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FidoBot Development Corner

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Hunter O'Gold
(@hunterogold)
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Joined: 4 years ago
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As previously mentioned, the first bot in my MyMate series will be FidoBot, a BogieBot based on the Curiosity Mars Rover (search for bogie robot on YouTube if you want to know more about the chassis design of such bots). It hosts six wheels with independent steering and braking. It can, for example, rotate itself 350 degrees in place (a spin maneuver).

It will be able to haul 10kg if required and will have a LIPO battery bank. It will have return to base changing (feeding) capability. This is an autonomous life robotic application.

I will be listing the design concepts for this robot here as promised.

CONTROL:

  1. The higher brain will be a 4GB Raspberry Pi 4B. It will be programmed in Java using the Pi4J module running on a very cut down Debian Linux operating system. In terms of adjunct hardware, it will have a UPS, 2 Raspberry Pi HD cameras, a laser ranging device (in line with the 2 cameras and a pan and tilt servo mount (2 servos) for the ranger and cameras.

    It is responsible for all 'higher brain' functions and will be connected via I2C to the Arduino Mega 2560 'hindbrain'. In other words, it will be responsible for all autonomous 'executive' functions.

  2. The hindbrain will be an Arduino Mega 2560. It will be programmed in C, of course. Adjunct hardware is an NRF24L01 wireless transceiver, a nine degree of freedom sensor, a GPS receiver, a temperature/pressure/humidity sensor and a data logger.

    It is responsible for environmental alerts to the higher brain, the completion of higher brain tasking, situation reporting and coordination of the six Arduino Nano 'auxiliary brains' on each of the wheel assemblies.

  3. Each auxiliary brains, of which there are six, one for each wheel assembly, will be Arduino Nanos and will be programmed in C. Adjunct hardware attached to the wheel assemblies is an NRF24L01 wireless transceiver, a bidirectional PWM H-bridge driver for the 100RPM geared wheel motor, a servo and driver for independent wheel steering, a custom circuit to short the motor for emergency braking, a feedback loop from the motor's rotary encoder, a temperature sensor  (in contact with the motor housing) and a hall effect sensor on the motor power line for electrical failure detection (disconnection or short detection).

    The wheel servo will be capable for plus and minus rotation of up to 90 degrees (front and back) and 180 degrees (centre). There will also be a custom 'freewheel' circuit that provides disconnection of the motor from the power supply if required.


    The auxiliary brains are responsible for safe and independent movement and emergency feedback the hindbrain. These will have limited to no intelligence and are slaved to the hindbrain via the wireless connection.

BODY:

  1. The original design was anticipated to be plastic, but maybe CNC engineered aluminium. TBA.
This topic was modified 4 years ago 12 times by Hunter O'Gold

The simplest solution is probably correct.


   
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frogandtoad
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@hunterogold

Please note, as this is a forum for learning and sharing ideas and knowledge, that any design concepts or code you post here is considered to be in the public domain.

 


   
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Hunter O'Gold
(@hunterogold)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 23
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@frogandtoad

As mentioned previously, I am providing SOME design concepts here for community consumption. These concepts are to increase public knowledge and awareness. Proprietary concepts created by myself are, and will never, be made public. I would have thought that would go without saying.

Further to this, I am an engineer with Boeing with more than forty years of experience. I am well aware of patent and copyright laws. I am also a great believer in sharing knowledge that empowers humankind. I consider anything I can do to empower humanity and move us more rapidly towards the future is well worth any effort on my part. I am here to serve and teach.

This post was modified 4 years ago 2 times by Hunter O'Gold

The simplest solution is probably correct.


   
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frogandtoad
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@hunterogold

Posted by: @frogandtoad

Please note, as this is a forum for learning and sharing ideas and knowledge, that any design concepts or code you post here is considered to be in the public domain.

Posted by: @hunterogold

As mentioned previously, I am providing SOME design concepts here for community consumption. These concepts are to increase public knowledge and awareness. Proprietary concepts created by myself are, and will never, be made public. I would have thought that would go without saying.

