You can learn how make the servos run for the exact number of seconds (136.5, or 2 min., 36-1/2 seconds) by going to the FREE on-line edition of "Robotics with the Boe-Bot":
2) Click on
> "Robotics with the Boe-Bot (v2.2) (364pp.)"
3) Click on
> Download text (4.26 Mb)
4) Read (at the very least) pages 54-57 and page 68. Reading in and around those pages will help, too.
Do you understand the difference between a "standard servomotor" and a "continuous rotation servomotor"? Our BOE-bot uses the latter of the two. Pages 114-118 in the "What's a Microcontroller?" book (the basis of the work we did at our last practice) show how to write a "time" program for a "standard servo!" Maybe that's why Andrew's program runs for too long...? We were using "continuous rotation" servos.
Reading pages 54-57 and page 68 in the "Robotics with the Boe-Bot" and pages 114-118 in the "What's a Microcontroller?" book will give you a formuala for calculating the time precisely.
I'm still waiting for programs from at least two team candidates. Please complete last week's homework...
QUESTION: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?
ANSWER: Mistletoe!
I'll look for your updated program, Obie (and others). Thanks for checking in.
If I'm moving a bit slowly at Sunday's (1-4 PM) practice, be gentle. I had surgery today. Feel free to "cure"me with cookies!
Sorry for not posting my program earlier. I was interested in seeing where everyone was at in their understanding of the PBASIC language...
*As I am programming*
The really tricky part for me is getting the timing right for how many pulses plus the pause will get it to move for that long... There is no distance requirement, just to run for a certain amount of time. *hint hint nudge nudge*
Okay, I just emailed it to you Mr. Kibler. In theory, if you run my program in the same experiment that you ran Andrew's, once again in theory, it should run for the appropriate amount if time.
BTW, I don't posses a servo that rotates constantly, so I was unable to test my program. I have good faith in it though that it will at-least come close to the correct answer.
... I have good faith in it though that it will at-least come close to the correct answer.
Congratulations Dylan!
.
Your program is the best and most accurate so far. I ran the program you e-mailed me and it runs for exactly 136 seconds! That's 2 minutes, 16 seconds, only 1/2 second off the target time. Interestingly enough, your "counter" time was exactly the same as the one I calculated. Fine work you did!
Be prepared to explain to your teammates on Sunday how you calculated the exact time and be prepared to lead a small group in programming the ASP-BOE-bot.
The trials went pretty good for mine and Ashley's class. Mr. Messner was stopping trials after they got to five minutes, the other classes said, but he let mine and Casey's go to ten minutes, before stopping it. I think we can finish the trials today. I have to go get ready.
Compare the two programs below. One was written by Dylan and one was written by me. How are they alike and how are they different? Both programs make two servomotors run for 136 seconds (although Dylan forgot one minor program command after his DEBUG statment. We'll run them both at Sunday's practice to see what each one does. Then, those of you who did the homework will add your program to last year's ASP-2 program. Those of you who didn't will work on the HwB's to finish last week's assignment.
DYLAN'S PROGRAM:
' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running" <
*What's missing here?
counter VAR Word
FOR counter = 1 TO 5460
PULSOUT 13, 850
PULSOUT 14, 850
PAUSE 20
NEXT
END
MR. KIBLER'S PROGRAM
' {$STAMP BS2e}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "Mr. Kibler's Servomotor program v.3", CR, CR
DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running", CR, CR
'See pages 82 and 83 in the "Robotics with the BOE-bot" book
counter VAR Word
FOR counter = 1 TO 5460 'counts the number of pulses
PULSOUT 13, 850
PULSOUT 12, 650
PAUSE 20 '20 ms delay
NEXT
END
As a starting point we want to program the ASP to make the servos turn on after the MAWD goes from 0
> 10,000
> then back to 0 for at least 15 consecutive 0's.
(Sylvie, do you thnk 15 consecutive 0's is enough?)
Because the MAWD records altitude when the barometric pressure changes we'll be putting the ASP in the vacuum chamber to simulate a change in altitude, just like last year.
After you succeed in doing this you'll work as smaller subsystem teams on one of five other mission goals (in no particular order below. You'll have to figure out the best order):
1) "Unlock" the robotic portion of last year's ASP-2 program and make the robot move while the ASP collects all the data. Ideally you will program the robot to move AFTER the MAWD reads 15 or more consecutive 0's after landing (see below).
2) Connect a "standard servo" to the BOE and program it to turn on after the MAWD reads fifteen (???) 0's. The standard servo will have a connector hat holds that parachute's strings. When the servo moves the connector it will release the parachute.
3) Build a complete and fully operational back-up ASP with the ADC chip, CO2 sensor, MAWD, etc. connected.
4) Build this year's project: "The ASP-BOT." The ASP-BOT has all the featues of the ASP, integrated on to a mobile driving base, the BOE-BOT.
5) Figure out how to program Andrew's GPS receiver to make the robot navigate back to the launch pad.
Those of you who are keeping up with things, good work. Those who have not done last week's assignment, should (have).
