leonardo46
I'm looking for simple sensors to make a robotic arm detect an object and then grasp it. I don't find adequate sensors, capable of detecting and measuring the distance of small objects. I found that sonars and I.R. sensors have large sensing beams, and can't precisely detect small objects . Can somebody suggest adequate sensors for the purpose ? (other than a video camera). I found a device with multiple IR sensors, named apds9960 , by Sparkfun, with I2C interface, capable of measuring short distances (10 -25 cm), and even capable of detecting movement direction . Mounted near the grasping hand, it could scan the object and give information to drive the arm servos as needed. Does someone know it or has some experience using it ?
I'm frustrated at such complex job ! It would require a lot of work to learn , and to buy (probably costly) equipment and software, and might be beyond my technical skill. It's much more than what I wanted to do. I was looking for something much simpler. Richard's video shows how the collaboration of a human being (a girl) can make eveything simpler. The robot goes near her , and she does the more complex job, i.e. taking or putting a bottle in the robot's hand. I was imagining something like that, i.e. with the help by a human being. With the following steps: 1)I (human being) move manually the robot near a small object on the table, e.g. 5-6 inches in front of it. 2)the robot arm , moving by a scrip up-down and left-right, scans it , by simple sensors on the wrist (sonar ? I.R ? which one among the dozens available?) and centers the hand to the object. 3)the hand , by a script, checking the distance, is moved towards the object, so to get it inside. 4)then the hand is closed (it may be done without pressure sensors). I was looking for sensors to perform the task with the necessary precision.