Sumo Robot Assembly Instructions

This year Microsoft Robotics Studio powered the sumo robot competition held at the Microsoft Mobile & Embedded DevCon (MEDC) 2007, in Las Vegas and will continue on to select MEDC venues around the world. Microsoft Robotics Studio 1.5 CTP May 2007 contains a preview of the Robot Sumo Simulation which includes a 3-D simulated sumo robot ring, a scoring system and a 3D physics-based model of an iRobot Create robot.

If you would like to test your code with the physical hardware, the instructions that follow describe how you can assemble an iRobot Create based Sumo Robot that would be used in the competition.

Parts needed

1. iRobot Create. iRobot Create provides as a flexible and powerful mobile base platform for the Sumo Bot.
2. ICOP eBox 2300: eBox2300 is a Start Kit from ICOP Technologies Inc for Windows Embedded CE 6.0 and is specifically designed for application with limited space and power/temperature concerns. At its core eBox-2300 is based on Vortex86ä technology - amateur high-performance, low-power x86 core. eBox 2300 is utilized as the primary compute unit that powers the Sumo Bot, through Microsoft Robotics Studio.
3. QuickCam® Pro 5000: QuickCam Pro 5000's enhanced video capabilities provide the “Vision” to locate opponent.
4. 5V switching voltage regulator: This voltage regulator is utilized to power the ICOP eBox 2300.
5. eBox2300 power cable: This cable connects the switching voltage regulator to the eBox 2300.
6. Battery: You will need a 9.6V RC battery to power the eBox 2300 through the switching voltage regulator.
7. Acrylic (Plexiglas): You will need to build a mounting plate to hold the eBox 2300 and a housing to hold the camera in place. This would be constructed using a 30cm x 30 cm sheet of 4mm thick acrylic. We have provided you a stencil so that you can get these cut at your local hobby store. We cut these sheets using a laser cutter in our lab.
8. Screws and lock nuts to secure the mounting plate and camera housing. You will need the following quantities:
   1. 4 6-32 x ½ machine screws (round head) to anchor the mounting plate to the iRobot Create
   2. 8 6-32 x 2 ½ machines screws (round head) to secure the ICOP eBox 2300 to the mounting plate and to hold the camera housing
   3. 8 6-32 Nylon lock nuts. (a lock nut is preferred as these will not come loose with vibration).
   4. (optional) 4 cap nuts

Tools Needed:

1. 5/16 wrench (based on the bolts and nuts you purchase for item 7 above)
2. Screwdriver

Assembly Instructions:

Step 1:

Get the Acrylic (Plexiglas) cut per stencil provided in the addendum 1. The cut pieces will look like the following:

Step 2: Build the Camera Housing

To prevent the spherical camera from rotating while you are assembling the housing it helps to apply a 10cm piece of scotch tape across the center circular cut (45mm) as shown in the picture.

Turn the board over so that the scotch tape is on the bottom. Insert four #6-32, 2 ½ screws through the mounting holes and center the camera on the circular cut as shown in the picture below.

Now place the top camera housing plate.

Hand tighten the lock nuts first. Then use a wrench (5/16th) to gently anchor the top plate by turning each lock-nut one turn until the top plate securely holds the camera in place. (To keep the plates parallel it helps to fasten each bolt-nut one turn at a time in a diagonal pattern). The assembly will look like the following at this point:

Step 3: Mounting the ICOP eBox 2300

Apply 4 spacers to the base plate as shown in the picture below.

Place the ICOP eBox 2300 on these spaces, the mounting holes should align with the VESA mounting fixtures. Apply 4 more spacers to the top.

Now place the camera housing on top of the ICOP eBox 2300 and run the four #6-32 2 ½ screws through the camera housing base plate, the top spacers, the eBox 2300, bottom spacer and mounting plate. Secure each screw with a lock nut.

Step 4: Mounting the Switching Power Supply.

Apply a strip of Velcro to the bottom of the switching power supply.
Note: we recommend that the "hook" side of the Velcro be mounted to the base and the "loop" side be mounted to the Switching Power Supply.

Apply the matching strip to the bottom of the base plate.

Stick the switching supply to the bottom of the base plate and thread the wiring as shown in the picture. Plug in the connector to the power jack.

Connect the eBox 2300 power cable to the switching supply. Make sure that you get the polarity correct when connecting the power cable. If you purchased the cable from embeddedpc.net, the brown wire will be ground.

Step 5: Connect the Camera

Neatly group the excess USB camera cable, and tuck it under the base plate, plug in the USB cable.

Step 6: Mount the Base Plate

Use 4 #6-32 ½ machine screws to mount the base plate to the iRobot Create mobile platform.

Make sure the camera USB cable placed in the payload bay.

Step 7: Connect the iRobot Create to the eBox 2300

Plug in the serial iRobot Create cable to the mobile platform and connect to the COM1 port on the eBox 2300.

Step 8: Connect the Battery

Apply a strip of Velcro to the battery pack and to the base camera housing plate. Stick the battery pack as shown in the picture. Connect the battery to the switching supply connector.

Addendum A

Stencil for the mounting plate to hold the eBox 2300 and a housing to hold the camera. Units are in millimeters. We’ve added several spacers but you will most likely need only 8.