Robotronics Pluggie Robot, Operating Manual

Page 1: ...i Pluggie Robot Operating Manual 1610 West 1600 South Springville UT 84663 Phone 801 489 4466 FAX 801 489 8241 Robotronics com Version 7 ...

Page 2: ...s usefulness grow as your needs grow Please read this manual carefully It will help you make the most of your robot Attention to maintenance and proper training will greatly prolong the life of your robot Most problems you encounter will be minor and the manual will provide an answer Please feel free to contact us if you have unanswered questions relating to operation maintenance and repair Also i...

Page 3: ...r Battery Diagram 12 Adapter for Charging and 110 V Power Supply 13 Chapter 3 Voice System Overview 14 Location of Voice Units 14 Belt Transmitter 15 Robot Receiver 16 151 System Robot TX and Belt 151 Receiver 17 VR3U System 18 Voice System Troubleshooting 20 Chapter 4 MP3 Player System 22 Chapter 5 Robot Battery Systems 24 Robot Battery 24 Robot Battery Charger 25 Chapter 6 Drive Motor System 26 ...

Page 4: ...ppendix B Robot Parts Identification 45 Robot Frame Front View 46 Robot Frame Rear View 47 Processor Board 48 Audio Mixer 49 Drive Circuit Motor Controls 50 Power Distribution Board 51 Robot Frame Top View 52 Cap Linear Actuator Assembly 53 Base Frame Bottom View 54 Base Frame Inside View 55 Pluggie Eyes 56 Servo On Off Board 57 Notes Section 58 Technical Tips Section 59 These sections can be used...

Page 5: ...rges In no event shall ROBOTRONICS Inc be liable for any incidental or consequential damages in connection with or arising from the use of the robot The buyer is further responsible to ensure that proper and complete training be given to those operating the robot system as all aspects of such operation cannot be covered in a brief manual such as this In no event shall ROBOTRONICS Inc be liable for...

Page 6: ...ible for paying customs duties taxes and other fees The shipment must be labeled on the paperwork and on the outside of the container that it is For Educational Purposes If it is a warranty replacement or a repair return this also must be indicated both ways on the customs documentation Contact your customs agency on how to document the shipment correctly to avoid unnecessary customs charges After...

Page 7: ...crowds the robot should be operated slowly and smoothly without any sudden changes of direction Walls turns and other obstacles are hazards to be avoided Safe clearance should be maintained between these obstacles and the robot Never leave the robot ON when unattended or in direct sunlight for extended periods of time The robot is designed to be operated on hard smooth surfaces and carpet Avoid ex...

Page 8: ...er will be referred to as the RC in this manual Turn the RC ON first and then turn the robot ON Important RC power up steps 1 Put the four top switches in the forward position 2 Turn on the power switch The display will read switch error 3 Move the top left switch mp3 toward you and the display will now come on Check that the RC battery voltage is 9 Volts or more A fresh battery will show about 10...

Page 9: ...ier and water squirter These sections will give you step by step instructions for setup and related diagrams Step 7 Powering Down To turn off the system turn the main switch to the OFF position Finally turn off the Voice Transmitter Receiver and the Radio Control Transmitter Step 8 Charge the batteries again Connect the Robot battery to the charger and bring it back to a full charge before leaving...

Page 10: ...nut on the top of the cap rod should be tight also Before strapping the robot to the cart always put the robot cover on first The robot cover protects the body from getting scratches keeps UV light off it and helps the keep the cap on during transport Lift the robot on to the cart and place the wheels in the recess of the plastic platform Run the bunji cord around the robot enough times to hold it...

Page 11: ...P3 Player D Cap Function E Robot Battery Systems F Drive Motors G Eyelids and Eyes Left and Right The systems block diagram found here and in the Appendix shows how the various subsystems and their components are interrelated Following are explanations of each subsystem some operating instructions and trouble shooting hints where appropriate ...

