The document introduces the Ubiquity Robotics Platform, an open source robotics platform for domestic robot research and development. It aims to provide an affordable, adaptable, and capable robot platform to enable personal and domestic robot applications. The platform is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS) and uses affordable commercial off-the-shelf components. It then describes the initial Hercules robot prototype and future Magni robot platform, which will have a metal frame, 100lb payload capacity, navigation capabilities, and retail for under $1000. The document concludes by introducing the smaller Loki robot for learning ROS.

1. The Ubiquity Robotics Platform
Using Open Source Software for Domestic Robot
Research and Development
Presented by: Alan Federman, et al.
for
HBRC
What would you do with your own personal robot?
Ubiquity Robotics

2. Why?
A widely available affordable, adaptable and
capable developers platform would bring about
a new age of personal/domestic robots.
Ubiquity Robotics
About thirty years ago, ‘personal’ computers became affordable. We’ve been
waiting patiently for the advent of ‘personal’ robots. We are done waiting.

3. You can’t buy a general purpose personal robot today.
Developer Platforms
or single purpose.
1.5k 40k 400k
Ubiquity Robotics

4. We want Rosie or R2D2...
Ubiquity Robotics
..but we have Roomba or Turtlebot. Neither are very
capable. What we need now is a developers platform
that is both adaptable and capable.

5.  Hardware is difficult.
 Software is even more of a challenge.
 Fortunately, Willow Garage developed software called
ROS – Robot Operating System
Ubiquity Robotics
The Dilemma:

6. What is ROS?
Ubiquity Robotics
•A Distributed, Modular Design
•A Vibrant Community
•Permissive Licensing
•A Collaborative Environment
Open source Linux based, recent Indigo version
tuned for Ubuntu 14.04, module update via apt-
get. Catkin build system for adding custom code
in Python, C+, Java. Works on ARM (BBB, Jetson,
Android, Raspberry Pi 2.

7. ROS is an “OS”
Ubiquity Robotics
What does that mean? As there was no ‘Google’
until there was a browser and an http server –
widespread use of autonomous robots require an
OS infrastructure. For personal computers we
had CP/M, and then MS-DOS.
ROS has a steep learning curve, but the work
load for developers is reduced considerably, and
the complexity is transparent to the end user.

8. ROS Standard Robot Messages
Ubiquity Robotics
•Standard Message Definitions for Robots
•Robot Geometry Library
•Robot Description Language
•Preemptable Remote Procedure Calls
•Diagnostics
•Pose Estimation
•Localization
•Mapping
•Navigation

9. ROS Geometry/SLAM
Ubiquity Robotics

10. ROS Tools – RVIZ - RQT
Ubiquity Robotics

11. ROS – 1000s of users, but few entry level platforms.
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)
• Skybotix
• Aldebaran’s NAO humanoid
• Meka Robotics' systems
• Murata
Why launch now?
Ubiquity Robotics

12. Computers in the 1970s
Flexibility
CostHigh
High
Low
Low
•Low cost general
purpose machine
possible when
both high cost
general purpose
and low cost
specific purpose
machines exist
•Home brew
enthusiasts first
to enter with
difficult to
manufacture
designs
•Opportunity
exists for low cost
general purpose
mass producible
design

13. ?
Robots in 2015
Flexibility
CostHigh
High
Low
Low
•Current
situation
indicates low
cost high
flexibility robot
possible
•Need to create
easy to
manufacture
design

14. How?
• Open source software (ROS)
• Advanced COTS technology
• Agile methodology (Trello, Slack, Github)
• Product designed around the existing
supply chain, not vice versa.
Ubiquity Robotics

15. What?
‘Magni*’ Robotics Platform
• 100 lb payload
• 8 hours endurance
• navigate in ADA compliant space
• widely adaptable for useful work
• affordable
*Magni was originally called Hercules.
Ubiquity Robotics

16. Hercules* V-1 was based on
an electric wheel chair and
weighed about 150lbs. The
motors weighed 20lbs each
and needed 2 automobile
lead acid batteries.
“Party Bot”
Ubiquity Robotics

17. Ubiquity Robotics
• Brushless hub
motors
• Custom ESC
• Tubular steel chassis
• Rear Casters
• SLA Batteries
• ARM based CPU
• COTS sensors
Ubiquity Robotics

18. Navigation:
Room Mapping/Location – obstacle avoidance-
route planning - SLAM
Ubiquity Robotics

19. CPUs
• Laptops/PCs
• Raspberry Pi
• Beaglebone Black
• Radxa Rock
• Jetson TK1
• Raspberry Pi II
Sensors
• XV-11 LDS
•Kinect
•Point Grey
•Sonar Array
• ARS Advanced Room Sensor
•Future ‘Lidar’ ‘3-D Camera’
Ubiquity Robotics

