Projects
From Merlin Systems Wiki
Projects
Below are some examples of the projects Merlin Systems Corp. Ltd has been recently involved with.
===Dancing with robot snakes===
A ballerina from the English National Ballet dances next to a two-meter-high robot snake, which looks every bit as graceful as she does. Maybe the future of robotics isn't dancing little humanoids or cute puppies, but a nice sinuous snake that can slither around your house cleaning your floors and picking up after you. They could be standard equipment in every home within a few years.
The snake-bot is the work of Merlin Robotics, Nottingham Trent University and the Edinburgh College of Art.
Article published by io9 http://io9.com/388277/dance-robot-snake-girl-dance
See more videos on our youtube video page:
[Merlin Video Links]
Chris Forster - Small autonomous cooperative wireless mobile robots for building environment representations
Small autonomous cooperative wireless mobile robots for building environment representations
Localisation project using Miabot Pro robot.
===Robot Localisation==
As seen at the RoboBusiness 2007 show, Merlin Robotics is now demonstrating an in-house robot navigation solution.
This new technology has particular advantages for simpler, low-cost robotic solutions.
It is shown here working with a Merlin "Miabot Pro", equipped with simple mechanical 'bump' sensors.
( IR proximity sensors and sonar rangefinders can also be used in a similar fashion )
The new system uses advanced algorithms to integrate dead-reckoning with local sensing information.
This can add localisation and path-planning to any mobile robot, from low-cost vehicles to advanced autonomous devices.
The system is a highly robust, flexible solution, which can provide high accuracy in demanding applications.
Also, unlike many existing solutions, it is highly scaleable and can work with a much lower requirement in :--
- sensor complexity
- processing power
- communications
The Merlin navigational system is also very tolerant of communications delays, which is highly relevant for remote applications
[Merlin Video Links]
===Miabot Java Driver===
Currently the driver is only available as source, so use SVN to browse and download the code.
[Miabot Open Source Java Driver Project]
Developed by Luca Benedetti [Universita Di Pisa]
===Nottingham Robot Village===
Tutorial worksheets for the Miabot Pro:
[Miabot Resources]
Player/Stage driver for the Miabot Pro - Simulation Environment
http://www.asap.cs.nott.ac.uk/~robots/wiki/index.php/Player/Stage/Gazebo
===Controlling Miabot's Via the Web!===
The Miabot pro is a Bluetooth Enabled autonomous mobile robot measuring 8cmx8cmx8cm. Thanks to Jean Vareille and his colleagues (Universitde Bretagne Occidentale)you can now control and view the operations of Miabots via the web!
Demonstration of active control of machines or robots over the internet (subject to server running).
Miabot Control
Thanks for a great link!
Using Merlin Air Muscles
(see Dual Valve Muscle, Leaky Muscle)
Robot Arm
The Merlin Robot Arm was developed with SMART project funding, to demonstrate the advantages of air muscles in flexible robotic structures.
(N.B. now available as a product)
===Interactive Touch Display===
The Wolfsburg Museum- Phaeno Project uses Flow-controlled Air Muscles to produce an interactive remote-touch interface.
===Using Merlin Mobile Robots===
Robot Realm - Sensation
Nottingham Robot Village
Wolfsburg Museum- Phaeno Project
Frog Eyes Robot
Technoworld
