Holonomic Platform for 125mm Rotacaster Omniwheels
I’ve been working on a very solid, Holonomic Platform to be used with the large 125mm Rotacaster Omniwheels as part of my display for the TAZ-Brick Collector Club’s Brixhibition to be held on the weekend of 20-21 April 2013. LEGO Technics Compatible 125mm Rotacaster Omniwheel This Holonomic Platform is built around a very solid “Triangle” [...]
LEGO Mindstorms NXT Forklift – Mark II (Follows Line)
My Original Forklift was part of my NXTLog FoodFactor Competition Entry, which needed a method to transport models of the large open top pallet type bins used to transport vegetables, such as potatoes, cabbages and pumpkins. I decided on a Forklift Truck to do the job. I felt that the original Forklift's Mast Lifting and [...]
My Holonomic Platforms make it into Print
An article featuring my Holonomic Platforms has made it into Print. I was asked by James Bullen from Australian Popular Science Magazine to provide an article back in July. I was asked initially to supply a detail article, but just like the Editors of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Editors, in the end they [...]
Rotacasters: Big, Bigger, Biggest!
Yes it 's another Holonomic Platform Robot, but this ones special. I built this Robot to celebrate a package that arrived in the post today from Australia. Yes, more omni-wheels to' Beta Test'. But these are monsters compared to the original 48mm (2") Rotacaters. These new [rotacater] measure 125mm (5") in diameter, and weigh in [...]
RobotC: Autonomous Holonomic Platform using 4x Sonars
This Autonomous Tri-Drive Holonomic Platform is fitted with and uses 4x Ultrasonic Sensors for navigation. The RobotC Code is based on my previous post on using multiple Sonar Sensors in RobotC. The main challenge is to use all 4 Ultrasonic Sensors without them interfering with each other, resulting in non-valid measurement readings for distance values [...]
PS2 Controlled Holonomic Platform Using RobotC
Yes, another Holonomic Platform. My son, Anthony requested a Holonomic robot to take to school for show-and-tell. So here it is with a few scholarly extras, including the code. A Holonomic platform is one of the many types of Holonomic drive trains — it can move forward and backward as well as left or right [...]
‘Melon Factor’ – Conclusion
This was to be Part 4/5 of my Melon Factor Project, for the NXTLog FoodFactor Competition for May 2012. It's unfortunate, but time has not been kind. I had more important real life issues that dragged me away from the project. Link to this post!
Melon Factor – Part 1
Part 1 of my NXTLog FoodFactor Competition Entry needed a method to transport models of the large open top pallet type bins used to transport vegetables, such as potatoes, cabbages and pumpkins. I decided on a Forklift Truck to do the job. Forklift Navigation Details: The prime purpose of the Forklift Truck is to transport [...]
More on the New & Improved Rotacaster Omni-wheels
I received a a new batch of Rotacaster Omni-wheels several weeks ago which look and work fantastic. I gave them a good test run way back on 15th June 2011 and videoed my results. It's a while, but here they are fitted to a Killough type platform powered by LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit fitted with [...]
Line Following Killough Platform
This Rotacaster equipped Killough Platform Line Following Robot uses a set of 3x Rotacasters with the new Black Hub-centres and S45A Hardness type rollers. The S45A's roller colour is a perfect match for Lego's "Dark Bluish Gray" colour scheme. I'm excited about testing the new wheels using softer durometer materials on the rollers. The S45A [...]
Shape-Changing Rotacaster Flexi-Bot
The Shape-Changing Rotacaster Flexi-Bot acts like a Chameleon, but instead of changing colour, it can morphs into a variety of different leg configurations. The front and rear pairs of arms are controlled as a pairs change the configuration of the Rotacaster Omni-wheels relative to the Robots body. Each Rotacaster Omni-wheel is driven individually via a [...]
Autonomous Rotacaster Omni-Bot
This Autonomous Quad Drive Omni-Bot fitted is with Rotacasters Omni-wheels and uses 4x Ultrasonic Sensors to aid in navigation. It's based on my previous Quad-Drive Rotacaster Omni-Bot with the addition of the Ultrasonic Sensors. The main challenge is to use all 4 Ultrasonic Sensors without them interfering with each other, resulting in non-valid measurement readings [...]
Quad-Drive Rotacaster Omni-Bot
As I have a set of four Rotacaster Omni-wheels to test drive, I decided to build a 4-wheel Omni-Bot for a change from the normal 3-wheeled versions. Build a solid & compact 4 wheel platform wasn't as easy as I first envisaged. But after 3 attempts I hit upon something that worked. The Lego purists [...]
Rotacaster Omni-wheels in Action!
An example of a Lego Mindstorms NXT Killough Platform featuring 3x Rotacaster (www.rotacaster.com.au), R-2048-01 Double 48mm Omni-Wheels. 3x NXT Motors and a Mindsensors PSP-Nx-v3, a Sony PlayStation2 Controller interface for NXT to control the Robot. Structurally, the 'Killough Platform' consists of three wheels arranged in a triangle or three-point star separated by 120 Degrees. Each [...]
Rotacaster Omni-wheels Arrive
Christmas arrived early this year for me when the Postman knocked today with a package from Peter McKinnon containing a set of 4x 48mm Rotacasters with the Lego Axel adapters. At this stage these prototypes appear to have been worth every bit of development time they have taken up so far. The softer Durometer Type [...]
Controlling a Killough Platform
The easiest way to control a Killough Platform type Omni-wheeled Robot is with an an Analogue Joystick, such as the Sony PlayStation PS2 Controller. Mindsensors produce the PSP-Nx-v3: Sony PlayStation2 Controller Interface for use with the Lego Mindstorms NXT. You can used any PS2 compatible Remote Control/Joystick Controller with the PSP-Nx-v3. I prefer the PlayStation2 [...]
Solid Holonomic Platform Joiner
The Omnidirectional Holonomic Platform more commonly known as the Killough Platform was invented by Stephen Killough and Francois Pin at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories. It uses three specially designed wheel assemblies that can provide force along only one axis (with the rotation of the axle) and can move freely along the direction of the [...]
Rotacaster Omni-wheel Prototypes are Ready!
Peter McKinnon from Rotacaster sent some photographs of the prototypes today of the insert bushes with the Lego cross axle bore. Link to this post!
The beginings of an Omni-wheeled Bot
This is the begining of what will hopefully become a Soccer Playing Bot eventually. I will fit a set of Rotacaster Omni-wheels to the bot when they become available in the Lego Technics format. Link to this post!