I apologise... perhaps I didn't quite understand your goal, so here is your chance to explain:
What exactly does "design concepts here for community consumption" mean? and what is the "MyMate series" referring to?


   
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Hunter O'Gold
(@hunterogold)
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Posts: 23
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@frogandtoad

The MyMate series of robots are proprietary to me. My 'cluster bot' that is my ultimate goal for private purposes only and will not be shared. My neutral network work which uses a new mathematical model for neural networks and deep learning in machines is most highly proprietary and will never be discussed.

However, I am willing to share and discuss almost any aspect of artificial intelligence, artificial life and robotic engineering (electrical, electronic, programmatic and mechanical). I hope this is clear.

Anyone who wants to build a copy of my first prototype of a MyMate style robot, in this case, FidoBot, is welcome to follow along, ask questions and build their own. I welcome this. Is that clear enough?

Please note, for example, this does not include the stereoscope neural network depth perception code my FidoBot will have (it's proprietory). I leave that is an exercise for the enthusiast.

NB: Proprietary in this context means proprietary to Quantum Electric Monk, not Boeing. I am the Quantum Electric Monk.

This post was modified 4 years ago 10 times by Hunter O'Gold

The simplest solution is probably correct.


   
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frogandtoad
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@hunterogold

Posted by: @hunterogold

The MyMate series of robots are proprietary to me

Indeed, that's what is sounded like to me, hence my original question(s)... I'm just trying to help you to protect yourself, by alerting you that posting any proprietary information here will no longer be considered proprietary.

I welcome your knowledge in artificial intelligence, artificial life and robotic engineering (electrical, electronic, programmatic and mechanical design and concepts, so please feel free to contribute to those topics, as there are many of us here who are interested in learning about them, me included. 😉

 


   
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Hunter O'Gold
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@frogandtoad

You are welcome. Science is about sharing knowledge. I, however, after decades of NDAs am highly aware of my need to protect certain knowledge, not only for myself but to protect humanity from itself.

Unfortunately, I designed, wrote and tested the most devastating computer virus that could ever be visited on humanity. That technology will die with me.

The obvious question is how did I test it? Plugs out.

It killed the PC it was unleashed on 30 minutes.

This post was modified 4 years ago 2 times by Hunter O'Gold

The simplest solution is probably correct.


   
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frogandtoad
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@hunterogold

Posted by: @hunterogold

Unfortunately, I designed, wrote and tested the most devastating computer virus that could ever be visited on humanity. That technology will die with me.

LOL... I hope it didn't start with the initials: "corona"!  


   
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Hunter O'Gold
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@frogandtoad

Computer virus. Within 30 minutes it had worked its way around every protection I had put in place to limit its propagation. But here is the rub. It was designed to be an artificial lifeform, not a virus. Luckily, the one thing it couldn't overcome was that it had no connection to the rest of the world.

That was by design.

And it used a technology that you would say, which I said, would never work. But it did. It still lives in my mind. I have never repeated the experiment. It's simply too dangerous.

But live with the knowledge that it is possible to bring down every computer on Earth within 24 hours, regardless of architecture and operating system.

Truly frightening.

Oh, and one last thing, there is no antivirus software that can stop it. Ever. It dies with me.

On a happier note, let's talk artificial intelligence.

This post was modified 4 years ago 11 times by Hunter O'Gold

The simplest solution is probably correct.


   
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Hunter O'Gold
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The choice of a 4GB Raspberry 4B for the higher brain is based purely on computing power. An alternative that I recommend is Khadas VIM3. Because of my non-standard neural network implementation, the NPU on the VIM3 is not suitable for me but it may be suitable for you.

NB: The Khadas VIM3 NPU uses floating-point weights and biases. Mine doesn't.

The case is the solid aluminium variety with dual cooling fans. This provides both low power cooling and relatively high efficiency. This offsets the higher power consumption of the Pi4.

This post was modified 4 years ago 5 times by Hunter O'Gold

The simplest solution is probably correct.


   
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