Advanced robotics

Sounds interesting... can you reveal where you get these SynthMuscles?

- Daniel

Daniel, I make them. They are not overly complicated, but the math that enables them to work required some very specialized materials. Also there were some power requirements that only recently enable it to function.

As for revealing where...how about one better. As I put the stuff together (converting my scribbles into a legible form ;o), those part of the George 1.0 team have access to the source, designs, schematics, etch masks, and some components are going to be shipped between members for experience and refinement.

Bruce

Bruce,

Sounds very interesting, but what are your projected power requirements?

Hi Bruce

I just found my original post and your answer in someone elses reply.

My android is 5' 4" and 35kg. The height being optimised to fit the motors. To get the necessary ft.lbs of torque I use good quality motors and low loss gearing. It is far from slow and feeble :o)

Processing power is wonderful but it doesn't pump much heat :o)

I've been looking for a small sized mother board with credible power requirements. Have you found something nice? The pack of 386ex processors in permanent residence on top of the kitchen cupboard is starting to look attractive.

best regards

Robin G Hewitt

Shawn, Considering that each SynthMuscle cord has a max pull of 45amps (ouch), the power spikes are none the less havac forming. The microcontrollers used in the SynthMucle uses a 40kHz PWM to limit current. Basically, the system uses the absolute minimum power to sustain a position. This is done by the interaction between the joint controller and the synthmuscles.

At first, to solve the spike problems seemed uncrossable. Luckily the military came to my rescue. Carbon aerogel capacitors met my requirements of weight, size, and capacity. This may not seem important, but in motion there is a MAJOR difference in steady power and initial movement power.

As for a total system power, put simply, it is >>>HUGE Sounds very interesting, but what are your projected power requirements?

It will certainly be a comfort during the Winter months. Obviously I am misunderstanding SynthMuscle. I thought you meant SMA smart wire, what the heck is SynthMuscle?

best regards

Robin G Hewitt

Robin, If your droid is 5'4 and only weighs 35kg using gears and electric motors and not being slow and feeble, then my hats off to you. There are certain limits mathematics places on designs (at least, I am bound by those laws of physics ;o). I once did the math using PacSci PowerMax II and API Motion steppers/brushless motors, and the numbers were not very pretty. How exactly did you get around the math of it???

Heat disipation takes place over the entire surface of the droid. The materials allow a very high operating temperature. The thermodynamics (environment vs. source) function within spec. To supplement cooling, there are low-pressure air lines that run to all the SynthMuscles. Cooling is like a man walking a high wire...;o)

The only location that has a real heating problems is with the FSys boards. They are liquid cooled through small flat pack mounted directly to the processors which is routed through a small "radiator" placed at the air intake in the chest.

Unfortunately, I have to make the FSys boards. I also wrote the C compiler for it (when time permits, making a fully C++ compiler). The boards are updated by using a SmartMedia card (simple interface) that is placed into the "head". There is a PIC that reads the card and flashes the different eeproms by file name.

Bruce

Robin, The SynthMuscles do create a number of problems. But, they also solve so many other problems that are otherwise unsolvable with conventional technology. I think you will come to find out that SCALE is a all important aspect of design. (unless you think ants scaled to the size of elephants could hold themselves up ;o)

The use of SynthMuscles actually take up much less space and weight, but are more than twice as numerous. They also have a much, much higher power to weight ratio. They do use some very unique materials with specifications that seem unlikely (at least it seemed impossible until they were found...a set of materials to fit the math).

As for naming it, "George 1.0" is just a starting point. Within the team there are some that are debating the name right now. For me, I leave the name to the team. Some have also suggested a humanoid "face".

Personally, I no interest in making George 1.0 a friendly, human acting droid. My goal is a usable utility class droid.

Bruce

I thought 35kg was heavy ! My approach was much less scienterrific, I weighed a few components, added them together, then added a bit more for luck. I reckoned it was essential to keep the weight down if there was to be any hope of alacrity. I have avoided stock components, treating each joint as a separate puzzle that needed solving, that way there is very little wasted metal.

OTOH, perhaps feeble is a relative term, I must admit my design is more life sim than killer cyborg ;o)

best regards

Robin G Hewitt

Robin, Yes, you've got it exactly. The pure electrical version is really so simple (once you have the right materials) that it is kind of sad. But, it works very well (thanks to the math and scale...long story). It does require constant control from a local microcontroller which is the reason for the special requirements and VERY large number of microcontrollers.

The electrochemical version quickly degrades. But, once upon a time I didn't ever think I would get the electrical version working. In the design of George 1.0, the SynthMuscle can be swapped out with very little modification to the rest of the system if/when the electrochemical version gets past the current hurdle (ion migration...self contaminating).

Until then, George 1.0 is being put together purely electrical. I have been looking for others to join a team to fill in the vast gaps (I am focused on the utlity and base function, which makes for a very boring droid). My job is to provide the underpinnings: building the basic frame and SynthMuscles, making it walk and manipulate, giving a real-time 3D object recognition, and the power system to make it usable. The Team will take it to where it needs to be, which is where I can't alone.

This is a Team effort.

Bruce

Sayeth Bruce :

So, presumably you've patented it, no? You'd be nuts not to.

-----sharks

Sharkey, I have been through the patent process many times (some completed, some pending), but this one I am going to be giving away. And yes, maybe I am nuts.

And if that isn't enough I am giving away the diagrams, specs, schematics, source code, higher level processing functions, ultra high power board info (each with a 25Gbit/sec data processing throughput...total processing is 537Gbit/sec), the zero delay interchanges for the FSys boards (6.4Gbit/sec data exchange per port...total system through put is 134Gbit/sec), the FSys C compiler, buses, etchmasks, power systems, and the whole kit and kaboodle.

So, is that more than nuts enough? ;o)

The whole point is to take this where no one is willing to go. Everyone is so guarded and secretive, afraid they might give away the grand secret and loose out on a zillion dollars. I say B&*@#$&T! It takes more to make money than a good idea. It takes an industry.

That is the whole point of George 1.0. It is open source, highly advanced robotics. It can walk, run, jump, dance, and most importantly

Ah...do these SynthMuscles use the "quantum cavitation" phenomenon that was observed a few years back? A carefully balanced arrangement of materials such that electron injection upsets the stability of the outer electron shells, switching to covalent bonds which results in compression of the material in the direction of electron flow?

As long as this is open source (and there is a licence to back this up), I'm willing to help.

-- D. Jay Newman Programmer, Writer, Gadgeteer

Ryan, It isn't so elegant (and much more durable ;o). I tried a harmonic drive system in one of the many other attempts to make a usable SynthMuscle, but it couldn't sustain any force.

Bruce

Jay, I have been "hacking" a good general open source license. It gets a little hairy when hardware is added (especially things like the SynthMuscle). When it gets to a good point, I'll get the lawyer to through it (he'll freak when he sees what I am about to give away :o).

I take it you are interested?

Bruce

Airy, First there is a ton of work, then the tea comes later ;o)

Bruce

So far it sounds interesting. I'm doing work in behavioral programming and sensory fusion, so it sounds like a good match.

Do you have a web site?

-- D. Jay Newman