Kiyoshigawa Online

Robots

This section of the website is devoted to my various robot projects, educational, personal, and perhaps eventually business related. When possible, I release any design documentation and source code for the designs under an Open Source license. Please let me know if you have any questions, as I am happy to discuss my work. Below you will find links to my various projects.

Arduino / C++ Controller

This controller is intended for use in a wide range of robots in the future to provide me with an inexpensive way to control up to 6 motors (more specifically 6 PWM outputs, 6 analog inputs, and 6 digital pins (read or write)). The current design allows for controlling all inputs and outputs at a rate of 7.8Hz, and uses any computer with a USB port, and an Arduino Duemillanove. Right now I have written a program for the arduino to send and receive over serial, and can access it using a single function call from a C++ class that I wrote to interact with this arduino program. My next phase of development will be to write a digital PID controller for a motor, as well as design and build an H-Bridge capable of running the motor from the arduino board. Within this section of the site, you will be able to find any relevant programs for use with this controller.

The Dalek

This is currently the robot project receiving most of my focus. It will be a full-size Dalek based on the ones seen in the new series of Doctor Who (2005-present). Currently most of my work is devoted to building the actual Dalek body, with limited forward planning relating to the motorization of components. I am planning to employ omni-wheels with 2 degrees of freedom each, so that the Dalek will have complete 2 dimensional motion freedom (translation in the X and Y directions, with the ability to rotate freely about the Z axis simultaneously). The head will also be able to rotate via motors, and the eye-stalk will be able to move up and down. I am also intending to make the two arms (plunger and gun) capable of movement in 2 directions each. I have still not decided if I should make the shoulder section rotate as happened in the show. In this section of the site, you will be able to find a build diary of my progress in creating the dalek, complete with pictures and comments.

TKB - The Tachikoma-Inspired Robot

This is my most ambitious robotics project yet, and as such, it is moving very slowly. It is to be a 4-legged robot with 3 degrees of freedom and a wheel per leg. The wheel should be an oniwheel as well, allowing for some fancy maneuvering if I do it right. The main reason for this project taking so long other than the obvious complexity is that I am upgrading my basic motor control and manufacturing capabilities by working on smaller projects, such as the Arduino / C++ Controller and Dalek above. Once the Dalek and Controller are finished, I should have enough basic controller and manufacturing knowledge to make the TKB a reality, whereas currently I am lacking in the necessary hardware and software to do the project justice. This section of the site has my initial updates to the project, and will contain more information as the project matures.

The 2008 SMA Robot Finger

This project was my undergraduate senior design project. It consisted of developing, with 5 of my peers, a finger based on a human finger that was controlled by Shape memory Alloy 'tendons' and Hot/Cold water. More information and a video of the project is located in this section of the site.