Servo - May 2010

VRbot Module

of assuming the penalty kick position when turned on.

With Prince Myshkin fully recovered, we were ready to wire up the VRbot module. Maybe with voice command capabilities Myshkin could go from the idiot to part of Craig Ferguson’s Robot Skeleton Army. There was only one way to find out …

Eye of the Tigal

The VRbot module can be acquired from the Tigal website for a cool 39 euros, but included in that price tag is a polished little unit and a plethora of support from the website. The website includes all of the documentation that a tinkerer could ever wish for, with everything from datasheets to software.

The VRbot module itself is a breeze to hook up with only three connections to be made. One is a socket for the microphone, and the other two wires connect to the Robonova itself. The Tigal website features an illuminating diagram that shows exactly where to plug the wires into the Robonova. The board on the Robonova itself (the MR-C3024) clearly labels the pins (VCC, ground, and serial transmit and receive) to dispel any second-guessing.

The VRbot board is small enough to mount inside of the Robonova body panels, which seems to us to be quite a necessity given the rough and tumble acrobatics of the bot. An instructional video on the Tigal website that goes step by step though the process of implementing the VRbot module recommends affixing the board to the inside of the front panel of the Robonova using double-sided tape. The wires can actually run through the center of the bot’s chest to reach the pins, and we also found that the back body panel even has enough room to house the board. After closing up the robot, the only evidence of its new abilities was the small microphone popping out the body panel. In true Van Gogh fashion, we attached Myshkin’s new ear on the right side of his head with a bit of tape. Now we were ready for some voice training.