by David Geer
Contact the author at geercom@windstream.net
NI Robot Platforms
National Instruments LabVIEW
graphical programming
combined with powerful
embedded hardware such as the
NI Single-Board RIO enable
engineers and scientists to
develop sophisticated
autonomous systems and is
used extensively in robot
creation for a variety of
applications. Resulting robots
perform sensor-based
exploration and reconnaissance,
and serve as demontrations of
what roboticists can achieve
with the platform.
Let’s examine the basic
elements of a few of NI’s
robotic platforms and
demonstration robots, and
other NI based submissions.
The Charsol Robot
Charsol (French for solar tank) is an
autonomous robot that senses its environment via
video camera and two infrared sensors from
Radiospares. Operators can use the robot to explore
the environment while resting assured it will
continually replenish its battery (a Conrad) by
seeking out strong light sources for its solar panel
(from Econologie.com).
Sensor communications are traced from the
camera to a UHF transmitter, then via Wi-Fi
(wireless) to a PC. “The host PC contains an
interface to capture and convert the UHF signal to
10 SERVO 08.2010
The Charsol robot with its components identified in their
respective places, including the solar panel on top, the NI ARM
processor kit in front of that, the UHF camera in front, the IR
sensors below, the battery and H-bridges beneath the camera,
and the Wi-Fi router under the processor board.
A better view showing individual Charsol hardware components.
