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| Bioloid: Highly Configurable Robot |
| Robotics - Consumer Products | |||||
| Sunday, 17 May 2009 03:22 | |||||
Since being released a couple years ago, the Bioloid hobbyist robot has quickly grown in popularity due to its incredible versatility. Available in several kits of varying complexity, the robot is capable of being programmed and physically configured to perform an amazing number of behaviors.Programming the BioloidProgramming the robot is simple and intuitive. To create an animation, you physically pose the robot and then instruct the software to snapshot that position. The saved position will be used as a future animation point.
One then makes the robot assume additional positions while snapshotting each. After a sequence has been developed, the software is used to play back the animation. The animation is constructed by using the snapshots as waypoints along a path while interpolating the positions between the snapshots.
In this way, developing a Bioloid animation is very similar to creating a Flash or Silverlight animation, only in the physical domain. Because of this similarity, artists and animators should feel at home programming the robot.
Beyond simple animations, one can develop more complex behaviors through the use of graphical programming software supplied with the robot. For instance, one can instruct the robot to perform a sequence of actions based on audio input picked up by its sensors.
The Bioloid in ActionThe following video demonstrates how to program animation sequences:
The hobbyist community has developed a wide variety of applications for the Bioloid, taking advantage of the Bioloid’s hardware and software flexibility.The following demonstrates the robot configured and programmed to act as can collector. Upon detecting a ‘can’ in front of it, the robot proceeds to slowly move toward the can, grasp it, and then deposit it in an appropriate location. Note how the robot restricts itself to a particular fenced area.
A Bioloid configured as be a Transformer: A controllable robotic arm: In this video the Bioloid has been programmed to detect when it is about to fall down and readjusts its footing: In addition to the humanoid configuration, one can reassemble the Bioloid into a large number of forms including spider, puppy, turtle, excavator, and almost any other animal or vehicle. Some Technical DetailsThe Bioloid contains several components including:
For those of you interested in digging a bit deeper into the Bioloid, Robotis has a overview on their website that gives a few more details and also describes what kits are available.
Additionally, there is a thriving Bioloid community who regularly contribute to the Bioloid Wiki.
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