Other than Radix the 4 day fest will feature a host of grueling competitions. For those having acumen in designing software, Envision will provide them the ideal platform with its open and predefined problem contests. Apart from the usual events like paper presentation and hardware designing, some innovative competitions have been planned out.

Design Pro seems to be a nice addon to the huge list of events in the techfest, which might pull in the animators and designers. Spac is another new event, which will bridge the gap between graduate engineers and professional technologists.

And if all else doesn’t interest you, there is always the Junkyard wars to pit your engineering skills.

http://www.dcetech.com/

It sure is promising to be a lot of fun and a good platform to take Robotics to the next level. He will tour Kerala during 14-23 Dec 2006. Good friend Fahad Ali informed me that he would be visiting Model Engineering College, Cochin where interested people can catch his session. Now to go book my tickets.

Dr. Prahlad Vadakkepat – Profile, NUS Staffs page.

Kurukshetra 07 – Join the battle!! Recreate history!!

For more details, visit www.kurukshetra.org.in.

– By Shekar S.

The author is a student of CEG, Anna Univ. and blogs at http://shekys.blogspot.co.

Thanks Narain!

Here is a neat tutorial on how to build a small autonomous robot using PIC 18F4620. There are a lot of pictures and circuit schematics to help you get it done easily. The robot description isn’t uploaded completely yet. Work is still in progress, but then the important parts and circuits are put up. This I guess should be more than enough for any robotics enthusiast.

This page described my new robotic project. One year ago, I built a very simple little robot with a Comfile PICBASIC 3B microcontroler and a Cybot chassis. This new project is based on a very much more powerfull Microchip PIC 18F4620 (or PIC18F4520) Microcontroler programmed in C language with the same chassis and new sensors..

Makes good for a perfect holiday/weekend project.

Little Autonomous Robot using PIC Micro controller

Invobot offers a range of robotics workshops for enthusiasts, amateurs and hobbyists. Our workshops are affordable with the package including a full set of componets provided by INVOBOT.

The IITs are doing their bit, by encouraging students in Southern India, by holding robotics competitions on a yearly basis, but that is not enough. We need someone to first direct these students in the right path. This is where InvoBot will come in. InvoBot offers two courses: I-Basic and I-Tech. The I-Basic is the fundamentals of robotics. It is a two day workshop, by the end of which, every participant would be holding a Line Following/Obstacle Detecting robot in their hand.

On the 15th of October, 2006, InvoBot will conduct its first workshop at Loyola Arts and Science College, Chennai. This workshop will be in lines with the I-Basic structure. The good part about the workshop is they not only give you a hands on session, but also provide you with a kit and 5 sets of robotics maual that you can reuse to make various other robotics. In short, let your imagination flow. the InvoBot-Kit not only includes components, but also the essential accessories like multimeter, soldering rods, bread boards etc.

Due to a mismatch in college timings all over the city, the two day workshop is spread over 2 Sundays (15th and 22nd October, 2006). Madan explains “This is actually good for us. since robotics isn’t something that can be taught over a weekend. With a gap of 6 days between the two 8 hour workshops, it is easy for the participants to reflect on what they learnt and also do a mini project that shall be assigned to them at the end of the first day (15th)”

The workshop will also cover micro-controllers and its coding. A team comprising of maximum 2 members can take part. A CD with essential softwares and a certificate of participation will be provided. The certificate will be valuable since it is also going to carry the seal of Loyola Arts and Science College.

What really excites me is the ‘Chasis building’ session, where one learns to do the mechanical part of a robot (Something which I have never managed to do. Its always cellophane tape and quick fix).

Venue : Loyola College of Arts and Science
Course : IBasic (Details)
Workshop Code : IB2L
Course-Fee : Rs. 1800 (For a team of two), Rs. 1200 (Individual)
Dates: 15th and 22nd October, 2006

Register here

InvoBot – Innovation in Robotics

UPDATE: A special option for out station participants is also available. On request they may be allowed to undergo the training at a stretch – 21st and 22nd of October, instead of 15th and 22nd, since it might be difficult for them to travel two weekends for the workshop. But I suggest you don’t exercise this option unless and until it is a must, since robotics requires time to sync. You can’t handle resistors to mechanical designing to micro controllers in 2 days. That’s like 5 semesters of engineering thrusted upon you in 2 days…

The tutorials is precise, and helps you to understand and implement the theory in day to day life problems, unlike in college (where you are only taught the subject with no practical implementation).

