Asked — Edited

Gyroscopic Sensor Recommendations?

As you may know, I'm building a humanoid robot. I'm looking for a good gyroscopic sensor that could fit into my robot (the new back allows a bit more space, so if it's bigger it could fit) and is easier to code (I need it to stabilize the robot and tell it to get back up if it falls over). I've been looking at a gyroscopic 3-axis sensor at radioshack: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12310182 Would this be easy to work with? Thanks a bunch!:D

EDIT: Also, this is the distribution block i'm getting for my 4 micro servos. How would I connect the ground/power to this and the signal to the EZ-B, and the battery to the distribution block? Once again, thanks. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103983&locale=en_US


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PRO
Belgium
#1  

are you using a bioloid robot?they have gyro's too.

#2  

You want a terminal block that has one continuous connection of all the horizontal screws times two so that one screw that your connect ( + ) to will extend that potential to all the other screw terminals on the same horizontal. Then the ( -) connection on the other group of screws.

The control signal is not part of the power terminal block and is connected to a digital port of the EZ-B using the white lead from a servo cable to your servo.

Terminal block electrically should look like this:

-----(+)-----(+)-----(+)----(+)----(+)----(+)---------> Positive battery

-----(-)-----(-)-----(-)------(-)-----(-)-----(-)---------> Negative battery

#3  

Here is a LINK to the Bioloid Gyro Sensor Module. Should be compatible to the CM-5 you are using as your controller (you need to check). However, I don't know if the CM-5 or Gyro Sensor Module is compatible with the EZ-B v4.

PRO
Belgium
#4  

am not sure but i think the cm-5 has no connection for a gyro.

#5  

It doesn't. (explaining why I don't have a gyro blush) And I know about the signal wires, don't worry. I was wondering how I could single out the one connector for the signal. I just strip the wires, attach them to those fork things (i forgot what they are called) and put them under the screws and screw them in, correct? then plug in the signal wire to the EZ-B v4. Atleast I'm glad that the EZ-B can handle 12v, otherwise I would need a 20 port dist. block. :D

PRO
Belgium
#6  

not sure but i think you have to do all wires from all servo's separt to the ezb-v4.to get control over the robot. i was thinking to do whit desame thing but whit the robi robot.love to see it.

tip the cm-510 is the best controller for bioloid.you can refirmwire servo's and controllers. whits cm-5 and cm-530 dont do.you can use a 510 whit the comprehencive too, then you have ports for touch sensors or other.:D

#7  

I am going to use the EZ-B v4, nomad. That's sort of the whole point. And I already know about having to plug in all of the servo wires separately, which is why I'm asking this. Thanks for the help, though.

#8  

Yeah I guess that would be it. Snip the end of the + and - and leave the signal wire attached so you can plug it into the EZB then run the + and - to the proper terminals on the block then the block to the battery. You may need to put a regulator or something in between the battery and block or block and servos to be sure you don't burn them up. I'm not an expert and I haven't had to use external power yet so this is just all from what I've read. (I'm looking forward to getting Roli because the motors are externally powered by 2 LiPos.)

I have no gyro advice or experience. Sorry.

But just to be clear, you're trying to connect external power to the servos so they don't draw from the EZB, correct?

#9  

Yes, the EZ-B is going to be powered by a 12v battery, so the 6v micro servos will be powered separately.

#10  

Spark fun Electronics has an excellent assortment of 3 axis accelerometers, I have used one for a two wheel balance bot and others they are great!

#11  

Am I missing something here? cant the servo's be plugged into the V4 board , the plugs are 5v tolerant, then a 3 axis accelerometer into the v4 board as a sensor, read the sensor thru script and output to the servo's thru script where needed.

#12  

He could power them through the board but he has a lot of them and the draw could brown out the board so he's providing power to them separately.

Here's the project thread.

Ez-robot Humanoid Project

I've never used a gyro but I'm guessing it would plug into the board but it may require a little bit of work. Kind of like an H-bridge does to connect it the the ezb v3;)

#13  

@Antron007... Brown outs are not the main reason... If we're still talking 6V servos here... He can't power the 6V servos through the V4 board if he is using a 12V battery... Changes in V4 have seen the removal of the onboard 5V regulator... So each +pin has the same voltage as input voltage. In other words, 12V in equals 12V out on each +pin...

#14  

@Putt Putt You're missing a little bit... 5v tolerant means input on the pin... Output on the +pin is whatever voltage you are using to run the V4 board (see my reply to Antron007)....

#15  

Hey no prob, I wasn't aware of the no voltage reg. And yes my mouth was going faster than my brain I'm aware that 5v tolerant is an input term.

Back to the V4...where the hell is the manual and the specs? seems weird to sell an electronic device without the electrical specs, It might be just me but I for one will never purchase and electronic device until I know what the specs are, I know , I know, the EZ-B V4 is wonderful, there marvelous there the best thing since sliced bread but its an industry standard to provide the specs before purchase not after:)

Anyhow yes, split the wires on the servo's, provide 6v to them and plug the signal wire to the v4 outputs, the accelerometer has analog outputs that would go to the v4 analog inputs ( 3 of them ) and they can be powered by various voltages depending on which one you buy.

On each output the accelerometer outputs a variable, on the one i'm using , from 0 to 512 for one direction and from 0 to -512 for the other direction.

It's a simple matter of using those numbers in a variable in EZ-B to manipulate the servo outputs.

I know i ramble on but I do have a Hexapod that runs 20 HS-5645MG servo's that is programmed with very similar scripting as EZ-B but uses an Atom BotBoard and a SSC-32 serial control board with the aforementioned accelerometer from Spark Fun.

#16  

Manual, specs and videos are all "Coming Soon". I do believe that is one of their current major tasks.

United Kingdom
#17  

Specs are on the EZ-B V4 page in the store (however, since they were still refining the design when the store page went up this is subject to change)

Quote:

120MHz 32-bit Cortex M3 ARM Processor Small Size (2.1" x 2.2") Wi-Fi connectivity Resettable fuse protection Reverse polarity protection 1 x Amplified Speaker for Speech and Music 8 x 5 volt tolerant Analog (ADC) ports 24 x 5 volt tolerant Digital ports (servos, PWM, and more) 3 x i2c Port 1 x EZ-Robot Camera Port 1 x High Speed UART Port

It has also been discussed and explained in some depth in the forums here amongst bits and bobs in other topics.

#18  

Yes the key words " Coming Soon " don't get me wrong but I'd rather not know it even exists until it is ready, completely ready !

It reminds me of another thing I rant about , NEW MOVIES , like coming JUNE 2015 , hell I may be dead of old age by then!

Well for now I'll continue with my V3 EZ-B and my Atom BotBoard.