PBP projects for R/C models

[Kenjones1935]

I use the model level car because its steering and wheel drive is based on proportional PWM signaling. This I need for the wall following (at speed) trick.

The much cheaper ~ $50 ~ 1/10 scale toy level car has bang-bang steering that motor control. If that is all we need for the learning game, then the total cost comes way down. These cars are FAST.

Ken

[Ioannis]

These cars are FAST.

Yeah, but with very little control on the steering. Like you described it as bang bang (to the walls)...

The fuse settings, or settings in general may be solved by an include file made by Ken and students all have to do is just ... include it.

So they are left with the main body of the software. Which comparing to stickOS is a little more difficult. But you have interrupts and much faster execution time...

About the cost, well, OK. 250 is much money, but good things cost...

Ioannis

[cncmachineguy]

I have been folowing this thread. I have a question about the steering: I get it's bang bang, but what actuates it? is it a spring returned solinoid or a motor? I am thinking there should be a way to pulse the steering to simulate proportinate control. Does it really go full left or right with just 1 frame of command?

Also, as Dave suggested, can you create it so the demo version could be used? Maybe write some subroutines to "include" so all the power of PBP isn't required.

Then if some of the students are really intrested and want to go further, they can be pointed to PBP for their parents to purchase? As a parent, I would gladly buy a copy for my kid(s) if they were to show me they actually wanted to play with it. It would be far better than an x-box orother such stuff.

[Kenjones1935]

The 1/10 toy level car has a spring loaded servo for steering.

The steering servo and the DC motor for the wheels are driven by + - 7.2volts. I have four coil driven DPDT relays doing this job. They are not fast, but they are robust and reliable.

Today I am thinking about teaching the teachers. I need to come up with lesson plan #1. I am imagining kitting some of my cars then asking the teachers to implement "HELLO WORLD" (whatever that is for one of my RC car PIC systems.)

Question for you all.
What would be a HELLO WORLD for a 1/10 toy level PIC'd car?

Ken

[mackrackit]

Question for you all.
What would be a HELLO WORLD for a 1/10 toy level PIC'd car?

Maybe one of the things you did for a Hello World?
Go to the end of a hall, turn around and come back.

[Kenjones1935]

I am considering doing a teach-the-teachers gig. The attendees would get Professional Development points. They should be allowed to take home their kitted cars.

The least expensive RC toy cars are about $25 retail. The most expensive thing in my present kits are the sonar sensors. What can I sense for less money?

Ken

[Kenjones1935]

Could a 'Nicera' IR Detector designed, "especially to detect body heat" enable my toy level cars to swarm together playing follow the human?

Imagine a teach-the-teacher class in a gymnasium where the HELLO WORLD application makes the students' cars follow the teacher as he or she tries to out wit it. (The teacher must be wearing a bikini while the students would all be dressed in their warmest winter finery.)

My 'All Electronics' catalog has IR DETECTOR for $3.90 each. Would this work? How sensitive are these things?

Ken

[ScaleRobotics]

For what it's worth, on my Explorer 16, with a PIC32MX360F512L mpu:
It accepts the hex file (different one of course) from my Pickit2.
I can get a command line interface with my serial port (this chip does not have usb on it).
When I try to connect command line interface with my PicKit2, I get almost no response. I do get a square box at some baud rates, but that is about it.

Not a very good test, since there are a lot of differences, but it might be better to stick with USB for now.