This is really great news! The only complaint I've had with Eddie so far is the resolution of the wheel encoder. jrhanobic brought up my latest question. I just commissioned the 4 "extra" ports on the Eddie control board (by soldering in a header) to control a stepper motor. What are the plans for Eddie upgrade both from a hardware (GPIO pins) and a software (Eddie firmware) perspective? The RDS4 service should be fine.
This is really great news! The only complaint I've had with Eddie so far is the resolution of the wheel encoder. jrhanobic brought up my latest question. I just commissioned the 4 "extra" ports on the Eddie control board (by soldering in a header) to control a stepper motor. What are the plans for Eddie upgrade both from a hardware (GPIO pins) and a software (Eddie firmware) perspective? The RDS4 service should be fine.
Todd
Hi Todd-
Yes, this encoder greatly increases the resolution (4x). However, the existing MMWK does have some inherent backlash in its gearbox - that we can't mitigate just yet. I think it's about 3/8", or so. However, I think that much of that might be insignificant in many applications - especially in outdoor applications...
-MattG
(At the risk of turning this into an Eddie thread -but this does deal with the New Encoder)...
Now, to add to our bag of tricks...
For existing Eddie and MadeUSA users -
As you know when you assembled your Motor Mount and Wheel Kit, there is a point where you insert a spring-pin through the main drive axle. This pin *binds* itself into the hole and mates with the drive hub on the wheel assembly.
To upgrade to the new Encoder you'll have to remove the spring-ping to be able to remove the old encoder wheel, and install the new one.
Unless you have a nice set of punch-pins, removing this spring-pin is virtually impossible without causing damage to the aluminum axle itself.
Not to worry :thumb:
What we've got is an "Encoder Wheel Upgrade Kit" - it eliminates the need to remove the spring-pin -, and the entire upgrade process takes about 30 minutes - with no damage to the axles, no need for special tools, and non-detectable frustration levels.
oh, and yes, there is a firmware update in the works too. David Carrier is our resident "Encoder Firmware Update Expert". :thumb:
-MattG
Hey Matt, Do you know if that firmware update applies to the original position encoders for the large wheel kit? I'd really like to know if the fix for setting the direction of rotation has been added that I've been asking about. It should have been a couple lines of code and with that in there it would keep large robots from trying to run over their owners. Been there done that. At least it missed the picture window..........
Hey Matt, Do you know if that firmware update applies to the original position encoders for the large wheel kit? I'd really like to know if the fix for setting the direction of rotation has been added that I've been asking about. It should have been a couple lines of code and with that in there it would keep large robots from trying to run over their owners. Been there done that. At least it missed the picture window..........
Robert
You get a big Amen from here brother. Mine turns left and right gentle as a lamb but forward or backward it's a jack rabbit.
I'm in the process of buying a house. The basement is finished and I have a new robotics lab. Of course then I don't have a wife yet. Things in the proper order right?
We have decided to extend Summer in Pismo until the 22nd this month, So get You and Yours down to the Sea ASAP.
Chowder's on us, and the Sunsets are always free...:cool:
Just to keep on topic somewhat, I was wondering about the Stingray encoder VS motor power connections,
Will I have to bend the - and + power connections out the way of the new encoder?
I did notice the connections on my motors are not oriented the same as the ones in the pictures of the prototype.
No big deal, just need to know how much to bend them, It doesn't look like they want to be bent alot...
Hey Tommy -
I'm actually writing the Encoder's Product Documentation right now, and here's the cool part...
You don't need to worry about where the motor terminals are located, because I'm documenting a method of "clocking" the motor's gear head so that they can all be oriented like the one's you see in the posts above - no worries - every Stingray in the wild can look just like the one I have in protective custody here :-)
Sweet! sounds like you got it handled. can't wait to see it in action. :thumb::thumb:
-Tommy
P.S.
It's not my fault you're not sitting on the beach, by the fire with your family, eating good clam chowder right now.
Try moving one of the ceiling tiles and see if you can find a way out through a roof vent or something...:cool:
I'm in the process of buying a house. The basement is finished and I have a new robotics lab. Of course then I don't have a wife yet. Things in the proper order right?
smithdavidp! I mustive made a wrong turn somewhere?...my robotics lab is still only a distant dream - it's HER garage right now...don't you dare post pics to make the rest of us jealous. No really don't...stop...
