Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!cat.cis.Brown.EDU!agate!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!EU.net!uunet!newsflash.concordia.ca!canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca!bison!draco!baden
From: baden@draco.bison.mb.ca (Baden de Bari)
Subject: Re: Robotic Arms under $1000?
Keywords: robotic arm 
References: <1994May31.164735.26343@news.media.mit.edu>
Organization: The Draco Unix System
Date: Wed, 1 Jun 1994 08:15:47 GMT
Message-ID: <1994Jun1.081547.7625@draco.bison.mb.ca>
Lines: 38

christy@media.mit.edu (Sam Christy) writes:

>I am looking for a commercially made robotic arm with a positioning system for under $1000.  I have found Fishertechnik Training Robot that claims to achieve
>repeatability of 1mm and cost $400 without interface and $690 with.

>Does anyone know about any better systems?

>Please email replies to Sam at christy@media.mit.edu

>Thank you

	 Actually, the ft set uses pots for positioning.  It is quite simple
to duplicate their system.  If I remember correctly, their interface has the
following characteristics:
	-2 analog inputs
	-8 digital inputs
	-4 digital outputs

     This can be quite adequate, as you could have 4 analog sensors, with a
lower degree of acruacy (depending on your implimentation).  As for other
commercially built systems, I would suggest designing your own
microprocessor-based system.  I am presently working on a robotic cutting
system for a large corporation, and will be doing the aforementioned.  I
have also designed a parallel interface stepper motor controller which has
the ability to actuate seven steppers simultaneously, 7 digital outputs (max
of 16), one analog input, and 7 digital inputs.  It was used to control n
assortment of devices with great success.


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Words Wise and Otherwise...              /\
Your son at five is your master, at ten  ||      Baden de Bari
 your slave, at fifteen your double and  || baden@draco.bison.mb.ca
 after that, your friend or your foe,    || baden@sys6626.bison.mb.ca
 depending on his bringing up.           ||
            -HASDI IBN SHAPRUT           \/
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