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DIY Stair Climbing Robot: Rationale

The document describes the design and implementation of a DIY stair-climbing robot. The robot uses a rocker-bogie mechanism with six legs, each with a wheel. An Arduino microcontroller controls six DC motors to move each leg. A Bluetooth module allows the robot to be controlled by a smartphone. It takes several steps to assemble the robot, including cutting parts, assembling the skeleton, adding motors and wheels to each leg, connecting the Arduino and motor driver, coding the control signals, and powering the system with a battery. The rocker-bogie mechanism and high-friction wheels allow the robot to climb stairs and uneven terrain.

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FAseeh Malik
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171 views9 pages

DIY Stair Climbing Robot: Rationale

The document describes the design and implementation of a DIY stair-climbing robot. The robot uses a rocker-bogie mechanism with six legs, each with a wheel. An Arduino microcontroller controls six DC motors to move each leg. A Bluetooth module allows the robot to be controlled by a smartphone. It takes several steps to assemble the robot, including cutting parts, assembling the skeleton, adding motors and wheels to each leg, connecting the Arduino and motor driver, coding the control signals, and powering the system with a battery. The rocker-bogie mechanism and high-friction wheels allow the robot to climb stairs and uneven terrain.

Uploaded by

FAseeh Malik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DIY Stair Climbing Robot

Introduction
Rationale
The science and technology behind the engineering of robots has been a topic continuously
being refined and researched over the last few decades. Modern day applications such as
drones for delivery as well as in search and rescue are becoming less science fiction and
more reality. In fact, it is relatively affordable for the average consumer to purchase and
utilize these for leisurely purposes. However, it remains that most terrestrial-type robots –
that is those which are confined to the land’s surface, as opposed to aquatic and aerial types
which are developed for use in the ocean and air respectively, are frequently limited by their
technology and ability to scale across uneven terrain. Few notable exceptions include the
Mars Rovers ranging from Sojourner to Curiosity.
Problem Statement

 To implement a prototype robot model capable of climbing steps as proof of concept


to traversing uneven terrain
Project Objectives

 To build a terrestrial robot able to climb a series of stairs


Project Scope

 To research and understand methods for traversing uneven terrain.


 To design a model capable of climbing a series of steps.
 To implement and test the model as a functional prototype.
Literature Review
On researching various methods of mechanisms for climbing over obstacles, data was found
from many viable sources mainly from hobbyists and military concepts to name a few. The
various issues the team felt needed to be elaborated were itemized and evaluated against
the possibility of the models providing effective solutions in those cases specifically. The
most relevant robot concepts found included the Articulated Traction System (Fergurson,
Articulated Traction Control, 2014), the Curiosity Mars Rover (Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
2013) and the ISR Urban Robot (nicknamed Urbie) (Pierce II, 2000).
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
Till now, we’ve made robots that can zoom around but only on the ground level. This
time, we thought of taking their moving ability a bit further and make them capable of
reaching new heights. Thus came into existence the “drum roll” SMartphone-controlled
stair-climbing robot! Program it in Ardunio - a versatile graphical programming
microcontroller with advanced capabilities.
In this project, we’re going to show you how you can make your own DIY stair climbing
robot. This robot is based on the rocker-bogie mechanism, a suspension arrangement
that has been used in NASA’s Mars rovers. We’re going to program is using Ardunio - a
graphical programming software with advanced capabilities.
Step 1: List of Components Required

Components Quantity

 Arduino 1
 Bluetooth Module 1
 Dual Shaft BO Motor 6
 BO Wheel 6
 Hercules Motor Driver 1
 Battery 1
 M3 Nuts Few
 M4 Lock Nuts Few
 Female to Female Jumper Cable 20cm Few
 Male to Male Jumper Cable 20cm Few
 Male to Female Jumper Cable 20cm Few
Building Guide
Step 1: The Cutouts
Before we start making the Stair Climbing Robot, we need to understand its parts. Most of
the body structure of the robot is made of MDF sheet. The labels in the image below
indicate the following use:

1. The Base Plate


2. The Front Leg (x 2)
3. The Back Leg (x 2)
Step 2: Making the Skeleton
Our robot in total will have six legs. Two front, two middle, and two back legs. Note: In our
design, the front and the middle legs are together in a piece that looks like J.
Take the front leg and the back leg and attach them together in the holes given using M4
nuts and bolts. Repeat the same step for the other side too. Your legs will look something
like the one in the image given below.

