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README.md

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-# inverted_pendulum
+# Inverted Pendulum
+
+Created by Solomon Wiznitzer for the Master of Science in Robotics program at Northwestern University.
+
+## Description
+
+**Objective:** To balance an inverted pendulum along a straight line using Sawyer, a robot by [Rethink Robotics](http://www.rethinkrobotics.com).
+
+**How It Works:** There were four parts to this project. 
+1. Determining how to move Sawyer's seven degree-of-freedom arm such that the end effector followed a straight line path (inverse kinematics)
+2. To become familiar with the [CoreUSB](http://wiki.microduinoinc.com/Microduino-Module_CoreUSB), [Motion Sensor](http://wiki.microduinoinc.com/Microduino-Module_Motion), and [Battery Management](http://wiki.microduinoinc.com/Microduino-Module_BM_Li-ion) Microduino modules along with the [BlueSmirf](https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/using-the-bluesmirf) Bluetooth unit such that roll-angle data could be transmitted wirelessly from the top of the pendulum to a laptop.
+3. Developing the control algorithm to move Sawyer's end effector and balance the pendulum stably. This involved creating a Mathematica simulation, and using a linearized form of the equations of motion to build a state space model of the system. The model was then used to develop an LQR controller in MATLAB.
+4. Solid modeling the [attachment to Sawyer's end effector](media/Solid\Models/Sawyer_Attachment.stl), the [pendulum holder](media/Solid\Models/Pendulum_holder.stl), and the [Microduino housing](Microduino_house.stl) for the top of the pendulum and then 3D printing them.
+
+**Software Requirements:** Needs ROS, Pyserial, the intera_sdk, the [modern_robotics](https://github.com/NxRLab/ModernRobotics) library, and an Arduino IDE
+
+**Hardware Requirements:** Needs the [Sawyer]((http://www.rethinkrobotics.com) robot,
+
+**Get Started:** To run, clone the repo, and type `roslaunch ball_tracker ball_tracker.launch` in the terminal window.