X10 Community Forum
💬General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: HA Dave on August 08, 2008, 01:24:22 PM
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Some things I hesitate to post here on the forum... this is one of them. I've been working on a extention of my Home Automation. It's what I call an X.M.O.P. for X10 (activated) Mobile Observation Platform.
Some months ago... Mavrik started a post about maybe creating a battery-solar powered ninja camera (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=11915.msg67834#msg67834). A great idea... with limited engineering problems. Later... I created my own crawl space "wire-pulling tool".... (http://www.x10community.com/forums/index.php?topic=13280.msg74253#msg74253) which was a toy Humvee with an attached camera. The toy... [er... tool] was fun... but required setup time with charging batteries, turning things on... and so forth.
Then... I discovered DIY all Terrain Robots (http://atomiczombie.com/product-robots.htm). The heavens opened and the sun shown... and all was good. The more I read.... the more I realized how easy it would be to intergrate this into my X10 setup.
Well my XMOP is still under construction (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cUA6LaXTs&)... and it's coming along surprisingly smoothly. I plan to have it stand guard... solar charging itself.. waiting for my X10 perimeter detection system (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apZF77tsZlI) to activate it. Or to be set to activate itself... when activity is detected.
I've also configured RED (for Robotic Exploration Device) to intergrate with my BVC (Voice Command) setup (http://davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm)... the grandkids think it's a hoot!
So.... is anyone else doing this?
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Dave; As always impressive. Thank you for sharing it with us. >!
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Thanks Brian H... but judging by the responce... I may be on my own out here.
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I will say this:
I too have used a RC truck for wire pull for cat5 in drop ceilings. It's some 4x4 monster truck thing. No cameras, just floor it and pray!
As for a x10-bot, that's adventurous! If I made one, I could see some day the door bell ringing and the neighbors are standing there with my bot thats been running around in the street.
I like to keep x10 stuff on a short leash for now, ;)
But you go man. and thanks for the links. - fun reading.
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I like to keep x10 stuff on a short leash.......
Yeah.... I have taken safety precautions. I have a "Car Alarm" type remote that turns the robot ON/OFF. Right now.... that is controlling everything (even the camera). Installation of a ninja will allow me to extend more control to the robot. This will also allow AHP to have more control also.
BY using the robots sensors to alert AHP... and the hardwired sensors to also control the bot through AHP... theres plenty of room there of redundant safety's. Almost everything that happens around the house (driveway alert, perimeter detection, home entry) is announced By my BVC (http://www.wgjohns.com/bvc.htm) setup. The robot will just be another camera and motion sensors... that can also be mobile (and driveable).
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Ahhhh. Wire pulling. Vacuum cleaning. Dog walking. Grandson walking. Mobile security cam. Thief chaser.
Just the beginning!
Keep that fertile mind sharing, Dave!
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That is an awesomel project Dave! I enjoy seeing your videos, and look forward to seeing this thing grow.
:)+ #:) >!
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.... I enjoy seeing your videos, and look forward to seeing this thing grow.
I have a new video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cUA6LaXTs) posted. I Just tested the RC control... it still needs some work (I have no reverse).... But it's coming along fine. I now have a Ninja and have tried that out also (having some range issues).
Once I get the "bugs" worked out of the "basic unit" it should be a useful mobile camera device. Then I hope I can expand it's usefulness.
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Stay away from that house. ;D
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I just discovered I am NOT alone. Take a look at the image below before following the link. That most certainly is a PalmPad remote that user is using to summon his robot.... stool? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnwycXY6lk&feature=channel_page)
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So Dave how long till we see your X10 stoo!!!! :'
But that was neat loud but neat. I like how when it is just sitting there there is no way to tell its a robot.
I also wonder how it would take the steps in that video? I can see my kids pointing it right at the steps ans pressing go. rofl
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So Dave how long till we see your X10 stool
Maybe never... but it's nice to know that there is at least one other X10 guy out there intergrating it into robots. Heck there could be millions of us! Or maybe three.
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I was at YouTube and I found this (picture of) a great early Home Automation Remote Control for ROLL-OH... a 1946 Home Automation Robot (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tnW7egWGPc&feature=related).
I posted a link to it in my YouTube favorites (http://www.youtube.com/suitmanIM) also.
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I see voice control didn't work so well for her either having to resort to the table top robot remote. :D
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Spring is in the process of springing.... at least we have had some warmer days. So I've had a little garage time. Back in the colder days... I modified the antenna on an X10 wireless cam (http://forums.x10.com/index.php?topic=17109.msg94234#msg94234)... and put an external antenna on a Ninja also (similar to this mod (http://www.lunaseamedia.com/upload/x10-mods/ninja_base.html)). Today... I put it all together on the robot. Image attached.