20. ROS ‘Hercules*’ Specific Nodes
Ubiquity Robotics
•hercules-node
•hercules-sonar-skirt
•hercules-urdf
•hercules-safety-controller
• xv-11
• point-grey
• ceiling fiducials
*Magni

21. Marketing – Roll out plans.
First 10 Magni platforms are under construction. After
video production, we plan to go forward with a
crowd funding campaign raise enough capital to
manufacture 300 to 1000 units.
Ubiquity Robotics

22. Like the personal computer, we really do not know
what the best purpose for our platform will be. We
have a few ‘use cases’ we can demonstrate. It is up to
you to develop the ‘killer app.’
Ubiquity Robotics

23. Size and Dimensions
• Length: 19.0”/ 484 mm
• Width: 16.4” / 417mm
• Height: 10.3” / 263mm t
• Weight (w/o battery): 22 lbs / 10kg
• Weight (w/ batteries): 72 lbs / 33kg
Magni Robot Platform
• Integrated software for robot auto navigation with prebuilt robot applications
• Robot development environment
• Metal frame structure, supporting up to 100 pounds of payload
• Two 8-inch wheels with integrated 200W brushless DC motor
• Caster for stability
• Interchangeable top, supporting flexible addition of options including remote
presence interface, book tray, drink server
• Optional remote presence monitor and camera with audio
• ADA Compliant
• Ground Clearance
Main Processor
• Nvidia TK1 with Quad core plus one ARM
Cortex A15 “r3” CPU, 192 Kepler CUDA (GPU)
cores
• 2GB memory
• 4MB boot flash
• SD card slot for storage expansion
• USB 3.0
• PCI-mini Wifi supporting 802.11 a, b, g
• Processor is upgradeable
• Arduino for sensor management
• Motor controller
Software
• Robot Operating System (ROS) Indigo
open source software
• Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
• Community Support Forum
• Web based robot configurator
• Prebuilt functions for navigation,
obstacle avoidance, SLAM
• Prebuilt applications for room
mapping, self navigation to specified
destinations, remote presence using
optional remote presence add-on
• Built-in application access and API to
sensors and motion control
• Self diagnostics
• Sensor calibration
• Built-in wifi hot-spot for easy
integration with mobile devices
• GNU C build tools
• Python development
• Shared software code via Git using
BitBucket
• ROS Build Farm
20150207 Draft – Subject to Change
Motion
• Dual 8” wheels with integrated DC
motors
• Integrated odometer with N counts per
wheel revolution
• Motor controller integrated with main
processor
• Dual caster wheels
• Quiet operation
• Turning radius of 2’
Power
• 2 x 35 Amp-Hour rechargeable batteries
• AC charging
• Optional alternative lightweight
batteries
Sensors
• 2 Cameras (front facing and up facing)
• Sonar array
• Optional Cliff sensors
• Optional LIDAR

24. Hercules Robot Platform
20150207 Draft – Subject to Change

25. Magni Robot Platforms
Versions
We are still considering options for our kick starter but are
considering three versions:
$ Base(Bronze) - motors, chassis, controller only
$$ Developer (Silver)- BASE plus Raspberry Pi II and navigation
sensors
$$$ Shell(Gold) - DEVELOPER plus aluminum shell – near
commercial application ready.

26. Ubiquity Robotics
Magni Loki
Proposed Platforms for Kick starter Rollout.

27. Introducing: Loki
Ubiquity Robotics
Loki is a small robot used to learn ROS (Robot Operating
System.) ROS runs on a Raspberry Pi 2 computer board and
plugs into the Loki, controling 2 motors with drive electronics
and wheel encoders, 16 sonars, a 5 mega pixel camera, a 4
degree of freedom Arm, and a 6000mAH battery. An USB
wireless dongle is used to download software developed on a
laptop/desktop system, or run the robot via teleop.

28. Loki
Ubiquity Robotics
•Runs ROS on a Raspberry Pi 2 computer.
•Dimensions: 250mm (L) x 110mm (W) x ~200mm (H)
•Battery: 6000mAH Lithium-Ion Battery Pack
•Sonar: 16 HC-SR04 sonar(s)
•Motors: 2 Micro Metal Gear motors 298:1 Gear Reduction
•Wheels: 70mm (D) x 8mm (W)
•Encoders: 16.26 ticks/mm
•Speed: 1 M/Sec
•Embedded Processor: 20MHz @ 5V Atmel ATmega2560 (Arduino Mega
compatible)
•Arm: 4 degree of freedom Me Arm 0.4
•LED's: 8
•Expansion: 2x5 .1in Expansion Bus Connector
•Camera: Upward pointing Raspberry Pi Camera (2592 x 1944 pixels)

29. So our question still is:
What would you do with your own
personal robot?
Ubiquity Robotics