A robot balancing on a ball R1.1 / 玉乗りロボット

Another type of balancing robot like 'ballbot'.
The robot can balance on a ball for bowling, move, and pivot.
The robot was refined after http://youtube.com/watch?v=69J723zlhwc

開発した玉乗りロボットの紹介映像です。前の映像からボールを変えて改良しました。
niconico: sm2668299

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• robot
• balance-on-ball
• mechanics

[peiznkev000]

Have you guys thought of scaling down this technology and possibly using it as joint? I could see this being used to replicate a joint in a humanoid. Or scale it up to create joints for dynamic structures.

[makumagai]

@peiznkev000 I'm not, but many people thought that idea, and told me. There will be at least two challenge. One is how to hold and how to sense the rotation. Partially, I solved it; see youtu.be/qnH_zoAYDMg. The later is how to transmit the power to a smaller ball. The ball is driven by friction on the surface, which will limit the torque that we want.

Scaling up seems interesting. One of my friends questioned me whether I can drive a ball with 1m diameter holding a person inside:-)

[zooto68]

What is the ball made out of and what are the wheels made out of please?

[makumagai]

@zooto68 The ball is a 8 lb ball for bowling, coated with Plasti Dip spray.

And the main materials of the wheel is aluminum and duralumin. The roller is made of extra super duralumin (ESD), A-7075.

(The strength of the ESD is not needed but the shape of the roller cannot be turned when using aluminum due to its plastic strain, once we used brass)

[TheHomebot]

@makumagai, fantastic robot and awesome job. Are we able to get a hardware list? I am guessing the splendid control of the finale robot "A Robot That Balances on a Ball" is the code of course, but also the stepper motors you used to get the micro movements right? I am just a home robot hobbiest and love playing with new ideas. Again great job.

[makumagai]

@TheHomebot Thanks. I don't have complete list of the robot hardware because it is composite of several 'standard parts in lab' in many format data(AutoCAD, Eagle, OrCAD etc).

But a core parts description is in Fuji Technology Press /finder/xslt.php?mode=present&­inputfile=ROBOT002200030013.xm­l (require free registration). I have a plan to make Pro/E model of the robot but not yet. The code can be sent via e-mail.

[makumagai]

@crossbowjapan I know that one, because I'm now staying at Ralph' s lab:-) It's seems to be very expensive. This robot has sensors of 250USD in total.

And that reminds me where I saw your name 'crossbow':-)

[makumagai]

@crossbowjapan Thanks. The original Ballbot has additional axis in yaw above inverse mouse ball drive. The problem on controlling our robot in yaw axis is to detect actual angle because gyro signal must be integrated, which sum up zero point error. In detecting vertical angle (inclination), it is compensated by accelerometer, but no good absolute sensor for yaw. Probably it requires localization using map and range finders.