Adaptive Mapping and Navigation with iRobot Create

This tutorial will demonstrate how to do mapping and navigation with the iRobot Create for under $30! And better yet, its designed to be an easy add-on to your already existing robot (butler robot, anyone?).

Why is mapping useful? Have you ever wanted your robot to navigate through your house, by starting in one room and going in to the next, despite unplanned objects in the way? Ever wanted your robot to go to the fridge, navigate around pizza boxes, and then go straight to you before the beer gets hot?

This tutorial has two parts. The first part demonstrates how the Create can track and follow objects (specifically, a can of beer) using a single Sharp IR. Video in step 5.

The second part demonstrates mapping, and how it can update its map when objects get in the way. Its not just reactive wandering, but planned navigation useful for any house based robot. Video in step 6.

Plans and source code to add to your robot will follow.

So what do you need?

Sharp IR $14.50
http://www.acroname.com/robotics/parts/R48-IR12.html

Hitec HS-311 Servo $8.99
http://www.servocity.com/html/hs-311_standard.html

Grid-Style PC Board with 356 Holes $1.79
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102844&cp

36 position breakaway male header $1.63
http://www.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=WM6436-ND

Stuff you probably have:
wiring
solder with soldering iron
double sided sticky tape
two screws with two matching nuts
screwdriver or allen wrench
holepuncher or hand drill
(local hardware store or Radioshack)

Optional: Dremel to cut down the PC Board

Final Design (simplicity at its best):

Step 1 The Stampy Edge Detection Algorithm

To start off my robots' adventures, I needed to implement a basic highly reactive algorithm to test out my proto-code and sensor setup.

To get my Create to perform some complex tasks without requiring huge amounts of memory or processing power, I decided to implement my Stampy Edge Detection algorithm using a scanning Sharp IR rangefinder.

The concept is simple. A scanning Sharp IR rangefinder does only two things:

If no object is seen, the scanner turns right.

If an object is seen, the scanner turns left.

The image of a googley-eyed robot shows the scanner converging on the edge. The robot will then drive towards the detected edge of any object.

This step is to build the scanner.

Here is video instruction on how:

Required parts are shown below.

Now that you have the scanner built, lets wire it up . . .

Comments

[Chowmix12]

Is there any way to add this to arduino?

[societyofrobots]

Yes and no. The Arduino is old and outdated and has very little memory. You can add it to the Arduino, but the map size will be tiny.

The Axon has 4x the memory, letting you store a map 4x bigger.

[Chowmix12]

When saying map size, the would refer to a map with larger 'pixels' meaning i can map any room but i would have moments where the robot can actually move through certain spaces, but the map thinks it can't because of the low resolution. Can I map a room with an arduino? I would also have to add some algorithm for reading 2 encoders for the wheels of the robot. In total, thats Dual encoders, a servo, and 6 pins for motor driving.

[societyofrobots]

The problem is memory limitations.

Can it map a room? That depends on how much stuff is in the room, and how accurate you want it to be.

[hightekrednek2396]

cant you add more memory like yhe sd shield for it

[societyofrobots]

Yeap, you can.

[bandena]

where to buy? I can not find. here is only to order

[societyofrobots]

buy what? you meant this? http://store.irobot.com/

[A-Nony-Mus]

It's funny, I downloaded this 'ible about a year and a half ago and I forgot about it. Then, when I was searching pics of irobot create, I came across pretty much the same thing on letsmakerobots (I am presuming that is you). Then, I was searching through some of my documents and found this 'ible. Awesome idea and great concept btw.

[A-Nony-Mus]

Sorry, I meant to say societyofrobots, not letsmakerobots.

[purple shirted eye stabber]

awesome instructble cool concept

[Ghost Wolf]

will it follow me?

[raykholo]

now, is there a way for the program to make like a visual map on a computer, or somehow convert the cmd code (last pic) into images on a computer?

[Brandon121233]

Cool project John, I like the detailed video examples.