Should I use EZ-Robot Controler instead of my robot lab?

[mclem...@fessenden.org]

Should I use EZ-Robot Controler instead of my robot lab? What will I need?

[Perry S]

You can use either. Or really any controller you want. MRL supports inmoov directly.

[RobotGuy6]

I use the ezb4 controller.... I just find it an "all in one" easy to use controller and software.... There is no wrong or right way, just your preference... Doesn't matter what controller you use ultimately it's your creativity that will make the difference...

On Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 1:34:46 PM UTC-5, mclem...@fessenden.org wrote:

[Bob H]

When I first built my InMoov I ran it with MRL, however, not being a computer programmer or able to write Arduino code, I was constantly needing help to get the robot to do anything other than basic movements. Grog and others at MRL were great helping me out. I wanted to do more however and looked around for a more user friendly system to run the robot with and I found EZ-Robot. With EZ-Robot adding sensors and servos is no problem, their camera and all of it's ablities is great, putting the InMoov on a wheeled base and moving it around was easy, and of course the forum is very helpful at getting a guy going and helping out with problems and scripting. For me EZ-Robot is the way to go.

[Perry S]

Hi Bob,

Can you do face tracking and chatbots with EZrobot? I am worried about not being able to customize with their packaged solution.

[Bob H]

Yes, you can. You can modify, add, create and customize everything/anything on EZ-Robot. Their "package" gives you the ablility to make your robot come to life. Have a look at it.

[RobotGuy6]

Face tracking, colour recognition/tracking, object recognition, speech recognition... Support for 3rd party boards like the SSC-32... The software can even control an arduino (via serial) if you so choose... You name it, EZ Robot can do it without any or little extra hardware... The drawback is yes, although easy you will still have to learn a new platform and a new way of doing things (boring part)... You kind of have to forget "the arduino way of doing things" because it is such a different way of doing things.... Once I learned it I forgot about any other microcontroller out there... Hey, you guys choose what works best for you....

[mclem...@fessenden.org]

I am probably going to stick with the nervo board while my robot is still being built and then i will look into the ez robot controller

[Perry S]

Thanks RG6. I am sticking with the arduinos and MRL for now. It breaks so often though I'm a considering another option. Would be nice to have something with steady releases that is backward compatible.

On Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 7:15:59 AM UTC-5, RobotGuy6 wrote:

[mclem...@fessenden.org]

are there any how to's for ez robot controller with arduino and servos?

On Thursday, January 12, 2017 at 7:15:59 AM UTC-5, RobotGuy6 wrote:

[Bob H]

Yes, there are lots of useful how to's on the EZ-Robot forum and in their Learn section. You don't need an Arduino to run servos with EZ Robot - just their controller which also runs a camera, sensors and anything else you want.

[mclem...@fessenden.org]

Do they have extensions for the servos, because the servos in the head, hand, etc. wouldn' be long enough

[RobotGuy6]

Yes, the ezb4 has 24 ports to plug servos in directly...  With a few clicks of the mouse to can move any servo on any of those 24 ports from 1 to 180... Simple as that.... You should go over to ez-robot.com and poke around... There are also many videos on ez robot on youtube that will pretty much show you how it all works...

[RobotGuy6]

Here' a good video that will give you a quick overview of ez robot... EZ-Robot Overview

[mclem...@fessenden.org]

could I run Gaels scripts he made? and make it free by having it walk a round randomly and stuff with the wheels?

[Micke Gustafsson]

I´m looking at EZ-Robot. Looks really interesting!

Is all servos running on 5v? Or is it possible to run some of them at 6-7 volts?

[RobotGuy6]

No, the ezb4 outputs whatever voltage you use with it... Voltage in = voltage out on the power pin (The signal pin is 3.3V and 5V tolerant)...  For instance if you use 12V you get 12V on the power pins of each digital port .... If you use 6V then you get 6V on the power pins... So if you use a 6V 12amp battery with your ezb4 controller then you can just plug your serovs directly into the ezb. However, since inMoov uses so many servos I would still recommend powering your servos directly form the battery or power supply... Just make sure you use common grounds to the ezb controller....

[Micke Gustafsson]

Thanks!

Will order now :)

[RobotGuy6]

If you use more than one ezb4 you might be able to control your entire inmoov without any additional hardware... Each ezb can source 5amp continuous and 20amp (peak) through the board... So using more than one you can spread out the power load requirements over a few ezbs... This way it basically makes your inmoov plug n' play with all the servos and sensors.... Just a thought... 

[mclem...@fessenden.org]

Do you mind (you dont have to) post a video explaining and showing your rig with the ez robot controller?

[Bob H]

Go to ez-robot.com. Look in the "learn" section. There are videos on everything!

[Nink]

On Sunday, January 15, 2017 at 12:33:06 PM UTC-5, Bob H wrote:

Go to ez-robot.com. Look in the "learn" section. There are videos on everything!

Do you get locked into proprietary parts if I go the EZ-B route, Looks like you have to use their cameras and can you use smart servo's like Dynamixels for servo feedback and humanoid training?  Does MRL support Smart Servo's or do we have to go ROS ?

[RobotGuy6]

You can use any camera that works with windows... However only the ezb4 camera plugs directly into the ezb4 controller (for all in one convenience). So if you use say a Microsoft LifeCam it would have to plug into your usb port of your PC and not the ezb4 board itself... EZ Builder supports dynamixels however feedback isn't implemented... yet.... I think there is someone working on ROS integration with ez robot... So I heard anyway but nothing confirmed

[Kevin Watters]

Gael's InMoov runs on MRL.  If you want to help the InMoov community it's probably best to stick with MRL.  If you find that something doesn't work, you can try to fix it, or ask for help.  In the process you'll learn more if you use MRL.  But I'm slightly biased.

On Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at 1:34:46 PM UTC-5, mclem...@fessenden.org wrote:

[RobotGuy6]

You can still help the inMoov community even if you don't use MRL and Arduino... inMoov is way more than just the control software and controller... There is 3d printing, parts modding, non electronic hardware, servo types and hacking, power source and requirements to name a few..  I use ez robot and I can still help the community immensely (and have many times over) even though I don't use MRL and arduino...  I am not knocking arduino either as I use them nearly every day too. Great product

[Kevon Kelly]

what system do you run? 2 ez v4?

also is there any tutorial on the setup

[RobotGuy6]

Yes and yes... The ez robot website has a learn section full of how to's and tutorials and even videos.... Granted you have to make the effort to sort through them which I know is a pain... You can also join the forum and ask questions on the site directly... There are a lot of people who can answer your questions or at least point you in the right direction... We have a lot of inMoov'ers on the forum that can help you with inMoov specific questions as well. Myself included... EZ Robot is easy but there will still be "that" initial learning curve to overcome... It's nothing like arduino or other controllers like the basic stamp so at first it will seem foreign to you if that's the world you come from. It's actually much easier for people who have no robotic experience to use the software. As mentioned once you learn arduino or the basic stamp it's hard to wrap your brain around a new way of robot control... However, stick with it long enough and when you get that eureka moment where it all makes sense (and you will get it) you will see just how powerful and easy it is... If you have a usb camera you can download the software for free and at least mess with the vision recognition and speech recognition which includes the plugins for Microsoft cognitive vision, emotion etc ... all without spending a dime...  Judge for yourself.. Once you grasp the foreign programming environment and the concept that there is no need to crunch code unless you want to you can then decide whether or not to purchase the ezb4 for your inMoov or other robotic projects...