I know I should finish Melvin before starting a new build but Josh's Jarvis has inspired me to give my JARVIS a physical form.
Some already are aware that I already have a JARVIS like system installed in my whole house which carries out a multitude of tasks from being an automatic PVR (like Tivo but better), controlling the heating and hot water system, controlling lights... too much to list really but one day I will attempt it.
Anyway, since it doesn't currently use ARC or an EZ-B I haven't posted much about it on here, but that's changing for 2 reasons...
1. To inspire you guys to open a can of awesomeness and
2. Because finally JARVIS will become a real robot rocking an EZ-B.
Basing the design around a RAD V1 robot
So far all I've done to the RAD is stripped it down - why they soldered every connection is beyond me!..
A lot of the choices I make on this project will be chosen by JARVIS. I will be adding some scripting so that I can ask him things like "What colour do you want to be?" and he will choose... this should make it interesting
Like I said, his brain is existing and has been for around 2 years, with new features being added all the time. You know what, let JARVIS tell you himself a little bit about him
For more, check out Jarvis Youtube Channel or www.JARV15.com (under construction)
Other robots from Synthiam community
Sleenard's Ampdroid S1
Thetechguru's Boxbot
Any which way......... Awesome!
Keep us posted! Where'd you get the RAD from?
A lot of planning needs to be done too, since really he needs a screen. I have ideas, one includes a faux holographic display (untested but in theory should work), although that would be a huge power drain and I only plan to run it on one, maybe two 2S 5000mAh LiPo batteries (they couldn't fit better if they were designed for the base).
I have a bunch of connectors for the batteries since I needed them on Melvin and it was cheaper to buy 10 sets than 1 set. But typical of me, again I want nothing on show, not even the charging port or on/off switch.
Jarvis was never going to have a physical form, since Mr. Stark's doesn't have a physical form. But I picked up the RAD over Christmas (on ebay, £10, couldn't say no to that) and since then have been patiently waiting for Melvin to be finished so I can start on Jarvis, but 5 months of waiting is too much, especially as I have the EZ-B ready and waiting for him
I'm still not sure what he will do as far as functions go with ARC. Chances are he will be very basic running a hbridge on the original motors for driving around, pan head, camera and a bunch of lights... plus the ARC Reactor. But we will see what Jarvis says when I ask him
Apparently it's blocked in Germany, sorry for that.
Excuse the poor camera, it's one of my IP cams and it decided it needed IR on which made me look grey, I'm not grey...
We will see how close I am once it's done, I suspect this will be another one which I'll constantly be improving too but we will see.
I like the RAD robots, I still have a few left in the loft!
The green/orange/red bar is battery level and is dynamic using some clever PHP
The blue is the distance sensor (which isn't working so reported nothing at all in front)
The green bar to the side is sound level
I plan to add in a bunch more widgets too when I get chance, but that's way down the line, I only did this as a break from burning my hands with a soldering iron...
I've also written the script for Jarvis to pick what colour he wants to be
Code:
What it does is it will pick a colour based on a random number, it will then pick another colour the same way, if they both match (i.e. two consecutive colours the same) then that's what he "actually really likes" otherwise it continues until either 2 colours the same are picked consecutively or the same colour is picked 3 times in any order. There is also some code to change the responses to stop it becoming repetitive.
What I may do is add in some preference over favourite colours based on real life surveys and lists on the internet such as this one, while still leaving it open for him to almost have free will. I'm not quite sure how I will do this yet without the script running for hours with him chopping and changing his mind but I'm sure I will figure something out.
A pointless script for the operation of the robot but a cool feature if I do say so myself. Hopefully he doesn't decide he likes brown!..
The idea is to stream Jarvis' onboard camera to the web page, use the widgets to relay distances all around and battery level, and whatever else I can think of. And add some buttons to the page for controlling him. The problem will be the update speed of the camera feed, despite having "superfast" internet I am concerned that it wont be fast enough. But I'll tackle that problem when I get to it.
