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Asked — Edited

Turns When Walking Forward

I have build six as the builder shows and ran the servos outside of the mounting joints to ensure everything was set correctly. Six tends to do two things, one of the servos seems to love to hum very loudly when the robot stops moving. Making to robot move once stops it for a while. I have taken the servos out of the mounts and reran the "all servo 90" and the issues remains. Second one is the robot will not stay straight with walking. It walks in a big circle. *confused*


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Synthiam
#1  
@JFew, how big of a circle is he walking?

Because the robot walks with six legs (haha, six) there will be slight drag on each foot - causing him to turn slightly. I created the six walking routine about a year ago and it probably could use some work.

You can tweak it a bit and share with the community, because that's what we're all about:D

As for the hummmmmmmmmm of the servos - it's normal. Servos are not "motors" as they actually know their position. To keep position, the servos are actually moving back and forth real quick. This causes a hummmm noise. The stronger the servo, the louder the hummmmmmmmm.

This is why robots in movies also make a lot of noise:D
USA
#2  
The circle is about 3ft wide
#3  
Have you actually checked to see if all the servos are working correctly? I mean testing them one at a time for full travel... Also check to make sure nothing is binding in the joints or any servo cables getting stuck...
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Synthiam
#4  
@jfew, when Six is in the standing position, are all of his servos at 90 degrees?


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USA
#5  
yes the servos are at 90. I have checked and found nothing binding in the joints or any servo cables getting stuck. The servos are able to move freely.
#6  
Can you upload a video of Six walking? Can you hold him in your palm and watch his legs move... maybe you can spot the gimpy (for the lack of a better term:) ) leg or two? If there is any I mean...
USA
#7  
I can try to upload one. I will attempt to make one now and upload when done.
USA
#8  
Here is the video link

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Synthiam
#9  
I had V create a new program for Six yesterday. He spent the day making Six walk much straighter. I made the default Six walk almost 2 years ago, without much attention to detail. V has fixed it in the next release of ARC today:)

Because we spent 2 years creating this product with software, electronics and physical hardware - we are now able to begin making apps and manuals for it. Long as you are continuing to update ARC, the apps are maturing with every release.

Today's release will include a more exciting dance for JD and straighter walking for Six.

Give me another few hours - I'm at the office now working on merging the projects. It's tough today, because it's the last day of sunshine outside... and i'm in here!
#10  
If you ask me, the Gimpy leg is either the front right(six's perspective) or middle right.
USA
#11  
I will take the legs off and rerun the 90 diagnostics again and adjust any that need it.
#12  
His left side seems much stronger.... maybe swap some of the left servos for the right ones... Mix them up a bit... This might even out the gait... Another thing you can do is tweak the software to try and smooth out his movement... Remember, what works for one six may not work for another... Mostly due to manufacturing tolerances of the servos...
USA
#13  
Took off all the legs off and adjust small adjustments to the toes that seemed to have a gap in them. I also reran the calibration check and needed to adjust a servo. Robot still prefers its circle over walking straight. I now have to manual adjust its path every other step. I will keep working with it.
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Synthiam
#14  
I'm not sure if my replies are getting missed, but it might help this conversation if you read post #10:)
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Synthiam
#15  
If you do not wish to wait until the next release, get the Six App from the EZ-Cloud AppStore - I just published it with straight walking and a new dance routine, new mobile interface, new actions, etc..

Of course, make sure you have the least ARC. Never ignore the annoying flashing red box when you load ARC telling you to upgrade:)
USA
#16  
I have read your comment # 10 and downloaded the current ARC program. I have also taken the legs completely off and tested the full range of all the servos one at a time and rebuilt the legs by random selection of the servos to in theory create a better power match. still doing the circle
Canada
#17  
Looks like six could use some shoes
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Synthiam
#18  
@Jfew, perhaps the surface is causing your robot to walk in circles from sliding. If you are indeed using the latest ARC and latest six project, the only way the robot can walk in circles is if it's slipping on the floor.

In your video, the robot is not walking in circles. The robot does walk a little to the right, but not in circles. It walks over 3 feet in your video without walking in circles. Because your floor surface is very slippery, there is a high probability that the feet are sliding on the floor.

Good news is your Six robot is functioning as designed:)
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Synthiam
#20  
There is no code in the walking of Six, he uses an Auto Position. Each frame of Six in the Auto Position is perfect - meaning the leg position of every frame is purely opposite of the opposite leg. If you look at the auto position, I had V go through all frames and "clean them up". He spent a day on making Six walk straight.

What we cannot do is control the slippage of his feet on the surface of your floor:)

Ensure that you are...

1) Running the latest ARC

2) Using the latest Six project that is distributed with ARC (Examples\Six)
#21  
I was thinking if I had a six I might buy some Sugru to give the feet some grip. Also thinking about adding some to Roli's claws.

Alan
#23  
It appears there is still a traction issue (slippage going on) Wonder how it would do on carpet tiles ?
#24  
I also have the latest ARC software and six program downloaded. I have tried various floor types including carpet but it makes no difference. by altering the forward walking frames I can get six to walk straight but if I change floor types six stops walking straight until I calibrate and alter the forward frames for that type. that's one reason I am playing around interfacing a dingmore compass to six. see older post on dingmore compass I posted weeks ago. my thought is to tell six to proceed in a specified compass direction and alter the forward frames based on the compass error detected. I am not a fast programmer so its still in development.

neil
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Synthiam
#25  
The last video that you posted from 17 hours ago is not the latest six projext. Please use the latest project. Here are detailed instructions to help you:

1) visit www.ez-robot.com

2) press the Software button from the top menu

3) select the Windows tab (which is the default tab)

4) press the button that says download

5) in your browser, press the OPEN button when prompted during download

6) follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation

7) now load ARC from your start menu

8) press the open button under file

9) press the EXAMPLES button to display default examples

10) select the SIX project. Notice it is spelt SIX and not SIX WITH GRIPPER. Just the SIX project
USA
#26  
I have been away from college for the Christmas break and returned today. I still working to solve the issue I took the servos back off and one by one ran the diags on the robot's site. ( all servos 90...). In doing so I came across one the failed to do anything and one that barely moved. My question is how do I get replacement servos or what type I need to buy at Radio Shack.
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