This Paper describes the locomotion module of a self-contained robot Yamabico 9. Modularization is very important concept in constructing intelligent robots, as is in constructing computer systems. Yamabico 9 has such a modular architecture in hardware as well as in software.
The locomotion module (LM) is an independent micro-computer system with ROM, RAM, two timers, motors, motor drivers, and encoders which controls the power wheeled steering cart. It works as a slave of the brain (BR), the central processing unit of the robot.
A command system is defined as an interface between LM and BR which consists of the set of commands from BR to LM specifying motion of LM and the set of replies from LM to BR telling BR internal information and timing of LM. A motion command controls velocity of the both wheels of LM so that LM draws desired loci and terminates its execution when the termination condition in the command is satisfied.
The software of LM consists of the followings : (1) locomation control process, (2) motor servo process, and (3) communication control process. The first and second processes are called every five millisecond, and the last process works asynchronouly with the other ones bacause needs of communication occur at random time instances. The locomotion control process calculates reference velocities of two wheels, and tests the terminating conditions.
This paper also gives some results of real experiments and examples of LM programming.
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