Contents

• • Overview
    • 1.1 Introduction to this Article Series
    • 1.2 Introduction to this Article
    • 1.3 Some Interesting Notes
  • 2. Introducing BrainNet Library – Developing A Simple Neural Digital Gate
    • 2.1 Some Very Basic Facts
    • 2.2 Using the BrainNet Library to Develop a 2-2-1 Network
    • 2.3 Saving and Loading a Network
  • 3. Developing an Image/Pattern Detection System
    • 3.1 Playing With the Pattern Detection Program
    • 3.2 Playing With the Source Code
  • 4. Conclusion

You can also download the whole package (only 292 kb). A forum type interface is also provided in the site, so you can get your doubts and problems cleared.

HandWriting detection using Neural networks

Go to Robotics India, for more details.

The blog is a good read. Do check it out sometime. Stress is giving to both electronis as well as the mechanical designign of the robots. Soon I expect some robotics projects to be featured in the step by step DIY fashion.

Robotics – nuts and bolts.

Summer is here. Holidays have begun, and here is your dream holiday project. Ben has this nice write up on how to make your own helicopter. The tutorial is pretty cool and has a page where he has put up a chart with all the components of the helicopter drawn to scale on it. Simply take a printout and make similar moulds using the cut outs from the paper with metal or plastic and assemble them. Its definitely more tought than what it seems to be, but its worth your time and most fo the components can be found in your junk…

Flying RC helicopter is really very exhilarating. Their versatility gives a RC pilot a complete access to the three-dimensional space in such a way that no other machines can! I have played RC helicopter for more than one year but still find that I have just learnt a few tricks that it can perform.

There are generally two micro-helicopters ( indoor ) in the RC market. I have already planned to buy one of them as they can fly inside the living room and even take off on ours hand. Unlike those operated by gas, these electric helicopters are very clean and give out no terrible noise at all. In one nightfall, I visited a web site, which is about how to make a hand made RC helicopter. I was totally impressed and started designing my own helicopter.

Check it out.

DIY helicopter

This time, I wanted to create a gadget for the super-spy in all of us. I’ll say right up front – I know this device isn’t useful in the everyday, law-abiding lifestyle we all practice during the day. But I made it anyway.

The idea was to put together a movie spy-gadget grade device both on the cheap and very small. Usually the gadgets you see in movies are fictionally created by well-funded government agencies with top scientists. It’s not all Hollywood magic – you too can create fun spy gadgets without needing to break the bank!

This is definitly a project you woudlnt want to miss. So check it out.

A tiny wireless motion sensor

The course involves making of a robot from scratch. During the workshop you will be exposed to programming in 8051 Microcontroller. At the end of the workshop you would have constructed your own robot. The workshop clears concepts related to embedded systems, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation. The technical workshop is a flagship workshop of Appin and is conducted once a month. Students interested in participating in Robotics competition always join the workshop.

There are four modules and it promises to be a lot of fun. The whole course is being offered at Rs. 6850 (Which is very reasonable)

More info at : Appinonline.com – Robomania [tipped by Brijraj Desai]

Here is a DIY easy tutorial on how to make your own ‘Cricket Robot’. The tutorial also includes the Basic Stamp programming and other required programs.

Cricket is an autonomous robot that walks around by moving all six legs using three motors. He avoids objects when touched by the feelers, chirps randomly, and blinks his lights. After touching an obstacle he makes various sounds depending on which feeler sensed the object. All his functions are under control of the on board Stamp II controller. Cricket is designed to be made from readily available materials. The body is made of Lexan used in glass window replacement. The legs are made from aluminum tubing, a rubber grommet, a hinged standoff, and some plastic wire cover. Brain power comes from a Parallax Stamp II module which can be re-programmed by the user. A infrared sensor enables Cricket to respond to commands from a Sony remote control which overrides his autonomous behavior. Pushing the remote control buttons 0 – 9 causes Cricket to make various sounds and other buttons can steer his direction and actions. Power comes from nickel-cadmium batteries mounted inside his battery pack but he can also run from AA batteries.

The robot is easy to make and is definitely fun. The parts can be found in any electronics shop and the tutorial also gives you an insight into basic stamp programming. It takes about a day to put your cute little robot together.

Cricket Robot [Via]

Here‘s a guy who’s made his very own balancing two- wheeled scooter – and instructions on how to make one. check it out!