ISocRob - Omnidirectional Robots

In 2004-2006, a new robotic platform was developed by ISR/IST, in a joint venture with IdMind and ServiLog, two Portuguese SMEs. The new robotic team is composed of five omnidirectional robots.

Figure 1: Original platform (2006)	Figure 2: Current platform (2007)

The new robots were developed with the goal to provide a multidisciplinary robot suitable for general Robotics research, not just the RoboCup domain. The set of sensors available on the previous Scout plataforms is also available in the new ones, plus some new sensors. The new robot currently carries the following sensors:

• 15 sonars
• 1 camera providing omnidirectional vision trough a fish-eye lens
• 3 encoders (one per wheel)
• 1 rate-gyroscope (angular speed)
• 2 infra-red sensors

To cope with the multidisciplinary purpose of the robot several new actuators were also introduced. The new robot carries the following actuators:

• 3 motors for the 3 wheels
• 1 rolling drum, which rolling speed and elevation can be controlled
• 1 electromagnetic strength controlled kicker

The robot was built in a modular way, specially considering the top part. It can be removed and replaced by a new one, in case one wants to execute a special task which needs, e.g., a robotic arm. All the sensors and actuators are accessed via USB and firewire, which makes the robot electronics really plug-and-play. We currently use a laptop on the robot, but the USB access allows for an easy substitution of the computer by any other computer, as long as it possesses USB ports. In Fig. 2 we show only the down part of the robot.

Figure 3: Down part of Robot only

In Figure 3 we can see the guts of the robot. Everything, except the laptop and the camera is inside this part of the robot. More descriptive pictures of our omnis can be seen here.

Figure 4: Inside the robot down part

Full Specifications

• Main components per robot:
  • NEC Versa FS900 laptop:
    • Centrino 1.6GHz
    • 512Mb of memory
    • 3 USB 2.0 ports
    • 1 firewire port
    • 1 microphone and columns
    • Wireless 811b
  • Master-slave PIC based controllers, with an H bridge motor driver VNH3SP30, developed by IdMind and us
  • 3 MAXON DC motors RE35/118776, with gear ratio of 91:6 (ref. MAXON 203116), operated at 12 V
  • 3 500 CPR encoders
  • 1 AnalogDevices rate-gyro XRS300EB to improve orientation determination
  • 2 Sharp infrared sensors to measure the kicker piston displacement and to detect the ball when it is between the robot fingers
  • 15 sonar ring (SRFO4 Range Finder)
  • Marlin AVT F033C firewire camera
  • 1 fish-eye lens with an horizontal field of view of 185º
  • 2 packs of 9Ah NiMH batteries

  For more details concerning the team status please read the Technical Description Paper. Several pictures of the original robot components can be seen here.