A Total Rebuild
- Actuators / output devices: 2 Servos for Drive
- Control method: IR remote and autonomous
- CPU: PICAXE 40X1
- Power source: 4 AA
- Programming language: Basic
- Sensors / input devices: 4 Sharp IR's 1 Sonar on Servo
With my new-found knowledge from my last test base comes the new tail-dragger!
This robot is built from VEX parts using my own brain, servos and custom parts. As mentioned above, this unit was a 4-wheel job which served it's function as a HUGE learning experience. Now that I feel I have solidified all the seperate componants, I decided to do a full rebuild, clean-up and upgrade. As follows:
Upgraded from the standard 28x board to a picaxe 40x1
Seperate servo-connection-only conection board (with room for other custom circuits)
Includes a darlington, motor driver and bigger 24LC256 EEPROM (for "mapping" ability)
Extra on-board input buttons, pots and speaker not to mention LED indicators for all outputs
Optional LCD 14-pin out and i2c out LCD
4 Sharp IR distance sensors plus standard sonar
Lower gearing but still faster overall speed with larger wheels
Better "climb over stuff" ability
Tail-drag for less spin resistance
New "cleaned-up" distance encoder
Upgraded custom-made servo bracket and sonar mount (Tell me those brackets aren't sexy!)
As you can see, I think I have cleaned-up and solidified the whole base. Currently I am working on re-coding all of my old code snippets (basic moves, encode count, sonar and IR distance checks) to work with the new input and output pins. When I write code I like to have all the basic chunks of code pre-written so I can copy and paste instead of rewriting all the stupid things you use over and over like the basic Forward, Back, R and L moves. I hope to have all the basics down soon and look forward to moving on to some silky-smooth navigation using the 5 distance sensors I now have. In theory, I hope to have the 4 IR sensors cover the majority of navigation leaving the sonar to sweep looking for interesting stuff to direct the robot toward. All in all I am stoked with the new assembly and can't wait to get into the meat of the coding!
--Did you notice the sexy-sexy new custom-made servo and sonar mounts?!?!?
Nice as usualy CTC, can't
That is one sexy beast, I
Say it ain't sooo...
You used your own brain?? That's what I call dedicated! Bet there isn't anything this bot can't do! lol
Do like the brackets. They really came out great. Better then store bought, as they say. Now let us see it in action man.
very good design
I like the tail wheel :)
Like the custom additions