Robots - Journal

2014-03-25 - Picking up where I left off on Debot5. Going to utilize JALv2 instead of CC5X even though the free version appears to be improved.

2006-05-13 - I know this isn't a big deal for you all but Debot5 moves in a straight line - that is to say it uses proportional control on a differential drive. What? Um, both of it's wheels go the same speed.

2006-05-11 - Got Debot5 moving again, and converted "simplehex" from JAL to CC5X. Next get code for shaft encoders converted and I'll be up to where I was with JAL.

2006-05-10 - Wrote and tested the implementation of interrupts using free CC5X and Mark III controller. Non-commented code here.

2006-05-02 - Wrote a quick tutorial on how to install, setup, and compile, a C program suitable for the Mark III controller using the free evaluation version of B Knudsen Data's CC5X C Compiler for PICmicro Devices, Version 3.2 and the latest Microchip MPLAB IDE v7.31

2006-04-28 - Wrote, compiled, and tested my first C program for the MarK III controller. Using the free evaluation version of B Knudsen Data's CC5X C Compiler for PICmicro Devices, Version 3.2.  I also used the latest Microchip MPLAB IDE v7.31. While JAL is an excellent programming language to start on the MarkIII (and is all you need to use the Mark III as a minisumo or line follower) I just couldn't get around the lack of data formats other than a bit and a byte. I also needed more in the way of math functions.

2006-04-16 - Purchased two AVR Butterfly's and "C Programming Book for Microcontrollers" by Joe Pardue. I recommend it to anyone wanting a quick introduction to using C with a microcontroller. If I had to do it again I would consider buying the "Book + Butterfly + Projects Kit" for $91.19 at http://www.smileymicros.com/.

2006-04-08 - Shaft encoder for Solarbotics GM8 gear motor. 

2006-04-06 - Added GM8 Motor caps to Debot 5.

2006-02-28 - I attended a FIRST Vex Challenge Pilot Event at UT Arlington. See: http://www.usfirst.org/vex/events/

2006-02-04 - I attended the UTA RoPro competition. The Computer and Science Department at the University of Texas at Arlington sponsors a High School Robot Programming Contest, or RoPro. See: http://www.cse.uta.edu/Robots/ It was fun.

2006-01-16 - Tested the effects of using  4, 6, and 8, AA batteries with CMD and GM8 motor. See results in Notes > Motor Speed Experiment section.

2005-12-10 - Went to DPRG meeting and was nominated for secretary.

2005-11-15 - Reassembled Debot4 with GM8 motors and CMD. Basically I've given up on using servos for to drive a robot. Their control is way to coarse. Time to test a real motor controller. Next steps are to print up encoder disks, wire up CMD to Mark III controller. Hopefully I'll get more linear control of the wheel rotation. X PWM duty cycle input results in a proportional increase in Y RPS.   

2005-11-13 - Created 64 sector wheel encoder disk. Each sector is made up of a black and a white wedge (128 wedges) This will give twice the resolution of my old encoders.

2005-11-03 - Made motor mounts for GM8. Made new banner for web site.

2005-10-31 - Made jumpers to connect CMD and Mark III Controller Board. I also Attached wires to GM8 motors for testing.

2005-10-30 - Tested "Solarbotics Compact L298 Motor Driver Kit", or CMD for short, and sent off a series of questions to Solarbotics.

2005-10-25 - More of the same, worked on Timer 0 Jal ISR.  Tested via oscilloscope and it worked quite well.

2005-10-24 - Worked on Timer 0 Jal Interrupt Service Routine, ISR, to use with interval timer for wheel encoders for Debot4.

2005-10-23 - Several days ago: Dave Hyland came thru with the .hex file to blink the LED's on the Robostix. So the AVR ISP worked great. Now I can set it aside until later. Worked on "phase' until I came to the conclusion that the idea was very good for determining the total error but I couldn't really use it to adjust speed. So I took a step back and wrote a Jal program to determine the servo speed with more precision and hopefully I'll be able to use that info to control the speed as well. Here's some more pictures of Debot4. Basically I'm at planned version 04.02.01.

