Eddie

[Camp Peavy]

Just saw this on "The Robot Group" list (resisting the temptation to say something snarky about Microsoft). :-x

 

Eddie Robot Platform

http://www.parallax.com/eddie

 

Enjoy,

Camp

 

[Arthur Wait]

I actually have one on loan from Parallax. I'll bring it to the meeting next Wednesday so people can take a look at it. I like it so far. The Eddie board, in particular, is very nice. I've dabbled with Microsoft's Robotics Developer Studio for a few years now, but am finally digging into it more deeply, and am finding that the Eddie is a nice test bed.

Arthur Wait

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[James M. Geidl]

Cheap, ain't it.

 

Jim, K6JMG

---

From: hbrob...@googlegroups.com [mailto:hbrob...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Camp Peavy
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 12:11 PM
To: hbrob...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [HBRobotics] Eddie

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[Michael Ferguson]

I'm sure they will tell you it's cheaper than a turtlebot, only $1249 -- save over $250*

-Fergs

* doesnot include laptop or kinect!

[Patrick Goebel]

Hi Arthur,

How do you find Eddie's front mounted caster for getting over small rises like carpet thresholds?  Does it get caught on throw rugs?

Also, since the controller board has an easily accessible set of firmware commands, someone could easily write a ROS wrapper around the command set.  Looks like the board is available separately (http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/PropellerDevelopmentBoards/tabid/514/ProductID/817/List/0/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName) but it ain't cheap.

--patrick

[Arthur Wait]

Hey Patrick,

The interesting (and at times annoying thing) about the front caster is that it doesn't actually completely touch the ground, which allows Eddie to rock back and forth a bit between the front and rear caster. Since my current project is intended to run on a very flat surface, I may actually extend the caster so that there is no play at all; it'll be interesting to see how restrictive that is.

Yes, the Eddie board just became available as a standalone component a week or so ago. It is a bit pricey--I'm not a hardware expert so I'm not sure where the cost would come from, but I've definitely seen that the higher-power motor controllers get very expensive (and without all the capabilities of the Eddie board).

And you're right--I think a wrapper for ROS would be an excellent project. On the surface, I don't see any reason why one couldn't be written.

Arthur

[Patrick Goebel]

Thanks Arthur,

I wonder if Parallax needs to build in some stiff springs to the caster mounts.  I believe my Roomba vacuum cleaner has a spring loaded front caster.

Yeah, the price of the Eddie board is not outrageous given the onboard high current motor controllers as you mentioned as well as the voltage regulators for additional peripherals.

--patrick

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[James Ronald]

The other possible issue with the Eddie platform is the that
encoder/motor/wheel combo works out to have 0.5 inch resolution.
Besides, I just sold my parallax wheel kit to raise funds for Pololu,
ArbotiX+ combo.

- Jim Ronald