The RoboSapien is designed for modification. Here is the short hint list for the budding RS hacker.

First off, we must warn you that completely replacing the RS brain should only be attempted by those with a lot of time, electronic skills, and programming ego. You don’t have to though — if you carefully remove the connectors and lift the RS motherboard, on the back you will find all inputs and outputs labeled, and right next to gold pads convenient for soldering wires.

- M means motors,

- P means input or output port,

- VDD is raw battery voltage (caution: fluctuates wildly)

- Vcc is regulated 3.6v (100mA but don’t overload it)

- Gnd is universal ground.

The only way to input commands is by direct serial input to the IR-OUT pin (active low signals, 1200bps, visit http://www.robosapien.tk for a list of command codes), and through the P1.4 (right) and P1.1 (left) touch sensors. In three I/O ports, you have his entire body now under control.

The 6 outputs for the eyes (P2.0 to P2.5) can be used as a very effective digital-level feedback source. If you look carefully, you’ll see his eyes give distinct patterns for all conditions. Mapping these will tell your uP everything it needs about what the robot is doing. The patterns are shown here .

The chest area is mostly empty space and ideal for mounting any brain, camera, or control add-ons. However, glue tinfoil (or equivalent) across his internal chest plate first so the waist and shoulder motors do not cause interference with your electronics.

Most of the secret I/R codes are designed so that a controlling computer can cause him to dovetail commands very quickly (up to 30 baud) and even be programmed at very high rates from a nearby I/R port. Some will already have noticed that it is possible to move the robot by the remote faster than he can move himself. Taken to the limit, the robot can be a very responsive “horse” to any uP controller or I/R equipped PDA or laptop.

The rest is up to you. Happy hacking.

Sincerely,

Robot Tech Support,
WowWee Ltd.