PhantomX Pincher Robot Arm Kit Mark II

Color sorting robot

The project is used to program a robot and a camera to pick up 2 different color bricks and then depending on their color it will place them at the preprogrammed position for each of the blocks . For a recognizing the color there is a camera connected to the robot control board. When the robot picks up a block it places it in front of the camera, then the camera recognizes the color and sends a signal to the robot. After getting the signal the robot will place the brick to in one of the areas depending on the color.

Step 1: Hardware

Color sorting robot:

1.PhantomX Pincher Robot Arm Kit Mark II

2. AX-12A servos

3. ArbotiX-M Robotcontroller

4.Pixy camera

5.Push button

Step 2: Software

To program the robotic arm the group used:

Arduino software provided by TrossenRobotics website:

http://learn.trossenrobotics.com/arbotix/7-arbotix-quick-start-guide

For finding the right positions before the start of the programming Armlink helped.

http://learn.trossenrobotics.com/36-demo-code/137-interbotix-arm-link-software.html

For programming the Pixy CAM the group used PixyMon.

http://cmucam.org/projects/cmucam5/wiki/Pixy_Regular_Quick_Start

Step 3: Connections

Connecting and program the robot with a PC there has an FTDI cable been used .

For connecting the robot and PixyCam the Arduino cable has been used.

For connecting PixyCam to the PC a Pixi First Datakabel USB cabel has been used.

Step 4: C Program for the Robot

Librares:

As you can see on the picture there are the librares which has been included in the program.

Operating the robotic arm requires libraries from the manufacturers.

Downloaded librares for PixyCam also included.

Programing:

SetPositions has been used in the program to get the robot move where it supposed to.

As you can see on the picture, how to get the color data from Pixy to Arduino and then move to the desired locations with the green or red block.

Project_ArmRobot (1).ino
Download

Step 5: Conclusion

There is the whole set up for the color sorting robot. It can only separate 2 colors but it can be easily changed to the desired colors in PixyMon so it can sort any other color. There is option to add more positions for more colors in the Arduino program. Fully automated color sorting robot.

Problems:

There has been problems with the robotic arm. Losing connection beetween Arduino and servos in the middle of the program.Also losing voltage in mid program.

PixyCam had problems sometimes with the light/darkness of the area during detecting the colors.

Video of the process:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSMFRh7sW9E

Tomas Janik, Jakub Gajek, Bendes Máté