2005-10-13 - Couldn't find a .hex file to test ISP and Robostix. Downloaded WinAVR but couldn't get sample to compile. I guess I have to read the manual. Still need to get back to Debot4. (ooh pretty! there he goes again)

2005-10-12 - Received AVR ISP, (DigiKey rocks!) installed AVR Studio 4 and tested ISP with Robostix. So far so good. I should be working on Debot4. I'm to easily distracted by shinny objects.

2005-10-11 - Worked further on "phase".

2005-10-10 - Worked on Jal code, using Will's "phase" idea, to drive Debot4 in straight line and to a predetermined distance.

2005-10-08 - Attended DPRG meeting Will Kuhnle gave me idea about using difference in wheel "phase" to correct steering.

2005-10-04 - Updated most Comcast hit counters to reflect pages accessed as .htm vs .html. New .html = Old .htm + Current .html. All pages actually use .html and default is index.html.

2005-10-03 - Updated pin-out table. Verified wheel encoders worked. Wrote Timer 0 Jal ISR to use with interval timer for wheel encoders. 

2005-10-02 - Been away for a bit. Made jumpers for patch panel.

2005-09-20 - Put together the patch panel. The panel will connect two wheel encoders and two "one pin" switch LED circuits to the Mark3 controller for Debot4. I took a picture.

2005-09-19 - Gathered patch panel parts together.

2005-09-15 - Cut and drilled Radio Shack General Purpose Grid-Style PC Board 276-150 for patch panel.

2005-09-12 - Measure specs for one pin switch and led circuit.

2005-09-11 - Created wheel encoder disks, mounted wheel encoders, and devised single pin switch and led circuit.

2005-09-10 - Attended DPRG meeting. Worked on servo code and testing for Debot4 4.01.01. Timing alone on servos to get robot to drive straight is tedious.

2005-09-08 - Yet more work on servo code page

2005-09-07 - Even more work on servo code page

2005-09-06 - More work on the servo code page.

2005-09-05 - Did most of the work for a draft of "Mark Gross's servo control code in Jal for Mark III's deconstructed". I felt this was the best time to do it before I add the wheel encoders to Debot4.

2005-09-03 - Made some simple code and simple measurements of servo rotation speed.

2005-09-01 - Assembled Debot4 4.01.00, no code yet but that's next. Also some pictures are in order.

2005-08-31 - David Anderson & Company's jBot made the September 2005 issue of Servo Magazine page 78. One cool thing was that a photo I took of it made it into the magazine as well. I can honestly say that it probably wasn't the best photo David Anderson had of it. What luck.

2005-08-25 - Drilled Base and Top Decks of Debot4.

2005-08-23 - Posted Pin-Out and Block Diagram from Debot4 Planned Version page.

2005-08-16 - Attended DPRG meeting this weekend. Intro to subsumption architecture by Will was cool. Gathered Debot4 part together. Next step is to incorporate them into the 3D model. Sorted fasteners into storage cabinet with little drawers.

2005-08-11 - Well I've started working on 3D visualization of Debot4 using IMSI TurboCAD Designer 2D/3D 9.2. Doing a 3D model of the robot was one of my secondary optional goals. I get distracted by shiny objects so easily. So far I've drawn a servo. The good news is that it looks like the 2D construction drawings are easily extracted from the 3D model.

2005-08-09 - Further fleshed out web page and project plan for Debot4.

2005-08-03 - Started web page for Debot4.

2005-07-08 - Received my Netgear MA701 and it works great so far with 400mx and cfstix.

2005-07-06 - Worked on web site a little and reviewed notes on gumstix CF mount.

2005-06-26 - Purchased a Linksys WCF12 Wireless Compact Flash Card for $35 from Amazon but I can't get the 400xm to recognize the card consistently. The 400xm recognizes the compact flash every time. Oh well I ordered the recommended Netgear MA701 from Buy.com for $65.  

2005-06-23 - Got my 400xm to work with the compact flash memory card. See gumstix CF mount notes for details.

2005-06-22 - Received my gumstix 400xm and connected it up via HyperTerminal on a Windows XP machine. Works like a champ. It is very small! Couldn't get compact flash on cfstix to work (but it's late and I have to get some sleep).

