Weekly Robotics #12 04 Nov 2018

1) Sawppy Rover.

https://github.com/Roger-random/Sawppy_Rover

INFO: Remember the NASA Open Source Rover? The author of Sawppy took inspiration from this project and greately simplified it, reducing the estimated build price from 2000$ to 500$.

2) Wingtra completes BVLOS flight in Tanzania.

https://www.suasnews.com/2018/10/wingtra-flies-bvlos-at-the-lake-victoria-challenge/

INFO: As a part of Lake Victoria Challenge Wingtra, a vertical takeoff and landing fixed wing UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), performed 22 km BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line Of Sight) flight across the lake.

3) SLAM for Dummies.

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.208.6289

INFO: SLAM for dummies is a 40 page (plus additional 80 pages of appendices) tutorial on SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The tutorial covers 2D SLAM for mobile robot applications using a LiDAR scanner, EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) and robot wheel odometry.

4) ArduCopter 3.6.0 has been released.

https://discuss.ardupilot.org/t/copter-3-6-0-released/34509

INFO: A new major version of ArduCopter, an open source flight control software, has been released after months of beta testing. The release supports new kinds of boards targeting ChibiOS, new flight modes (including optical flow hold mode) and improvements for non-GPS navigation (for example for using motion capture system).

5) TU Berlin tutorial on soft actuators.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss-9iXRUeGc

INFO: The actuators are made of rubber and sewing string. You will need a vacuum chamber and a way to 3D print molds.

6) Cycloidal reduction drive generator for Autodesk Fusion360.

https://github.com/mawildoer/cycloidal_generator

INFO: This repository contains a script to generate a 3D model of cycloidal drive. In the media directory you will find the photos, gifs and videos of the drive in action.

7) Paper of the week - A Robust Layered Control System for a Mobile Robot (1985).

http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a160833.pdf

INFO: This 1985 paper shows a methodology for a layered control system where any higher level layer can subsum the roles of lower level layers when they want to take control. In the proposed architecture the layer 0 is meant to avoid contact with objects, layer 1 wanders aimlessly without hitting things, layer 2 is exploration/navigation and so on.

Careers

0) Would you like to advertise an open position in a robotics related company?

https://weeklyrobotics.com/About

INFO: If you would like us to include your open position in the hiring section please feel free to send us an e-mail.

1) Robosynthesis (Twyford, UK) - Robotics Mechatronics / Software Engineers.

http://robosynthesis.com/jobs/

INFO: Robosynthesis offers a flexible, robust and cost effective modular robotic delivery platform.

2) Skydio (Redwood City, CA, US) - Various Positions.

https://www.skydio.com/team/

INFO: Skydio develops a fully autonomous R1 cinematic quadrotor.

3) Brain Corporation (San Diego, CA, US) - Various Positions.

https://braincorporation.applytojob.com/apply/

INFO: Brain Corp is an AI company that specializes in the development of self-driving technology.