Dexter
Aim of this project is to design and develop Indian robotic research platform
which will offer more features than there import substitutes like Pioneer series
robots. We will put robot’s complete know-how on the net so that any one can
built their own version of Dexter-2 according to their requirements. We want to
dedicate this robot to India.
DEXTER-2 is an intelligent, versatile and rugged robot designed for navigation
in unknown terrain. Using its powerful sensors and intelligent control system,
it is capable of navigating its way autonomously over distances through complex,
uncharted terrain.
Dexter-2 circuits.jpg
Dexter-2 front view.jpg
STRATO PLANE.jpg
UNIVERSAL ROBOTIC CONTROLLER2.jpg
DOMINATOR 300.jpg
Dexter-1.jpg
STEEL SHARK-1.jpg
UNIVERSAL ROBOTIC CONTROLLER1.jpg
Dexter-1 fv.jpg
STEEL SHARK-2.jpg
IR ROBOT KVPY.jpg
Dexter-2 side view.JPG
Right from the chassis to the minutest nut we have tried to incorporate
intelligence into DEXTER-2. The wide range of features in DEXTER-2 encompasses a
plethora of fields. Weight of this robot is about 125 Kg and it can support
additional payload of about 60 Kg.
DEXTER-2 is constructed around powerful Intel 2.4 GHz Hyper threading technology
having 800MHz front side bus with ASUS P4P800 Deluxe mother board. It is the
robotic platform with powerful yet precise four wheel differential drives and
four wheel independent suspensions with active power control and trapezoidal
drives. It also has a 9 Axis robotic arm. This arm is configured as PRPPRPRRR.
Hence arm works in rectangular-spherical coordinate system. This arm is designed
in such way that it gives best power to weight ratio.
DEXTER-2 is also equipped with a navigation control system, position tracking
system, automated obstacle avoidance and routing system, Laser range finder,
ultrasound scanner. Its nimble stealthy movements can be controlled remotely and
its position can be tracked and monitored continuously.
While in its automated mode, DEXTER-2 uses its intelligent obstacle avoidance
system to repeatedly make maps of its surroundings and accordingly make
navigation decisions so as to reach the desired destination in an efficient way.
Its powerful tools make it useful as a remote unmanned work station. Robot also
supports wireless LAN. The robotic arm is capable of handling a wide array of
tools like screwdrivers, drills, backhoe, plough etc. The deftness of the arm is
evident from the fact that it is capable of picking up an egg as well as
grabbing an iron block with equal ease. Gyro-Stabilized cameras with light
intensifier lens for night vision assist the remote human operator, by
continuous video feedback from DEXTER.
For exact positioning DEXTER-2 has a newly developed infrared positioning system
providing off board path detection and correction which corrects positional
errors made by robots servo drive motion controllers. This system is just like
Global positioning system but shrunk up to lab scale. It also has tilt and
inclino meters and a digital compass and micro machined two axis accelerometer
and gyroscopes for precise path planning.
DEXTER-2 has onboard STK 500 development board for AVR series microcontroller
programming. It is built around highly up scalable architecture. DEXTER-2 also
has 50 channel remote control which works at 412 MHz with 8 bit security
address.
DEXTER-2 also has onboard ZISC (zero instruction set computing) based neural
network board. This board is used for object tracking, emotion recognition, palm
tracking etc.
We have also interfaced LEGO vision command and LEGO mind storm RCX 2.0 with the
robot. Now this LEGO system is also used to control the robot. This is
especially useful for a new person to get acquainted with DEXTER-2 platform. We
also can use all image processing tools of vision command for this robot.
DEXTER-2 is thus; ideally suited for industrial and cutting edge research
applications. DEXTER-2 is used in research labs and in industry for developing
and testing new algorithms or testing new theories such ant robotics or A.I.
DEXTER-2 is very useful in developing cutting edge research and rapid product
designs, deployment and rapid prototyping.
DEXTER-2 is built around highly up scaleable architecture. DEXTER-2 is equipped
with onboard powerful processors, machine vision, 3D vision, and artificial
neural network based machine vision, active navigation system along with precise
locomotion control and robotic arms. DEXTER-2 also has huge numbers of expansion
slots, space and power packs for further up gradation.
Achievements
