The release of the OpenBot 0.5 project has been published, which develops a platform for creating moving wheeled robots, which are based on a regular Android-based smartphone. The platform was created in the research division of Intel and develops the idea of using the computing capabilities of a smartphone and the built-in GPS, gyroscope, compass and camera when creating robots.
The software for robot control, environmental analysis and autonomous navigation is implemented as an application for the Android platform. The code is written in Java, Kotlin and C++ and distributed under the MIT license. It is anticipated that the platform could be useful for teaching robotics, quickly creating your own prototypes of moving robots, and conducting research related to autopilots and autonomous navigation.
OpenBot allows you to start experimenting with moving robots at minimal cost - to create a robot, you can get by with a mid-range smartphone and additional components for a total cost of about $ 50. The chassis for the robot, as well as related parts for attaching a smartphone, are printed on a 3D printer according to the proposed layouts (if there is no 3D printer, then you can cut the frame out of cardboard or plywood). Propulsion is provided by four electric motors.
To control motors, attachments and additional sensors, as well as to monitor battery charge, an Arduino Nano board based on the ATmega328P microcontroller is used, which connects to a smartphone via a USB port. Additionally, the connection of speed sensors and ultrasonic sonar is supported. The robot can be controlled remotely via an Android client app, via a computer on the same WiFi network, via a web browser, or via a Bluetooth-enabled game controller (such as PS4, XBox and X3).
The control software running on a smartphone includes a machine learning system for object recognition (about 80 types of objects are defined) and autopilot functions. The application allows the robot to determine the desired objects, avoid obstacles, follow the selected object and solve problems of autonomous navigation. For example, a robot can move to a specified location in autopilot mode, adapting to changing environments. Movement can also be controlled manually, using the robot as a moving camera with remote control.
In the new version, the firmware for Arduino has been significantly redesigned, in which support for additional types of robots (RTR and RC) has appeared. Support for a new messaging protocol with microcontroller firmware has been added to the Android application, the ability to process configuration messages has been implemented, and support for control using game controllers has been redone. Added models for printing on a 3D printer of the new RC-Truck chassis.
A button for switching the camera on the robot has been added to the client application and support for the RTSP protocol has been discontinued in favor of WebRTC. The web interface based on Node.js provides the ability to remotely control the movement of the robot through a browser with data broadcast from the robot's video camera using WebRTC.
Source: opennet.ru