This research is part of the Human Adaptive Mechatronics
Group and aims to create a propulsion system that can be
contained completely within the shell of a robot. This will
enable it to be completely sealed from a harsh environment.
It has been found that the support of an unsteady/elderly person can
be improved by just a light touch (non-supporting). This can take the
form of a light assuring touch on the arm or the back.
This research, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham
psychology department seeks to build a robot with the appropriate
sensors to maintain a defined amount of contact. The robot is a Festo
Robotino as it has omni-directional capability to follow a person moving
forwards, backwards, left, right, and rotation on the spot.
A gantry of potentiometers connected to light sticks and rubber bands
allows the robot to keep in constant contact and detect movement of the
subject.
A video of the system is below:
Student Assignment Project:-GPS Guided Robot, Jason Whittaker, 2011
A homebrew all-terrain robot built from electric window motors is
controlled using an AX500 motor driver, tablet PC, Playstation joystick
and a Sparkfun GPS receiver. The robot is moved to a location. The
'fire' button is pressed and the PC reads the latitude and longitude
coordinates. These can be stored in a file on the PC.
Once 'auto' mode is selected, the robot moves to the taught locations
in order.
Teaching locations video:
Replaying locations video:
Student Undergraduate Project:-Robot Spider, Martin Garland, 2008
Dynamic stability sensing improvement by Jason Whittaker 2011:
Student Undergraduate Project - Tele-operated Robot Arm, Kai Longshaw
The TORA System which stands for Tele-Operated Robot Arms, which is a
prototype system for the use of tele-operating a set of robotic arms in
dangerous environments. The First Testing stage of the full system.
Student Postgraduate Project:-Snake Arm Robot Ali Akbar, 2009
Ali built this novel snake robot arm that was controlled by just one
motor. A clever arrangement of solenoid valves and clutches controlled
the wire lengths through the snake body.
Built for the People's Theatre
Company and their show 'How the koala learnt to hug'. This was set
as coursework in our animatronics group. Electronics and supervision Sam
Wane, Staffordshire University.
This project hopes to be
an initial stage in the process of a submersible robotic fish, using the
swimming method typically adopted in this environment. The
biology of a real fish is looked into as well as mechanical fish. This
device swims like a real fish as this is seen to be an optimal method of
propulsion whilst saving on power consumption. Built by Steve Knight
http://teamidris.tripod.com/, supervised by Ian
Moorcroft
Dynamic force control of a robot gripper using a slip sensor
Labview vi for controlling the
gripper and dynamic slip sense.
Chess playing robot
This robot arm was constructed from Lego and is controlled by a chess
playing computer. Student project by Martin Clarke. Supervised by Dave
Hodgkiss and Ian Sunley.
A selection of research projects and my own projects
