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Rub-bots

The Rub-bots are a set of physical robots constructed in July/August 2021 to facilitate Smallpeice 2021. For that competition, they were called the 'Forklift-bots' to keep with the theme of the game. After that, they became the 'rub-bots' - named to reflect the fact that they were designed to perfectly fit inside the 18L Really Useful Boxes ('RUBs')

The design was intended to be robust so the robots would last long enough to be used for many future events, as demo-bots and to be offered to participants for outreach events.

The bots have:

  • 2 wheel differential drive
  • a servo-driven linear gripper
  • a forward-facing ultrasound distance sensor

Chassis

The chassis is made of plywood, cut on a band saw and screwed together as follows. All screw joints should be pilot drilled.

  1. Add forearm parts with 4 screws Diagram of step 1
  2. Drill undersized holes for 8mm linear rods (approx 7.5mm) Diagram of step 2
  3. Mount the servo and motors Diagram of step 3
  4. Drill clearance holes for the casters, adding a skate bearing with 3D printed pulley on each bolt. Put a washer between the chassis and the skate bearing Diagram of step 4
  5. Press the LM8UU bearings into the gripper arms, and slide them onto the rods Diagram of step 5
  6. Add riser blocks to each corner Diagram of step 6
  7. Add the upper plywood support Diagram of step 7
  8. Add the servo horn to the servo, and the LiPo holder to the back of the robot Diagram of step 8
  9. Add the electronics kit on top. Optionally add sensors (ultrasound, vision, ...) Diagram of step 9
  10. String up the servo mechanism. This is explained in depth further down this page
  11. Celebrate by programming the robot and watching it drive itself around

Servo mechanism

The gripper is connected to its servo via 'lightweight inextensible strings' (at least in theory). They're actually lengths of Nylon fishing line, which does stretch quite a bit. The complicated bit is connecting the grippers to the servo such that both grippers are pulled open and pulled closed symmetrically, as below:

To string up a rub-bot

  • String 1:
    1. Tie the string to gripper 1 securely - e.g. using a overhand stopper knot through a pair of drilled holes in the gripper. You can double up the string to reduce the stretch of the fishing line
    2. Hook the string around the nearest idler
    3. Position the gripper in the middle of its range (halfway between open and closed) and the servo in the middle of its range
    4. Tie the other end off on the servo. You can weave between the servo horn and the pulley to help secure this end Diagram of String 1
      This string pulls gripper 1 open
  • String 2:
    1. Tie the string to gripper 1 securely, heading in the other direction to String 1. If String 1 was opening gripper 1, String 2 will be closing it
    2. Hook the string around the other idler (not the one String 1 used). The string may pass through gripper 2 without interacting with it
    3. Check gripper 1 and the servo are in their middle positions, and pull String 2 tight. String 1 and String 2 will stretch a bit
    4. Tie the end off on the servo, as before Diagram of String 2
      This string pulls gripper 1 closed
  • String 3:
    1. Tie onto gripper 2
    2. Hook round the idler nearest
    3. Pass through both grippers without tying to either
    4. Hook round the other idler
    5. Tie off on the servo Diagram of String 3
      This string pulls gripper 2 open. By going around both idlers like this, gripper 2 opening and gripper 1 opening happen when the servo goes clockwise. Otherwise, gripper 2 closes when gripper 1 opens, which is not very useful.
  • String 4:
    1. Tie onto gripper 2, heading the other way
    2. Hook round the near idler
    3. Go through both grippers
    4. Hook round other idler
    5. Tension the strings and tie off on servo Diagram of String 4
      This string pulls gripper 2 closed, synchronised with gripper 1 closing

The servo is powered from the secondary '5V' output of the power board. The power board is rated to supply enough current for one servo, so a separate servo board isn't needed.