myrOBOT Library

Reinhard · 2011-12-03 07:49

Hi All,
how posted in another thread, I work on an robot library, with the aim to replace the Lego Mindstorm Brain, but use all
the Lego Motors and Sensors included in the Lego Package.

The software grows faster than the hardware and mechanical stuff .

The software frontend looks like this:

/****************************************
     Propeller replace mindstorm brick
     codename: myrOBOT
     Author  : Reinhard Mayer
     Date    : 2011 - DEC - 03
     Version : 0.0.1
     Compiler: propgcc

              ._____    _____.
              |     \__/     |
       Button1|  1        40 |TXD
       Button2|  2        39 |RXD
     Sound.out|  3        38 |SDA
    Analog.out|  4        37 |SCL
    MotorB dir|  5        36 |ADC_FAST.SCLK
    MotorA dir|  6        35 |ADC_FAST.nCS
  MotorB Power|  7        34 |ADC_FAST.DIN
  MotorA Power|  8        33 |ADC_FAST.DOUT
           Vss|  9        32 |VDD
          nBOE| 10        31 |XO
          nRES| 11        30 |XI
           Vdd| 12        29 |Vss
 SigmaDelta.in| 13        28 |LCD.DB7
 SigmaDelta.fb| 14        27 |LCD.DB6
         spare| 15        26 |LCD.DB5
         spare| 16        25 |LCD.DB4
         spare| 17        24 |LCD.DB3
        LCD.RS| 18        23 |LCD.DB2
        LCD.RW| 19        22 |LCD.DB1
        LCD.EN| 20        21 |LCD.DB0
              |______________|

*****************************************/

#include <propeller.h> 
#include <stdio.h>

#include "kernel.h"
#include "motor.h"
#include "analog_out.h"
#include "max147.h"



// this is the mailbox for Sigma Delta ADC
// it is important to place declaration here !
unsigned int value; 

#define Teststub
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void main ()
{
int percent;
unsigned short adc_fast;
    
    kernel_init();


#ifdef Teststub    
    DIRA |= 1 << 16;     // Sigma Delta Limit Indicator LED
    
    while(1)
    {
      for(percent = 0; percent <= 100;percent++)
      {
        
        //motor pwm and direction, for this test of course no common motor - axis ;-)
        setMotorA(percent,fwd);
        setMotorB(100 - percent,rev);
        
        //analog out
        setAnalogOut(percent);
        
        // delay before next pwm delta
        msleep(100);

        //Sigma Delta ADC
        if(value > 300)
        {
          //pulse LED if sigma delta value exceeds a limit
          OUTA |= 1 << 16;
          msleep(500);
          OUTA &= ~(1 << 16);
        }
        
        //buttons
        if( CLOSE == getButtonState(1) )
            swapMotorADirection ();
        
        if( CLOSE == getButtonState(2) )
            swapMotorBDirection ();

        //adc_fast, for more info read max147 datasheet
        adc_fast = readMAX147(0xFF);
        
      }
      
      percent = 0;
      msleep(500);
    } 
#endif 
}

if any is interest for full open source here is the path:
http://home.mnet-online.de/reimay/Projects/myrOBOT/

cheers
Reinhard

mindrobots · 2011-12-03 07:58

Reinhard,

This is fantastic! I have an old Mindstorm 1.0/1.5 set that is mechanically and electrically perfect but we've been having trouble finding software that works on a moder PC to run the brick. Now I can just replace the brick with a propeller!

I'm going to be following this project closely!

Excellent work!

Reinhard · 2011-12-03 08:44

mindrobots,

Thank you for the comment, I think for the predicat "Excellent work" I have even more to do.

I guess I run not into problems with the software, but any hardware concept is still uncleared today.

Actually I use an MOS-FET for the MotorDriver and 2 Relays for each Motordirection, because they are the components I found in my tinker box.

Maybe it is better to use a standard Driver IC, but I think the signal for this IC (PWM and Digital IO ) will remain unchanged.

Unclear is also how I integrate the Propeller PCB with Lego stuff.

So it can be there are different hardware solutions and this will adapt with minor software changes.

