04.25.08

Phased Array PCB V0.1 Finished

Posted in Electronics, Robotics, Future Project Ideas, ZBot at 3:23 pm by philwinder

Not tested yet, but here are some images of the finished PCB!

Image 1 img_0002.JPG Image 3 Image 4

01.27.07

More thoughts, keep changing my mind!! - Inked

Posted in Projects, PIC, Robotics, ZBot at 6:27 pm by philwinder

Still havent had any time to do anything yet but:
Ive decided to run multiple IR modules off one 18F pic then:

  • I can have a proper multi-master I2C configuration which means proper interrupts.
  • The IR module will now be smaller/cheaper because of the lack of another pic
  • Could put some extra fuctions on it too, like voltage/current monitoring etc.

    • This does still mean that the I2C routines will have to be written (boaring!) since that was what my motivation was dreading before.
    Also still love the idea of creating a phased array sonar system on it, but that will come later…
    Could look for some code on the net, see if that will help/save a lot of time. Just depends how its been written…

    Phil
    Image of options

    12.11.06

    Status of the ZBot

    Posted in PIC, Robotics, ZBot at 11:02 am by philwinder

    Ive finally had some time to do a little work on this projct.  Being someone that wants everything done right, and to learn, do everything by myself, where it would normally take a weekend to knock some crappy robot together takes a little longer!

    Firstoff, I have treated myself to a Robo Jr Chassis from www.active-robots.com, mainly because of the price.  The only quarm i have with it is that because it uses tiny 5V motors and tiny cogs not particullay securely mounted, it makes a right racket.  Maybe in the future it could be modded to use motors with internal step downs.

    On the code front, I still cant decide what to do with the IR proximity detectors.  I have wasted LOADS of time writing some cool I2C Multi-Master routines so that I can connect devices (the IR’s) to the I2C bus and address them whenever I want.

    The thing is, I still cant decide if its the best idea.  Since I also fancy, instead of using some IR transmitter reciever that I have built, to use one of them sharp distance finders and use that as a combined Proximity detect/range finder.   That would be cool.  I still might want to do it on the I2C bus though to make the comms wiring nice and simple.

    Hence, I have also built a simple proximity detector that literally takes uA’s to run.  This uses a pic to control the most power hungry device on the IR circuit, the TSOP38 blah… reciever.  With it permanently turned on, the curret will be about 800uA.  Which is poo.

    And also, I have done a VERY simple PWM test to test the motors.  Works good.

    Well there we are. Till next time….

    Phil