The purpose of the OSMC project, started in 1998, was and is to provide high-quality
H-bridge speed control units to hobbiests and professionals at price/performance levels
unmatched by expensive commercial units. After several years of developement the OSMC
project has born fruit and produced a rugged high-power speed control system specifically
designed for the needs of robot combat and other high-power low-weight applications.
The original goal of the project was to create a 48V, 100A capable controller for
use in robot combat events. A prototype board was designed and built but interest
waned and few of the orignal boards were used in combat. The project lapsed for
several years until late in 2001 when it was revived by Dennis Millard and Chris
Baron, the two principals of Robot Power, on the Yahoo! message board system.
The OSMC is an "Open Source" philosophy project similar to that
used in Open Source software projects such as the Linux operating system or the Apache
Web server. Under this philosophy a dedicated group of non-paid contributors collaborated
over the Internet to create the OSMC. All material related to the project is available
free of charge so that interested parties can build OSMC boards, examine the schematics
and software source code, and extend or modify it as needed.
Robot Power has taken these designs and produced a variety of products for sale
to allow use of the OSMC by people not prepared to create printed-circuit boards or
program a microcontroller chip. Our product offerings combine the low cost of
volume production with the Open Source nature of the OSMC to create a competitive
speed control product at very competitive prices.
In no way does Robot Power control or restrict
access to the design or any other material related to the OSMC project. You are free to
buy from other OSMC vendors and all OSMC products will interoperate. Robot Power offers
a convienient way to purchase OSMC boards, kits, or assembled units without the hassle of
getting boards etched, searching for parts, and ordering from multiple stores. We do all
the hard work and you benefit by getting a top-flight controller for Open Source prices.
While the OSMC does not have every feature that its competitors have, its flexible design
open architecture make it feasible for an enterprising builder to add just about any
desired feature to the base unit for far less cost than comparable controllers. Development
has not ended for the OSMC by a long way. Features that are missing will be added by
various users and fed back into the project to enhance the OSMC for the benefit of
all future users.