One ball robot
2008-10-04 21:26
Here is a challenge, something I just thought about.
A Segway is a vehicle on two wheels that uses a gyroscope to keep the rider upright, accelerating the motors when the user tilts forward and slows down when leaning back so the rider doesn't fall.
This would create a two wheel robot, but if the motors were mounted at right angles and drive a ball in the opposite way a ball mouse works. One motor drives forwards and back, the other turns the robot clockwise and counter clockwise. If the robot tilts to the left, the motor drives to the right to stabilise.
To move, the robot has to tilt the weight forward and then drive slowly forwards. A slightly faster movement back will cause the tilt. A move slightly faster will bring the weight upright.


Yes
Hmmm... Yes. I fancy a piece of that. The only real problem I see is a mechanical one: where would the weight be borne? I mean, if your robot is basically sitting on top of the ball, the ball won't be able to turn due to the friction. Hmmm...
CMU have done it. I wonder how....
ballbot
Not to knock your idea, but is has been done by the pros. The weight of the bot is resting on rollers which are resting on the ball.
I'd like to see a hobbyist do something similar. Or even copy this one!
8ik
Friction
Yeah - very nifty - if it
Yeah - very nifty - if it was human size the footprint would still be very small
CMU's version is like this :
In this version the ball transfers (3) are taking the weight - the driver rollers are attached to belts around servomotors, I think the bar on the drive roller is straight and touches the ball at a tangental point.
Links of videos which might help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5le0tQBrGJU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KPOOUsNRe4
Here are some links which might be some help
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballbot
http://www.msl.ri.cmu.edu/projects/ballbot/
Hmmm this one isnew...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlMMWFwHti4&feature=related
This looks really
it has 4 retractable legs
it has 4 retractable legs which are being held by electromagnets - if the power dies the legs spring out and lock it in place
my robots
my garden
You could scavenge an