Tag: Artica

Differential wheeled robot simulator

This Processing application is ment to simulate a differential wheeled robot, very used nowadays. This app will be usefull in our Robotics Workshops!

Differential Drive Simulator in Processing

I missed the github class so here it is the good’old zip
Here’s the link to the repo, you’re welcome to contribute ;)

There are still a couple of enhancements on the list:

  • real metrics and scale
  • connect to motor encoders
  • record a path on the virtual world and let the real robot follow it
  • become real simulator of the arduino code used in our robotics workshops

The video is reproduced a lot faster than the program really performs  :p

Some control keys are available:
Differential Drive Simulator in Processing
Differential Drive Simulator in Processing

The overall program is quite simple to use, just pass the mouse over the joystick area to control the bot.
Differential Drive Simulator in Processing

The program basically maps joystick values X and Y to a differential drive system where two motors are used to drive a robot.

There is also a representation of a robot and its path according to the motors differential rotation.

Credits:

The joystick program was based on a program entitled ‘JoystickSimulation’ by: Vince Thompson
http://diyroboticslab.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/joystick-simulation-with-processing/

The robot program was based on a program entitled ‘Kephera Simulator’ by Adam Matic of Croatia
http://gritsgroup.org/robotsimulator.htm

TEDxKids @ CentralTejo

TEDxKids @ CentralTejo

We had the pleasure to be part on the first portuguese TEDxKids!! We brought our Farrusco’s tribe for a brief introduction to robotics during the afternoon, what a great time!! Big thanks to all the TEDxKids team for the opportunity and support!! This kind of events should happen more often!

There will be a TV show dedicated to the event this Saturday and Sunday @ SICNoticias

http://imagensdemarca.sapo.pt/emissoes/tv/pecas/promo-pequenos-grandes-oradores/

360º Projection at TryAngle

TryAngle is a great artistic iniciative sponsored by the European Culture Programme, it had three labs, and one of the labs was at the “O Espaço do Tempo” in Montemor-o-Novo.

Two artists had this great idea of a video projection inside a cylinder, with a 360º panoramic view of “Praça de Touros de Montemor” filled with persons, where each person represented a degree. Guess who they called to stich the 18 photos, and set all the projection system inside an empty cylinder.. ? :)

360º projection @ TryAngle

360º projection @ TryAngle

360º projection @ TryAngle

360º projection @ TryAngle

This was a huge challenge for us since we had never tried such a thing and a huge challenge for our Einstein VideoPlayer. Glad that we made it and everyone was happy!!

This next video shows another views of the projection system and also other creations:

Don’t forget to visit the TryAngle website to know everything related to this awesome initiative!!

Shop Window – Interactive Instalation

Here we are at the Museu das Telecomunicações (Comunications Museum) in Lisbon.

One of the museum installations is a shop window, showing three old devices, and when you place your hand or finger one the window, content is displayed on the side screen… fair enough, but the truth is that is was lacking some more interactivity, and we suggested to have spot lights on each device, and every time someone touch the area, the spot would fade in and the others simply fade out. Another cool thing we added was a led-strip on the top, giving an ambient light when there was no interaction, and blue light when someone touch the glass, everything just faded smoothly.

Robotic Claw

This is a first experiment on building a 3D printed robotic claw, I first got inspired by this project but it was designed for a micro servo, and I wanted to use a standard size servo so I had to design the claw from scratch.

Robotic Claw

The actual design still need one tweak or two to be optimized for 3D printing, but as it is now is fully functional.

STL files are available at http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31056

Robotic Claw

Artica @ Rock In Rio and SuperBockSuperRock

MusicBox is the new PT’s music channel, at the festival they wanted to had the application on a big screen and have the possibility to control it using hand gesture. We were hired by Hipnose to accomplish the challenge.

This was ment to be with the so known kinect camera, but what they didn’t know is that the kinect doesn’t work outdoor, so we used a laser sensor and it worked flawlessly!!

IMG_25921

This installation had a huge PA (power amplifier – sound system) outside, and when there was a concert at the main stage we need to cut the sound so we also customize four headphones to let the people still listen to the grooves. Margarida and Fernando did a great job with the headphones!!

IMG_2585

We also added a led strip, it was ment to give instant feedback to the user, when a hand was detected it changed color to green, on click it gives red and on idle went blue.

IMG_2602

also check Sapo’s video: