Robotics

=**NDeRC Robotics Project**=

The NDeRC Robotics Project aims at integrating multiple technologies to accomplish interesting tasks through robotics. Still under development, our robots have centered around the Vex Robotics Design Systems, a modular robotics kit intended for education ([|Vex Homepage]).

Currently, our experimentation has addressed integrating Bluetooth communication with the Vex kit to allow wireless communication with a nearby PC "server". Using this mechanism, it is possible to allow communication between multiple Vex robots, or to provide access to services offered by the connected server.

NDeRC WiiBot In this project, we have successfully used input from a [|Nintendo Wii Remote] (also connected to the server PC via Bluetooth) to send commands to a Vex robot. This setup allows us to take advantage of the additional sensors on the "Wiimote" (i.e. button/joystick input, accelerometers, Infrared Camera).

NDeRC Mapper Bot In this project, we modified and extended the idea from the WiiBot. Rather than use the Wiimote as a tool to drive a Vex robot, we instead mounted the Wiimote overhead on the ceiling. We then used the Infrared Light tracking abilities of the Wiimote to follow IR lights mounted on the robot to determine the location and orientation of the robot. By combining this with the Vex sensor, our robot can now map an area of the room (displayed on the server PC's screen), it can accept into to go to a location, and can even path plan around obstacles it detects.

Click here to see our *Under-Development* Curriculum