However the next thing is to write a driver for the hitachi LCD, also found in my tinker box.
And a diver for play a melody is also a nice to have.

cheers
Reinhard

jazzed · 2011-12-03 09:43

Looks great so far! This will be a candidate for hackaday.

Reinhard · 2011-12-03 10:28

jazzed

Thanks !

Since english is not my native language, what is hackaday

cheers
Reinhard

jazzed · 2011-12-03 10:37

Reinhard wrote: »

Since english is not my native language, what is hackaday

http://hackaday.com/

Reinhard · 2011-12-03 10:47

:cool: ..............

Reinhard · 2011-12-04 10:52

Hi,

now the LCD Driver and PlaySound are added to the myrOBOT Library.

/****************************************
     Propeller replace mindstorm brick
     codename: myrOBOT
     Author  : Reinhard Mayer
     Date    : 2011 - DEC - 03
     Version : 0.0.1
     Compiler: propgcc

              ._____    _____.
              |     \__/     |
       Button1|  1        40 |TXD
       Button2|  2        39 |RXD
     Sound.out|  3        38 |SDA
    Analog.out|  4        37 |SCL
    MotorB dir|  5        36 |ADC_FAST.SCLK
    MotorA dir|  6        35 |ADC_FAST.nCS
  MotorB Power|  7        34 |ADC_FAST.DIN
  MotorA Power|  8        33 |ADC_FAST.DOUT
           Vss|  9        32 |VDD
          nBOE| 10        31 |XO
          nRES| 11        30 |XI
           Vdd| 12        29 |Vss
 SigmaDelta.in| 13        28 |LCD.DB7
 SigmaDelta.fb| 14        27 |LCD.DB6
         spare| 15        26 |LCD.DB5
         spare| 16        25 |LCD.DB4
         spare| 17        24 |LCD.DB3
        LCD.RS| 18        23 |LCD.DB2
        LCD.RW| 19        22 |LCD.DB1
        LCD.EN| 20        21 |LCD.DB0
              |______________|

*****************************************/

#include <propeller.h> 
#include <stdio.h>

#include "kernel.h"
#include "motor.h"
#include "analog_out.h"
#include "max147.h"
#include "lcd.h"
#include "sound.h"

// this is the mailbox for Sigma Delta ADC
// it is important to place declaration here !
unsigned int value; 

// sound
note_t song[] = 
{
    {_C6,1},  // note = C6, duration = 100ms
    {_D6,1},
    {_E6,1},
    {_F6,1},
    {_G6,2},  // note = G6, duration = 200ms
    
    {END,0}

};

#define Teststub
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
void main ()
{
int percent;
unsigned short adc_fast;
    
    kernel_init();


#ifdef Teststub    
    DIRA |= 1 << 16;     // Sigma Delta Limit Indicator LED
    
    // lcd putchar
    lcd_putchar(':');
    lcd_putchar('-');
    lcd_putchar(')');
    
    while(1)
    {
      for(percent = 0; percent <= 100;percent++)
      {
        
        //motor pwm and direction, for this test of course no common motor - axis ;-)
        setMotorA(percent,fwd);
        setMotorB(100 - percent,rev);
        
        //analog out (normaly lowpass filtered with RC)
        setAnalogOut(percent);
        
        // delay before next pwm delta
        msleep(100);

        //Sigma Delta ADC
        if(value > 300)
        {
          //pulse LED if sigma delta value exceeds a limit
          OUTA |= 1 << 16;
          msleep(500);
          OUTA &= ~(1 << 16);
        }
        
        //buttons and lcd puts
        if( CLOSE == getButtonState(1) )
        {
            swapMotorADirection ();
            lcd_puts("Button 1 close");
            playSound(song);
        }
        else
            lcd_puts("Button 1 open ");
        
        if( CLOSE == getButtonState(2) )
            swapMotorBDirection ();

        //adc_fast, for more info read max147 datasheet
        adc_fast = readMAX147(0xFF);
        
      }
      
      percent = 0;
      msleep(500);
    } 
#endif 
}

Of course some functions are not only special for roboting, but also usable for general purpose.

In the path above now is a zip archive, for easy download.

cheers
Reinhard

myrOBOT Library

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