StuDPhilipsSogetiElement14
Home » RoboCup soccer » Become a member

What can you do in the team?

Are you interested in one of the following subjects:

  • Mechanics
  • Motion control
  • Electronics
  • Software
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Robot Vision
  • Management
  • PR and sponsorship

then Dutch Robotics is definitely interesting for you. Below some examples are given of possible tasks to be done in the team. You can work with Dutch Robotics just for fun or incorporate it in your curriculum as a (MSc) project or D:DREAM minor.

Electronics: Shunt circuit meltdown

Currently, when decelerating a joint, the mechanical energy is converted by the DC motors into electrical energy which cannot go anywhere. The result is an over-voltage on the digital motor amplifiers which shut down to protect themselves. Our first solution, a shunt circuit, leaked the energy through a resistor. The amount of energy was so large that this sub-system fried itself. Your task is to investigate why the system fails and find a solution so the energy can be dissipated without damage to the shunt circuit.

Electronics: Let the robot store mechanical energy

In the springs we use for the actuation of the robot we store a great amount of mechanical energy. This energy is converted by the DC motors into electrical energy in the form of over-voltage. This voltage can get so high the amplifiers shut down to avoid damage to the circuits. Currently this electrical energy is lost by dissipation it in a shunt circuit. Due to the limited battery time of the robot this is a huge waste of energy. Your task is to find an extremely small and lightweight solution to put the energy back into the Lithium Polymer batteries.

Software: Create integrated off-board suite

Currently, the communication between our laptops and the (Linux Xenomai) robot goes through ssh and command-line commands. We have some utilities, e.g. one for controlling and testing the motors and one for real-time visualizing the joint angles. Your task is to create an integrated expandable software suite for all communications between the control engineers and the robot. Use good utils when available, otherwise write your own.

Software: Build software architecture for reliable motion control

We have developed a software architecture for the control of the robot. This architecture allows the integration of state machines, PD controls, and other control loops (e.g. force control). It should also allow other types of controllers, such as neural networks or reinforcement learning, topics of active research in the Delft Biorobotics Lab. Your task is to obtain a full overview of the current architecture and to bring it from its current prototype state to a reliable product. You will become one of the main architects of the soccer robot.

Software: Create fast and robust vision

The robot has two cameras each connected to an ARM9 processor for the low-level image processing. Stereo vision algorithms can run on the main computer (1GHz PC104 board) which also takes care of motion control. Your task is to make optimal use of the processor power, to build on existing software (in our lab and in related universities) and eventually to give the robot the ability to see!

Software: Virtual reality for the robot

Ever since the robot was developed there has been a need for a reliable virtual environment for the robot. In this environment the robot would be able to receive sensor inputs from the users or the virtual world and it would control itself accordingly. With this environment new control algorithms could be tested safely off-line and the development time of the robot could decrease. Previous years we have used 20Sim for this purpose. Due to lack in experience and manpower the model in now outdated and cannot be used anymore. Your task is to improve the model and/or the simulation environment. After integration of the simulation environment and the robot we would be able to switch the sensor information of the robot between real world inputs and virtual inputs.

Mechanics: Lower leg redesign

Currently the robot is able to move its ankles in two directions. This is done by one motor positioned on the lower leg and a motor located in its upper body which pulls the heel (like an achilles tendon). This artificial achilles tendon introduces a lot of problems in controlling the foot. Therefore a redesign of the lower leg is needed where both of the actuators should be positioned on the lower leg. All of this should not cost any extra weight...

Mechanics: Design of a new SEA mechanism

The different limbs of the robot are actuated by Series Elastic Actuation (SEA). The basic idea behind this principle is that there is an elastic element between the motor and the joint. By measuring the deformation of this element the torque on the joint can be calculated and controlled. In TUlip we use cables with springs between the motor and the joint, by using two incremental encoders (one on the motor and one on the joint) we can calculate the elongation of the spring. From this elongation the force in the cable and thus the torque on the joint can be calculated. Currently the mechanism with cables and extension springs give us a lot of problems; they break down, require a lot of space and are hard to assemble. That's why we need a new kind of SEA mechanism.

 

Mechanics: Hip joint redesign

For walking the hip joint is most important, since it has the most degrees of freedom (DoF) of the leg. It is also the base for all other joints in the leg. This means when there is an error in this joint it propagates through all other joints. During tests on the robot we discovered a lot of play in the hip joint. Because of this play the measurements of the angles are incorrect and the performance of the robot decreases. Your task is to investigate the cause of the play and improve on the design.

Mechanics/Electronics: Quick battery swap system

Currently, it takes a skilled person a few minutes to change batteries. In the heat of a match, this is desastrous, especially because the robot has to turn off and reboot after the swap. Your task is to create an easy way of swapping batteries, and to make it hot-swappable.

Non-technical

This project combines the work of professors, PhD-students, bachelors- and master-students. Therefore management is very important in order to have them all working together. Other important activities are sponsorship, recruitment and promotion. Your task could be to arrange one or more of these activities.