See you on Sunday just before 1 PM. Let's coordinate on who's bringing snacks so we don't have too much or too little. Mrs. Kibler and I will provide drinks this Sunday (orange juice, fruit punch, lemonade.)
This is the Japanese team that came within 4 meters of the launch pad in the rover "comeback competition". I think they may be using a Parallax BOE and GPS navigation. I'm certain that one of the other Japanese teams is.
' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running" CR <
needs a comma here or program won't run
counter VAR Word
FOR counter = 1 TO 5460 <
5460 value, combined with 20 ms pause = 136 second run time
PULSOUT 13, 850 <
850 value will make the servos turn in the same direction
PULSOUT 14, 850 <
change this value to 650 to make the 14 servo go the opposite direction
PAUSE 20
NEXT
END
I've asked Emily to explain how she calculated the COUNTER value of '5460' here on the forum. It's important that each of you understands how to use math to CALCULATE (rather than guess at) run times. Stayed tuned for Emily's mathematical explanation.
I found my answer by reading through the books and finally understanding how it works.
first thing I did was find out how many ms is in 2min 16 1/2 seconds. I got 135600= (120*1000)+16000+500
Then I needed to figure out how long each run through lasted. (p.177 in what's a micro controller for explanation on math)
850*2= 1700 or 1.7 ms
then I had to add that pauses because that's only the electric pulses. The pause is 20ms
altogether that's 21.7 ms
135600/21.7= 6290 (rounded from 6290.3) that should be the counter right? wrong.
That number is bigger than Andrew's and his ran to long. So..
next step was to find out how long Andrew's run through took. his took 24.8ms
135600/24.8= 5460. and that's what I used for my counter, I'm not exactly sure when our run through times were different maybe because of the type of servo motor?
any questions? It took me lots of rereading and Dylan's helps to understand how it works.
good luck,
Emily
Mr. Kibler- Is it okay if I bring gingersnap cookies (homemade!!) to the practice on sunday? Congratulations emily, and thank you for posting that. I'm going to work on that really hard today! Hope you're recovering swiftly Mr. Kibler!
-Jake-
P.S My final trail went for 300 seconds!
Thanks for offering to bring ginger snap cookies to practice tomorrow. I'm glad to hear that you group's heat shield project lasted the whole 5 minutes. ~ Congratulations! ~ (*Did any catch fire..?!)
Speaking of projects, how is the program I assigned everyone to do last week on the forum coming along...?
That number is bigger than Andrew's and his ran to long. So..
next step was to find out how long Andrew's run through took. his took 24.8ms
135600/24.8= 5460. and that's what I used for my counter, I'm not exactly sure when our run through times were different maybe because of the type of servo motor?
any questions? It took me lots of rereading and Dylan's helps to understand how it works.
Emily, great math, couldn't have done better myself. But I don't exactly see how that works. What I mean is I don't really see how 6290.32 connects to 5460. I looked at your code which is similiar to mine execpt the fact that mine would run longer than Andrew's as you said. Could you go into more detail at the last part because I really don't understand it. Thanks. And Mr. Kibler I'm sending you my program right now even though it is certainly going to run too long. That raps it up, see you all tommorrow.
Obie
PS. Good morning by the way.
PSS. I love gingersnaps
Thanks for sending your program to me by e-mail. I'll run it on the BOE in a minute but I can already see that it will run for too long (I think.) Also, using a '850' value (full speed) on both servomotors will make the robot spin around in a circle since the motors are mounted in reverse from one another, on opposite sides.
Look at Andrew's program at the bottom of page 55 on the forum. His COUNTER value was 6006 and his program ran for 2 min., 30 sec. Since your COUNTER value is larger (6290), your program will (should) run even longer than Andrew's.
We need to learn to see and circumvent these obvious oversights before we get too far along... with programming, building, etc. This will save us valuable project time, especially since our time together is limited. Look at Emily's explanation of her program (above) and see if you can decipher where your program went astray. Then go back and re-calculate and see what you come up with. Again, I suggest that everyone read the pages I mentioned in the Parallax books.
See you tomorrow! Remember that practices starts at 1 PM sharp,
Mr.Kibler
:cool:
P.S. - What if the force is with me but I don't have any energy...? How does THAT work?!
YOU WROTE: "Here's the code below. That's it Mr. Kibler, see ya tommorrw."
Obie
>
> ' {$STAMP BS2}
> ' {$PBASIC 2.5}
>
>
> DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running",CR,
> DEBUG "Obie's Non-Version"
>
> counter VAR Byte
>
> FOR counter = 1 TO 6290 'needs to run 2min, 16 1/2s or 136500 ms
> 'does this mean variable is too small? 'Mr. K, you said Andrew's
> ran too long
> PULSEOUT 13, 850 'lasts 0.0017 s or 1.7 ms
> PULSEOUT 14, 850 'lasts 0.0017 s or 1.7 ms
>
> PAUSE 20 'pauses 20 ms
> NEXT
>
> End
>
Emily, I agree with Obie. I'm just not seeing it (how 6290 connects to 5460, how you used 6290 and especially 24.8 ms to get 5490.) Where did the 24.8 ms come from? I'll ask you to walk Andrew, Dylan, Obie and I through you calculations at practice tomorrow. We'll all figure it out together and gain complete understanding so we can apply the information, Then we'll use your formula to calculate how to make the servomotors turn for a different amount of time.
