How it Works
Open source, open hardware
Overview
The Fae-bot is a suspended robot, using 4 cables and 4 winches in its standard configuration. By rolling and unrolling the cables in a calculated fashion, the central platform can be moved in a big 3D volume.
A control module is responsible to control and synchronize the winches.
On the suspended platform is a tool, in the standard configuration it is a claw which is powered by a battery and activated through wifi.
The user accesses both the control module and the claw module through a web interface served on a local wifi network.
Components
Inside the control module, a Raspberry Pi hosts a webserver. The client typically connects to this server in order to control the Fae-Bot. This raspberry pi is connected through USB to an Arduino that will send pulses to the winches.
The claw module reproduces this mechanism, except that the respective Raspberry Pi does not serve a webpage, but rather waits from HTTP requests from the main page (see the Software section for details)
The winches are activated by a stepper motor that is controlled by a motor driver of the TB6600 family. It receives two signals: a DIR that indicates the direction and a PUL that receives pulses when the motor should move one step. The driver then transforms these impulses into a power signal sent to the servo motor coils.
Power Distribution
The logic of the Fae-Bot uses 5V, while the motors and the motor drivers are rated to use 24V to 30V. The control module is powered through a USB micro B connector. It powers the Raspberry Pi which in turn powers the Arduino through its USB connection. Be sure to plug a charger able to feed 2.4A to the devices.
The central platform is battery powered and uses a classic USB battery. Similarly, it powers the Raspberry Pi that then powers the Arduino through a USB.
Software
The Fae-bot is controllable through a web browser from any device connected to the fae-bot’s wifi network. The Raspberry Pi of the control module serves a webpage on http://192.168.11.5:5000 that renders as a control GUI. Its buttons trigger HTTP requests that the server then translates as orders to send through serial to the Arduino nd translates claw orders as requests to http://192.168.11.100:5001 where the second Raspberry Pi also listens with a webserver .
The webserver of the control module is available under server/server.py on the git repository. The server of the claw module is server/server_claw.py
Both servers are written in python using the Flask framework.
API
| [POST] /motors/ [POST] /motors/ |
Rolls and unrolls the motor #num at a speed given by the speed parameter for a duration given by the time parameter. |
| [POST] /stop | Immediately stops any motor movement. |
| [POST] /direction/ | Moves the platform in the direction indicated by dir. Possible directions are N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW. The orientation supposes the motor 1 is at SW, motor 2 at SE, motor 3 at NW and motor 4 at NE. The platform moves at a speed given by the speed parameter for a duration given by the time parameter. |
| [POST] /set_target/ |
Sets the current position as target number #id. Possible IDs are 0, 1, 2 and 3. |
| [POST] /go_target/ |
Moves the platform towards target number #id at a speed given by the speed parameter |
| [POST] /claw/ |
Sets the claw servo at the position "val". Default calibration is 10=OPEN, 65=CLOSED |
How to operate the Fea Bot
- Switch on the battery in the clamp module.
- Plug the control module.
- Wait until the boot is finished
- Start the 30V power supply
- Connect to the fae-bot wifi network
- The GUI should be available at http://192.168.11.5:5000
How it works
Open source, open hardware
Overview
The Fae-bot is a suspended robot, using 4 cables and 4 winches in its standard configuration. By rolling and unrolling the cables in a calculated fashion, the central platform can be moved in a big 3D volume.
A control module is responsible to control and synchronize the winches.
On the suspended platform is a tool, in the standard configuration it is a claw which is powered by a battery and activated through wifi.
The user accesses both the control module and the claw module through a web interface served on a local wifi network.
Components
Inside the control module, a Raspberry Pi hosts a webserver. The client typically connects to this server in order to control the Fae-Bot. This raspberry pi is connected through USB to an Arduino that will send pulses to the winches.
The claw module reproduces this mechanism, except that the respective Raspberry Pi does not serve a webpage, but rather waits from HTTP requests from the main page (see the Software section for details).
The winches are activated by a stepper motor that is controlled by a motor driver of the TB6600 family. It receives two signals: a DIR that indicates the direction and a PUL that receives pulses when the motor should move one step. The driver then transforms these impulses into a power signal sent to the servo motor coils.
Power Distribution
The logic of the Fae-Bot uses 5V, while the motors and the motor drivers are rated to use 24V to 30V. The control module is powered through a USB micro B connector. It powers the Raspberry Pi which in turn powers the Arduino through its USB connection. Be sure to plug a charger able to feed 2.4A to the devices.
The central platform is battery powered and uses a classic USB battery. Similarly, it powers the Raspberry Pi that then powers the Arduino through a USB.
Software
The The Fae-bot is controllable through a web browser from any device connected to the fae-bot’s wifi network. The Raspberry Pi of the control module serves a webpage on http://192.168.11.5:5000 that renders as a control GUI. Its buttons trigger HTTP requests that the server then translates as orders to send through serial to the Arduino nd translates claw orders as requests to http://192.168.11.100:5001 where the second Raspberry Pi also listens with a webserver .
The webserver of the control module is available under server/server.py on the git repository. The server of the claw module is server/server_claw.py
Both servers are written in python using the Flask framework.
API
| [POST] /motors/ [POST] /motors/ |
Rolls and unrolls the motor #num at a speed given by the speed parameter for a duration given by the time parameter. |
| [POST] /stop | Immediately stops any motor movement. |
| [POST] /direction/ | Moves the platform in the direction indicated by dir. Possible directions are N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW. The orientation supposes the motor 1 is at SW, motor 2 at SE, motor 3 at NW and motor 4 at NE. The platform moves at a speed given by the speed parameter for a duration given by the time parameter. |
| [POST] /set_target/ |
Sets the current position as target number #id. Possible IDs are 0, 1, 2 and 3. |
| [POST] /go_target/ |
Moves the platform towards target number #id at a speed given by the speed parameter |
| [POST] /claw/ |
Sets the claw servo at the position "val". Default calibration is 10=OPEN, 65=CLOSED |
How to operate the Fea Bot
- Switch on the battery in the clamp module.
- Plug the control module.
- Wait until the boot is finished
- Start the 30V power supply
- Connect to the fae-bot wifi network
- The GUI should be available at http://192.168.11.5:5000