Page 12: ...t The right hand joystick controls movement of the robot s drive wheels Pushing the stick forward will cause the robot to move forward Pulling the stick back will cause the robot to move backward Moving the stick to the right or left will cause the robot to turn to the right or left respectively Movement is fully proportional so any variation or combination of movement is possible The horizontal a...

Page 13: ...ff Charge Surprise Siren Cap MP3 Player Option Squirter RC Frequency RC Frequency and RF Module on back of RC Antenna Wire Battery Voltage 8 5 V is low IMPORTANT Do not change the menu settings The button pad menu and exit buttons are only used for setting up RC at factory Volume Voice Volume MP3 2 Left Stick Trim Right Stick Trim ...

Page 14: ...eft Robot drive motors steering Left and right turns 4 Forward Reverse Trim lever for right control stick Normal Center Neutrals the drive motors If the robot is moving slightly slide this a few clicks until robot stops moving 5 Left and right Trim lever for right control stick Normal Center Neutrals the drive motors If the robot is moving slightly slide this a few clicks until robot stops moving ...

Page 15: ...micro SD or MM memory card that you can load music onto If you have the MP3 player option then your switches will take on other functions when the MP3 mode switch is held on Two of the switches are for sound effects on the SD memory card The other two are for playing and selecting songs that you load on to the SD card You can also change the volume on the remote MP3 Switch Play Pause Stop Snd2 Snd...

Page 16: ...ware of how much charge there is left in the battery If you have an extra battery you can change batteries and keep going To install the NI MH battery pack you need to take the battery cover off the RC Disconnect the RC battery and put the NI MH battery in its place NI MH RC Battery and Charger Specifications NI MH RC transmitter battery 9 6 Volts 1700mAH NI MH RC transmitter battery charger 11 6 ...

Page 17: ...the battery overnight If it still does not operate test the battery with a Voltmeter Good level is 12 Volts 2 RC not transmitting 2 Check battery level on RC Send RC back to Robotronics 3 Processor Board is not getting power 3 If leds are not on check the fuse and wiring to the power distribution board One or two functions on the robot not working 1 Typically not the RC unless a switch or wire is ...

Page 18: ...the speaker in the operator s headset When putting the headset on adjust the earphone so that you can hear well and the mic so that the volume is good Note The operator s transmitter and receiver can be worn next to each other If you want you can use a belt pack The 151 Receiver antenna can be put in your pocket Location of Voice Units Voice Transmitter Operator wears Voice Receiver On the main el...

Page 19: ...requency channel Located on the back of the transmitter Function of the LED When turning on the power switch with a fresh alkaline 9 Volt the battery light will blink on momentarily and go out This indicates that it is powering up and that the battery is good Because the light is a low battery indicator when the light is on constant this indicates the battery is too low below 7 Volts Replace with ...

Page 20: ...tivity down slightly but turn the adjustment as little as possible because adjusting it will affect the range Frequency label Located on the side of the receiver Function of the LEDs TX LED This indicates that you are receiving a signal from the transmitter On some units it is a single TX light On other units it may have an A or B that it will alternate between AF LED This light indicates that aud...

Page 21: ...n the back of the receiver Function of LEDs When turning the volume knob on with a fresh alkaline battery the red light will blink on momentarily and go out This indicates that it is powering up and that the battery has enough charge on it As labeled the light is a low battery indicator When the light is on constant this indicates that the battery is below 7 Volts It then would need to be replaced...

Page 22: ...ur belt Frequency channel Located on the back of the transmitter Function of the LED When turning on the power switch with fresh alkaline batteries the led light will be green The led will be orange if the battery is low but the battery feeding this is the robot battery UB 3 Transmitter Robot to Operator 1 Latching Battery Door 2 Battery Compartment 3 Input Volume 4 Input Jack 3 5mm 5 Audio Mute O...

Page 23: ...slide switch to the ON position The volume is on the top of the receiver which you may set to the desired volume Frequency label Located on the back of the receiver Function of the LEDs TX LED This indicates that you are receiving a signal from the transmitter On some units it is a single TX light Green indicates you are receiving a signal Red indicates a low battery VR 3U Receiver Tip The operato...