Today's practice was fantastic, and everyone seemed very involved and productive. Many of you got the chance to review your programming skills and knowledge, and others had the opportunity to complete their homework assignment. Even I was able to review much programming regarding the servo motors, something I had forgotten much about. With that said, I'm looking forward to what everyone believes would like to be our main mission goals, and perhaps a stretch goal. These are the goals I have decided upon, in order of importance.
1) As always, our first mission goal is to launch and recover safely and intact. I believe everyone understands this goal; please correct me if I am wrong.
2) Using a rover format, collect flight time, humidity, temperature and carbon dioxide and correlate each of them with altitude -- during descent and after landing ...
3) While recording data, traverse the desert for a minimum of 440 yards before being recovered.
4)(Stretch Goal) Using GPS technology, have the rover travel to a predetermined point (launch site, etc.).
Of course, firming up a scientific research question now will automatically form the mission goals for you, and will give much more meaning to our project.
At today's practice, First, we watch a video on The Kings Academy. I would really like to visit there some time. Then we went over the homework for last week in a type of a test. we told at what number the servomotor changed direction, calculated things in milliseconds, and wrote a program to make servomotors run for a certain amount of time. I had trouble with the math, thank you Mr. Kibler for helping me with that and showing me a more organized way to do my math. Then we went in to help Steph and Jake with there assignment. We helped them write a program for running the servomotors for a certain amount of time. Did we figure out why one of the BoE's didn't work? Then we discussed mission goals
Here are mine:
1. Safety
2. To reach an altitude of 2 miles
3. To record data of co2 concentrations, humidity, and temperature
4. To have the Rover move 200 feet after touchdown
5. To have the Rover give us it's coordinates using GPS ( this one might be a stretch goal)
6. Stretch goal: navigate back to home base using GPS.
I learned a lot today
Thank you,
Emily
Also I'm available this weekend, or next weekend on Sundays. Saturdays my parents work so I would need to find a ride but I'm sure Id be able to as well. I personally think next weekend on sunday would be best becasue going 3 weeks without a pratice is a long time as Mr. Kibler said.
Emily
Hello World,
Today's meeting was excellent. Watching the King's academy video was interesting to see the responsibility wielded by others. I learned about a part of the timing process I didn't know about before. It was also nice to find an equation for easier finding of the number of times the program needs to run. I also got to run a program I wrote today which was really nice becasue I've wanted to do that for a long time. After the little tests of our knowledge we tried to go help Jake and Steph. Something was either wrong with the wiring, maybe the program, or the servos. Betting on the circutry. Anyways It was a very successful practice. My view of the goals are:
Safetly lauch and recover equipment
land a rover on ground
have rover move
gather data while moving on ground
(stretch) GPS navigation
(stretch) soil sample
also im available for a meeting either next week or the 2 weeks from now neither being better than the other at the moment. Saturdays would be more of a problem but I might be able to do it.
Anyways great pratice everyone.
Obie
I agree that we had a very productive practice today (although I was disappointed that we ran out of time and didn't get to 'unlock' the robot's 'run' program and run the ASP in the vacuum chamber.) You seem to have a good understanding of how to calculate the servomotor's run time and you worked through the calculations efficiently. It must be nice to see that you can actually apply math to solve a real-world problem, and it must be rewarding to learn how to write a computer program and then actually see it work! Well done., and excellent teamwork.
Nice work too, on rebuilding the BOE circuit board and then writing a simple program to test it. Although the program worked just fine on Andrew's BOE-bot we were unable to figure out why the servomotors didn't run on the new circuit board you built (bad wiring, program error, or bad motor? I'll tinker with it later and find out why.)
I propose that we meet again next Sunday from 1-4 since several of you can't meet on February 20th because of February vacation. Then we can plan on meeting two weeks after that. Let me know when the team has decided to meet (sometime in the next two weeks) and I'll clear my schedule for that date and time. Dylan, please post our next meeting date and time on the forum before bedtime on Monday (February 14th) so everyone can plan. Try and select a date and time that works best for everyone.
I'm excited that we'll be diving into the project headlong the next time we meet. We've skimmed the surface up until now-- to assess what your skills are-- and now it's time to rock and roll. You're up to the task, you're really clicking as a team, and now it's time to move ahead.
Remember that you are responsible for completing any assignment given here on the forum in a timely manner. Expect to see your next assignment in the next few days and please complete it promptly. If you're not sure how to do it: ASK FOR HELP. That's why we use the forum. None of us, including me, knows everything but as a team we are strong. Our strength is teamwork so work as a team.
Good work today, ARLISS Team New Hampshire! I look forward to our next meeting and to really getting our feet wet with this wild and wacky project. Look on the forum sometime tomorrow evening for our next practice date and time. Dylan, please be sure and this information tomorrow (Andrew, be sure to remind Dylan!)