2005-06-15 - Purchased a "gumstix connex 400xm" , "cfstix", and "waysmall - STUART"  from www.gumstix.com can't wait for the robostix board to come out.

2005-05-02 - Fun with Timer1. Created Interrupt Service Routine, ISR, in Assembly for Timer1 of PIC12F683. Only thing needed to assemble it is prog04.asm and P12F683.inc file in same directory. Then open prog04.asm in MPLAB, make sure Configure > Select Device > Device = PIC12F683, then select Project > Quickbuild prog04.asm. Very easy. 

2005-04-29 - Using Parallax USB Oscilloscope captured sample signal from $5 TV remote control.

2005-04-28 - Been learning how to program in assembly a PIC12F683 using Microchip's MPLAB IDE v7.10 connected to a New Found Electronics Warp 13a PIC Programmer. I now have a blinky LED! I hope to build an IR remote control receiver like the one in Craig Gardner's article, "Building an Infrared Remote Decoder", at http://www.gorobotics.net/.

2005-04-09 - Attended DPRG meeting and gave quick show and tell on DIY PCB's. Ron Grant gave a great presentation on CadSoft EAGLE and David Anderson showed the chassis for "Journey Bot" (working title?) and he explained how he dyed the nylon structure parts.

2005-04-08 - Added notes page for do it yourself printed circuit boards.

2005-04-02 - Made new signal distribution board for Mk3 controller.

2005-03-27 - Made wheel encoder brackets. Improved my ability to bend styrene plastic. See my notes on Wheel Encoder Brackets to find out more.  

2005-03-22 - Resurrected Debot2 and if possible I'll make brackets for the encoders tomorrow.

2005-03-21 - Soldered together my 3rd Mark III controller and my first Solarbotics "L298 Compact Motor Driver"

2005-03-16 - First PCB project finished. New basic wheel encoders! Hole in center is for mounting screw. Connector is .1" with basic servo pin out - Signal, VDC, GND.

2005-02-21 - Update Warp13 programmer to Warp13 1.09.08f and firmware version BluePole 1.6

2005-02-19 - Attended DPRG TableTop 2005a but did not enter Debot3. I'm afraid that I could not overcome the limitations of the motor and gears.

2005-02-12 - Attended DPRG monthly meeting.

2005-02-01 - Added caps and terminated leads to Budget Robotics Twin Motor DC Gearmotor and Mount.  Downloaded ExpressPCB's  circuit design software and manufacturing service.

2005-01-24 - Worked on H-Bridge output and continue to work on motor control. Motors may just have to little torque and too low(?) of for this robot.

2005-01-19 - Confirmed PWM and Timer2 Post-Scaler interrupt timing.

2005-01-17 - Tested switch and LED and they work just fine. Now to set up the practice table and do some line following today.

2005-01-16 - Finished 4th line sensor circuit and test all 4 and they work on a white sheet of paper with black electrical tape. Using and 8bit AtoD conversion they read 7 to 10 on white, and 175 to 200 on black. Very good contrast.

2005-01-15 - Added push button switch, status LED, terminated 4 QRB1134's (I put right angle .1 headers on MarkIII controller sometime last week). Created switch and LED jumpers. Rotated patch panel 180 degrees to better line up with ribbon cable. In the last picture you can see that I connected the first 3 line sensors to the MarkIII board where the connectors where they normally go. I will put a 4 pin header on the perf board (next to the push button switch). I'll put the required circuitry next to that and finish it with a 3 pin header to jump the power, ground, and return signal to the patch panel. I would have done it today but I still need to make circuit for 4th line sensor - need to order (or go to Fry's) for a 150 Ohm resistor. 

2005-01-14 - Read Mark Dobrosieklski's article "Calculating Current Limiting Resistor Values for LED Circuits" in the January 2005 Nuts & Volts magazine pg 50. Just what I needed to calculate resistor for the line sensor LED.

2005-01-11 - Wrote up DPRG January meeting Minutes

2005-01-09 - One feature of a robot is software making up for hardware deficiencies or software enhancing hardware.

