Daniel Garalde: RoboBrain

The first RoboBrain came into being as the result of the senior research project of Noah Wilson and Adam Bean while studying at the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2004. RoboBrain is a programmable robot capable of completing autonomous tasks using sensors to retrieve environmental data and two DC motors for locomotion. The goal of the first RoboBrain project was to produce a cost effective platform for high school students to experiment with robotics. This first version of RoboBrain was used by COSMOS - a special summer educational program for exceptional high school students - as a platform for teaching autonomy through feedback control. The COSMOS program involves several UC campuses, and provides advanced instruction in a broad range of sciences. Students are divided into ‘clusters’ based on their field of interest. ‘Cluster 2’ is the robotics and nanotechnology cluster - the cluster which uses the RoboBrain robots.

An improvement on the original RoboBrain became desirable for this year’s COSMOS program. Dubbed RoboBrain-II, the new version of RoboBrain would have expanded inputs and outputs, as well as a more stable body. It would also feature a new and improved drive train with more powerful motors, better wheels, and a sturdier motor mounting system. A chassis redesign had to accompany the new circuitry of RoboBrain-II. The new chassis needed to provide more stability, precise alignment, and accommodate the mounting of new motors with integrated gear boxes. It, like the old chassis, is built mainly out of Plexi-Glass and sheet metal. All the fabrication was done with standard tools except for the specialized wheel hubs - which were created by machinists at UCSC - to allow the coupling of the wheels to the motor shafts. The new chassis proved to be a great complement to the improved functionality of RoboBrain-II. As the finale of the COSMOS 'Cluster 2' course was for the entire class to calibrate, program, and use the robots, RoboBrain-II was put to the test. RoboBrain-II provided a great control system testing platform, and the COSMOS students loved using this new version of the robots!