Aim high,
Mr. Kibler
;-)
PS - Andrew, if you haven't figure it out yet we'll be unlocking the movement program and then testing it in the vacuum chamber at our next practice. See if you can figure out how to do that this week if you would like. Let me know what you need for materials. Dylan, please do the same.
Hi all
It seemed to me that we accomplished a lot at this meeting. At least it seemed like the four of you - not including Steph and me- accomplished a lot. I feel that Steph and I spent too long with the BoE and too little time learning the program. And yes, that would be our fault, seeing as we failed to complete the homework. I am very thankful for being given another chance, and I promise, I will come through this time.
The very first thing I did when I got home was ask my parents to let me go to King's Academy. Unfortunately, it is too far away for them. Oh well. I would like to propose meeting this Saturday 1-4 instead. Post what you think about it. Secondly, I would like to borrow a BoE or HwB to work on. One that is not built yet would be best. That way I can really get a better understanding of it.
Mission Goals for Jake:
Safely launch and recover all equipment without injury
Design and program a rover
Have the rover move 100 yards for landing site
Gather data while moving
(Stretch) Have the Rover move directly north after landing 200 yards while collecting data
(Stretch) Have the Rover return to us through GPS
(Stretch of the stretch of the stretch) Collect and analyze a soil sample.
Dear everyone,
Hello. I thought yesterday's practice was fun, as it has been the other two times I've gone also. Sorry that I had to do that homework assignment yesterday and waste some of your time. If it's okay with you guys, next Sunday, the 20th would be the best date of the next meeting for me at least. Getting on to the question, what order do you think our goals should be, these would be my answers...
1) Obviously, the safety goal.
2) The successful launching and landing.
3) Deploying the parachute at the correct time.
4) Have the rover move and gather data at the same time.
5) I agree with everyone on this one for a stretch goal- Have the rover use GPS to navigate back to the launch pad.
I'm OK with either Saturday or Sunday and I'll check the forum later in the evening to see when the team has decided to meet. Just be sure to let everybody know this evening Dylan.
I can't make this saturday because I'm going to see my cousin at brown university, but I can make it on sunday assuming its at the time we usually have it. I may also need to get a ride on sunday, too unless something else gets moved, but I'll keep you posted.
Mr. Kibler, I was going to tell you yesterday but I got into the meeting. I have decided on a project(s) for projects period. I'm going to read through project 1 Breadboarding basics and then move on to project 4 which deals with a piezospeaker. Finally I would like to move on to project 8 Boe-bot navigation with accelerometer incline sensing. For this I would need a circutry board probably hw board, memsic 2125 duel axis accelerometer, piezospeaker, wires, boe-bot and 2 220 resistors. I will order the usb to serial adaptor for programing. If you need me to I may be able to order a boe-bot if need be.
Oh, Jake, those gingersnaps were amazing.
See you all next practice,
Obie
I'm OK with either Saturday or Sunday and I'll check the forum later in the evening to see when the team has decided to meet. Just be sure to let everybody know this evening Dylan.
Thanks,
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
Mr. Kibler,
Unfortunately, I can probably not attend if the meeting is held Saturday, and therefore Sunday would be the best option for me. Also, I'm going to give a try at "unlocking" the movement subroutine of the ASP-2's program, as you mentioned earlier, Mr. Kibler. In theory, it should be straightforward, but could prove to be a challenge as there have been many changes to the program since it has last utilized movement of the motors.
Right now we have three Rocketeers who can make practice this weekend:
Saturday: Stephanie, Jake and Emily. Obie CAN'T make it on Saturday.
I'm OK with Saturday or Sunday. Obie, if we meet on Saturday, yours would be consider an excused absence. This would be your first of three.
Dylan and Andrew, waiting for you to chime in.
======================================
Jake and Stephanie,
The program you wrote and the breadboard you wired work just fine. It seems that the BS2 stamp we were using is "problematic". It runs the program but not the servomotors. Go figure. How do I know this? I isolated all the possible variables. That is, I changed out every possible part that could be causing the problem. It was the BS2 stamp. Good work on getting caught up on last weeks's homework yesterday. Let's try to make sure that doesn't happen again. Late homework is frowned on. What we learn during the week we use on the weekend.
I'll post this week's assignment tonight (or tomorrow evening at the latest.)
Jake, I'm glad that you took the initiative to ask for a HwB to use at home.
I'll bring everything you need to school tomorrow so you (and your Dad?) can use it to do this week's assignment. Be real careful that you don'tknock the wires loose... Ask for help here on the forum if you don't understand something. None of us understands it all (*certainly not me. Just ask Sylvie and Dr. Allen!) I wonder where there are... I miss them!
Unfortunately, I can probably not attend if the meeting is held Saturday...
Hmmm.... it seems that 2 of 6 (1/3, or 33.3% of the team) CAN'T make it on Saturday. That's tough... What do we do now? Cancel practice for three weeks...? Thoughts eveyone? I don't want us to lose momentum. If we don't get the project operational there's no trip to Nevada. Life is full of tought decisions, isn't it?
