Building robot with raspberry pi

[Code42]

I'd like to try to build a robot using a raspberry pi. Any help or information with getting started, what to buy, and how to go about this project would be appreciated.

[fiveworlds]

You should just get a bunch of parts and learn the basics unless you have some specific project in mind. There are many cool projects that can be done like a terminator style drone that randomly shoots people with a nerf gun.

[Klaynos]

You'll probably need to learn at least one microcontroller platform too. Even if the RasPi is your main controller.

 

Any answer to this question will very much depend on what you mean by robot?

 

Are we talking a 3 wheel rover for use inside a house, part of a manufacturing line or something that walks to the shops and does your shopping for you?

[Sensei]

You should just get a bunch of parts and learn the basics unless you have some specific project in mind.

 

That's good idea.

 

Without mastering easy projects, there is no sense going any further.

 

There are many cool projects that can be done like a terminator style drone that randomly shoots people with a nerf gun.

That's silly project..

 

Code42, after some basic stuff, build your own 3D printer/2D plotter/CNC

There would be needed three stepper motors, to control axes x/y, and z (up/down movement of header).

So, mastering how to use one stepper motor, in 1D, from your own computer program, would be reasonable start.

In human-robot project there would be dozen of dozen such motors, to control every finger..

Edited May 28, 2017 by Sensei

[Raider5678]

That's silly project..

Code42, after some basic stuff, build your own 3D printer/2D plotter/CNC

There would be needed three stepper motors, to control axes x/y, and z (up/down movement of header).

So, mastering how to use one stepper motor, in 1D, from your own computer program, would be reasonable start.

In human-robot project there would be dozen of dozen such motors, to control every finger..

I think he meant like a small robot that moves on the floor with a nerf gun.

[fiveworlds]

I think he meant like a small robot that moves on the floor with a nerf gun.

 

 

 

Yeah reusing your toys like rc drones/cars and putting and making them sentry guns. Sensei is right about the three stepper motors to control the axes.

[Code42]

You'll probably need to learn at least one microcontroller platform too. Even if the RasPi is your main controller.

 

Any answer to this question will very much depend on what you mean by robot?

 

Are we talking a 3 wheel rover for use inside a house, part of a manufacturing line or something that walks to the shops and does your shopping for you?

Probably an r2d2 type rover. Not quite, but that's at least what I'm shooting for.

I raced r/c cars for years, so I do have some technical/hobby know-how. I'm also about to graduate with a degree in computer science this fall, so I know some coding too.

Edited May 28, 2017 by Code42

[Klaynos]

I'd suggest starting with an arduino robot kit. You can then move on to adding in some pattern recognition using a raspberry pi to do the processing and send commands to the rover.

 

This isn't something you're likely to achieve overnight.

[fiveworlds]

Probably an r2d2 type rover.​

 

 

That would be really cool but I would normally steer clear of really artistic projects. How long are you going to have to spend just painting it??

[Code42]

 

 

That would be really cool but I would normally steer clear of really artistic projects. How long are you going to have to spend just painting it??

Well, I was thinking I'd use lights for effect, and leave the bot sort of crude-looking.

[KipIngram]

Stay aware of your CPU capacity. If you limit the robot's "intelligence" to simple decisions based on simple sensor inputs you can probably pack a fair bit of that into a Pi's capacity. If you start trying to have it process images and things like that you'll run out of processor power pretty quickly. You can probably various sorts of benchmark data to figure out what you can get away with in real time. If you'd like further input on that feel free to PM me.

[Code42]

If you'd like further input on that feel free to PM me.

I will. Thanks.

It's going to be more for show than a sophisticated robot. Just want to practice basic programming on an original project. Python will probably do the job. I've never used it, but my C++ knowledge should help me adapt quickly.

[EdEarl]

 

Wikipedia

Open-source robotics (OSR) is a branch of robotics where the physical artifacts of the subject are offered by the open design movement. This open design movement applied to the field of robotics makes use of open-source hardware and free and open source software providing blueprints, schematics, and source code. The term usually means that information about the hardware is easily discerned so that others can make it—coupling it closely to the maker movement.

There's a lot of help online.

[KipIngram]

Yes, I doubt you'll have any trouble picking up Python.