In the meantime, if anyone does decide to be nosey, let me know if the cameras are displaying correctly. Note: Camera 3 points to outside but it's night so between around 9pm and 7:30am it points at my curtains. Camera 1 is my "kids" in my spare room/office/robot room. Camera 2 is my kitchen (excuse the mess)
Better yet, do these show up?
But seriously, it blows me away every time I see it. Amazing.
Yes they show up for me. They are static but I'm also on my tablet so things don't always work the way they are supposed to.
In all seriousness, the "house controls" will be lights, thermostat, hot water overrun, blinds (another ezb project), curtains and possibly door locks plus reporting of door and windows open/closed statuses, smoke detector statuses and possibly some other bits I missed.
The images in the post above are static, the ones on the site should update but my tablet doesn't update them either, I borrowed the code from the ez office page for now, I guess I need to look at changing the code a bit... the update code works on chrome desktop but its still messy HTML which is tomorrows job
EDIT:
Code:
You probably could pull 2 and 3 out I was just lazy. I have 3 little pages like this on a free server that my app displays one for each cam. Buttons select the camera (call the pages).
Cut the cup holder out of the rad base so now I can fit the batteries, EZ-B and H-Bridge in the base (EZ-B may be moved to the head to allow for more batteries though).
The good thing about having IP Cameras all over the house means I get video and stills of pretty much the whole build even when I forget to take photos
The H-Bridge turned up today so that's a job for the weekend.
Also made a fair amount of progress on the web based control/feedback too, some screenshots (more for historical purposes than anything). Melvin has been helping out a lot with this part, until Jarvis is moving and has a camera attached anyway.
And also fixed the problem with the web cam images not updating. A simple case of changing some single quotes to double quotes. Although that code will change soon since I don't like using other people's code so I am rewriting it all
One slight problem to overcome is the red visor on the rad head, it was like this when I got it but also I may need to change it's colour (depending on what colour Jarvis decides he wants to be). I have no idea how to cast this kind of stuff, but google will be my friend when I get to that. As long as it allows some light through it'll be fine.
It needs to let light through because of the LEDs which are wired up and planned to be used like a Larson scanner (I may use the Larson scanner I built for Melvin but I have plenty of spare ports so will probably just script it).
And also making progress with using telnet to link ARC with the other software I run, which will mean I can spread the load over all 3 computers currently running Jarvis (which will end up being 4 computers since I want a dedicated ARC machine).
Camera position is unknown, I may fit it in the centre of the ARC reactor in the chest as I'd like to keep the speaker where it is which is also the only place the camera would fit in the head. But anything which has more than one choice will ultimately be decided by Jarvis
I'm sure Josh has ideas of where to fit the camera in a V1's head, I think I saw it in the small black area (where the speaker is) on a photo somewhere. The head itself has not been set in stone, working from the ground up so the base first, distance sensors in the base, then the body, (removable) ARC reactor, the arms, head, camera, leds, other sensors, speaker, possibly mic, then paint and put back together.
Then reconfigure the website to pick up the onboard camera and move the robot, arms, head and body. While I have the controls sorted thanks to a bit of HTTP server spying (I'm sure it's documented anyway but I couldn't be bothered to look). But, I will wait to do more on that until after the next update since it's a big one and there may be changes to how it handles everything.
The main reason for having web based control is so I can move it around from any of the tablets I have in my house (I use them for control and feedback of everything in the house).
Taking it further, however will use external programs and databases, it will act as though it controls the entire house electrics (all lights, most outlets, heating, hot water, blinds, curtains, TVs, media players etc). It will also be aware of things like what food is in my cupboards, what I'm running low on, what is going out of date, what I can have for dinner (including recipes). I'm also working on getting it to automatically shop for me but that is a little difficult without risking ordering a load of food I don't need.
And to top it off, it already knows about 4000 cocktail recipes and the contents of my drinks cabinet
Did I say it was a huge project?
LOL. anyways, cant wait to see what you come up with.
Could it be converted to a standard servo?
@Josh, I assume the motors for the tracks can safely take 8.4v without a problem? Or should I PWM it down to ~6v
I love the rad robot. The only obvious downside is the lack of space. It looks spacious at first but once everything is being put in its cramped.