Thoughts, Dylan...? I'll defer to your decision. You're the Team Captain (I'm just the chauffeur)
I was just thinking (as I ate the last of Jake's gingersnap cookies out in the kitchen!): if we don't meet this weekend, or if you can't make it to practice, I can't get you the parts (discuss your project, etc.) you said you need for your independent study project. And If we wait 3 weeks, until after February vacation to meet, isn't your project overdue then...? The gingersnap cookies inspired me to think: "Houston, do we have a problem...?" (not "we" but rather, you?)
Mr.Kibler, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the gingersnap cookies! I'm also glad to hear you can lend me a HwB. I've been wanting to work with one at home for a while. (Hopefully the basic stamp works!) When will we learn of this weeks assignment?
Also, I read through the mission goals for everyone, and it seems like we are all thinking along the same lines. I'm hopeful for next practice that we can decide on how we are going to budget our time.
Keep up the bright ideas!
-JAKE-
Comments
Obi and Rocketeers,
You can learn how make the servos run for the exact number of seconds (136.5, or 2 min., 36-1/2 seconds) by going to the FREE on-line edition of "Robotics with the Boe-Bot":
1) Go to
> http://www.parallax.com/tabid/535/Default.aspx
2) Click on
> "Robotics with the Boe-Bot (v2.2) (364pp.)"
3) Click on
> Download text (4.26 Mb)
4) Read (at the very least) pages 54-57 and page 68. Reading in and around those pages will help, too.
Do you understand the difference between a "standard servomotor" and a "continuous rotation servomotor"? Our BOE-bot uses the latter of the two. Pages 114-118 in the "What's a Microcontroller?" book (the basis of the work we did at our last practice) show how to write a "time" program for a "standard servo!" Maybe that's why Andrew's program runs for too long...? We were using "continuous rotation" servos.
Reading pages 54-57 and page 68 in the "Robotics with the Boe-Bot" and pages 114-118 in the "What's a Microcontroller?" book will give you a formuala for calculating the time precisely.
I'm still waiting for programs from at least two team candidates. Please complete last week's homework...
QUESTION: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?
ANSWER: Mistletoe!
I'll look for your updated program, Obie (and others). Thanks for checking in.
If I'm moving a bit slowly at Sunday's (1-4 PM) practice, be gentle. I had surgery today. Feel free to "cure"me with cookies!
Aim high,
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
Practice is on Sunday from 1-4 PM if I'm not mistaken. Am I...?
Mr. Kibler
;-)
*As I am programming*
The really tricky part for me is getting the timing right for how many pulses plus the pause will get it to move for that long... There is no distance requirement, just to run for a certain amount of time. *hint hint nudge nudge*
Okay, I just emailed it to you Mr. Kibler. In theory, if you run my program in the same experiment that you ran Andrew's, once again in theory, it should run for the appropriate amount if time.
BTW, I don't posses a servo that rotates constantly, so I was unable to test my program. I have good faith in it though that it will at-least come close to the correct answer.
Congratulations Dylan!
.
Your program is the best and most accurate so far. I ran the program you e-mailed me and it runs for exactly 136 seconds! That's 2 minutes, 16 seconds, only 1/2 second off the target time. Interestingly enough, your "counter" time was exactly the same as the one I calculated. Fine work you did!
Be prepared to explain to your teammates on Sunday how you calculated the exact time and be prepared to lead a small group in programming the ASP-BOE-bot.
Well done,
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
~Steph
ROCKETEERS,
Compare the two programs below. One was written by Dylan and one was written by me. How are they alike and how are they different? Both programs make two servomotors run for 136 seconds (although Dylan forgot one minor program command after his DEBUG statment. We'll run them both at Sunday's practice to see what each one does. Then, those of you who did the homework will add your program to last year's ASP-2 program. Those of you who didn't will work on the HwB's to finish last week's assignment.
DYLAN'S PROGRAM:
' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running" <
*What's missing here?
counter VAR Word
FOR counter = 1 TO 5460
PULSOUT 13, 850
PULSOUT 14, 850
PAUSE 20
NEXT
END
MR. KIBLER'S PROGRAM
' {$STAMP BS2e}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "Mr. Kibler's Servomotor program v.3", CR, CR
DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running", CR, CR
'See pages 82 and 83 in the "Robotics with the BOE-bot" book
counter VAR Word
FOR counter = 1 TO 5460 'counts the number of pulses
PULSOUT 13, 850
PULSOUT 12, 650
PAUSE 20 '20 ms delay
NEXT
END
As a starting point we want to program the ASP to make the servos turn on after the MAWD goes from 0
> 10,000
> then back to 0 for at least 15 consecutive 0's.
(Sylvie, do you thnk 15 consecutive 0's is enough?)
Because the MAWD records altitude when the barometric pressure changes we'll be putting the ASP in the vacuum chamber to simulate a change in altitude, just like last year.
