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Questions tagged [design]

Mechanical, electronic or programmatic design of a robot.

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92 votes
4 answers
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Why are Mars rovers so slow?

Mars rovers are typically very slow. Curiosity, for example, has average speed of about 30 meters per hour. Why is it designed so slow? Is it because of some specific power restrictions or for other ...
sharptooth's user avatar
  • 1,201
22 votes
4 answers
4k views

Why are quadcopters more common in robotics than other configurations?

I've noticed that almost all research being done with helicopter robots is done using quadcopters (four propellers). Why is there so little work done using tricopters in comparison? Or a different ...
golmschenk's user avatar
  • 1,574
22 votes
5 answers
2k views

Is it better to have batteries distributed at the rotors or the center of the multicopter?

I've seen 3 approaches to mounting batteries on a multicopter: All the batteries rigidly mounted near the center of the airframe All the batteries in a bag hanging under the center of the airframe ...
David Cary's user avatar
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19 votes
3 answers
3k views

What is the best way to power a large number (27) servos at 5 V?

I apologize if this question may sound a little vague. I am working on a robotics project that will contain 27 servos of various sizes and I am having trouble figuring out how they should be powered. ...
user avatar
18 votes
2 answers
23k views

Wheels vs Continuous Tracks (Tank Treads)

I'm building a small robot using some cheap Vex Robotics tank treads. However, my choice of picking tank treads is almost purely based on the fact that they seem like more fun than wheels. I don't ...
golmschenk's user avatar
  • 1,574
18 votes
3 answers
2k views

Why do Mars rovers designers prefer wheels over tracks?

Typically Mars rovers use wheels and not tracks. I guess Spirit would have better chances getting out of that soft soil should it have tracks. In general, Mars surface structure is not known in ...
sharptooth's user avatar
  • 1,201
18 votes
3 answers
13k views

Calculating the efficiency of Mecanum wheels

I'm part of a FIRST Robotics team, and we're looking into using Mecanum wheels for our robot. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Mecanum wheel versus regular ones? From looking ...
Michael0x2a's user avatar
14 votes
3 answers
1k views

How can I control a fast (200Hz) realtime system with a slow (30Hz) system?

We are currently designing a mobile robot + mounted arm with multiple controlled degrees of freedom and sensors. I am considering an architecture in two parts: A set of realtime controllers (either ...
arennuit's user avatar
  • 609
14 votes
2 answers
5k views

Differences between Ackermann steering and standard bi/tricycles concerning kinematics?

I got the following homework question: What are the general differences between robots with Ackermann steering and standard bicycles or tricycles concerning the kinematics? But, I don't see what ...
Daniel Jour's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is it better to have weight distributed over the wheels or the center of the robot?

When designing a standard 4 or 6 wheel robot, is it better to have the weight distributed primarily in the center of the robot, or over the wheels, or is there no difference? Specifically, which ...
Michael0x2a's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
2k views

Choosing the right dimensions for an underwater glider

I'm looking to potentially build an underwater glider, a type of submarine that's slow but can operate on extremely low power draw. However, in order for it to work effectively I've found several ...
berry120's user avatar
  • 1,265
12 votes
3 answers
11k views

When should FPGAs be used in Robotics?

FPGA has good points such as a lot of IO points but then again you need to think things on very low level with flip-flops and pioneer on areas where things are not yet mature -- for example see this ...
hhh's user avatar
  • 281
10 votes
2 answers
978 views

Are power and torque required related in some way?

I am designing a new platform for outdoor robotics and I need to calculate the power and/or torque that is needed to move the platform. I have calculated that I need about 720 W of total power to move ...
Plecharts's user avatar
  • 419
10 votes
4 answers
4k views

What are human-friendly terms for mobile-robot orientation and relative direction of non-robot objects?

Within robotics programming, orientation is primarily given in terms of x, y, & z coordinates, from some central location. However x, y, z coordinates aren't convenient for rapid human ...
Recursive Self Optimization's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
4k views

Building Robotic arm joint

I am very new to robotic design and I need to determine what parts I will need to assemble an arm joint. The joint will contain one timing belt pulley which a remote motor will be turning, a forearm ...
user912447's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
9k views

How do I motorize the elbow socket and other joints in a powered exo-skeleton?

