RoboSapien Based Autonomous Humanoid Robot

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RoboSapien Based Autonomous Humanoid Robot

• Researched and Presented by Nick Repka

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Introduction The Need

• Small HRI laboratories like the i-lab require
  access to humanoid robots for research
• Purpose built advanced humanoids are too
  expensive for almost all but the most well funded
  labs
• Robots like the Sony Aibo make great research
  platforms but, as great as it is the Aibo will
  always be a dog

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Introduction The Why

• Humanoid robots are on their way to becoming a
  commodity
• Research to determine how these machines will
  interact with and be controlled by people needs
  to be carried out before they come to market

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Introduction The How

• Created an autonomous Humanoid robotic platform
  by modifying an inexpensive toy robot
• Added computing power by integrating a cheap
  mobile computer, in this case a PDA
• Use of a plug-in camera or platform native
  microphone to add sensory capability

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Topics of Discussion

• Hardware Review
• Software Review
• Hardware Proof of Concept
• Software Proof of Concept

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Hardware Review

• PDA Choice
• Camera Choice
• Robot Platform

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PDA Choice
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Camera Choice
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Robot Platform

• RoboSapien
• Cheap!
• Simple Construction
• Had one on hand
• Had been used with success by others

• RoboSapien V.2
• Not cheap
• More complex
• Would have had to locate and purchase
• No previous work to follow

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Software Review

• PDA Operating System
• Development Environment
• IR Remote Software
• Existing Code

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PDA Operating System

• Pocket PC 2002, 2003, 2003SE was used by others
  with great success for several years, but
  obsolescence was setting in
• Windows Mobile 5.0 starting to become standard
• Most devices built for PPC 200X wont run WM5
  very well and a device designed for WM5 wont run
  PPC200X at all

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Development Environment

• Embedded Visual C 3.0
• Wont work with WM5
• Embedded Visual C 4.0
• Requires carefully installed SDKs but lacks
  proper instructions to tell the programmer how to
  do so
• Visual Studio .Net 2005
• Works with all Windows CE versions
• Finds installed SDKs automatically

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Existing Code

• Freiburg University researchers had already done
  similar research for a soccer playing RoboSapien
  and published their code online
• Most of the basic functionality was present
• Written in Visual C
• Provided an easy interface to the IR port

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IR Remote Software

• Ultramote by CardonWare was the only real
  consideration
• Easy to use
• Cheap and easy to get
• The C code to interface with it already existed

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Hardware Proof of Concept

• PDA mounting considerations
• Light weighting and balancing
• Final Assembly

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PDA Mounting

• Freiburg 2004 Freiburg 2005

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Light weighting and Balancing

• Drilled holes in chassis
• Removed unnecessary components
• Cut sections out of chassis and body shell

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Final Assembly

• Opted for a Horizontal PDA position
• Eliminates extra body shell weight
• Returns the center of gravity close to stock
• Easier to see and manipulate the PDA

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Software Proof of Concept

• Converted EVC 3.0 Freiburg code to a VS 2005
  project
• Compiled, installed and ran test program on PDA
• Successfully added and modified functionality in
  the code base

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Current Limitations

• The PDA camera is not working as expected
• Despite assurances the camera and driver should
  work on our PDA it does not
• Represents a failure to close the control loop
  with external sensors

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New Directions

• Solve camera issues
• Extension of existing code base to allow better
  use of the RoboSapiens programmable firmware
  capabilities
• Additional sensors
• Real honest to god HRI research