After you succeed in doing this you'll work as smaller subsystem teams on one of five other mission goals (in no particular order below. You'll have to figure out the best order):
1) "Unlock" the robotic portion of last year's ASP-2 program and make the robot move while the ASP collects all the data. Ideally you will program the robot to move AFTER the MAWD reads 15 or more consecutive 0's after landing (see below).
2) Connect a "standard servo" to the BOE and program it to turn on after the MAWD reads fifteen (???) 0's. The standard servo will have a connector hat holds that parachute's strings. When the servo moves the connector it will release the parachute.
3) Build a complete and fully operational back-up ASP with the ADC chip, CO2 sensor, MAWD, etc. connected.
4) Build this year's project: "The ASP-BOT." The ASP-BOT has all the featues of the ASP, integrated on to a mobile driving base, the BOE-BOT.
5) Figure out how to program Andrew's GPS receiver to make the robot navigate back to the launch pad.
Those of you who are keeping up with things, good work. Those who have not done last week's assignment, should (have).
See you on Sunday just before 1 PM. Let's coordinate on who's bringing snacks so we don't have too much or too little. Mrs. Kibler and I will provide drinks this Sunday (orange juice, fruit punch, lemonade.)
Good morning,
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
https://sites.google.com/site/arliss2010/the-team/team-i2
' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running" CR <
needs a comma here or program won't run
counter VAR Word
FOR counter = 1 TO 5460 <
5460 value, combined with 20 ms pause = 136 second run time
PULSOUT 13, 850 <
850 value will make the servos turn in the same direction
PULSOUT 14, 850 <
change this value to 650 to make the 14 servo go the opposite direction
PAUSE 20
NEXT
END
I've asked Emily to explain how she calculated the COUNTER value of '5460' here on the forum. It's important that each of you understands how to use math to CALCULATE (rather than guess at) run times. Stayed tuned for Emily's mathematical explanation.
Well done Emily!
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
first thing I did was find out how many ms is in 2min 16 1/2 seconds. I got 135600= (120*1000)+16000+500
Then I needed to figure out how long each run through lasted. (p.177 in what's a micro controller for explanation on math)
850*2= 1700 or 1.7 ms
then I had to add that pauses because that's only the electric pulses. The pause is 20ms
altogether that's 21.7 ms
135600/21.7= 6290 (rounded from 6290.3) that should be the counter right? wrong.
That number is bigger than Andrew's and his ran to long. So..
next step was to find out how long Andrew's run through took. his took 24.8ms
135600/24.8= 5460. and that's what I used for my counter, I'm not exactly sure when our run through times were different maybe because of the type of servo motor?
any questions? It took me lots of rereading and Dylan's helps to understand how it works.
good luck,
Emily
-Jake-
P.S My final trail went for 300 seconds!
Jake,
Thanks for offering to bring ginger snap cookies to practice tomorrow. I'm glad to hear that you group's heat shield project lasted the whole 5 minutes. ~ Congratulations! ~ (*Did any catch fire..?!)
Speaking of projects, how is the program I assigned everyone to do last week on the forum coming along...?
Good morning (yawn),
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
Obie
PS. Good morning by the way.
PSS. I love gingersnaps
Obie,
Thanks for sending your program to me by e-mail. I'll run it on the BOE in a minute but I can already see that it will run for too long (I think.) Also, using a '850' value (full speed) on both servomotors will make the robot spin around in a circle since the motors are mounted in reverse from one another, on opposite sides.
Look at Andrew's program at the bottom of page 55 on the forum. His COUNTER value was 6006 and his program ran for 2 min., 30 sec. Since your COUNTER value is larger (6290), your program will (should) run even longer than Andrew's.
We need to learn to see and circumvent these obvious oversights before we get too far along... with programming, building, etc. This will save us valuable project time, especially since our time together is limited. Look at Emily's explanation of her program (above) and see if you can decipher where your program went astray. Then go back and re-calculate and see what you come up with. Again, I suggest that everyone read the pages I mentioned in the Parallax books.
See you tomorrow! Remember that practices starts at 1 PM sharp,
Mr.Kibler
:cool:
P.S. - What if the force is with me but I don't have any energy...? How does THAT work?!
YOU WROTE: "Here's the code below. That's it Mr. Kibler, see ya tommorrw."
Obie
>
> ' {$STAMP BS2}
> ' {$PBASIC 2.5}
>
>
> DEBUG "ASP-BOT Program Running",CR,
> DEBUG "Obie's Non-Version"
>
> counter VAR Byte
>
> FOR counter = 1 TO 6290 'needs to run 2min, 16 1/2s or 136500 ms
> 'does this mean variable is too small? 'Mr. K, you said Andrew's
> ran too long
> PULSEOUT 13, 850 'lasts 0.0017 s or 1.7 ms
> PULSEOUT 14, 850 'lasts 0.0017 s or 1.7 ms
>
> PAUSE 20 'pauses 20 ms
> NEXT
>
> End
>
Emily, I agree with Obie. I'm just not seeing it (how 6290 connects to 5460, how you used 6290 and especially 24.8 ms to get 5490.) Where did the 24.8 ms come from? I'll ask you to walk Andrew, Dylan, Obie and I through you calculations at practice tomorrow. We'll all figure it out together and gain complete understanding so we can apply the information, Then we'll use your formula to calculate how to make the servomotors turn for a different amount of time.