Page 24: ...n turning on the power switch of the transmitter the light should blink on and go off If either of these lights stays on constant the 9 volt battery is too low and must be replaced 2 Check that the battery is in the correct polarity and confirm that the battery contacts are making a solid connection to the spring clips inside the compartment Bend them out slightly if necessary If the battery is ma...

Page 25: ...cannot hear 1 Low Battery LED on steady or no LED flash 1 Replace the 9 Volt battery 2 Battery posts not touching the metal clips in the operator s receiver 2 Bend out the metal clips Put foam under clips 3 Headset plug to 151 RX has a broken wire 3 Unscrew cover of plug and look for broken wire 4 Robot 151 transmitter not turned on 4 Turn on audio and power 5 Power plug to robot 151 transmitter u...

Page 26: ... Music When you first turn on the robot the MP3 player will take a few seconds to start up before you can operate it To play a song hold the MP3 mode switch and push the play switch shown on the diagram below Tips After you move forward or back to a new track the music will start right when you release the switch When you scroll to the last track it will stop there If you want to go to the first t...

Page 27: ...d Turn the robot off before removing or installing the card Remove the cap of the robot to locate the MP3 player Push on the memory card and it will slide out part way Remove the card Now you can load music on the card If you need more storage space get a card with additional capacity If you need to add the sound effects to a new card make a copy of the folder with the sound effects on and place i...

Page 28: ...Charging the robot battery outside the robot Locate the Pluggie charging cable adapter This is a cord with a red and black rectangular connector on one side and a connector that plugs into the charger on the other side First connect the round side to your robot battery charger Taking Care of the Robot Battery The number one rule for battery care is to keep the batteries fully charged at all times ...

Page 29: ...y gives off a small percentage of the gas that a wet lead acid battery does the following precautions should be observed 1 Do not position your face over the battery at any time while making connections while charging the battery outside the robot 2 Do not smoke strike a match or cause a spark in the vicinity of the battery during charging 3 Charge battery in a dry well ventilated area 4 Do not ex...

Page 30: ...s a white connector in line The joystick could be pushed in the on position while the connector is being checked for an intermittent connection If there is a bad connection the connector and or pins should be replaced While doing the test just explained have the robot wheels off the ground Perform the following depending on the symptoms indicated Note The best way to look at what the drive motors ...

Page 31: ...ck For example if at full speed the robot veers to the right this means that the left motor is going faster than the right motor To correct this you would use the Programming Display Remove the cap and connect it to the connection on the top of the frame On the menu select Set Drive Then select forward in this case Change the number to a lower number and save it Try the drive and see if a lower nu...

Page 32: ... Random Modes All On All auto features on All Off Eyes On Auto Blink Head On robots with turn head Set Drive Forward select center is 50 Below 50 is more left Above 50 is more right Range is 0 100 Backward select center is 50 Below 50 is more left Above 50 is more right Range is 0 100 Drive Mode Change to drive limit Drive Mode Limit Switch enabled turns drive limit on then you must hold MP3 Mode ...

Page 33: ...the eyes left and right does not operate 1 Check the linkage from the servo motor Look for the servo arm off the servo shaft or the eyelid off the ball link 2 Follow the wires from the specific servo motor with the problem The wire will run to the eye servo board If it is disconnected reconnect according to the eye servo board diagram If the servo does not work correctly wrong direction try one of...

Page 34: ...er squirter switch in the momentary position until water comes out the overflow nozzle You may stop sooner if you want Be sure that the water is filling in the reservoir There will typically be a change in the motor sound when it is full 4 Plug the water line back in and switch the water squirter switch to the on position How to operate your water squirter system 1 The water squirter system must h...

Page 35: ...31 Water Squirter System Parts Water pump Female Water Connector Water Reservoir Connect Filler Bottle Here to Fill Reservoir Water Squirter Switch Overflow Nozzle ...

