eros:dynamixelcontroltables

Seed Robotics units using the EROS architecture use an external control approach where all aspects of the unit are exposed as tables that can be read (queried) or written to control the unit.
It is very similar to a memory mapped approach, where each Address corresponds to a specific functionality.

Below we detail the Control Tables for this architecture which powers all our models produced after March 1st 2017.

The Eros architecture, is comprised of 1 main control board and a number of internal smart motors (servo motors). Each device is individually exposed on the bus with its own I D.

This architecture is an improved version of the RH4D Ares where we have performed a more clear separation between each device, thus reducing the need for emulating functionalities and improving overall efficiency.
The Eros architecture is also scalable enabling the addition or removal of DoF and the exchange of actuators models.

The main board is the single connection point to the external bus. It serves multiple functions in the EROS Architecture:

  • An advanced sensor board performing: the real time current measurement on all motors, differential position management and control on the series elastic joints (if installed)
  • Performs voltage regulation converting the external voltage to the voltage needed by the internal actuators
  • Performs signal level conversion between the external bus the the internal actuators
  • Performs communication speed conversion, protocol conversion (if appropriate) and communication optimization between the external bus and the internal actuators bus.

It is the core of the unit controlling further additional peripherals such as the cooling fan, the status LED, etc.

For this reason its control table is specifically tailored for it and does not really resemble any Dynamixel motor.

EROS Main Board Control table

The EROS architecture is also comprised of a firmware and electronics solution for the Internal actuators. These are treated as “black boxes” encapsulating and separating the internal operation from the rest of the EROS features.

Seed Robotics Smart Actuators run Seed Robotics' designed firmware and expose a R/W Control Table. The control table lets you query a number of details including Present Position, Speed, Temperature, Motor PWM, etc., command the unit by sending Target Positions and fine-tune advanced options such as the PID parameters, Zero centering, etc.

At the time of Writing Seed Robotics, uses 4 types of actuators the seed28, seed56 (since sperseeded by seed58), seed58 and seed67, offering different sizes and torque. Despite the mechanical differences (sizes and maximum torque), they all share the same control architecture and protocol, so your code can be easily ported to different models.

Actuators Control Table

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  • eros/dynamixelcontroltables.txt
  • Last modified: 2021/05/21 14:07
  • by SeedR KB Admin