See you tomorrow a little before 1 PM,
Mr. Kibler
Today's practice was fantastic, and everyone seemed very involved and productive. Many of you got the chance to review your programming skills and knowledge, and others had the opportunity to complete their homework assignment. Even I was able to review much programming regarding the servo motors, something I had forgotten much about. With that said, I'm looking forward to what everyone believes would like to be our main mission goals, and perhaps a stretch goal. These are the goals I have decided upon, in order of importance.
1) As always, our first mission goal is to launch and recover safely and intact. I believe everyone understands this goal; please correct me if I am wrong.
2) Using a rover format, collect flight time, humidity, temperature and carbon dioxide and correlate each of them with altitude -- during descent and after landing ...
3) While recording data, traverse the desert for a minimum of 440 yards before being recovered.
4) (Stretch Goal) Using GPS technology, have the rover travel to a predetermined point (launch site, etc.).
Of course, firming up a scientific research question now will automatically form the mission goals for you, and will give much more meaning to our project.
Eager to hear from everyone,
-- Andrew
Here are mine:
1. Safety
2. To reach an altitude of 2 miles
3. To record data of co2 concentrations, humidity, and temperature
4. To have the Rover move 200 feet after touchdown
5. To have the Rover give us it's coordinates using GPS ( this one might be a stretch goal)
6. Stretch goal: navigate back to home base using GPS.
I learned a lot today
Thank you,
Emily
Emily
Today's meeting was excellent. Watching the King's academy video was interesting to see the responsibility wielded by others. I learned about a part of the timing process I didn't know about before. It was also nice to find an equation for easier finding of the number of times the program needs to run. I also got to run a program I wrote today which was really nice becasue I've wanted to do that for a long time. After the little tests of our knowledge we tried to go help Jake and Steph. Something was either wrong with the wiring, maybe the program, or the servos. Betting on the circutry. Anyways It was a very successful practice. My view of the goals are:
Safetly lauch and recover equipment
land a rover on ground
have rover move
gather data while moving on ground
(stretch) GPS navigation
(stretch) soil sample
also im available for a meeting either next week or the 2 weeks from now neither being better than the other at the moment. Saturdays would be more of a problem but I might be able to do it.
Anyways great pratice everyone.
Obie
I agree that we had a very productive practice today (although I was disappointed that we ran out of time and didn't get to 'unlock' the robot's 'run' program and run the ASP in the vacuum chamber.) You seem to have a good understanding of how to calculate the servomotor's run time and you worked through the calculations efficiently. It must be nice to see that you can actually apply math to solve a real-world problem, and it must be rewarding to learn how to write a computer program and then actually see it work! Well done., and excellent teamwork.
Nice work too, on rebuilding the BOE circuit board and then writing a simple program to test it. Although the program worked just fine on Andrew's BOE-bot we were unable to figure out why the servomotors didn't run on the new circuit board you built (bad wiring, program error, or bad motor? I'll tinker with it later and find out why.)
I propose that we meet again next Sunday from 1-4 since several of you can't meet on February 20th because of February vacation. Then we can plan on meeting two weeks after that. Let me know when the team has decided to meet (sometime in the next two weeks) and I'll clear my schedule for that date and time. Dylan, please post our next meeting date and time on the forum before bedtime on Monday (February 14th) so everyone can plan. Try and select a date and time that works best for everyone.
I'm excited that we'll be diving into the project headlong the next time we meet. We've skimmed the surface up until now-- to assess what your skills are-- and now it's time to rock and roll. You're up to the task, you're really clicking as a team, and now it's time to move ahead.
Remember that you are responsible for completing any assignment given here on the forum in a timely manner. Expect to see your next assignment in the next few days and please complete it promptly. If you're not sure how to do it: ASK FOR HELP. That's why we use the forum. None of us, including me, knows everything but as a team we are strong. Our strength is teamwork so work as a team.
Good work today, ARLISS Team New Hampshire! I look forward to our next meeting and to really getting our feet wet with this wild and wacky project. Look on the forum sometime tomorrow evening for our next practice date and time. Dylan, please be sure and this information tomorrow (Andrew, be sure to remind Dylan!)
Aim high,
Mr. Kibler
;-)
PS - Andrew, if you haven't figure it out yet we'll be unlocking the movement program and then testing it in the vacuum chamber at our next practice. See if you can figure out how to do that this week if you would like. Let me know what you need for materials. Dylan, please do the same.
It seemed to me that we accomplished a lot at this meeting. At least it seemed like the four of you - not including Steph and me- accomplished a lot. I feel that Steph and I spent too long with the BoE and too little time learning the program. And yes, that would be our fault, seeing as we failed to complete the homework. I am very thankful for being given another chance, and I promise, I will come through this time.
