Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
frustrated — Parallax Forums

frustrated

graffixgraffix Posts: 389
edited 2011-08-30 13:09 in General Discussion
Im frustrated with my projects and forum due to lack of help,comments,and lack of progress.
What should I do different?

Comments

  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2011-08-30 08:18
    What is your project?
    What problem are you having?
  • graffixgraffix Posts: 389
    edited 2011-08-30 08:31
    Thanks for your attention Mike,One project is Im trying to build a balance bot.I think it should use a couple of parts working together.Im trying to do it in sections and not having much luck.Here is a link to the thread http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?133348-Parallax-Balance-Bot

    I think it should be just creating a PID loop using these sensors
    memsic 2125
    lisy300 gyro
    wheel encoder
    HB25 motor controllers

    BS2 MCU
  • Mike GMike G Posts: 2,702
    edited 2011-08-30 08:38
    I've never built a balance bot but a quick a Google search "stamp balance bot" turned up several resources with Stamp source code.
    http://www.parallax.com/tabid/505/Default.aspx
    http://find.botmag.com/051109
    http://find.botmag.com/balancing-bot-code-eric-ostendorff-279.html
  • graffixgraffix Posts: 389
    edited 2011-08-30 08:59
    I could try creating "tilt zones" i guess using just the memsic but thats not a PID loop.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2011-08-30 09:44
    graffix it seemed like you were getting help in your balance bot thread. Was there something more we could do to help?
  • graffixgraffix Posts: 389
    edited 2011-08-30 10:15
    Is it even possible with this MCU or ?Short of grabbing parts or making a trip to my house, just kidding I'm not sure.I didn't think it was going to be this difficult.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2011-08-30 10:24
    Others have created balancing bots using the BASIC Stamp Microcontrollers, so I know it is possible. The specifics I am sure are a bit different among different creations.
  • graffixgraffix Posts: 389
    edited 2011-08-30 10:32
    Thank you Chris,coming from you I at least find that motivational.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,261
    edited 2011-08-30 10:34
    graffix: Sorry to hear you're frustrated. Your balancebot project is quite complex. You ask simple questions that have very complicated answers which require more thought and tech detail than most Forumistas have time to reply.

    I have only made one balancebot using an IR sensor, which was challenging enough. That was in 3 parts in ROBOT magazine, if you want to check it out, I got into PID there and had decent results with the simplest possible configuration. That would be a good first project for you. Here's what I ended up with:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-txjHd4Kvs and http://www.youtube.com/user/ercost60#p/u/9/j-Ubi93VzHo

    Sounds like you have the gyro & accelerometer, which is a better option. Sounds like you're trying to apply the Parallax PID info, which is oversimplified and barely scratches the surface of the material you need. That's a very general tutorial; you note they don't actually control anything with their program, it is far from a finished program. In your BB thread, I sent you a link to my thread which has links to tons of info on other people's balance bots. You'll need to dig DEEP and get into Kalman filters and sensor fusion to get your bot to work. It won't be easy. If it was, everyone would be doing it!

    Hope this helps steer you.

    Best,

    erco
  • bill190bill190 Posts: 769
    edited 2011-08-30 10:37
    In general when asking questions on the internet, if you ask a big general question like "How do I get this entire project to work", then what you are asking is that people spend a lot of time and look over your entire project. Other people will not have all the same hardware you have, so will not be able to answer. And many people are not going to do all that work of learning all about your entire project, then finding the problems...

    However if you ask a specific question about one thing, like I have this specific chip and I can't get it to communicate, then you will have a wider audience. Many more people might have that chip and may have gotten it to work. So they can simply copy and paste their working code and not spend too much time answering your question. Or could look at a short section of code you posted and not spend too much time finding a problem.

    Anyway I have found that I will get more replies to specific questions. And that asking many specific questions will get many more replies than asking one big general question.

    It looks like you are doing the right things. You are reading all about your project. We all get frustrated. Just take a walk around the block, then go back and keep plugging! (I have my best "Ahhh Ha!" moments when I take a break and am going for a walk or laying down and resting...)

    So far as what you can and can't do with a programming language and one command... I will stop work on my project, create a new test program, then just experiment with that one command. See what I can and can't do. Or start a new thread on a forum asking about that specific command.
  • graffixgraffix Posts: 389
    edited 2011-08-30 13:09
    I'm not frustrated anymore,Thanks guys!Sorry for the late reply, I'm now at work.Also sorry for any misconceptions I had.
Sign In or Register to comment.