-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 27
Parts List
I estimate that the absolute minimum cost is going to be $1,500. Here I have included the minimum parts list with prices where I can.
Because Parallax sells the Arlo Robotic Platform as a kit this list is fairly short.
The majority of the robot I use is just an Arlo Robotic Platform from Parallax. Parallax which is sold as a complete kit:
- Arlo Complete Robot System $995.00
ROS needs a "LIDAR" or "Laser Scanner". They are expensive, but there are some "rotary" scanners that are a less expensive option. While similar to a "true LIDAR", they are essentially a spinning single point distance measuring device. They are not as good as commercial lidar units, but they work.
My Recommendation:
- SLAMTEC RPLIDAR rotating scanners.
- RPLIDAR A1 - $100
- RPLIDAR A2 - $350
- RPLIDAR A3 - $600
I use an A3 SLAMTEC RPLIDAR.
A couple of people on the ROS for Arlbot Google Group have also had success with the A1 and A2 model on their robots.
Each one is more expensive than the previous, but has higher resolution. I can say the A3 works. I cannot offer advice on how well the A1 or A2 works, please research online before purchasing.
NOTE: The old "use a 3D camera as a fake lidar" option once used on Turtlebot with a Kinect, etc. is no longer well supported. It worked well enough in Gmapping, but Gmapping is no longer maintained in ROS. Slam Toolbox is the default SLAM package for ROS2, and it has been proven to be fussy with the narrow field of view (FOV) of camera based sensors. The latest Turtlebots use spinning rotary sensors.
- NOT recommended:
- Scanse Sweep - Resolution is too low.
- XV11 "Neato" Lidar from old vacuum cleaners - Resolution too low and rotation not stable.
ROS Runs on Ubuntu on a PC. My setup does not work on Android or Raspberry Pi.
The original TurtleBot came with an ASUS “Netbook” with an Atom N525 dual-core 1.8GHz CPU. While this works, I think it should be considered the absolute minimum for a usable laptop for ArloBot.
-
HP EliteBook 2760p from Ebay $250
- This is what I bought. Obviously buying a laptop on Ebay is a crap shoot. Fortunately if it is beat up, or the keyboard or touch pad are broken that is ok.
If you have an old laptop, or can borrow one, that is the best way to get started. Once you figure out what you want, then keep an eye on Amazon and/or Ebay for one you can buy.
Remember that it is easy to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows, so you can always use a laptop that has to perform other duties to also run on the robot.
-
SainSmart USB Eight Channel Relay Board
- This isn't required, and with the new DHB-10 motor controller it is even less important. However, it is built into my code and you can use it for doing nifty things on your robot later.
- There is also a 4 port version that is smaller and a little cheaper. I haven't tried it, and the code will have to be modified to work with it, but I can help you with that and then we can make it automatic for future users.