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Nucleon hardware stack
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The robot's MicroATX computer is based on an AMD Sempron 2400 processor with 256 MB of DDR RAM and 1 GB of CompactFlash nonvolatile storage.
LeVin says he chose MicroATX over mini-ITX to gain the additional computing power needed for video and audio compression, and for future expansion. The interface to the robot's motors, lights, and switches is a accomplished via a Velleman "
USB experiment interface board" that provides a range of USB-controlled analog and digital input and output functions.
Nucleon with controlling computer and joystickEmbedded software
Server app screenshot |
Client app screenshot |
The robot's software is built on a slimmed down version of Windows XP Professional with the
EWF and
Minlogon components added from Windows XP Embedded. "EWF, or Enhanced Write Filter, protects flash memory from excessive writes," LeVin notes. "It creates a memory overlay that is reset each time the computer is restarted. Minlogon improves the startup time." Using this approach, he managed to reduce XP Pro's 1.5 GB down to about 600 MB to fit on the 1 GB CompactFlash.
The robot application, written in Visual Basic 6, is a client/server implementation, with the server running on the robot and the client on the controlling computer. The Nucleon is controlled through the keyboard, joystick, or other compatible game controller. The software allows for two way audio, video, and voice synthesis text chat, according to LeVin.
The communication connection is an 802.11g ad-hoc WiFi link. All that's required to control the robot is to login on to the Nucleon network, and then run the client software. LeVin says he had considered using a data radio for communications, but the cost for a suitable model was "rather high."
LeVin says he chose Windows over Linux because he's "already familiar with it and ... could use Visual Basic for programming" the robot's application software.
LeVin's
Nucleon Robot website includes a number of links to other sources of robotics information and suitable components. LeVin invites questions or comments on Nucleon.
(Photos courtesy of Daniel LeVin.)
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