-MattG
Thanks Matt, I'm looking forward to the upgrade. When I noticed the backlash I dissected the wheel assembly to see where the problem was. Since it was in the gearbox of the motor:
1. It was nothing I could fix.
2. Since the encoder was attached to the axle it wasn't really much of an issue to me. Just in case whenever I applied drive power I used the mass of Eddie and applied just enough power to snug up the wheels, but not move the robot. I would then reset the encoders and proceed.
As far as I know these are in the production pipeline at this point and we'll be posting them available as soon as they've been completed and kitted. I will try to contact Matt G as soon as I can and see if he can provide a better update.
Chris is right (as usual)...there's one more little reason thing as to "why" they're not up today, but that will become apparent in a week or so.../Gomer Pyle voice on/...surrrprise, surrrprise, surrrprise :-)
-MattG
So are the backshafts on the stingrays motor turning at the speed of the DC motor and not the gearbox, if that make sense? When will these encoders be available?
The encoder fits on the motor shaft, not the output shaft which is geared. Matt just replied in another thread about these encoders. I am posting a link below.
Comments
Todd
Oh well, I will just head on over to the Splash cafe and grab a bowl of clam chowder...
-Tommy
Product doc should be finished today, and pics should be done within the next day or two - then it'll be up on the Site.
That hurts Tommy!
-MattG
Yes, this encoder greatly increases the resolution (4x). However, the existing MMWK does have some inherent backlash in its gearbox - that we can't mitigate just yet. I think it's about 3/8", or so. However, I think that much of that might be insignificant in many applications - especially in outdoor applications...
-MattG
Now, to add to our bag of tricks...
For existing Eddie and MadeUSA users -
As you know when you assembled your Motor Mount and Wheel Kit, there is a point where you insert a spring-pin through the main drive axle. This pin *binds* itself into the hole and mates with the drive hub on the wheel assembly.
To upgrade to the new Encoder you'll have to remove the spring-ping to be able to remove the old encoder wheel, and install the new one.
Unless you have a nice set of punch-pins, removing this spring-pin is virtually impossible without causing damage to the aluminum axle itself.
Not to worry :thumb:
What we've got is an "Encoder Wheel Upgrade Kit" - it eliminates the need to remove the spring-pin -, and the entire upgrade process takes about 30 minutes - with no damage to the axles, no need for special tools, and non-detectable frustration levels.
Wanna see pics?
-MattG
-MattG
Hey Matt, Do you know if that firmware update applies to the original position encoders for the large wheel kit? I'd really like to know if the fix for setting the direction of rotation has been added that I've been asking about. It should have been a couple lines of code and with that in there it would keep large robots from trying to run over their owners. Been there done that. At least it missed the picture window..........
Robert
You get a big Amen from here brother. Mine turns left and right gentle as a lamb but forward or backward it's a jack rabbit.
We have decided to extend Summer in Pismo until the 22nd this month, So get You and Yours down to the Sea ASAP.
Chowder's on us, and the Sunsets are always free...:cool:
Just to keep on topic somewhat, I was wondering about the Stingray encoder VS motor power connections,
Will I have to bend the - and + power connections out the way of the new encoder?
I did notice the connections on my motors are not oriented the same as the ones in the pictures of the prototype.
No big deal, just need to know how much to bend them, It doesn't look like they want to be bent alot...
-Tommy
I'm actually writing the Encoder's Product Documentation right now, and here's the cool part...
You don't need to worry about where the motor terminals are located, because I'm documenting a method of "clocking" the motor's gear head so that they can all be oriented like the one's you see in the posts above - no worries - every Stingray in the wild can look just like the one I have in protective custody here :-)
-MattG
-Tommy
P.S.
It's not my fault you're not sitting on the beach, by the fire with your family, eating good clam chowder right now.
Try moving one of the ceiling tiles and see if you can find a way out through a roof vent or something...:cool:
-MattG
-MattG
-Tommy
1. It was nothing I could fix.
2. Since the encoder was attached to the axle it wasn't really much of an issue to me. Just in case whenever I applied drive power I used the mass of Eddie and applied just enough power to snug up the wheels, but not move the robot. I would then reset the encoders and proceed.
It has been a while since the last update. Is this development still ongoing, or is there a target date?
Regards,
Kris
As far as I know these are in the production pipeline at this point and we'll be posting them available as soon as they've been completed and kitted. I will try to contact Matt G as soon as I can and see if he can provide a better update.
-MattG
-Tommy
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/137677-Very-Unhappy?p=1161864#post1161864