The kit supplies all the sensors, electronics, and mechanical hardware you need to
construct a custom designed, fully autonomous mobile robot. It is designed to go together
very easily because the tricky electronics parts are assembled and tested at the factory,
including the microprocessor, memory, and interface circuits. The rest of the electronics
components are easy to solder in place, even for a beginner.
Programming
Rug Warrior is programmed from your computer (either Mac or IBM PC compatible). Programs
for Rug Warrior are written in a powerful and easy-to-learn programming system;
Interactive C. The code is then downloaded to the robot via the serial port. Library
routines and self-test code are provided for all of Rug Warrior's standard sensors and
actuators. Also included is a demonstration program that exercises many of Rug Warriors
capabilities. Source code for all robot programs is included on a 3.5" disk.
Rug Warrior can be controlled directly from your computer's keyboard by typing
commands, or it can operate autonomously under the control of its on-board microprocessor.
The Interactive C programming environment makes it easy to test and debug any portion of
your robot program. Documentation for Interactive C is included.
Sensors
The Rug Warrior is packed with an amazing array of sensors to detect and react to
its environment. The robot can be programmed to explore your home and find its way with
its left and right visible light detectors. It will sense and avoid walls with its left
and right infrared obstacle illuminators and detector. If your cat decides to paw it, the
robot will detect it with the six-direction bump-sensing "full enclosure" skirt.
Left and right wheel encoders enables your robot to sense the distance it has covered and
the direction it is going. It can even be programmed to react to the sounds it hears with
its built-in microphone. Library functions simplify access to all sensors and actuators
and the self-test code provides examples of how to use the library functions.
Feedback
The robot can let you
know what it is sensing and thinking with several feedback devices. An LED indicates a low
battery, and a piezo buzzer can be programmed to sound at a particular event or condition.
The 32 Character (2 lines x 16) Liquid Crystal Display is also very useful for debugging
and feedback.
Electronics
The "brains" of the robot is the versatile and powerful MC68HC11
microcontroller from Motorola. A time sharing operating system allows the execution of
parallel processes. One process may be used for motor control, while another independent
process is used for reading and processing sensor values. Wiring of sensors and actuators
is simplified with two ribbon cables.
Three analog input lines and three digital input lines are not committed to sensors in
the standard package. You can use these to customize your robot. The standard electronics
include a low-dropout Voltage regulator for logic supply and memory backup and a
low-voltage inhibit chip to resist memory corruption during transients.
Optional stackable expansion modules are available if you would like to add your own
custom circuitry to the robot. These boards plug right into the standard electronics board
for unlimited experimentation potential. See below for details.
Mechanics
Two high quality 6-Volt gear motors drive the dual 2.5" wheels. The robot
balances on a third wheel - a 1 inch Delrin caster. A transparent body or
"skirt" surrounds and protects the robot. The kit comes with a battery box to
hold a high capacity power pack, and all the mounting hardware you need to complete the
robot. All these components are assembled onto a custom chassis plate. When finished, your
robot will measure 7.3 inches in diameter and 4.75 inches tall. The Rug Warrior will
operate several hours on one battery charge.
Assembly
The assembly manual provides detailed instructions for installing the standard sensors and
support circuitry. Alternately, you can customize the board as desired. Diagnostic
software, included with the kit, helps builders discover any errors they might make as
subsystems are added. Experienced builders should be able to assemble all electronic and
mechanical components in a weekend.
Expandability
You can customize your robot in many ways. In addition to the RugEx stackable expansion
modules, the RugI/O Input Output Module enables the easy addition of extra sensors and
actuators. Also available is the RugBat Sonar Range Finder. RugBat consists of a sonar
transducer and the associated circuitry needed to perform real-time sonar ranging
measurements. By providing an accurate measure of the distance, sonar ranging allows a
robot to avoid nearby obstacles and to find long clear paths for navigation.
Join the Club
Mobile Robots : Inspiration to Implementation was first published in 1993. It
became an immediate best seller in the field of hobby robotics. In 1994 the Rug Warrior
kits were made available to the public and they became the number one best selling kits
ever. In 1997 the kit was revised and updated and became known as "Rug Warrior
Pro" (all our descriptions refer to the latest version of the kit). In 1999 a new
edition of Mobile Robots : Inspiration to Implementation was published and it
sparked even more interest and sales of the Rug Warrior.
The generous array of sensors, and the ease of use and assembly have made the
Rug Warrior the number-one choice for people interested in robotics. Numerous universities
and research institutes also use the Rug Warrior. For example, the Institute for Parallel
and Distributed High Performance Systems at the University of Stuttgart uses 15 of these
robots for teaching lab courses in Mobile Robotics as well as for other research.
Optional Components
Rug Warrior is currently offered in three different forms:
Brains Kit -- Circuit board and all required sensors and electronic
components.
Brawn Kit -- All the mechanical components.
Full Rug Warrior Kit -- A combination of the Brains and Brawn kits.
Also available are several optional components:
RugEx -- Experimenter Board
RugI/O -- Input Output module
RugBat -- Sonar Range Finder
Check below for the details, and choose the options that are right for you!
