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<meta name="description" content="A low cost, versatile research platform for autonomous systems in collaborative robotics"/> |
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<!--[if lte IE 7]><link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/mainIE.css" /><![endif]--> <title>Introduction | ColonyScout.com</title> |
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<a title="Introduction to the Scout robot" href="/intro.php">Introduction</a> |
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<a title="Mechanics of the Colony Scout" href="/mechanics.php">Mechanics</a> |
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<a title="Sensors and Communications" href="/sensors.php">Sensors & Communication</a> |
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<a title="Platform: Software and Hardware" href="/platform.php">Platform</a> |
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<a title="Applications for the Colony Scout" href="/applications.php">Applications</a> |
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<a title="Video of the Scout in Action" href="/gallery.php">Video</a> |
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<a title="Meet the Scout Team" href="/contact.php">Contact</a> |
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<a title="Contact The Scout Design Team" href="/team.php">Team</a> |
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<h1>What is the Colony Scout?</h1> |
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<p><b>Swarm intelligence</b><i>\'swòrm in-'te-lə-jən(t)s\</i> describes the collective behavior of decentralized, |
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self-organized systems, natural or artificial.</p>
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<img src="images/intro_colony3.jpg" alt="Colony 3"/> |
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<p>The Colony project of the <a href="http://www.roboclub.org" target="about:blank">Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Club</a> |
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demonstrates the capabilities of a colony of |
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simple low-cost robots that are able to localize relative to each other using <em>"swarm intelligence".</em> Each device |
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gathers information about its environment via simple one-dimensional sensors, such as IR beacons, and shares data |
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via an ad hoc wireless network.</p>
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<img src="images/intro_scout.jpg" alt="Colony Scout Accessories"/> |
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<p>The Scout is designed as an evolution of the current platform employed by the Carnegie Mellon project. It builds on the
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technology of the Colony III robots (top picture) and offers new functionality to each individual robot. In this way each robot |
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can offer more intelligence to the swarm, operate over more extreme terrain, and cover larger distances more quickly. Scout takes |
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the lessons gleaned from several years of research and aims to provide a simple interface into a powerful set of reliable |
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technologies.</p>
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<div class="hr"></div> |
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<h1>Project Goals</h1> |
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<p>At the outset of the Scout project in April of 2009, several goals were defined. The new robot should have:</p> |
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<ul>
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<li>enhancements over the current sensor array</li> |
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<li>a more robust localization scheme</li> |
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<li>be physically capable of traversing complex terrain (indoor, possibly outdoor)</li> |
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<li>an adaptable design that can be modified for different purposes</li> |
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<li>be capable of object/environment manipulation</li> |
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<li>similar form factor and power requirements</li> |
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<li>Must be low-cost (sub $500 in qty)</li> |
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</ul>
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<p>The cost restriction has been a major driving factor for most design decisions and even the motivation for the project. There are
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many commerical solutions that offer compact and capable robots, but at a price point unsuitable for undergraduate studies and |
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invididual research.</p>
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<p>We aimed to develop a platform enticing to individuals, companies, and research institutions, but at a price point that doesn't
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hinder innonvative research.</p>
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</div>
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<div class="side-box gray"> |
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<img src="images/intro_kiva.jpg" alt="Kiva storage rack handling robots"/> |
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<p><small><i>Kiva's robots carrying package racks (Credit: Forbes.com)</i></small></p> |
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<p>Colonies of robots have many applications. They can solve larger problems than individual
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robots. The Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory has developed a colony of robots that seeks out |
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liquid spills. They surround the spill by having each robot locate part of the edge of the spill. Kiva's orange package carrying |
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robots perform orchestrated dances in warehouses across the United States, enhancing productivity of the entire delivery system.</p>
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<h1>Feature Comparison</h1> |
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<table>
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<tr><th><strong>Tech</strong></th><th><strong>Colony III</strong></th><th><strong>Scout</strong></th></tr> |
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<tr><td>Processor</td><td>8MHz 8-bit AVR</td><td>600MHz 32-bit ARM9 + 16MHz 8-bit AVR</td></tr> |
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<tr><td>Rangefinders</td><td>5 Position (1.5-12in) IR</td><td>48 Position, 360-degree coverage (0-20ft) Sonar</td></tr> |
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<tr><td>Battery</td><td>6.0VDC 2.6Ah NiMH</td><td>7.4VDC 4.0Ah Lion</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Locomotion</td><td>2 Wheel Differential Drive</td><td>4WD Skid Steer</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Ground Clearance</td><td>None</td><td>1.34" Clearance with Rocker Pivot to conform to terrain</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Cliff Detection</td><td>None</td><td>3 Side Drop-off Detection</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>BOM</td><td>16 Point IR</td><td>4 Point IR with modulation</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Wireless</td><td>Zigbee, 300 ft range</td><td>IPv6, 1 mile range</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Charging</td><td> Removable</td><td>Integrated homing and charging contacts</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Extension</td><td>None</td><td> Accessory/Expansion hardpoints and power/data connection</td> </tr> |
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<tr><td>Production</td><td>Botrics</td><td>In-house design and manufacturing for full control over device lifetime</td> |
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</tr>
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</table>
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<p><h2>Eager to learn more? Explore the rest of ColonyScout.com.</h2></p> |
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