Robotic Blimp
Surveyor SRV-1 Blackfin Robot
Open Source Wireless Mobile Robot with Video for Telepresence, Autonomous and Swarm Operation
Designed for research, education, and exploration, Surveyor's SRV-1 internet-controlled robot employs the SRV-1 Blackfin Camera Board
with 1000MIPS 500MHz Analog Devices Blackfin BF537 processor, a digital
video camera with resolution from 160x28 to 1280x1024 pixels, laser
pointer ranging, and WLAN 802.11b/g networking on a dual-motor tracked
mobile robotic base. Operating as a remotely-controlled webcam or a
self-navigating autonomous robot, the SRV-1 can run onboard interpreted
C programs or user-modified firmware, or be remotely managed from a
Windows, Mac OS/X or Linux base station with Python or Java-based
console software. The Java-based console software includes a built-in
web server to monitor and control the SRV-1 via a web browser from
anywhere in the world, as well as archive video feeds on demand or on a
scheduled basis. Additional software support for the SRV-1 is also
available by way of RoboRealm machine vision software, Microsoft Robotics Studio, and Cyberbotic's Webots.
Features
- Open Source design with full access to source code (GPL) and schematics
- Robot is fully programmable for autonomous operation
- Extensive software support through 3rd party applications
- Teleoperate mode to drive robot around via console software or remotely via web browser
- Host software has built-in web server and video archiving
- Robot can run programs written in interpreted C and stored in onboard Flash
- Wireless remote control or viewing up to 100m indoors and 1000m outdoors (line of sight)
- Robot can be controlled from a terminal/console for easy testing
- Linux 2.6 support as well as "bare metal" programming with GNU bfin-elf-gcc
Hardware
- Processor: 1000mips 500MHz Analog Devices Blackfin BF537, 32MB SDRAM, 4MB Flash, JTAG
- Camera: Omnivision OV9655 1.3 megapixel 160x128 to 1280x1024 resolution
- Robot Radio: Lantronix Matchport 802.11b/g WiFi
- Range: 100m indoors, 1000m line-of-site
- Sensors: 2 laser pointers for ranging
- Drive: Tank-style treads with differential drive via two precision DC gearmotors (100:1 gear reduction)
- Speed: 20cm - 40cm per second (approx 1 foot/sec or .5 mile/hour)
- Chassis: Machined Aluminum
- Dimensions: 120mm long x 100mm wide x 110mm tall (5" x 4" x 4.5")
- Weight: 460gm (16oz)
- Power: 7.2V 2AH Li-ion battery pack - 4+ hours per charge
- Charger: 100-240VAC 50/60Hz (US plug)
Software
- Robot Firmware: easily updated, written in C language under GPL
Open Source, compiled with GNU bfin-elf-gcc and bfin-uclinux-gcc
toolchains - Onboard User Programming: interpreter for "small C" language
with special robot-specific commands are provided for running user
programs from onboard Flash memory - Development Tools: GNU toolchains via http://blackfin.uclinux.org
- Console Software: Java based application, runs on Windows, MAC, Linux. WebcamSat web server module built into console software, allows multiple simultaneous remote viewers via Internet
- Robot Control Protocol: Published here. Easily used from other applications
- Third-party Software Support:
- RoboRealm - http://www.roborealm.com/help/Surveyor_SRV1.php
- The SRV-1 can now be directly controlled from RoboRealm, a very
popular Windows-based machine vision software package for robots. The
RoboRealm extensions for SRV-1 allow creation of scripts that combine
image processing on live video feeds from the robot, e.g. color
filtering, blob detection/tracking, edge detection/outlining and
feature extraction, with decision processing and robot motion control,
making it easy to create behaviors such as object location and
tracking, obstacle avoidance, motion detection, notification, etc, with
a web interface, and control can be scripted from C/C++, Python, Java,
C#, Lisp, Visual Basic, WScript and COM through the RoboRealm API. - Microsoft Robotics Studio - http://www.surveyor.com/MSRS.html
- Drivers for the SRV-1 in Microsoft Robotics Studio are now available.
MSRS is a Windows-based environment for academic, hobbyist and
commercial developers to create robotics applications across a wide
variety of hardware. Key features and benefits include: end-to-end
robotics development platform, lightweight services-oriented runtime,
and a scalable / extensible platform. - Webots - http://www.cyberbotics.com
- SRV-1 support is now included in Webots mobile robotics simulation
software. Webots provides a rapid prototyping environment for
modelling, programming and simulating mobile robots under Windows, Mac
OS/X and Linux. The 3D modeling and physics are outstanding.
- RoboRealm - http://www.roborealm.com/help/Surveyor_SRV1.php