Stepping Boe-Bot forward, not moving normally!

[Miltos]

I've noticed that when Boe-Bot navigates with IR (Infrared Headlights), it's actually steping very quickly moving forward cause the "forward subroutine":



Forward:
PULSOUT SERVO_Right,650
PULSOUT SERVO_Left, 850
PAUSE 20
RETURN


Is there any other way to program it without this stepping forwarding and make it move normal?

P.S I copy the full code for examination. The freqout instructions makes Boe-Bot to sound as R2D2 from the StarWars...



' {$STAMP BS2}' {$PBASIC 2.5}


'<------Variables--------->
irDetectLeft VAR Bit
irDetectRight VAR Bit
counter VAR Word 'variable for PULSOUT loop


'<------Constants--------->
SERVO_Left CON 12 ' Right Servo
SERVO_Right CON 13 ' Left Servo




DO
FREQOUT 7,1,38500
irDetectLeft=IN8


FREQOUT 1,1,38500
irDetectRight=IN0


DEBUG HOME, "irDetectLeft= ", BIN1 irDetectLeft,CR, "irDetectRight= ", BIN1 irDetectRight,CR
PAUSE 100


IF (irDetectLeft=0) AND (irDetectRight=0) THEN
DEBUG "R2D2:surprised sound", CR
HIGH 3
HIGH 10
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2000
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2100
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2200
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2300
FREQOUT 2, 30, 2400
FREQOUT 2, 40, 2500
FREQOUT 2, 10, 3000
FREQOUT 2, 10, 3100
FREQOUT 2, 10, 3200
FREQOUT 2, 20, 3500
FREQOUT 2, 90, 3900
FREQOUT 2, 100, 4500
FREQOUT 2, 100, 4000
FREQOUT 2, 10, 3900
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2800
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2700
FREQOUT 2, 30, 2600
FREQOUT 2, 40, 2500
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2200
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2100
FREQOUT 2, 10, 2000
FREQOUT 2, 100, 1000
GOSUB Backwards
GOSUB Turn_Left
GOSUB Turn_Left
ELSEIF (irDetectRight=0) THEN
HIGH 3
DEBUG "R2D2:Musical Scale", CR
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3520
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3729
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3322
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3136
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3720
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3929
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3522
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3336
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3900
GOSUB Backwards
GOSUB Turn_Left
ELSEIF (irDetectLeft=0) THEN
HIGH 10
DEBUG "R2D2:Musical Scale", CR
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3520
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3729
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3322
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3136
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3720
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3929
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3522
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3336
PAUSE 1
FREQOUT 2, 100, 3900
GOSUB Backwards
GOSUB Turn_Right
ELSE
LOW 3
LOW 10
GOSUB Forward
ENDIF


LOOP


Forward:
PULSOUT SERVO_Right,650
PULSOUT SERVO_Left, 850
PAUSE 20
RETURN


Turn_Left:
FOR counter = 1 TO 20
PULSOUT SERVO_Left, 650
PULSOUT SERVO_Right, 650
PAUSE 20
NEXT
RETURN


Turn_Right:
FOR counter = 1 TO 20
PULSOUT SERVO_Left, 850
PULSOUT SERVO_Right, 850
PAUSE 20
NEXT
RETURN


Backwards:
FOR counter = 1 TO 40
PULSOUT SERVO_Left, 650
PULSOUT SERVO_Right, 850
PAUSE 20
NEXT
RETURN

[Mike Green]

The DEBUG statements are causing the pauses you're noticing. Each character sent to the PC (whether there's a PC attached or not) takes about one millisecond. The extra PAUSEs and the FREQOUT statements for the extra sounds also take time. Turn these into comments by putting a quote character in front of them and see what happens.

The Stamp can do only one thing at a time. Normally, in this program, the Stamp does the IR sensing and related decision making in the time between servo control pulses. There's about 20 milliseconds after a servo pulse is generated before the next pulse has to be sent (or the servo shuts down). That's normally enough time for a few PBasic statements including the IR sensing and the other servo's control pulse to be generated. With the DEBUG statements and sound effects, there are huge extra hunks of time used.

[Miltos]

Mike,

thanks for your prompt reply...I will comment the DEBUG statement and the "sound effects" and let you know. Thanks again...

[Jessica Uelmen]

One thought I had, Miltos, is that if you want the Boe-Bot to make R2-D2 sounds when it detects an object (which is totally awesome, by the by), you can just have the robot stop first. That way, the Boe-Bot would see an object, stop, play the sounds and then execute the object avoidance routine. You wouldn't get any jittering and would still be able make your sounds.

Cheers,
Jessica

[Miltos]

Mike,

I've just commented the DEBUG statement and Voila!!! Boe-Bot is moving forward NORMALLY. Thank you. The FREQOUT commands do not affect considerabley the motion, I left them uncommented...
Jessica, thanks for your reply too. I will follow your instructions and let you know.