How would you motorize the joints in an Iron Man suit? You need something fairly shallow, I would think, probably dual servos sitting on either side of an elbow or knee joint or either side of your ...
Erik  Reppen's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

Getting started with robotic arm design

I would like to design a robotic arm to hold a weight X at length Y (in my case I want to hold X=2.5 lbs at Y = 4 inches). Starting out simply, I would like try building an arm with a gripper plus one ...
Jon's user avatar
  • 141
7 votes
2 answers
5k views

How to know the desired orientation of a quadcopter?

I am trying to simulate a quadcopter model on Simulink. I want to implement a PID controller for each of X,Y,Z and phi,theta, psi angles. PID gets the error, as input, which is to be minimized. For ...
Moayad Hani Abu Rmilah's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
5k views

Robotic part to dispense candy

I'm a complete newbie trying to build a simple robot that dispenses candy (M&M, skittles, etc). However, since I'm not familiar with the field, I'm having a hard time googling because I don't ...
Marcos Savoury's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

How to open a sliding window?

I live in an apartment that has sliding windows in it. The apartment is naturally warm because we live above a mechanical room, such that we either opened the windows or ran the air conditioning ...
Michael Dornisch's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

MEMS accelerometer calibration

I am trying to calibrate a MEMS accelerometer. I was able to calibrate it for the current axis which is parallel to gravity and shows correctly, 1g. But the other two axes which should be 0.00g are ...
c0dehunter's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
319 views

Is there a tool for building and analysing robots (kinematics, control) visually?

I am reading research papers about robotics and many of them follow the same pattern: some construction is established kinematical formulas are read from the mechanical structure the state space is ...
TomR's user avatar
  • 359
6 votes
2 answers
350 views

Drone targeting

Imagine a "drone" and a target point on a 2d plane. Assuming the target is stationary, there are eight parameters: ...
Gus's user avatar
  • 171
6 votes
1 answer
708 views

What do quadcopter propeller specifications mean?

I'm trying to figure out the diameter of tri-blade propellers. I found a 7x3x4.5 blade, I'm trying to understand the measurements. Is the '7' the length of the blade giving the prop a 10.5" diameter? ...
August Rife's user avatar
5 votes
6 answers
625 views

Effectiveness of a Mobile Robot In Relation To Mass

Do mobile and/or autonomous robots become more or less effective the bigger they get? For example, a bigger robot has bigger batteries, and thus bigger motors, whereas a smaller robot has the exact ...
OneChillDude's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
587 views

If you can create pure yaw motion with a quadcoptor then why won't this work with a tricoptor?

An answer to the question Why are quadcopters more common in robotics than other configurations? said: You need 4 degrees of freedom to control yaw, pitch, roll and thrust. Four props is therefore ...
Mark Booth's user avatar
  • 4,273
5 votes
1 answer
498 views

Gears modeling in Google SketchUp and SketchyPhisics

I'm trying to make differential in Google SketchUp using this tutorial http://support.ponoko.com/entries/21249896-Gears-and-Joints-with-SketchUp-Sketchy-Physics for gears modeling. But I have problem: ...
Robotex's user avatar
  • 185
5 votes
1 answer
348 views

Dynamic braille interface

I'm a newbie in robotics, and I'm doing a project on dynamic Braille interface. Basically it's a 8*8 array of pins, which can be either totally up or down. How to use least motor as possible? I'm ...
Dzung Nguyen's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
84 views

Is it better to use software or hardware for object sorting?

For a sorting machine where the objects to be sorted have various sizes, color, shapes, and patterns, is it more optimal (in terms of minimal time of the overall process and maximal precision and ...
GracefulLemming's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
85 views

How important are events like "Robocup" to the advancement of Robotics in general?

Are events like Robocup advantageous to the development of robotic advancement? Or is it merely entertainment which advances robotics by allowing entry level participation which helps maintain ...
Frank's user avatar
  • 138
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

How to get manufactured part from CAD file?

I am working through the book Learning Robotics using Python, which is for Python programmers who want to learn some robotics. Chapter 2 shows you how to use LibreCAD to design the plates and poles ...
neuronet's user avatar
  • 233
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Submarine screw and the isolation from the water [duplicate]

How does the submarine prevent water flow through the screw mechanism? The mechanism rotates the screw so there should be a little gap, how come the water doesn't come through this gap in to the ...
Developer Marius Žilėnas's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
311 views

How to perform decoupling between decision making and action execution in ROS2?