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Gonna need a longgggg extention cord!!!! rofl
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Gonna need a longgggg extention cord!!!! rofl
rofl The Ninja runs on 12 volts DC.. so does RED. I put a meter to the little stereo jack that the Ninja uses and soldered up a new one the same way. The Ninja then shares the power with the camera. The camera works fine as does the Ninja... and is solar powered.. as well as mobile. No cord needed.
I could have just used a DC converter (12 volt DC to 120 volt AC) as I did with the other camera (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9cUA6LaXTs)... but decided to use the 12 Volts direct.
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Shirley, (surely) you know I was funnin! I love all the neat things you do! Thanks for sharing! #:)
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..you know I was funnin!
Yep... I knew. And the regulars here (like yourself) know I have way too much free time on my hands.. NOT to waste some hacking this stuff up. I am just tickled when it works.
I haven't done any real testing yet... I only finished this a couple hours ago. But I think this may be handy for car monitoring.
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Be kinda cool if someone was messin with your car and wait... all of a sudden.... DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER! Very cool indeed! 8)
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...if someone was messin with your car and wait... all of a sudden.... DANGER WILL ROBINSON, DANGER!
Yeah... RED does help keep an eye on the truck and trash can. But I am wondering... and once again I haven't tested or put a meter on the ninja to see what its power draw is... if a Ninja could be used IN anyones car/truck. The stereo plug conversion is nothing... and can easily be soldered up to a 12V lighter plug.
I am thinking the best way to keep an eye on a car/truck... may be with a camera IN IT.
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Dave_x10_L,
Neat! :)%
>!
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Pretty darn cool, Dave. I've always been interested in robotics, and I think a lot of people would love to have something like this.
When you decide to market it, and are on your way to making your millions$$, I'll be at the head of the line to buy one.
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I've always been interested in robotics, and I think a lot of people would love to have something like this.
I've always wanted a robot! When I was a kid I was silly enough to want to own a computer. But I had to wait (20 years) till I was an adult with my own family before Commodore made computers (VIC-20) cheap enough for me to own one.
My love of science fiction has always left me waiting for products that are not yet invented. I took a lesson from -Bill- (of wgjohns.com) (http://www.wgjohns.com/bvc.htm) and decided if it wasn't available... I'd just create it myself. Now I talk to my house (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm)... and it/she talks back (thanks to Bill). And I have what I refer to as a "typical" Home Security Robot. From what I've read... there are thousands of us building our own robots now.
I have yet to intergrate the robot with my X10 yet... there is plenty of work to do.
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You guys with the RC cars, you do this on other peoples sites or just your own house?
It would not seem professional to leave wire hanging on the ground and in the crawlspace just to leave it lying on the tiles.
I do not think that either of these installations would pass inspection.
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You guys with the RC cars, you do this on other peoples sites or just your own house?
It would not seem professional to leave wire hanging on the ground and in the crawlspace just to leave it lying on the tiles.
I do not think that either of these installations would pass inspection.
I am afraid I don't follow. What RC cars or wires are you referring to?
The vast majority or forum members are users... not installers or businesses. I don't know of any users that knowing violate any codes or create a hazardous condition in their own homes.
For some time RC hobbyist have mounted (RF) remote cameras to their RC cars and planes. X10 cameras are often chosen for this as X10 makes a very reliable and durable little camera.
Robotics is now a very fast growing hobby. All I've done was combine my Home Automation interests with an interest in robotics. Borrowing an old idea from the RC hobbyist with the cameras was a natural.
What I've hoped to do is intergrate my X10 home automation with a [wireless] camera mounted on a mobile platform (hence the name of X.M.O.P. for X10 activated Mobile Observation Platform). That by itself could expand my home security camera setup. The RC controlled platform/robot can take the camera to any area that I might want to explore (and.. why I call the device R.E.D. for Robotic Exploration Device). RED is a 12 volt battery powered, NON-tethered, solar charged device. I don't like unsightly wires myself.
My attempts have NOT been completely successful... nor a complete failure ether. But this is a hobby... and NOT a commercial venture. And unfortunately... I am on a fixed intelect.
I have controlled my Home Automation setup using Voice Commands (http://www.davesdomainonline.com/bvc/bvc.htm) for more than a couple years now. My hope is to at least extend that feature to the robot. I most recently added a modified X10 Ninja to RED... and of course added a YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft9-yxNb47Q) (or two (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gknj0cJkerA)) to show how this works.