Autonomous RC Car Mapping

brandonlbrewer

Hello again all, let me begin by thanking you for reading this post, I really do appreciate it. I’m working on an autonomous RC car that maps an area while avoiding obstacles. I have the code all worked out, it works when I walk around with the chip and the code for the distance sensors is working. Then I realized the problem that I want to talk to you about… I don’t know how to hook the circuit that I have made up to the car without frying the chip. The chip needs to control the servo on the car while not allowing the much higher voltage and amperage of the RC battery pack into the circuit. Is there a component to do this? I’ve heard somebody mention digital to analog converter, but there are so many kinds, I don’t know which one to use. I really need help on this one. I’m using the Propstick USB 40 pin chip. Also, if anyone knows how to allow the car to be activated by the remote control as a back up override, that'd be great too. It only has two channels, one for forward/reverse and one for left/right, so I can't simply use a third channel.

Duane Degn

There are a couple of many thing you need to figure out.

When you say "It only has two channels, one for forward/reverse and one for left/right" can you control the speed of the car both forward and backward? Can you steer the car a little or a lot? In other words if the remote proportional?

Then you need to figure out how are you going to control the car with the Propeller. What electronic signal makes the car turn? How is the speed and direction controlled?

Don't worry about incorporating your sensors yet. You need to be able to make the car move. How you control the car depends a lot on the electronics in the car.

Some good pictures of the car's electronics and motors would probably help others help you learn what needs to be done to control the car.