Hi I'm making a robot using: ros2 foxy OS Ubuntu Linux 20.04.2 LTS (Focal Fossa). Linux 5.8.0-59-generic I built an Action based on the tutorial Building an Action Server and Client. Then expanded ...
rasa911216's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
455 views

What should be the ideal ratio for link lengths ( L1/ L2) of a 2 link manipuator robot with revolute joints?

I am working on making a CAD model of a two link robotic manipulator, with link lengths around 15-20 cm. I am unable to figure how to set their mutual ratio and I want to know whether there is some ...
S Ganesh's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
150 views

Air hockey with a robot as an opponent

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes. So, as the title states, I'm planning on building a desk that doubles as an air hockey table which has a robot on the other side. ...
kdyz's user avatar
  • 153
4 votes
1 answer
6k views

How to find a solution for quadcopter PID control

I've built a quadcopter and a rig to safely test it on. I'm working on the PID for controlling the roll pitch and yaw. I understand how a PID works on a more simple plant like say a robot with wheels ...
Aage Torleif's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
89 views

How do I dispense a greasy fluid?

I'm a agricultural engineering student and complete newbie trying to build a simple mechanism attached to a drone that dispenses a grease-type fluid. However, since I'm not familiar with the field, I'...
Tiago Pereira's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
409 views

MCU architecture design

Are there any standards regarding single vs multiple MCU in a robotic system? More specifically, if a single MCU can handle all of the sensor data and actuator controls, is it better to use a single ...
Damjan Dakic's user avatar
3 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why Make Bipedal Robots?

A friend and colleague of mine who studies robotics says that bipedal robots present much greater challenges for stability and locomotion than those with more legs. So why is there so much effort to ...
capybaralet's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
689 views

Can a state matrix have a row of zeros?

While formulating a state matrix of a system, say a system of a typical cruise controller, \begin{equation} \begin{bmatrix} \dot{v} \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} -\frac{b}{m} \end{bmatrix} \begin{...
Aniket Sharma's user avatar
3 votes
5 answers
600 views

Quadcopter frame design

Quadcopter frames seem to consistently follow the same X design. For example: I'm curious to know why that is. It certainly seems like the most efficient way to use space but is it the only frame ...
dalton's user avatar
  • 33
3 votes
3 answers
2k views

How many amps do I want my Switching BEC to provide?

I'm trying to power 7-12 servos, and I was under the impression that each one would need about an amp, but in looking around for an appropriate BEC to supply them, I notice that most seem to output ...
Khrob's user avatar
  • 293
3 votes
1 answer
1k views

Which is easier/cheaper: Hbridge vs ESC for controlling a motor?

I was able to find a small ESC for about $12 off of ebay. If you were designing a robot, would you see that and think? \$12 bucks for an ESC that connects to simple pulse-wave interface - sign ...
ChronoFish's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
745 views

Counterweight in arm designs

I wonder why most robotic arms use large J2 (shoulder) motors rather than counterweights. What sort of complexity do they add to the design beside increase in overall weight? In fact, rather than ...
John M.'s user avatar
  • 563
3 votes
1 answer
3k views

Alternative way to perform Pole zero cancellation?

I've read a lot places that making a controller which cancels the unwanted pole or zero is not good designing practice for designing a controller.. It should make the system uncontrollable which off ...
confused's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
772 views

Atlas Robot Reference

Boston Dynamics keeps making great robots, however, I dont see any papers that they publish. Although now I can find papers on people using the ATLAS robot, I can not find an original paper detailing ...
user-2147482637's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
268 views

Is finished plywood a comparable prototyping substitute for polyoxymethylene?

I'm working on a robot with a team, and we're building our robot out of acetal polyoxymethylene (POM) (specifically, delrin) plastic. However, we'd like to prototype the robot before we build it out ...
user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

Design Calculations & Mathematical Modeling of Tricopters

I have been studying about building a tricopter. But I couldn't find the design calculations or mathematical modeling of the tricopter any where over the internet. What are the mathematical ...
sarath's user avatar
  • 31
3 votes
1 answer
230 views

Comparison of Balance Bot design

I'm planning to build a Balance Bot and I would like to know which design should I go with. There's a vertical design such as the ArduRoller and on the other hand, there's the typical stacked type of ...
user87877's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
749 views

Linear slider motor mount location - Pros/cons

I'm currently designing a linear camera slider, that will be used to hold camera equipment weighing just about 15 Kgs including all of the lenses and monitors and everything else. For those who don't ...
dsignr's user avatar
  • 133