WOC-1(Waseda Omnidirectional Carrier No.1)

  One of the cause for decision on the pattern of rat's staying includes the shape of "Open-field". Therefore we developed an omni-directional mobile robot to relocate the object as an equipment to relocate the object as a wall and feeding area, etc... . this robot can take arbitrary stance and location in the "Open-field".

1.Mobile Mechanism

  WOC-1 has 4 omni-directional drive wheels. Due to this mobile mechanism, WOC-1 is holonomically constrained.

2.Battery

  WOC-1 has a Li-ion battery. The battery's capacity is larger than that of WM-6. So WOC-1 can perform lengthy operation.

3.Control System

  WOC-1 has a microcontroller dsPIC (30F4013, microchip) and a Bluetooth communication unit. 
 The electronic system configuration of WOC-1 is shown in Fig. 7. The dsPIC controls the directions and velocities of 4 drive wheels (via DC motor) separately according to instructions sent from the PC through the Bluetooth unit. WOC-1 has a full-bridge motor driver and the DC motors are controlled by PWM. And WOC-1 has a food feeding module and it is controlled by compact microcontroller PIC(12f483).

4.Characteristic

  We developed WOC-1 to change the shape of "Open-field". Therefore, WOC-1 can change the exterior(as of now, square, rectangle, U-shaped exterior). The exterior is made from wood as with "Open-field".WOC-1 change the shape of "Open-field" by using the exterior.
 In addition, WOC-1 can mount Food feeding module composed of RC servo motor. So WOC-1 can be used a mobile food feeding machine.

5.Stay Time Control Experiment

  In our previous research, we obtain the result that the rat tend to stay in the 4 corner and against the wall. Due to the result, We make a hypothesis that " rats prefer to stay in the place surrounded by walls,and refuse to stay in the open space. Consequently, We tried to change the shape of "Open-field" by using WOC-1 and lead the rat to change the place to stay.
（Stay Time Control Experiment）

Fig.1 System Configuration of WOC-1

Fig.2 WOC-1