About the head - the Neck portion is removable so you could use a pan / tilt bracket there and keep the EZ Cam in the location I put mine. Put the speaker in the torso or base. The less weight you put in the torso the easier your waist servo can handle it. On my robot I am eliminating the gearbox portion and I'm going to epoxy it together and hollow it out with a dremel so I have more room for servo wires and eliminate the problematic gearbox.
I'm probably going to have a play with that low temperature melt plastic like what's in the shop to sort out the waist servo, not sure about the arms closing though, I've only just taken the arms apart (I cheated on the stripdown and just took them out of the torso).
Thanks for the tips, all will come in handy
The pan/tilt bracket in the store wouldn't lift (or even hold) Melvin's head when it was the original head with no visor, micro servos don't have much grunt to them.
For me im taking the speaker out of the head most likely and putting a wireless pc speaker in the chest where the gun is if I cant control the gun.
Probably micro servos for the pan/tilt.
What do you have planned Rich?
@Technopro, you'll have to ask Jarvis what he has planned
MORE like"going to be rad project" by KKEAST since i have so many X1O interfaces,from alarms to pool and spa control,A/C and every outlet and lights in my house,plus cams outside and tv/video control of all my plasma tvs and more.
Total automate home,will be posting my project up soon guys.
Also, looks like Jarvis recognises Mr. Postman since he let me know about it with video and stills via email...
Colour detection, which is great until summer or until someone else in bright orange comes to my door.
Hope you share the code of your design.
since others said about my bad spelling an now i have spell checker.
I had it part open so he just pull on the door and said hi,cant post photos since not a ezb project yet.
BUT hope you share all your codes for everyone.
A few more possible additions using EZ-Bs for integration with Jarvis...
Stair lighting...
IR sensors built in to the top and bottom steps.
TIP switching transistors on 14 digital outputs.
LED Strip installed in the underside of the banister in 14 sections.
LED Strip switched from TIP switches.
When someone or something triggers the IR sensor at the bottom the LED strips are illuminated one by one with slight delay from bottom to top. When the top IR sensor is triggered the strips stay on for 2 minutes (or so) then turn off, one by one from bottom to top like when they turned on. If the bottom IR sensor is triggered again without the top being triggered the lights turn off from top to bottom.
The same but the other way around for the top sensor.
It's something I could use a different microcontroller for but let's face it, the EZ-B is easier to use and costs around the same.
And, the auto blinds...
Venetian blind with twisty rod for opening & closing.
Rod removed, servo attached to mechanism.
LDR (light dependant resistor) fitted in window.
Temperature sensor fitting in window.
When light outside, blinds set to open by moving the servo to the correct position.
When dusk blinds set to close by moving the servo to the correct position in increments defined by light level.
When hot i.e. sunny blinds set to angle up deflecting sunlight by moving the servo to the correct position.
When "movie mode" activated blinds set to close.
On voice commands blinds set to specified position.
FYI, I forgot I made this video last weekend... My main problem is I have nothing to point the camera at so the TV was "it" for now. His response is a little quiet, sorry about that, but it's a pretty fun addition...
Still playing with the temperatures and overall conditions for the responses. Basically what happens is he will check Weather Underground via their API, fetch the current condition (httpget) and save this as a variable and fetch the current temperature and save it as a variable (although he could use the outside temperature he gets from the compensated heating thermostat control). Then he checks these and responds to suit, using Ifs.
i.e.
Code:
The same for the temperatures
Code:
There is also wind speed too but unless it's crazy high he doesn't even mention it.
The scripts so far from what i see are fairly easy ,but goes a lot faster when someone else makes part of the code.
I did make a bit of a mistake though, I mounted the EZ-B and H-Bridge in the base, using Milliput blobs and making small pillars which the boards clip on to using the mounting holes, it makes for a screwless install that's easy to remove if needed. But in my haste I forgot to check the power connection on the EZ-B...
