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June 20, 2008 01:05 PM
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altwolf

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Joined: 01/27/2008

Hello.

This is sort of specific to Roboreptile, but sort of general too.

So, I finally decided to completely tear down one of my Roboreptiles for parts (I have two other Reps, so I didn't feel guilty).

My goal is to use the parts in the Reptile and create a new robot out of them. I don't plan on using the Reptiles main circuit board, so I need to find out some things about the parts that are used in it.

The most valuable thing in the bot seems to be the motors. The motors look pretty generic. Does anyone know specifically what kinds of motors are used in Wowwee robots?Or are they generic enough that I don't really need any specific info on them in order to re-use them? I am assuming they are"dc brushless motors"?

Also, I have done research and experiments on controlling servos and was planning on buying a SSC-32 servo controller, since I own a number of hobby servos already. However, if I am going to use some of my Wowwee robots motors for parts, what do I need to use to control the dc motors? I have found small motor controllers on the web, but only for controlling 2 wheels. Iam not sure whether I could use those for more precise movements on a robots arms or legs - I kind of doubt it. The bot I want to build will be (hopefully)somewhat humanoid, with arms and legs and a head, etc. 

In the reptile, the motors are connected to a small circuit board, which is then connected to the main board of the robot.  I THINK the small circuit board is sort of a simple motor controller? From looking at it and it's labelling, it seems like it's job is to reverse the current to the motor, so that the motor can spin clockwise OR counterclockwise. Do you think that the small circuit board is a reusable bit of hardware, since I'm not going to use the mainboard that would normally control it?

I am not sure whether to bother trying to reuse the sensors; they never seemed that great on the Roboreptile anyway and are pretty cheap to buy.

Any and all info is welcome.

Discussion:    Add a Comment | Comments 1-9 of 9 | Latest Comment

Rudolph Avatar
Moderator
June 20, 2008 1:58 PM updated: June 20, 2008 2:00 PM

Check out the motors at Solarbotics. I think they're really similar to, if not the same as, the motors found in Wowwee robots. I believe Mark Tilden used to have something to do with Solarbotics, maybe he still does, going back to the BEAM days.

The motors in the Wowwee bots seem to be controlled by simple H-bridges. IIRC, all (or at least most of) those little black, three legged blocks on the motor driver board are transistors forming h-bridges for each motor. I'm not sure how easy it'd be to tap into the motor controller board to use the bridges as they are, but I'm sure you could desolder the transistors from the board and put them into your own motor driver circuit, if you wanted to pirate individual parts.

Watch out, don't step in the anthropomorphization.

altwolf Avatar
Member
June 20, 2008 2:35 PM

thanks for the link and infos - those motors look exactly like the ones I took out of the roboreptile, right down to the casings.

BronzeGoodIronBad Avatar
Member
June 20, 2008 4:51 PM updated: June 20, 2008 4:56 PM

From what i've seen the actual motors are just cheap junk toy grade motors, you'll find the same motors in just about any motorized toy you tear into.... it's the gear boxes, micro switches and sensors that would interest me the most, but since the motors are already attached to the gear boxes... sure why not.

PS.... the motors are standard DC brushed, but i'm almost sure you can fit brushless motors to those gear boxes if you can get the pinion to fit the motor shaft, but it would probably be overkill, a BL motor would most likely tear those gear boxes apart.

GWJax Avatar
Member
June 20, 2008 7:29 PM

As for running your motor I would use the L298N dual Hbridge motor chip like we are using in the Wall-E, it is simple to make and uses less compoents than the triditional transistor HBridges. Plus you can use the hard break function with these ships with out blowing them up like in a Transistor HBridge. As controling them what type of MCU are you using or did you say tht arleady in the post and i missed it. but programming is not hard at all is you know how to do it.Bronze is right they are standard hobby motors with brushes, also those caps that are on the leads of the motors, leave them on unless you ground the motor case this will prevent a back current to the MCU and may distroy it or make it do some really weard stuff. I would love to see what you have planned and post some of your pre-picture designs if you do that when you build. enjoy and if you need any help just ask and we'll be watching.

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

altwolf Avatar
Member
June 20, 2008 10:58 PM

Thanks for the info, guys.

@GW: Regarding the MCU, I currently have a BasicStamp2 Homework board that I have been using to learn about microcontrollers. It can be seen here. I'm trying to figure out whether I want to keep using it, or get a Botboard from Lynxmotion.

I will need to buy a servo or motor controller, since I have no experience creating electronic components. A board that is specifically designed for robotics kind of makes sense because of this, so the botboard is looking more attractive.

I am still learning about and investigating all the options. For someone like me with more experience programming than creating electronics, one of the servo robot kits would be ideal, but the cost is just too much for right now, which explains me scavenging parts out of my Wowwee bots. Hehe.

altwolf Avatar
Member
June 20, 2008 11:02 PM

Oh yah, I want to create a quadruped "animal-like" bot to experiment with. In a dreamier world I would like to build a Biped, but the balancing issues are currently way beyond me.

BronzeGoodIronBad Avatar
Member
June 21, 2008 12:21 AM

For some interesting scratch built quadruped bot projects, look at some of the pics in the "Evolution of RoboPet" article, it might provide some inspiration on leg design, also you might consider looking to the "Zoid" line of motorized model kits for even further inspiration on leg design, also for a simpler version of the same leg mechanism used by robopet, do a search on youtube for "swashbot".... ideally you should be able to use a single motor on each leg while still allowing full articulation through means of linkages and floating joints.

You're still gonna need a way to limit travel on those motors, which means you're probably gonna have to pull some of those micro switches from the reptile and find a way to hook them up to your motor conrtroller board..... this is why servos would probably be the easiest way to go, since they already have travel limits built in.

GWJax Avatar
Member
June 21, 2008 8:50 AM

there is also another book out there that I think is great and i have is called innectronics and for a biped get humanoids I'll get the ISB # for this in a bit or you can use amazon to find them. these books have exactly what you need, they even teach you how to build yor own boards for the PIC16F84 MCU which is a very cheap way to go. every thing is made up of parts that you can get at your local hardware store frame wise being. I built a jumping frog bot but used a basic stamp 2 instead of the pic just becuse I like them and they can do pretty much everything that the big boys can if you really now you programming and some electronics. so do your research and remember to look at my coding section of the Elvis fourms this will help you in a simple why to control motors and servos.
Jax

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

GWJax Avatar
Member
June 21, 2008 6:06 PM

artwolf goto this link on amazon and both books are on sale togeather for 30.04 that I was talking about. I have incetronics in pdf form right now so PM me if you would like. you can also take a peek into the books also. If you buy them and can't wait for the bookss to arive buy the online book too for a little bit more, Thats what I do just incase I loose or my books get destroyed I always have them at Amazon to go back to and get them again and print them out. well now that I talked your ear off here is the link
http://www.amazon.com/Insectronics-Build-Your-Walking-Robot/dp/0071412417/ref...

GWJax, To Hack and make mods on robots is a life style and comes natural and not by choice. If a robot has a screw to open it then it must be opened!

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