/more complex tasks are asked of it.

Once you have the base, you will be able to get "expansions". These are manipulators that add abilities such as laundry or dish washing to your robot. they will carry a much lower price tag with some more basic ones coming in at $500, and more complex in the $1,000-$2,000 range.

The user doesn't have to install anything, as they all use a standardized interface (both mechanical and electrical/pneumatic) so the base will be able to switch them out as needed autonomously. When not in use they will be stored in a base station/recharging station.

Maybe if these actually take off 3rd party expansions would also be available as well.


So onto what I already have:

Over the past few years I have been designing/prototyping a drive base capable if climbing stairs. the final design that I have chosen is similar to the drive system used by NASA on their recent Mars rovers. A "Rocker Bogie" drive system is capable of climbing over objects twice the diameter of the wells used, while maintaining nearly 0 shift in the main body of the robot. I have extensively tested this design and have completed 300 cycles (climbing up a standard household staircase, then going back down) without damaging the stairs (carpeted) and not a single failed attempt. The challenge now is to make the drive system more compact.

The drive system is capable of a few driving modes:

Tank drive (can turn in place by rotation left wheels and right wheels in opposite directions)

Car Drive (Front Wheels turn... self explanatory lol)

Inverted Car Drive (Back Wheels Turn)

Swerve Drive (all wheels capable of turning 360 degrees (and do so in unison) this allows forward, backward, side to side, and diagonal translations... but the robot stays in the same orientation *you can't turn around)

Crab Drive (Similar to swerve drive, but front and rear wheels can turn 360 degrees independently. This allows all of the capabilities of swerve drive plus the ability to reorient the front of the robot)

Here is a video of a Crab Drive robot (Because I'm sure I just lost most people lol)

(This is a video of one of my favorite teams in one of the robotics competitions that I compete in) *FIRST Robotics Competition

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3l6X...0&feature=plcp

(Smartphone Link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3l6X...0&feature=plcp

And here is a second video because these things are just too cool :rolleye2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAJBC-DDL9w&feature=channel&list=UL

(Smartphone Link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAJBC...hannel&list=UL

On top of the drive base I have a basic AI starting to come into place. basically it uses sensors to identify objects (3 cameras, an infrared camera (heat vision) and pressure sensors (weight)). This information is stored externally (on my server) in a large database of objects. right now I have to manually input a name and use for each new object, but as the library grows I won't have to spend as much time doing so. Eventually I would like it to be able to use the internet (mainly Google) to ID objects itself.

I also have a control interface that I am using. I can either use my computer (along with a joystick and buttons/switches) or I can control it using an iPad.

So let me know what you think, and thanks for reading.

Too much? lol

Aaron serious question- what did you get on the SATs and/or ACT?
I feel like your one of the smartest people i know lol...
That was a bit much but in summary youre basically making a robot that people will be able to buy attachments for to have it do tasks around the house. (at least thats what i got from it.) From a business standpoint, i love making money lol, the base and attachments idea is very good imo. People will have to buy a base and then attachments too. Youll make more money that way. Then you can create combos or packages to sell people too to get them to buy more. The way you can market it is so that they only but the attachments that they want for the chores they want completed. i.e. a dishwasher attachment wouldnt work for people without a dishwasher lol...