Once done, its time to add the upper body, where we will be adding our nervous
system. Take the base plate or the body and attach a pair of legs to it, one on each side
using M3 nuts and bolts.
With this your skeleton is complete.

Step 3: Time to Make it Move


The skeleton that we just made have legs but it still cannot move. This is where DC motors
and wheels come to the rescue. Our stair climbing robot has six legs this we will be needing
six motors and six wheels.

Before we attach motors to the skeleton, we will test the motors using evive’s firmware.
Connect the motor to any ports (M1 or M2). Switch on evive, select Controls from the
menu, then select Motors, and finally select the motor channel you have attached your
motor too. You can vary the speed of the motor using the corresponding potentiometer and
the direction using the slide switch.

Once tested, attach 8mm female-to-female standoffs using M3 bolts of 25mm nuts, two to
each motor as shown in the figure below. We are using standoffs to attach the motors to
the skeleton.
Once you have attached the standoffs, take these motors and attach the motors to the
skeleton using M3 nuts

Once you have your motors attached, attach the feet…wheels to the motors. With this the
skeleton of the robot’s body is ready. Make sure you make extra lines on wheels using Hot
Glue to give more friction to the wheels.

The original rocker-bogie does not have stub axels. But we are going to add them into our
robot to keep the robots more stable.
 
Take a series of standoffs the one that fits between the two legs and fixes it using M3 nuts
to the legs. This will keep your legs stable.
Step 4: Adding the Nervous System
Time to add the brain that will be controlling the entire body. Our brain here is our very own
Ardunio. Mount Arduino on the body using M3 bolts.
Time to add the motor driver, the motor driver so that we can supply enough power to all
the six motors. Fix the motor driver using a double-sided tape onto the space given on the
plate.

Once done, its time to connect our motor driver to the brain.

 Connect GND-A, PWM-A, INA1, and INA2 pins of the left motor driver to MD1 port
on Arduino.
 Connect GND-B, PWM-B, INB1, and INB2 pins of the right motor driver to MD2 port
on Arduino.
 Connect VCC and GND of the motor driver to the VCC of Arduino.
 Finally, connect OUTA1 and OUTA2 to the left motor and OUTB1 and OUTB2 to the
right motor

Step 5: Powering up the System


The powerhouse in our case is none other than the Battery. Connect the Lithium polymer
Battery to VIN of Arduino.

Step 6: Coding the Signals


As we know that the brain sends the signal to the body, similarly Arduino will send a signal
to the robot. But what will be those signals? How will Arduino know what signal to send?
That’s what we need to code and upload it into the brain.
To make the coding process simpler we are going to code in the graphical programming
software called PictoBlox.
Step 7: Looking into the System
Stair climbing robot works on the concept of the rocker-bogie mechanism. The robot can
climb onto any obstacles stairs, bumps, etc. It can move along any surface be it sand, rocks,
concrete, or grass as it has suspension arrangements. The front wheel of the robot hits the
obstacle real hard and as the friction of the wheels is more, it lets the robot to climb the
obstacle.
Also, we are going to control it using our Smartphone. Dabble lets you connect your
smartphone to Ardunio via Bluetooth module.
The buttons of Gamepad are used for the following function:

 Up: Move the robot forward


 Down: Move the robot backward
 Right: To turn the robot right
 Left: To turn the robot left  

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