Page 36: ... on or off 2 Output Jacks Output A is what we use 3 DC power jack 9V center negative blue black 4 Input Jack Audio input wire from the wireless receiver plugs in here 5 EXP Jack Not used 6 Pedal Switch Turns it on or off 7 Thumbscrew To release pedal 8 D Time Speed Knob Delay time Not used in pitch shifter or harmonist mode 9 Balance knob This adjust the output balance between the direct sound and...

Page 37: ...voice but different operators may want to vary this The shifter gets power from the robot battery no internal battery is needed If the cover of the main electronics box ever needs to be removed do not allow the shifter power wire plug to contact the metal box The metal box surface has a ground connection The fuse related to the shifter is the audio fuse located on the fuse block Above is a typical...

Page 38: ... wire with plug water squirter hose optional feature 4 Unlatch the body latches that attach the body to the frame These are located to the left and right just above the frame Pull the latch pins inward to unlatch 5 It is easiest to pull the body off by putting your hands down along the bottom edge of the body at the seams Pull out slightly and then up As you lift up make sure that the wires no wir...

Page 39: ...soap If this causes the finish of the plastic to become dull apply ARMOR ALL brand protectant Do NOT use alcohol on the eyes 7 Check the Radio Control System and Voice Transceiver for broken wires controls cases etc The metal clips that are in the voice units and contact the 9 Volt battery should be bent out routinely to maintain good contact 8 Fully charge the battery and test all robot system fu...

Page 40: ...ppers Wire cutters diagonal cutters 7 16 3 8 wrenches Set of Allen wrenches Especially 3 32 and 1 8 sizes Extra 9 Volt alkaline batteries Small soldering iron and solder Small can all purpose lubricant Digital Multimeter Volts Ohms Software in the robot The robot this manual is for makes use of open source firmware libraries for Arduino If you would like copies of these libraries email us your con...

Page 41: ...mpers gauge plates etc Carefully cover parts that are not to be painted with masking tape and paper to protect against over spray Method 2 Note If you use method 2 you should contact a professional painter that has had experience painting on various types of surfaces These are automotive type paints and typically include a primer and base coat For a glossy look you can use a glossy base coat or a ...

Page 42: ...ue from running Apply some of the PVC or ABS glue along the seam only on the inside of the body Check to make sure that the glue is not running through the crack on to the outside of the body Note Avoid getting the glue on your hands 5 Immediately put the fiberglass mesh on the glue and pat it down to saturate into the glue 6 Apply some more PVC or ABS glue over the fiberglass mesh to saturate it ...

Page 43: ...e 6 Clean the body and top as per instructions in maintenance section If robot is stored with a dirty body it may be harder to clean at a later date as stains may become permanent 7 Storing your robot with a dust cover on it will keep the robot clean and protect the body from scratches It will also keep ultra violet light from affecting the ABS plastic body 8 The robot and batteries should be stor...

Page 44: ...40 APPENDIX A ...

Page 45: ...for broken wire or solder joint Operator cannot hear Low Battery Replace the 9 Volt battery Battery posts not touching the metal clips in the operator s receiver Bend out the metal clips Headset plug to 151 RX has a broken wire Unscrew cover of plug and look for broken wire Robot 151 transmitter not turned on Turn on audio and power Power plug to robot 151 transmitter unplugged Find wire and plug ...

Page 46: ...Robotronics for repair Robot not driving straight One motor pulley set screw loose Tighten set screws Straight drive adjustment needs to be adjusted Find adjustment on the main circuit board See diagram of main board in Appendix Character Head Turning System Head is out of position but operates Loose head set screw or head was hit Re position head and tighten set screw Better to do this with the r...

Page 47: ...on Broken wire at pump or W S switch Repair re solder broken wire Cannot squirt pump sound yes Reservoir empty Fill Reservoir with filler bottle Water line is not connected to water connector Connect it Overflow tube and squirt tube are switched at the reservoir Swap them back Overflow tube is the one that is in the top of the bottle and the tube runs to an outlet on the bottom of the frame Voice ...

