Constructing and programming a beginner/intermediate robot to explore general robotics in a hands-on way, based on the Terk Telpresence robot kits at http://www.terk.ri.cmu.edu .

By following a recipe outlined on the Terk Telepresence Robot Kits website, we will assemble a robot and program it to follow our commands. The particular robot I would like to build looks like a large geometric flower. It possesses seven degrees of movement freedom which can be programmed using TeRK’s Robot Universal Remote and Flower Power software. It’s design uses three IR sensors, but there is room for more selective sensors. The IR sensors can be used for a variety of purposes (motion detection, object detection, etc.) The flower can then be programmed to wilt on command, turn towards a light, or even detect the presence of certain types of gas. The reason I have chosen the Flower as a beginner robot is because it is not only visually interesting, it is fairly straightforward but may be expanded on, disassembled, or reused in the future. Also, it’s aesthetic makes it an ideal candidate for placement in the Marlboro greenhouse. Once it is assembled the remainder of the semester may be spent programming it to respond different environmental conditions in the greenhouse. Data inputs (as well as tests for the individual components of the robot) can be viewed remotely through the RUR software. The “brain of the Flower” uses a multi-purpose robotic processor called a QWerk. Qwerks are a very standarzides component in all of the Terk robotic systems, and may be reused by other classes if necessary for a variety of projects.

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last modified Tuesday May 13 2008 2:52 pm EDT