PJ_Dtechy
P1 ( Testing And Learning Platform)
Getting Back Into Robotics: Test Platform Journey
I'm gradually re-entering the world of robotics and am currently working on a test platform that I expect will continue to evolve over time. What better way to learn Python than by building robots and solving everyday problems around the house?
Why I Chose the Roomba 650 as the Drivetrain:
- Internal Battery: Provides a reliable power source.
- Internal Navigation: Offers built-in mapping and movement capabilities.
- Integration with ARC: Seamlessly works with ARC (Synthiam) software.
- Two-Way Communication: Easily integrates with sensors for feedback.
- Affordability: Accessible and budget-friendly for experimentation.
In my enthusiasm, I accidentally short-circuited my 11-year-old EZ-B v4/1 board. This led me down a rabbit hole, spending a few weeks exploring the forums and combing through the Getting Started guides. I ended up ordering an ESP32, an Arduino Uno (clone), and an Arduino Mega, all in search of an alternative to my old EZ-B v4. While I did consider upgrading to the EZ-B v4/2, I wanted to try a more DIY route, as this project is about building a robotnot just a remote-controlled toy.
Flashback to ESP32:
I flashed the ESP32 to work as an EZ-B, and it was super quick and easy. It’s a fantastic, affordable board for rapid prototyping and wireless control. However, it lacks USB support for ARC, which might be possible to enable, but I didn’t explore that further.
The Arduino Journey:
When I moved to the Arduino boards, I initially ordered a clone Uno from Amazon. I followed all the instructions, flashed it successfully, but couldn’t connect to ARC via the COM port no matter what I tried. Out of frustrationand determined to learn and growI ordered an official Arduino Mega.
The difference was night and day. The Mega was super simple to flash, and it worked right out of the box. The computer picked up the correct drivers automatically, and I was able to connect to ARC via USB without issue. Interestingly, once the Mega worked, the clone Uno also started functioning perfectly. My guess is that the correct drivers were finally installed, which helped resolve the connection issues with the clone.
My Advice:
Save yourself the headache and invest in an official Arduino board, whether it’s a Nano, Uno, or Mega, depending on the complexity and requirements of your project. Pair it with a servo shield for even more functionality. These boards are reliable, well-supported, and will make your journey into robotics much smoother.
Building the Body: Everyday Items for STEM Education I’m not too interested in learning or investing in a 3D printer at the moment. Instead, I wanted to use regular, everyday items to build the robot’s body. Occasionally, I teach STEM at my old high school as a guest from time to time, and thought that robots make for excellent visual teaching tools. By using common household items, the design becomes more relatable and inspiring to the kidsit shows them that creativity and innovation don’t always require expensive tools.
For the body, I decided on a 7.9-gallon stainless steel trash can. Its width and diameter fit almost perfectly on top of the Roomba without requiring much fabrication on my part. This setup allows me to mimic a turtle-style bot, with a sleek and functional exterior while housing the core components vertically. The trash can is lightweight, sturdy, and provides plenty of room for growth and expansion. It’s a simple yet effective solution that aligns with the use-what-you-have philosophy, making it accessible and practical for STEM demonstrations.
Next Step: Choosing the Onboard Computer Now that I’m super happy with my Arduino Mega, the next step was selecting an onboard computer. My requirements were straightforward: it needed to be lightweight, have at least 16GB of RAM, and a minimum of 256GB SSD storage. After some research, I considered the following options:
Nvidia Jetson (ROS, was one of my consideration) LattePanda Udoo Board Raspberry Pi Orange Pi 5 Plus (16GB RAM DDR4 with Rockchip RK3588 Mini) The Orange Pi 5 Plus was exactly what I wanted, with built-in GPIO and plenty of power, but unfortunately, it was out of stock. While the built-in GPIO would’ve been a great feature, the Arduino Mega already covers my GPIO needs, so I was okay with moving on. One thing I wasn’t willing to compromise on was my 16GB RAM requirement.
After more searching, I ended up snagging a KAMRUI GK3Plus Mini PC on eBay for just $119 well under my $200 budget! Here are the specs:
Windows 11 Pro 16GB RAM 512GB M.2 SSD 12th Gen Alder Lake N95 CPU (up to 3.4GHz) Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth Support for 4K UHD and VESA Mounting It’s compact, powerful, and perfect for this project. I’m thrilled with the purchase and excited to integrate it into my build!
I got this budget-friendly robot arm for Christmas, and so far, I've made some upgrades to get it working better. I replaced the two bottom servos with 40kg ones because the default servos just weren't strong enough to rotate and lift the arm properly. I might need to upgrade a third servo soon, too. The cheap gears are definitely an issue, as I'm noticing some slipping, but despite that, I'm grateful for it. It's allowing me to prototype, start learning, and most importantly, have fun!
The arm is currently connected to an Arduino Mega and working really well. The plan is to mount it on a CNC rail, which will let the arm move up and down. For now, I'm using an Xbox One Kinect and a USB webcam for vision, but my ultimate goal is to upgrade to an Intel RealSense camera. I've got my eyes on a 7-DOF robot arm that's around $1,500, but I’m not quite ready to swallow that pill yet.
Choosing the BLUETTI AC2A for My Robot Power Solution
During the development of my DIY robot project, I faced the challenge of finding a reliable and compact power source that could fit inside the robot’s bodya 7-gallon stainless steel trash can mounted on a Roomba 650 drivetrain. After researching and comparing options, I decided on the BLUETTI AC2A. Here’s why it ended up being the right fit:
Size and Compatibility: The BLUETTI AC2A fits well inside the limited space available within the trash can body. Its compact design allows for easy integration without interfering with other components like the CNC-mounted robot arm and sensors.
Power Requirements: My robot needs power for an onboard PC (12V at 3A), sensors, servos, and a robotic arm. The BLUETTI AC2A provides stable power across multiple voltage outputs, which ensures consistent performance. This was critical, as instability could cause issues with the servos and PC.
Weight Considerations: Weight is always an important factor in mobile robotics, especially when working with a smaller chassis like a Roomba drivetrain. The BLUETTI AC2A strikes a good balance, providing enough power without being overly heavy, which helps maintain the robot’s mobility and performance.
Future Expandability: I’m currently using an Xbox Kinect and a USB webcam for vision, but I plan to upgrade to an Intel RealSense camera. The BLUETTI AC2A has enough capacity to support these future enhancements without needing additional modifications to the power system.
Ease of Integration: One of the deciding factors was how straightforward it was to incorporate the BLUETTI AC2A into the robot. For someone like me, who’s still prototyping and learning, having a reliable and easy-to-use power source reduces complexity and allows me to focus more on coding and functionality.
During my research, I also considered other power stations like the Anker X300X and Marbero M270. Each had its pros and cons, but the BLUETTI AC2A ultimately stood out due to its balance of size, reliability, and compatibility with my robot’s needs.
This project has been a great learning experience so far, and choosing the right power source has been a key part of the process. Hopefully, this information helps others working on similar projects when considering their own power solutions!