Page 48: ...44 Robot Block Diagram Appendix A Robot Functional Block Diagram ...

Page 49: ...45 APPENDIX B ROBOT PARTS IDENTIFICATION ...

Page 50: ...46 Robot Frame Front View Audio Mixer Processor Board Power Dist Board On Off Servo Board Radio Control Receiver Cap Actuator Relay Board Motor Control ...

Page 51: ... Robot Frame Rear View Body Latch On Off Recharge Switch Cap Linear Actuator Cap Rod Wireless Voice UHF and Antennas 151 Voice Transmitter Water Reservoir Water Pump Body Latch Audio Booster Overflow tube ...

Page 52: ...C Blue Purple Grey White Black Red Brown Green NC 5 Pin 3 Pin 3 Pin Receiver Channel Wires Signal from Receiver Blue Green Audio Mixer Gray On Off Servo Bd White Lcd Interface e RC Receiver Channels 1 Green 2 Brown 3 Red 4 Black 5 White 6 Gray 7 Purple 8 Blue PWM Data Led Power Led ...

Page 53: ... Blue 5 Audio from MP3 Player Gray Blk White 6 Voice Audio from VR3U Receiver 7 Left Channel Audio to Amp Blk White 8 Right Channel Audio to Amp Blk White 9 Power to Board 12 V 10 jumper Mouth triggering select 11 jumper Music channel pass through select 12 Level adjust for Aux audio input to the right of this adjustment 11 5 4 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 9 10 12 1 ...

Page 54: ...50 Drive Circuit Signal from Processor Blue Green Black Red Motor Wires Blue Yellow Fuses 1 Amp 20 Amp 20 Amp Power Led Data Led ...

Page 55: ...o Power 5 Amp LCD Inter Pwr MP3 Pwr RC Receiver 151 TX 12V Servo Board Pwr 12V Cap Actuator Relay Board Pwr 12V Servo On Off Pwr Eye Servos Cap Actuator Squirter Pitch Shifter 9V Audio Mixer 12V Amp Power 12V UHF Receiver 12 V VR3U Pwr 3V Pwr to Processor Bd 9V ...

Page 56: ...re to Refill Microphone Jack 16 Pin Connector Eye Servos Body Latch MP3 Player with SD card Squirt for Squirting Water Fill For Filling Water Reservoir On some robots the VR3U transmitter is located next to the MP3 Player The mic connects directly to it LCD Interface Display Connector ...

Page 57: ...53 Cap Linear Actuator Cap Linear Actuator Cap Rod Linkage The actuator is also attached at bottom of actuator on a rod with two collars ...

Page 58: ... On Off Refill Battery Door Wing Nut Left Motor Pulley Left Drive Motor Pulley Set Screw Left Drive Belt Speakers Power Switch Forward On Center Off Back Charge Right Drive Motor Pulley Set Screw Right Motor Pulley Right Drive Belt Right Drive Wheel Battery Recharge Plug Battery Access Door Front Wheel Caster ...

Page 59: ...rflow Nozzle Right Drive Wheel Water Pump Switch On Off Refill Left Drive Motor Right Drive Belt Speakers Power Switch Forward On Center Off Back Charge Right Drive Motor Left Drive Belt Left Drive Wheel Battery Recharge Plug Battery Access Door ...

Page 60: ...56 Pluggie Eyes Top View of Eyes Inside Robot Right Eyelid Servo Left Eyelid Servo Set Screw Set Screws Set Screw Eyelid Rod Eyelid Rod Eyes Left Right Servo 16 Pin Connector Ball Link Ball Link ...

Page 61: ...te Red Blk S1 S2 Eyes Option S3 Right Lid S4 Left Lid S5 S6 Serial Data from Processor Board Gray Wire Data Led 12 V Power In Red Black Fuse 10 Amp Reset Cap Actuator Black Yellow J23 Squirter Pump Black Blue J19 Red Black J17 ...

Page 62: ...58 Notes ...

Page 63: ...59 Technical Tips ...