The TR robot is my current pet project. The goal is to build a wheeled biped. Check out the github repository here.

Hardware:

• Designed in solidworks/onshape

Firmware/low-level control:

• stm32H7 nucleo development board

• 4 dynamixels, 2 GIM4305 actuators, MPU6050

mid and high level controls:

• Planning to use drake running on a jetson nano

I've started to dig more into the firmware for the project now. The current mian task is to design and write the low level control and low level drivers for all the peripherals and draft out an low level control API. I also want to swap out the PMDC motors for the wheels to some dynamixels that I picked up recently. I also want to make a PCB for managing all the connections.

• Lost my onshape access after graduating so I need to do a FULL mech design rev :)

• Driver for dynamixel control (SPI?)

• Driver for GIM4305 motors (CAN)

• Migrate code from STM32F410 nucleo board to STM32H723 nucleo board

• update CAD and reprint legs to support dynamixels instead of PMDC motors (a leg design revision may be warranted)

The TR-002 (version 2) was designed to address some of the major flaws with the version 1's design. 

The version 1 took a lot of time and filament to print. Making the parts quicker to print as well as leaving more room also helps with ventilation. The TR-001 also lacked stability at the joints and either had too much friction or was too loose and fell apart. This is fixed using bearings at every joint. FInally, the Tr-001 was difficult to fit new electronics into. By removing the entire outer shell and making it a lot more open it is easy to service the TR-002 but also to add new components onto the 2020 extrusions.

One of my career goals is to work on a walking robot. I chose to create a wheeled biped because would simplify the complex contact dynamics of legged locomotion with something much more simple while also getting me one step closer to my goal. So far I have a 2 DoF robot that I am working on implementing balancing on using model-based control and trying to implement this functionality leveraging FreeRTOS. I have split the project into 3 phases. 

I designed the mechanical hardware of the project in Onshape and 3D printed the majority of the robot. 

Phase 1: 

• Body motors hold position or are replaced with placeholder hardware so it is effectively a 2 DoF system

Phase 2:

• Add up and down movement at the hip joints

• Add forward and backward movement via remote

Phase 3

• Add turning Via remote (with leaning)