Looks good right? Nice and roomy... but where's the battery going? It was planned for where the barrel jack of the EZ-B points... And now wont fit...
Luckily I like a challenge
The battery would fit nicely under the base, the height of the battery is lower than the height of the tracks and a hole could be drilled through the base for the wires, but I wasn't too convinced by that idea. Then I realised the top of the base is quite high, with the cup holder removed there was the perfect place for the battery, except gravity wouldn't let it float. So more Milliput and the battery is nicely held in position.
This isn't complete, I am expecting the battery to try and drop out of the Milliput once it's hardened and turned right way up. But once it is all set there will be more modification made to it with a small piece of plastic card fibreglassed or epoxied in position. I can't do this with the battery in position as it would bond to the battery and would result in it not being able to be removed. So currently waiting for it to set and then on with the fibreglass
A few more photos of the base. Neatness was what I was after and the ability to remove any part of it easily. I think I've achieved that.
www.robotshop.com/add-a-motor-drapery-controller-800rc-1.html
Plus, those are $130...
EZ-B - $69
Servo - $10 max
LDR - $0.50
Temp Sensor - $2.00
Misc cables etc. - $10 (being very generous there!)
Power Supply - $10
Total $101.50
But thanks for the link
I have almost every X10 module they made except for that one,might get it.
Thanks
I am also building a JARVIS like RICH project,started a while back but doesn't have all RICH JARVIS has,but will use some ideas he is using.
Great about eventghost i like so much it has a interface for X10 modules.
Blind electronics is easy but using servo's on a long distance drape control will be the problem.
Might need a linear screw motor,like they have in the X10 drapery motor.
It's not perfect, it's not finished but the bones are there. Since I'm not as fluent in 3D cad as I'd like to be I don't think I've done half bad with this. Anyway, this shows how much I know about Inventor, all I can muster up is an exported image (got the sequences all working and playing in Inventor but God knows how to export those to video or whatever).
Anyway, here's the first draft
I want the ring around the outside to glow though which may be an issue, I'm not sure if PLA is at all translucent. And I will be manually wrapping copper wire around the blocks, I could have added 3d printed wires but I don't think that will look as good as actual copper wound around them.
Edit: Figured it out
Waiting for 3d printing place to start taking orders again then I'll get a prototype made, really cheap at £0.20p per cm cubed, it's like £6 rather than Shapeways wanting £26!..
Yeah the Milliput goes rock hard in about 6 hours and is then sandable, drillable, tappable, cutable... If you look at the photos of the base I stuck a blob on the side of the base and have cut a small part of it (I had some spare and wanted to see how well it cut etc) it's pretty neat stuff. It's gone nice and solid now, a couple of pieces of card above and below the battery to make it slide in and out easier and it's all ready for fibreglass - when I go out and get some.
I thought I had some spare bullet connectors for the battery connection too, I know I have somewhere but I tidied up and seem to have lost them so can't connect the LiPo up just yet. Running on 4xAA at the moment, it's a damn fast base! Although a bit rattly with no weight in it.
3dprint-uk
Just waiting for them to catch up with their backlog. It's either them guys or shapeways but shapeways want close to £30 for the same, 3dprint want about £6, and are in the same country as me which helps.
I was looking at 3d printers but they are a bit too pricy at the moment and I can't really justify one yet. Maybe when I get on to my lifesize biped project it'll make financial sense but until then it doesn't.
At £6 a print (roughly 2.5"x2.5"x0.5") that's 200 prints without taking into account the material cost. That would take a while for it to start being worth it.
I got the price back for the 3D print and I totally missed they have a minimum order value so it's either 3 ARC Reactors or I need to squeeze more parts in to the same print... So I'll be making a few more parts from the looks of it... What parts I'm not sure yet though.
And, it's time... it's now got to a point where I need to know what colour Jarvis wants to be so I am about to run the script for picking the colour. I changed it slightly to use the BlinkM and get rid of the annoying "but I also like" bits I added in. It's going to be the first colour to be chosen twice... place your bets now
Possibly you could just have someone ship you over one. The small amount of shipping would be worth it to save 600 dollars, or just wait till you have a buddy who is cool with doing the prints cheap for you.
