Small object manipulator design

[StephMc]

Challenge description: The operator is given the coordinates of a visually distinctive (coloured) small target (weight ~ 100g) within 500m which the machine must fetch and return to a start position. Before collecting the sample they should if possible also place a geologist’s photographic scale nearby and photograph the context).

Design something that can do this which is mounted on the Husky (http://www.clearpathrobotics.com/husky/). We have smart servos in the bluesat room which might be useful. Ask @yilserkabaran to get access to them.

Design on paper is good, please find any motors or servos you want to use (aka figure out torque requirement and find something that fits that). Please take a picture of the design, upload to shared google drive and comment the link on this issue.

[StephMc]

As an extra note, mounting the arm/device off the front bull bars is an option. Also please include any sensor feed back for the operators (they won't be able to see the husky).

[StephMc]

A 3d printed arm was build. It used the smart arbotixs servos. The servos had a ros library so it was quick to program and the arm had enough strength to pick up the object. Problems:

• Hard to see what the arm was doing due to bad camera angles
• Didn't have enough degrees of freedom to easily pickup objects (needed a 'wrist' twist)