(http://www.personal.reading.ac.uk/~shshawin/teaching/naturalrobotics) (http://www.personal.reading.ac.uk/~shshawin) (blackboard)

Design challenge 2 update:

Please note, the portfolio submission deadline is noon on the 19th April 2021.

Design challenge 2 will now run to the end of the term. The goal has been extended and teams should now demonstrate a working physical prototype. The demonstration should include a short video, you are not expected to do any video editing so the raw footage is acceptable. This video can be shared between team members in their portfolio submission.

Teams will be supported with 3D prints of components, see below.

The design challenge is still to demonstrate a gravity compensation mechanism, but the purpose of the design can be adapted by the teams as they wish.

3D printing

Teams can submit stl files to be 3D printed. Parts for 3D printing should be small enough to fit into a A4 envelope. Also please note that larger parts will get a low priority on the print queue so teams are encouraged to discuss both the design and the parts they wish to print with the course moderators at the Wednesday and Friday sessions, as well as during the design reviews.

Sessions

There will be weekly design reviews until Wednesday of week 11 (24th March).

The final session on Wednesday 24th March (week 11) and will be for a final design review meeting. There will be no session on the 26th March at 4pm.

Components

Each team will have a limited budget (£50) and can request additional parts. These parts must be available from either of our preferred suppliers. These are

Purchase of these parts must be approved by the course moderators, and the purchase decision will also depend on factors such as availability, and the degree to which the part will enhance the design (moderators decision). Components can only be requested up to the end of week 10.

Each team may also request a dynamixel kit to use in their designs. These can be sent to other members of the team provided they have a UK address. The dynamixel kit will contain a AX-12W or equivalent dynamixel, along with power supply, power supply adaptor, USB interface, and cables. Details of the dynamixel kits are available as two screen casts available in the Microsoft Streams area of blackboard, or on the landing page of the course website.

Collecting from Polly Vacher

Tue 09-03-2021 If you are on campus it is now possible to collect parts from Polly Vacher by arrangement