general help with parts of a robot / programming a robot?

Question

I'm completely new to robotics: types, parts, programming, software, etc...

I'm interested in making a simple robot for fun and experience that can play guitar hero :)
Instead of opening up the controller, I want a robot for the fingers.

It would have six small motorized arms that push out, and can be controlled simultaneously, can hold their pushed out position, and (most importantly) can push in and out with very rapidly and precise in timing.
I have absolutely no idea about parts of a robot or what I would need, specifically, the part that would be the "brain" of the robot which would be connected to my computer and the software I'm guessing which would be compatible
For the control and programming aspect I would like to either have
a video of the screen that "sees" the notes either by sensor or video analysis, and gives the robot real time instructions (preferred),
or analyze a recording before hand to give the robot a predefined sequence of moves (and make sure to start at the right time)

I'm confused about what type of program that I can use with random generic parts and about having the program able to import or read data from the game screen
Perhaps there are color or light sensors that the program would recognize and get data from (which would be translated into moves for the robot in real time)
or maybe I could use another program that could analyze realtime video of the tv screen (which would add another layer of complexity for perhaps coding that program)

What places could I by the parts and what software could I use to help?
I'm also trying to learn Java with netbeans for a class I'm taking when i return to school, could I use Java to make/code a program that could analyze the sequence of notes (from detectable sensors or video analysis) and then can give this translated data to the robot from my computer?

all help hugely appreciated

Answer 1

"I'm interested in making a simple robot for fun and experience that can play guitar hero :)"



This robot that you are proposing is anything but simple



This is a very ambitious project for someone who is new to robotics. I would recommend that you start with something a lot simpler as an introduction to robotics simply because it will actually be something that you can complete and it won't rape your wallet. The motorized fingers that you described would have to be fairly high quality, you won't be able to find fast enough motors or solenoids at your local hobby shop.



"I have absolutely no idea about parts of a robot or what I would need, specifically, the part that would be the "brain" of the robot which would be connected to my computer and the software I'm guessing which would be compatible"



The "brain" that you are referring to would be a microprocessor. These, by itself, can run you up to a couple hundred dollars. Expect to spend at least around a 100 for one. Most microprocessors run using C, however there are some that run using java and other more specialized languages. As for the light sensors, they certainly exist and can be easily bought online as long as you know what to look for. On top of that you would need even more electronics to iron out the bugs that are ever-present in any kind of robotics project. Plus, you would need to have the necessary equipment and experience to fabricate the chassis. Parts can be found here:

http://www.robotshop.us/robot-parts.html



Again, I would highly advise against attempting this project unless you have a mentor that is knowledgeable in this field and can provide regular assistance and you have enough cash/funds to buy all the components needed. On a more positive note, this project IS entirely feasible, it just depends on how much time, effort, and money you put into it.

Answer 2

A quick answer for parts is to check McMaster Carr (link below). They have just about everything you could need to build just about anything.



As far as a brain, I would recommend a microcontroller. I would recommend Atmel as a lot of my experience is with them, and you can buy a fully functional processor board as opposed to building from the ground up. One of the problems with this, though, is that I believe that the Atmel chips run exclusively with C code. If you're learning Java C should be relatively simple to pick up.



If you have access to it I would recommend air cylinders for the "fingers" as they will give you fairly quick response times. The visual/sensing aspect will be the most difficult. If you could somehow read the signal coming from the game that would be the absolute easiest, but I don't know where to tell you to start with this approach. You can attempt to use a vision system (cognex or allen bradley) and queue it read the images of specific notes on the screen.

Answer 3

I disagree - it's not all in the brain, and it is different from a manmade mechanism. Our brain isn't all that "programmes" us to feel desire (or anything else). If you focus all your attention on brain, other parts will eventually make your life intolerable. Besides the 'five' senses (hearing, smell/taste, sight, touch), we also have proprioception, kinesthesia, emotional sensitivity, etc. If you break it down to parts, can you put it back together and get it running again, like a machine? We exist within enormous social organisms that, as individuals, we cannot fathom. We are not just individuals. At present, human beings are more adaptable and more useful overall than machines. (Although if Marvin Minsky has his way, this might change).