DIY 3D-Printed Arduino Self-Balancing Cube https://hackaday.com/2024/10/13/diy-3d-printed-arduino-self-balancing-cube/ #self-balancingcube #microcontrollers #microcontroller #selfbalancing #robotshacks #bluetooth #arduino #pcbway #motor #cube

Behold The Mega-Wheelie, a Huge One-Wheeled Electric Skateboard https://hackaday.com/2023/10/29/behold-the-mega-wheelie-a-huge-one-wheeled-electric-skateboard/ #TransportationHacks #electricvehicle #selfbalancing #skateboard #bigwheel #unicycle #arduino #diy #IMU

One might think @XRobotsUK has become rather obsessed with #omniwheels
https://youtu.be/TDbwSwzWJxU
His most recent video attaches a couple of them to hoverboard motors and drive system
#YouTube #creator #making #3dprinting #selfbalancing

Self Balancing Robot Needs a Little Work

A self-balancing robot isn't a new idea, but we liked the aesthetics of [Maker ATOM's] build. The use of a breadboard and a printed bracket looks good, as you can see in the video, below.

Like most first-time projects, though, there were some lessons learned. The power supply needs a little work and the range of balance compliance didn't meet expectations. But those problems are soluble and, as usual, you often learn more from working through issues like these.

The heart of the system is an MPU6050 which provides a gyroscope and accelerometer along with fusion capability onboard. The availability of libraries for the sensor and the PID controller makes the project pretty simple to finish.

In particular, a PID control loop looks at the desired state of the system and the current state. It then computes an output based on the difference in state at the current time and over time in different ways. In other words, part of the output forms because of the raw difference but other parts of the output form due to accumulated error over time or from sudden perturbations. Adjusting the gains so that these parts stay in balance can be a bit tricky.

However, in the end, the two batteries were not sufficient to power the device adequately. Temporarily, a bench supply did the trick, but the batteries still needed to be there to provide some counterweights for balance. Experimenting wth some PID loop gains might also improve operations.

There are plenty of similar projects to draw inspiration from. The design doesn't have to be difficult.

#arduinohacks #robotshacks #mpu6050 #pid #robot #selfbalancing

A Self-Driving Bicycle is Something to Marvel At

One of the most annoying things about bicycles is that they don't stay up on their own, especially when they're stationary. That's why they come with stands, after all. That said, if you had plenty of advanced electronic and mechanical equipment fitted to one, you could do something about that, and that's just what [稚晖君] did.

The video of the project comes without subtitles or any translation, but the gist of it is this. A reaction wheel is fitted to the seat tube, along with a motor which can turn the handlebars via a linkage attached to the head stem. There's also a motor to drive the bicycle forward via a friction drive to the rear wheel. Combine these with an inertial measurement unit and suitable control system, and you have a bike that can balance while standing perfectly still.

The performance of the system is impressive, and is even able to hold the bike perfectly upright while balanced on a fence rail. Thanks to an onboard camera and LIDAR system, the bike can also drive itself around with no rider on board, which is quite a spooky image. Find a way to do the same while hiding the extra mechanics and you'd have one hell of a Halloween display.

Similar projects have been attempted in the past; we featured a self-balancing bike built as a university project back in the distant past of 2012. Video after the break.

[Thanks to Jumy Elerossë for the tip!]

#transportationhacks #bicycle #reactionwheel #selfbalancing