Intro to Shape Memory Alloy Actuation Using Flexinol
From Jie Qi's projects page:
Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are metals that change shape when heated up. They are wonderful actuators in that they are light, silent and can be "turned on" by simply running current through. The shape that they change to can also be set, though this process is a bit more tricky. Flexinol is a particular brand of nitinol, which is an SMA made of nickel and titanium, and is pre-set to contract about 10% of its original length when heated.
In my projects, I generally used the 0.006" to 0.01" diameter, High-Temp wires.
Since Flexinol draws a lot of current (about 300mA for the diameters I used), you need a strong power supply like a wall supply or a good lithium-ion battery. I've used from 3.7V up to 6V (any more and my Flexinol wires would start overheating). To turn the Flexinol on, I would simply short the ends of the wire to the power. For digital control, I used a standard MOSFET circuit which is a digital switch that can be turned on and off using a microcontroller... ( cont'd )
RobLog Industrial Demonstrator Entrance for Robotic Logistics
The design and construction of the RobLog Industrial Demonstrator was made under the requirements for such a machine to be robust yet have a streamlined design, flexible enough to fit into different space confinements, such as loading docks or warehouses.
Interview with e-NABLE Founder Jon Schull
By far, one of the most inspirational and impressive projects thats come from the 3D printing/DIY community has been the work were seeing on open-source assistive devices, and one online organization that is playing a major role in making this happen is e-NABLE, a group started by Dr. Jon Schull of Rochester Institute of Technology.
BugJuggler: Project to build 70ft tall robot that juggles cars
Project Overview:
BugJuggler will use a diesel engine to generate hydraulic pressure. An operator located in the robot’s head will be able to control its motions using a haptic feedback interface connected to high-speed servo valves. Hydraulic accumulators - essentially storage batteries for hydraulic fluid - will allow for the rapid movement required for the robot to juggle cars or other large, heavy objects.
The first stage of the BugJuggler project will be construction of a working 8ft tall single arm proof-of-principle juggler able to toss and catch a 250lb mass... ( cont'd )
A Robot Valet Will Park Your Car at This German Airport
Last week, Düsseldorf airport (DUS) introduced robot valets to take the hassle out of parking for travelers. Travelers can leave their cars at the arrival level of the ParkingPLUS structure. As they leave, they confirm on a touch-screen that no one is in the car.
The robot valet, nicknamed "Ray," takes it from there. The robot measures the vehicle, picks it up with a forklift-like system, and takes it to the back area, where it will position it in one of the 249 parking spots reserved for automated valets.
The machine is capable of carrying standard cars weighing up to 3.31 tons. The robot valet is even connected to the airport's flight data system, and by checking customer trip data with the database, Ray knows when the customer will return for the vehicle. A traveler can note any itinerary changes in a parking app, which is available for iOS and Android.
Dissembling a 1980s Kuka Robot
Relaxing summertime viewing of a 80s era Kuka robot being taken apart and dissected ( 20 parts total ).
Intel's 3-D Printed Robot "Jimmy"
From Wired:
Intel describes Jimmy as a research robot, but a less sophisticated version of the adorable droid will go on sale later this year for $1,600. The caveat is that you will have to 3D print your Jimmy. The 3D printing blueprints will be available without charge, but to construct the robot you will also need to purchase a kit from Intel that will contain all the parts of Jimmy that aren't printable, including motors and an Intel Edison processor.. ( cont'd )
More For Less
The HV-100s are equipped with several options to re-space a field depending upon a growers needs.
Carl Dekker of Met-L-Flo Discusses Challenges and Opportunities Arising in Additive Manufacturing
The industry needs standards for workforce development training, process repeatability and reliability, and process control.
TravelByDrone
From travelbydrone.com:
We want to give you the chance to discover the world from the perspective of drones. The video footage of the area you are most interested in is as accessible as never before.
On this site, everyone can share YouTube videos and add the corresponding location. It will appear on the map with a pin where the video footage has been recorded. After submitting a request to share a video, a dedicated team will review the material before validating the request. As soon as the request has been validated, the shared video will be visible on the map... ( Travel By Drone search page )
Blocky: A Graphic Programming Environment for ROS
From the robotics laboratory of Ben Gurion University:
The main goal of this project it to allow users with only basic background in programming to develop software for controlling robots using ROS, this by developing a graphical interface that is user-friendly and convenient for programing to ROS. Researchers or other users often encounter a problem when come to develop a robot, they lack extensive background in programming and most of the times comes from a slightly different backgrounds (such as mechanical engineering or electrical engineering) which requires them long-term learning or rely on other professionals. The graphical interface shown in this project suggests that a researcher or a user to control a robot in a simple and more intuitive way without having to spend weeks learning the principles of ROS and without having to learn to program at all.
This project product is a web-content, generic, open source, extensible and user-friendly program that helps in the development of a ROS based robot, while providing tools for correct developing... ( cont'd )
Why Was This Man Smiling At AUTOMATICA 2014?
At this AUTOMATICA the hype theme was definitely collaborative robotics -- our robots can work alongside your human workers safely.
iCEstick $25 FPGA Evaluation Kit
Features
USB thumb drive form factor
iCE40HX-1k on board
2 x 6 position Digilent Pmod™ connector for other peripheral connections
FTDI 2232H USB device allows iCE device programming and UART interface to a PC
Vishay TFDU4101 IrDA transceiver
Five user LEDs
Discera 12 Mhz MEMS oscillator
Micron 32 Mbit N25Q32 SPI flash
USB connector provides the power supply
16 LVCMOS/LVTTL (3.3 V) digital I/O connections on 0.1” through-hole connections
Available from Lattice for $24.99
Cable Management Systems Do the Robot
Multi-axis, three-dimensional cable carriers for palletizing.
USB 3.0 Steps Up To The Plate
Upgrading existing systems or basing new designs on plug-and-play USB3 Vision-compliant video interfaces, designers can produce a winning combination of performance, ease-of-use, and cost advantages.
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