Stepping Boe-Bot forward, not moving normally!

Miltos · 2012-01-12 08:31

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 · 2012-01-12 09:50

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 · 2012-01-12 13:31

Mike,

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

Jessica Uelmen · 2012-01-12 14:41

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 · 2012-01-12 22:08

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.

Stepping Boe-Bot forward, not moving normally!

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