robotmaker
I buy a lot of NEATO XV-11 ROBOTIC vacuum cleaner and take apart and sell the parts mostly the LASER
A looking at the idea that DJ uses to control IROBOT ROOMBA with serial and it can be done the same way.
FEW hack sites has info on the serial commands and they have it controlled by another computer
NEATO XV11 if you read the many reviews on it ,its a lot better then ROOMBA ,one main reason it uses a LIDAR tracking system ,where ROOMBA uses a IR BEACON system
SO it will make a great robotic base,used ones on ebay are about $100
MAY be latter DJ can make a Movement Panel for it,but for now it can be controlled by serial using scripts.
LIKE to hear any good or bad comments on it,and will be looking at the code soon, do need to open it and solder wire to ground and TX line.
I am also interested in the Neato Lidar systems
A dumb question regarding lidar on vacuums versus other navigation/collision avoidence devices. Why is a high degree of accuracy needed in a room? Is it to avoid thin/small table legs? In a room full of wine glasses on the floor would the lidar be best....enquiring minds?
thanks in advance.
Better accuracy easy to map a room to avoid objects and better navigation ,can map of to a inch or less on some lasers Why do you think they use them for missile tracking and more
Of all the navigation type sensors lasers has the highest navigation,but there is drawbacks like with every sensor made
TROY AND IROBOT i sell them alot on ebay,biggest seller for me,mostly russia and france buys the most from me.
I SELL THEM for about $100 EASY on another company that sells them is $299 for laser and neatorobotics compant has it for that list price alSO
Second the accuracy is compare to a LIDAR (LASER) AT $1200 .i have a link to much data testing done on both and the LIDAR hack,this person did so much testing ,design and broke the api code ,hackaday and adafruit and sparkun put up a bounty and info for anyone to hack it and he did it.
Some other things about my testing of ROOMBA with NEATO ,XV-11 besides the robots getting a round in a room to do the cleaning that NEATO does a lot better,it has a much stronger VACUUM AND better wheel feedback
ON roomba is uses optical encoders that get dirty a lot ,where on the NEATO it uses a magnetic encoder
MOTORS on the neato are a lot better,with heat and design and stronger.
NEATO has a LCD FOR battery info and lot more, Price on them are about the same,
When making statements about the Neato and Roomba please include what model numbers you are discussing. The optical encoder reference is only used on the early models of the Roomba. Later models use magnetic encoders just like the Neato. Also the cleaning capability becomes about equal when you realize that the Neato only makes a single pass when cleaning whereas the Roomba makes multiple passes over the same area that results in more debris being removed from the cleaning surface. Also when using the 700 model gray CHM and the Aerovac dust bin, the Roomba (500, and 600) is a very effective cleaner. The 700 model Roomba with the HEPA filters is even better than the earlier model Roombas. The Roomba also has a color LED display for battery charge state. Roomba drive motors are designed to operate quite well within the parameters of normal operation. A lot of Neato drive motors have been failing and causing Neato owners much grief with the "My drive motor is stuck" error.
Thank you robot-doc. Ive learned a lot with just that short paragraph.
ROBOT-DOC you are right i should put the models in that i tested
500 and 600 SERIES uses magnetic encoders ,mostly taking about the 4200 series we use the EZB on uses optical feedback. YES ON THE STUCK MOTOR problem is now fixed with new motor design, stuck problem was because they use very high torque motors and they overheat causing them to get stuck,so they added a heat shield design and new motors dont have the problem any more.
BOTH NEATO AND ROOMBA has HEPA filters,not shore if roomba has a added a brush for dog hairs ONE REASON MY MOM sent the roomba back and 500 series are very high cost i think $500
I found that 500 and 600 are harder to modify to use as a robotic base.
4200 SERIES are very close the design of the IROBOT CREATE only with 25 pin DIN connector
I guess we both have our comments on witch robotic vacuum we like.
ON the cleaning it doesnt sound right one good reason NEATO HAS stronger vacuum I did a simple test in my moms carpet and tile floor
First on carpet i ran the roomba 4200 series it looked like it got cleaned,and then ran the NEATO XV-11 and it the bin lot of dirt,so it seems roomba missed it
ON tile did the same test and neato xv-11 had a lot dirt more then the carpet
IT seems doesnt do a good job on TILE and kinda ok on carpets
NEXT week will try the NEATO FIRST AND THEN ROOMBA ,
I think may be 500 series will be better then 4200 series and same as the neato maybe BUT at much higher cost.
BUT still the best point on the NEATO is the LIDAR it gives much better navigation and tracking . ONE reason robots use it a lot,only problem is that most LIDAR'S are $1200 and up So most use camera's and sensors
On the NEATO looking very soon to have info how to use EZB to control it using serial or bluetooth or WIFI The commands look and on ebay they go for use about $150 so it looks a like a very good choice for a robotic base