Update: February Progress

We've ordered a Bluetooth Module. It arrived late January. We're still debating whether or not to use this -untested- module. Or go with something more comfortable, like Xbee's.

With regards to sensors. Wheel encoders work on Interrupts now, (Thanks Me). Late into the reading week I stayed late in the lab and got the IR sensors working properly. This is very good because this means seperately, every peripheral being connected to the pic works.


Figure 1: Output of Sensor and Digital Logic output from sensor
Figure 2: Number of Interrupts Vs. Sensor Decay time. (Each edge is a interrupt)

That's one big phase of the project done.

I also cleaned up the robot. Trimmed some wires and heat-shrank connections. The Electrical tape was so tacky. I'll post a picture of that on friday. One important thing to note is that all the code that is done, is not only done by me, but was done very halfhazardly. It could be done a lot more efficiently.

This brings me to a personal gripe. Why is no one else doing work?? Dan is doing good. But the other 2, I mean I dont think they realize the amount of work that we are putting in here. Luc, he is responsible for the computer side stuff. So, mapping and maze-related things. Right now he is working on the maze mapping. Not bad right? Wrong. He has been working on it for 2 months. Out of curiosity, I thought I'd take a stab at doing it. Within 3 hours. I had a working mapping program that is better than his currently is. ...ticks me off.

Then the other one, Grant. He is responsible for getting the robot to stay on the line. Worst attendance record ever. I think 4 meetings this year so far for him? 4 / 10+ ?

All is not lost, however. I might be pulling this group along. But I'm pulling harder than other groups combined. With that said. As of this post. This is what is left to get our silver level project status:

To do:
1) Combine all peripherals into one mega-project.
2) Get the navigation Pic-side and working
3) Get Mapping done

Only 1 thing there is something I should help with, 1 thing I'm already done. And the last one is pretty simple. Once this is done, we have lots more cool things to add to it. Things this includes are:

1) Wireless Link
2) Remote-Control
3) Route-Planning
4) Body-Kit
5) Line of best fit game thing
6) Advanced Telemetry
...etc.

Of the 4 line following groups, I think were in pretty good shape right now. We also plan on redoing our main-board so that it is professionally fabricated, and will be optimized for our purposes (Removing a V.Reg, adding traces where things were just tied together....and so on).

That's all the update is for now. We'll update again on Friday after our interesting meeting.

--
DK