Version 24, last updated by jlg at January 31, 2010 UTC
Mechanical Caracteristics
- Target max speed: 1m/s
- Target size: 42mm x 42mm x 42mm (cardboard model on the right)
- Target weight: ~60g
Drive train

Micro motor
http://www.solarbotics.com/products/gm10w/
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Diam 25mm
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Width 5.7mm
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Weight: 2g
Optical encoders
I will use 2 optical encoder one can find in an old ball mouse.
Assembly
The base of the robot will be an assembly of two couples (RPM15 + wheel).
The motor drives directly the wheel, thanks to the reductor directly on the motor.
Estimated weight (without the assembly plate and hardware): 10g
The total width of this assembly can fit in 42mm.
Torque and Speed
Some tests with the pager motors showed a lack of torque.
Let's check our needs in torque and speed:
Torque
Assume the following parameters:
- Total weight = 0.210 [kg] (150g ball on top of a 60g robot - even if we don't plan to have this configuration)
- Wheel diameter = 0.025 [m] (assume gm10w)
- Acceleration max = 0.5 [m.s-2] (theoretical)
- Speed max = 1 [m.s-1] (theoretical)
The necessary torque is the torque needed to compensate the force F = w * a at a distance D/2 when the robot is at a full stop:
Torque = 0.210 * 0.5 * 0.025/2 = 1.3125 [milli-Newton.meters]
Double check with the dimensions: kg*m/s/s*m = N*m OK !
WolframAlpha tells us it equivalent to 13.4 g.cm, our GM15 motor appears to be powerful enough at 3V, and don't forget we use 2 motors to move, so the needed torque is half this number, or 6.7 g*cm \o/ (or 200% security margin).
Speed
Motor speed: 920 RPM @ 3V free (remember, LiPo = 3.7V)
Wheel diameter: 25mm
Wheel perimeter: 78.54mm
Reduction: 1:1
Wheel speed: 920 RPM
Max Linear speed: 1200 mm/s (theoretically).
The motor graph shows we will be able to push the ball with a speed up to 30cm/s.
Battery
LiPo batteries comes in different sizes and packages. I'll use a 350mAh, 3.7V single cell, placed in front of the robot. HobbyKing
- ZIPPY_400mAh_20C_single_cell 42x23x6.9mm, 9.8g
- ZIPPY_240mAh_20C_single_cell 35x21x5.30mm, 5.9g
- ZIPPY_Flightmax_138mAh-V2_1S_10C 35x12x6mm, 3.7g
- ZIPPY_70mAh_20C_single_cell 24x16x4.70mm, 2g
