Comments on: iRobot Create: Roomba as robotics platform

By: todbot

todbot — Fri, 04 May 2007 17:54:19 +0000

Hi Ravi,
Unfortunately, no. The Command module is only for the Create, since only the Create has the 25-pin Cargo connector. However, the Roomba serial interface that comes with the Create works with other Roombas.

By: Ravi Shah

Ravi Shah — Wed, 02 May 2007 00:07:31 +0000

Can I attach the Create Command module to a normal Roomba? and can the programs that control the Create robot also control Roomba?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 08:28:00 +0000

Thanks Tod :)

By: todbot

todbot — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:03:19 +0000

Hi Daniell,
Yup, it’s exactly a DB-25. A female one.
-=tod

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 08:45:04 +0000

Hi Todd,
One question. Is the cargo bay connector a DB25?
Regards

Daniel

By: todbot

todbot — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:24:28 +0000

Hi Daniel,
Ah yeah those little humanoid bot kits, those are awesome. From looking at the manual, you can use almost any communication speed up to 1 Mbps. Something like 57.6 kbps will work fine with it, and the Create Command Module (or any other microcontroller) will speak at that speed just fine.

And, yah, I think those servos act like normal servos so you should be able to drive 4 of them just fine.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:35:09 +0000

Thanks Todd,
By Humanoid Servo I meant the Dynamixel AX-12 Smart Servo used on the Bioloid Kit made by Robotis.
These sevos are available as components to integrate with other systems like Create Robots Ref http://www.crustcrawler.com There is a very interesting article about this in the March 2007 Servo Magazine.
I understand that we need a microcontroller which can communicate at 1,000,000 bps. I was thinking of a project wherin I could use a 3 to 4 AX-12 servos on the
Create Robot to create a Scara type configuration for packing vials in a carton

By: todbot

todbot — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:17:30 +0000

Hi Daniel,
The Create robot has a microcontroller you cannot program, but you can control via a serial port. The optional Create Command Module which plugs into the Create robots cargo bay connector is what has the AVR ATmega microcontroller. That one you can totally program.

I’m not sure what a “Humanoid Servo” is, but if you mean standard hobby servos, then yes, you should be able to control several servos with the Command Module.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:14:51 +0000

The iCreate comes with a ATmega 128 controller. Can this work standalone to control a Humanoid Servo?
Daniel

By: todbot

todbot — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 07:57:09 +0000

Hi Todd (a fellow Todd!),

The iRobot Create is essentially a modified Roomba. All the hacks presented in the book work with the Create. I’ve got a Create and have been testing it out. A review of it will be on the site in a week or so.

I’d like to do an update to the book if the publisher thinks there’s a market for it. It’s really in their hands. I will be publishing various Create hacks on this site, however, as I do them.

As for the Microsoft Robotics Studio, it looks great from what I’ve seen. I’m not really a Microsoft person and I don’t agree with the closed-source, proprietary systems the MRS produces.