2005-01-08 - Attended DPRG monthly meeting. Will Kuhnle's presentation on basic principles of gears and
gear trains really got me to thinking about gear fundamentals. It was really good. It would be interesting to do a gear tutorial using LEGO gears, maybe some pictures and the LEGO cad program.

2004-12-30 - Sorry it's been so long since the last post. Christmas and all. I disassembled Debot3 to add in the 4 line sensors. The line sensors are Fairchild QRB1134's from http://www.junun.org/MarkIII/ at $1.50 each. I created a 2.75" plastic bracket to hold them. I made the bracket using a .040" (1.0 mm) white sheet styrene from Evergreen Scale Models. $2.49 for two 6"x12" sheets. Enough to make brackets for years. The plastic is easy to cut but tricky to bend. I bought a "HCAR7000 Hobbico Deluxe Heat Gun" for $13.99. Hopefully it will work well on shrink tubing also. Next step is to terminate the sensor wires and put right angle .1" headers on the MarkIII controller. Here's a drawing and some pictures:

2004-12-19 - Help create 2005 DPRG schedule. Revisiting i2c code to use with i2c eeprom for motor control data logging. Also reworking motor control Jal code for Debot3. Sometimes the work is not very visible, just code and hitting the books. I'm glad I like code as much as I like hardware.  I should post more code.

2004-12-12 - Updated Debot3's system Block Diagram

2004-12-11 - DPRG meeting. The main agenda was officer election. Dale Wheat was elected President, Ron Grant was elected Vice President, I volunteered for Secretary and was selected, Martin Meier was re-elected as Treasurer and Charlie Youngblood was re-elected as Librarian. Ron Grant showed a Sick Laser Scanner (measures range in 180 degree arc) very cool, fairly large.

2004-12-08 - Attended RBNO West it was good to see Rick's place and get to know what can be done there. More people need to take advantage of this meeting. It was really easy to get to. Just remember his suite is behind a tree.

2004-12-05 - Continue to refine Debot3. If I only knew motor control was going to be this hard. But to be fair I am using a cheap hacked up toy with small motors, loose gears and bad axle/wheel alignment. All my code works but it is a kludge. I need to rewrite it and make it easier to expand and to easier to understand. So anything worth doing once is worth doing again. Just so long as you do it better. (So am I really doing it again?) To start with I've gone back and reworked Debot3's Plan of Attack page.

2004-11-30 - Motor speed control in Jal works fairly well. Progress pictures.

2004-11-23 - Jal Timer routine reads time in .4us increments to +21 minutes

2004-11-22 - Writing Jal timer routines for motor speed control

2004-11-21 - Writing Jal encoder routines for distance measurement.

2004-11-20 - Attended DPRG 2004 Talent Show. Pictures.

2004-11-17 - Moved wheel encoders about 1/8" to 1/16" further out from wheel and encoder disk. Made cables for proximity detectors.

2004-11-16 - Progress pictures

2004-11-15 - Got the I2C PCF8574A I/O extender on the Mark II Sensor Board to talk to the H-Bridge still have issues with PWM but Debot3 moves. I'll have progress pictures tomorrow.

2004-11-14 - Mounted MCU and Signal/Power distribution board to Debot3.

2004-11-13 - Showed unfinished Debot3 at DPRG meeting.

2004-11-11 - Cut off excess coat hanger wire from castors

2004-11-10 - Finished castor and attached it to base with epoxy.  Soldered up bus distribution board.

2004-11-09 - Cut base for line sensors worked on replacing one castor axle.

2004-11-08 - Mounted wheel encoders.

2004-11-04 - Added notes on .100" Pin Crimper

2004-11-03 - Added capacitors and power wires to motors. Finished encoder disks. Started on encoder mounts.

2004-10-30 - Finished 4 Sharp IS471F proximity detectors, stanchions, and 2nd deck for Debot3.

2004-10-28 - Finished mounting motors and castors on prototype of Debot3.

