First Real Look At My Ez-b Controlled Full Size Lis B9 Robot

@Steve, Thanks for caring enough to repost your reply. Your comments mean a lot to me as do everyone's.

Ya, it's been about 2 years but about half of that was planning and research. No real wrench turning the first year as I was working on the rest of the robot. So lets just say 1 year of actual arm building to keep it simple.

I had another huge step forward today in the robot shop. I was able to get the Sabertooth/Kangaroo X2 motor control wired up. On the first try I got a successful autotune! It was nerve wracking watching the B9 arm mounted on the rail system rock back and forth for the minute it took to complete. I had no idea if the Roo would be able to figure out my custom system and get a good read on it. I had such a hard time getting the Roo to figure out my elbow motor setup. When it stopped working and gave me the success light I was over joyed! This was the last thing that could have kept my rail system from being completed as I envisioned and built it. If this didn't work I would have had to move to plan 2 by having to wire in limit switches and use a H-Bridge. Plan 2 would have worked but I really wanted to use the Sabertooth/Kangaroo control method. Now I know I can! The Sabertooth/Roo lets me have a lot better control of speed and ramping with less wiring. Yahoo!

Tomorrow I'll get some EZ Scripts written and get the EZB moving the arm back and forth with speed ramping along the rails. The only thing left after that is to find the way to permanently mount the motor controllers, new power supplies and the EZB on the robot's central support system and then run the wiring.

Oh ya, and build the second arm. eek

It's Alive! I now have the Sabertooth 32X2 with a Kangaroo X2 motor controller attached to my B9's Arm Rail System (ARS) for speed and position control. After writing a few simple scripts in ARC and attaching the Roo to EZB's Uart 1 port through D5 and D6 I now have controlled movement! This the first time I actually have control over my ARS. It's very exciting to watch all my work and planning come to life. Also this is the first time I actually tried using EZB's Uart 1 port through D5 and D6. I always knew a Uart would work through these Digital ports (heck, DJ said it would) but it's fun actually seeing it working.

I mentioned a couple issues I had in the video. Mainly a clunk and a squeak while the carriage moved along the rails. I've since taken apart the ARS and easily fixed these issues. Ended up just having to re-adjust a a could nuts and bolts and shorten up the cable and rewrap it evenly. You'll see what I mean if you watch the vid. It all runs smoothly ans quietly now.

Please watch and enjoy. Thanks!

Incredible work Dave, its a work of art! I love the cable management system. Now you gotta do it all again for the other arm, although the other one should be easier cos you now have a fully functional prototype

Steve

Constantly blown away and amazed at your creative genius. Well done sir! This will go down in history as the the first real B9-fully functional robot arm. Over the years I have combed the internet looking for ideas and designs for arms like this and have never found anything as beautiful and articulate as this. When you search for robot arms all you typically see are little arms mounted on a small turntable platform that look as though a slight breeze could knock them over. Your B9 arm puts everything else to shame. You should get an award or something for this.

Awesomeness......

Thanks Rex & Steve. Way over the top. I love it. Don't stop.

Super yay! Now get it all working together you have to be very close...can't wait to see with silicone on it.

OK Will, Now that's just kinda creepy. I heard about you Hollywood guys.

Well Dave, you know how much silicone there is in Hollywood...