The 3dprint UK place seem good, and cheap too so I'll probably end up using them a lot. Plus they are UK based which is a huge benefit as far as time and shipping costs go.
Makibox
As I want to build something and its not tooooo expensive. Good forum on the site as well
Although at $200 for the printer and $16 for 1kg of PLA it could be worth a shot...
Printer $200
2 x 1Kg PLA $32
$232 @ £0.642182 = £148.98 plus duty, taxes & shipping
That's not too bad, it's worth a look at least.
Much more detail on the inside (not shown, hard to get a good angle to show it) plus cutouts for LEDs to sit in it
I am betting on SILVER!
He picked white by the way, which is a little bland but never mind. If that's what he wants that's what he will get
www.instructables.com
The instructables ones are very poor and not anywhere near what I want. Plus the size of it needs to be pretty much spot on and so far nobody has made one that's the right size.
Time to check that box in settings again
I was tempted to get the finned lower section made from aluminium too, but that's going to be inside the robot and barely seen so spraying a nylon printed part should look OK.
I can't find any palladium to use in it, no hardware stores stock it
http://www.providentmetals.com/bullion/palladium/pamp-suisse.html
Only $7745 for .999 fine palladium
Haven't done anything on it for a few days since I've been away but it may help people out.
Although to be honest, Jarvis has turned in to something of a test robot with the TellyMate and MMA (if I can ever get it working) lately. But further to that, he now sports a neat little current monitor.
More precisely an Adafruit INA169 breakout board which took away any complicated circuits, sourcing parts etc. and very easy to fit (fits inline with the power supply, V+ to the battery, V- to whatever you want to monitor - I chose just the H-Bridge, then Vout to ADC signal, VCC to ADC VCC and Ground to ADC ground). 1V = 1A so using the ADC value should be very simple and adding in a script to stop movement on high load current should be a piece of cake.
I'm waiting on more protoboard so I can knock up another voltage monitor circuit then I just need to fix them to the base and the lower portion is completed and ready to be painted.
Also, I have my I2C chip which should, if I have the circuit right, provide independent switching of 16 LEDs through the I2C bus. This is going in the head for the LEDs in there.
And lastly, another small protoboard to house 3 LEDs. One for a power indicator, one for a connection indicator and one for a fault indicator. I'll also be using the same proto board to provide a simple push switch circuit so a push to make switch will latch on with a single push and the same switch will also latch it off for a more professional feel.
It's getting there, while it may be slow it will get there in the end.
I now have the error checking set up with feedback through two LEDs that automatically turn on or off depending on the fault state. Faults so far are;
Low Battery
Disconnected Battery
Fault on Monitor Circuit
Over Current
Disconnection
This quick little video shows a demonstration of the connection status and the battery monitor since they were the easiest to emulate.
Basically, how it works is the LEDs are wired so that a Set(D8,On) command turns the blue LED on and red LED on, a Set(D8,Off) or disconnection turns the red LED on and blue LED off. This is achieved by connecting the Signal wire to the blue LED's anode and ground to the cathode and on the same port wiring the Signal wire to the red LEDs cathode and the VCC to the anode.
When the Signal goes high (or set to on) it becomes the VCC for the blue LED and current flows through the blue LED.
When the Signal goes low (or set to off) it becomes the ground for the red LED and current flows through the red LED.
When the EZ-B is disconnected all signal pins go low. A simple script sets the signal to high on connection. Additionally the Set(D8, Off) command has been added into the battery monitor script in all error checks and Set(D8, On) added to the portion of code which reports the voltages to the LCD display.
The current monitor works in a similar way.
As always, here's the protoboard layout for the LED circuit. 3 pin header connects to EZ-B with jumpers (you could solder wires direct if you wanted).
Throw a resistor between Vcc and an empty track (there are 2 there) and then another LED between that and ground and boom, you have a power indicator too.
What happened to Jarvis?
He has so much potential!
At least the physical robot is shelved. Jarvis still runs my house.