![robot](robot.gif)
Rug Warrior Pro: The Brains
![robot](robot.gif)
The Brains kit includes the circuit board and all required sensors and
electronic components. The Brains kit is shipped partially assembled -- critical logic,
memory, and interface components are factory installed and tested. So right out of the
box, Rug Warrior is ready to connect to your computer and accept programs. Sensors and
auxiliary circuitry are left to you to assemble from parts included in the kit. Full
instructions are provided in the accompanying Mobile Robot Assembly Guide.
The Brains kit includes:
Motorola MC68HC11 microcontroller
LCD screen; two lines, 16 characters per line
32 K of battery backed static RAM
RS-232 serial port
Full coverage collision detector
Dual photoresistor light sensors
Infrared obstacle emitters and detector
Microphone
Dual shaft encoders
L293 two channel motor driver chip
Piezoelectric buzzer
Four user-controllable LEDs
Battery holder for logic supply
Floppy Disk with "Interactive C"
Interactive C Manual
Library function to control all sensors and actuators
The Mobile Robot Assembly Guide
Self test program
Robot demonstration program
Rug Warrior Experts Group member list for online help
The Brains Kit can be used with robots other than the Brawn Kit. This is a
great way to add a microcontroller, electronics, motor drivers, and sensors to your own
robot.
This item has been discontinued. Please visit the
Robot Kits page.
![robot](robot.gif)
Rug Warrior Pro: The Brawn
![robot](robot.gif)
The Brawn Kit includes motors, wheels, chassis, and transparent skirt --
all the components needed for building a versatile mobility platform. The Brawn Kit is
compatible with other popular robot circuit boards and single-board computers.
The Brawn kit includes:
Two 6 Volt Gear Motors
Two 2 1/2" Wheels
Custom Delrin Caster Wheel
Custom Chassis Plate
Clear Plastic Body
Battery Box
Mounting Hardware
Interactive C Manual
The Mobile Robot Assembly Guide
Rug Warrior Experts Group member list for online help
The Brains kit includes software and documentation. The Brawn kit includes
documentation but not software.
This item has been discontinued. Please visit the
Robot Kits page.
![robot](robot.gif)
Rug Warrior Pro: The Complete Kit
![robot](robot.gif)
![Rug Warrior Robot Kit](rug_warrior.jpg)
Rug Warrior Pro is the perfect small autonomous robot, whether your
interests include learning robotics, performing cooperative agent research, or
experimenting with cutting-edge technology. The Rug Warrior Pro kit contains the complete
processing, memory, and sensor circuitry (Brains), as well as the motors, wheels, chassis
and custom body parts (Brawn). Rug Warrior Pro also offers a powerful and easy-to-learn
programming system, Interactive C.
The Rug Warrior Pro Complete Kit includes:
Motorola MC68HC11 microcontroller
LCD screen; two lines, 16 characters per line
32 K of battery backed static RAM
RS-232 serial port
Full coverage collision detector
Dual photoresistor light sensors
Infrared obstacle emitters and detector
Microphone
Dual shaft encoders
L293 two channel motor driver chip
Piezoelectric buzzer
Four user-controllable LEDs
Battery holder for logic supply
Floppy Disk with "Interactive C"
Interactive C Manual
Library function to control all sensors and actuators
Self test program
Robot demonstration program
Two 6 Volt Gear Motors
Two 2 1/2" Wheels
Custom Delrin Caster Wheel
Custom Chassis Plate
Clear Plastic Body
Battery Box
Mounting Hardware
The Mobile Robot Assembly Guide
Rug Warrior Experts Group member list for online help
The Rug Warrior Pro Complete Kit is a combination of the Brains kit and
the Brawn kit. It has everything you need to construct a fully functioning autonomous
mobile robot.
This item has been discontinued. Please visit the
Robot Kits page.
![robot](robot.gif)
RugEx: Experimenter Board
![robot](robot.gif)
RugEx provides a 1.7 by 3 inch prototyping area with 466 plated
through-holes for designing and building your own electronic system. Standard stackable
connectors are included in addition to a full description of the expansion standard. Use
these stackable expansion modules to add your own electronics to the Rug Warrior.
This item has been discontinued. Please visit the
Robot Kits page.
![robot](robot.gif)
RugI/O: Input Output Module
![robot](robot.gif)
RugI/O: Input Output Module enables the easy addition of extra
sensors and actuators. RugI/O simplifies the debugging and monitoring of these new
devices. Each RugI/O adds eight new input lines and eight new output lines to Rug Warrior
Pro. Stack as many as four RugI/O boards together.
This item has been discontinued. Please visit the
Robot Kits page.
![robot](robot.gif)
RugBat: Sonar Range Finder
![robot](robot.gif)
The
RugBat Sonar Range Finder consists of a sonar transducer and all the associated circuitry
needed to perform real-time sonar ranging measurements. By providing an accurate measure
of distance, sonar ranging allows a robot to avoid nearby obstacles and to find long clear
paths for navigation.
This item has been discontinued. Please visit the
Robot Kits page.
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