Technical Specification
There are several sub-systems that make the Podbot operate.
- The robot has an embedded hardware system that controls a pair of servo motors, which were modified for 360 degree rotation. The embedded system acquires control input from an IBM-compatible PC, such as a Tablet PC, using the RS-232 protocol.
- The robot carries a Tablet PC that is used to connect the real world to the embedded hardware system. On one end, the embedded hardware system is connected to the Tablet PC using a USB-to-Serial cable. On the other end, the Tablet PC can be connected to some wireless network or a direct-connection (via a bridged wireless connection on another PC). The Tablet PC is also connected to a microphone and a webcam for podcasting capabilities.
- The user can control the PodBot from a laptop, desktop, personal digital assistant (PDA), or any other wireless-enabled device that supports the PodBot client software. This device is often known as the controller or controller device.
The on-board Tablet PC is a Toshiba Portege M200, and the controller device we’re using is a Compaq TC1000. The Podbot has a USB-hub inside that connects the webcam, ground effects (neon lights) and the serial connector (that connects to the embedded hardware).The Podbot is controlled over WiFi, and the communication protocol we’re using is SOAP messaging implemented by Microsoft’s Web Services Enhancements 2.0. Everything on the client-side is written in C# and .NET.
The two back wheels have a servo motor for each, and are powered by a 6V lead-acid battery. The embedded hardware is powered by a 5V battery and was built from scratch. The embedded hardware uses a Programmable Integrated Circuit (PIC) and contains software that was written in assembly language.