2004-10-23 - Went to Mindfest 4 Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, http://www.fortworthmuseum.org/mindfest.html and saw Bruce Shapiro's work, http://www.taomc.com/home.htm. Bruce! thanks for the inspiration. Way cool. I need to post pictures.

2004-10-21 - Initial pin out table for Debot3

2004-10-20 - Found wood balls for castors!

2004-10-19 - Started working on Sharp IS471F proximity detectors. Works on proto board. Next use 0-500 ohm variable resistor to determine best value for sensitivity.

2004-10-14 - Initial Debot03 block layout

2004-10-10 - Finished practice table.

2004-10-03 - Assembled Mark III Sensor Board Kit w/ H-Bridge Kit. Now to get it to work.

2004-10-02 - Finished 2nd wheel encoder for Debot2

2004-09-26 - Got prototype of wheel encoder and servo to work with PARTS Mark III controller using JAL for Debot2 

2004-09-23 - Started work on wheel encoders for Debot2.

2004-09-18 - DPRG Roborama 04b

2004-09-11 - DPRG meeting at NBC5 Technology and LifeStyle Expo at Dallas Convention Center

2004-09-06 - I have now modified the Power Trakk transmitter under the control of my Parallax Basic Stamp Homework board.

2004-09-02 - Began working on hack of Echo Toys Power Trakk ( $9.99 at K.B Toys) for radio data transmitter (robot base may come later).

2004-08-18 - Got JAL  I2C routines to read and write data to the 24LC256 I2C EEPROM

2004-08-14 - DPRG meeting in Dallas.

2004-08-10 - Trying to get I2C working with JAL so that I can record and playback sweeps.

2004-08-07 - Create JAL program to sweep distance sensor and record what it sees and then plot results.

2004-08-06 - Put turret measurements in to an Excel file.

2004-08-05 - Quick jig to test turret positioning.

2004-08-04 - Took guests to see Kenny Logins in town.

2004-08-03 - Had to take time off to get ready for the guests.

2004-08-01 - Posted pictures of Debot2 and one with Bench Mark 3. Debot2 speed 10.3 ips, Bench speed 9.0 ips.

2004-07-31 - Updated plans. Bought parts for wheel encoders. Cleaned up turret wire harness. Mounted 9V using clip and Nylon bolt. Created quick bump program to test proximity detector. Took pictures.

2004-07-29 - Wired up batteries. Connected servo for turret and tested. Using J1 header, with pin 2/Vss to black, pin 4/V+ to red, and pin 6/RB7 to white. Connected Sharp GP2Y0A02YK Distance Measuring Sensor and tested. Mounted sensor on top of servo horn to finish turret. Using J5 (EyeL) header with pin 1/RA3 to white, pin 2/Vss to black, and pin 3/Vdd to red. Still will do some wire harness cleanup (I've seen much worse). But it's now programming and testing time.

2004-07-27 - Mounted servo for turret and controller. Added Velcro 4AA battery pack holder. Not much left to do before I can start playing with it (programming it).  

2004-07-26 - Replaced bolts with countersunk bolts now DEbot2's deck is a flat unbroken surface. This will make it easier to mount the controller.

2004-07-24 - One of the servo's on DE Robot 02 wouldn't run. Turned out it had a cold solder joint where the motor lead attaches to the servo printed circuit board making it stop and start unexpectedly. A cold solder joint is a solder joint that is cracked and opens when mechanical stress is applied to the joint. It probably happened when I hacked the servo for continuous rotation. The motor is mounted directly to the PCB and had no stress relief. When I reassembled the case and torque down the screws it probably cracked. Just a dab of flux (applied with a toothpick and a touch of the soldering iron took care of it. Works great.

2004-07-? - Test fitted servos and caster. Touched up wheel wells.

2004-07-? - Built servo mounting brackets.

2004-07-? - Built robot deck for Debot2.

2004-07-17 - Just finished attending the DPRG Table Top II competition. I only entered the Mini-Sumo with Bench - Mark III. I didn't win any matches but I did win a couple of rounds. Not bad for a stock Mark III.  I had a really good time. Pictures!

If you have any questions or comments about this page please email me at: debots_replacethis_dinkdaze.org with at sign.