The very first thing I did when I got home was ask my parents to let me go to King's Academy. Unfortunately, it is too far away for them. Oh well. I would like to propose meeting this Saturday 1-4 instead. Post what you think about it. Secondly, I would like to borrow a BoE or HwB to work on. One that is not built yet would be best. That way I can really get a better understanding of it.
Mission Goals for Jake:
Safely launch and recover all equipment without injury
Design and program a rover
Have the rover move 100 yards for landing site
Gather data while moving
(Stretch) Have the Rover move directly north after landing 200 yards while collecting data
(Stretch) Have the Rover return to us through GPS
(Stretch of the stretch of the stretch) Collect and analyze a soil sample.
Congratulations to those who made it!
-JAKE-
Hello. I thought yesterday's practice was fun, as it has been the other two times I've gone also. Sorry that I had to do that homework assignment yesterday and waste some of your time. If it's okay with you guys, next Sunday, the 20th would be the best date of the next meeting for me at least. Getting on to the question, what order do you think our goals should be, these would be my answers...
1) Obviously, the safety goal.
2) The successful launching and landing.
3) Deploying the parachute at the correct time.
4) Have the rover move and gather data at the same time.
5) I agree with everyone on this one for a stretch goal- Have the rover use GPS to navigate back to the launch pad.
~Steph
I can't do next Sunday but Next Saturday would work for me.
So far we have votes for meeting on:
Saturday Jake and Emily (she "can't do Sunday")
Sunday: Stephanie
Obie? Andrew? Dylan? Can you meet on Saturday?
I'm OK with either Saturday or Sunday and I'll check the forum later in the evening to see when the team has decided to meet. Just be sure to let everybody know this evening Dylan.
Thanks,
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
~Steph
Mr. Kibler, I was going to tell you yesterday but I got into the meeting. I have decided on a project(s) for projects period. I'm going to read through project 1 Breadboarding basics and then move on to project 4 which deals with a piezospeaker. Finally I would like to move on to project 8 Boe-bot navigation with accelerometer incline sensing. For this I would need a circutry board probably hw board, memsic 2125 duel axis accelerometer, piezospeaker, wires, boe-bot and 2 220 resistors. I will order the usb to serial adaptor for programing. If you need me to I may be able to order a boe-bot if need be.
Oh, Jake, those gingersnaps were amazing.
See you all next practice,
Obie
Mr. Kibler,
Unfortunately, I can probably not attend if the meeting is held Saturday, and therefore Sunday would be the best option for me. Also, I'm going to give a try at "unlocking" the movement subroutine of the ASP-2's program, as you mentioned earlier, Mr. Kibler. In theory, it should be straightforward, but could prove to be a challenge as there have been many changes to the program since it has last utilized movement of the motors.
Andrew
Rocketeers,
Right now we have three Rocketeers who can make practice this weekend:
Saturday: Stephanie, Jake and Emily. Obie CAN'T make it on Saturday.
I'm OK with Saturday or Sunday. Obie, if we meet on Saturday, yours would be consider an excused absence. This would be your first of three.
Dylan and Andrew, waiting for you to chime in.
======================================
Jake and Stephanie,
The program you wrote and the breadboard you wired work just fine. It seems that the BS2 stamp we were using is "problematic". It runs the program but not the servomotors. Go figure. How do I know this? I isolated all the possible variables. That is, I changed out every possible part that could be causing the problem. It was the BS2 stamp. Good work on getting caught up on last weeks's homework yesterday. Let's try to make sure that doesn't happen again. Late homework is frowned on. What we learn during the week we use on the weekend.
I'll post this week's assignment tonight (or tomorrow evening at the latest.)
Jake, I'm glad that you took the initiative to ask for a HwB to use at home.
I'll bring everything you need to school tomorrow so you (and your Dad?) can use it to do this week's assignment. Be real careful that you don'tknock the wires loose... Ask for help here on the forum if you don't understand something. None of us understands it all (*certainly not me. Just ask Sylvie and Dr. Allen!) I wonder where there are... I miss them!
Mr. Kibler
:cool:
Hmmm.... it seems that 2 of 6 (1/3, or 33.3% of the team) CAN'T make it on Saturday. That's tough... What do we do now? Cancel practice for three weeks...? Thoughts eveyone? I don't want us to lose momentum. If we don't get the project operational there's no trip to Nevada. Life is full of tought decisions, isn't it?
Thoughts, Dylan...? I'll defer to your decision. You're the Team Captain (I'm just the chauffeur)
Mr. Kibler
Obie,
I was just thinking (as I ate the last of Jake's gingersnap cookies out in the kitchen!): if we don't meet this weekend, or if you can't make it to practice, I can't get you the parts (discuss your project, etc.) you said you need for your independent study project. And If we wait 3 weeks, until after February vacation to meet, isn't your project overdue then...? The gingersnap cookies inspired me to think: "Houston, do we have a problem...?" (not "we" but rather, you?)
Mr. Kibler
:nerd:
Also, I read through the mission goals for everyone, and it seems like we are all thinking along the same lines. I'm hopeful for next practice that we can decide on how we are going to budget our time.
Keep up the bright ideas!
-JAKE-