Stewart Platform Simulator Progress

I’ve got good news for everyone who bought a Stewart Platform v2: a 3D simulator is on the way.

After 6 months of trying, I finally got OpenGL and Java menus/buttons playing nicely together thanks to the good people at Jogamp.  I plan to update all my robots to use the technology.  The easiest place to start is with a program that doesn’t exist yet, rather than force several old programs into the new paradigm.  That means the Stewart Platform gets some love first.

In the view above, I’ve got STL model parts of each file loading and positioned correctly and some lighting effects.  The next step is to add the Inverse Kinematics into the simulation so I can click context-sensitive controls on the right and get matching movement on the left, a lot like the Makelangelo software.  Then I plan to connect the software to the robot so that both are running at once.  Finally, recording a movement while not connected, then connecting and playing it back.

The same program could be used to drive a robot by remote control, which we’ll need to build my moon base.

In the mid term, I want all my robots running from this One Ring program.  By clicking on a robot you’ll get a different context sensitive menu.  There may also be some way to get them to message each other.  That way I hope to build relatively inexpensive assembly lines.  If my 3D printer can tell my robot arm that it’s finished then the arm can take the plate (and the print stuck on top) out of the printer.  One step closer to self-assembling machines!

Tomorrow I’ll post an update on my progress with this program.