Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Wheel encoding — Parallax Forums

Wheel encoding

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-11-11 15:55 in General Discussion
Hi All,

I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to turn
the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary interest
for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot travels
straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift right
(fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm getting
tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.

So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this problem. I
was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
will do what I need it to do. Thanks.

-Dave

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-09 18:45
    Depending on what you need to do, have a look at
    http://www.al-williams.com/pak7.htm. Of course, you already have the wheels,
    or I'd recommend http://www.al-williams.com/pak11.htm -- this uses a mouse
    to read position. You can gut a mechanical mouse and use it for position
    data or -- and this is really slick -- use an optical mouse. Of course, the
    optical mouse has to practically drag the ground which may not be practical
    in this case, but it works great on my drill press table! Even then, a $5
    mechanical mouse will provide encoders and the chip reads out very easily
    using RS232.

    Regards,

    Al Williams
    AWC


    >
    Original Message
    > From: nuclearspin2000 [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=DAY0AhPaYzyRxBUw-Gm3HEtmeCs5GoSNBPxwDgDsgoAaM3v59grgpG8bxUJahJ5Vv4FBDxi5hFuWf2j6XNEeRn8LC5I]nuclearspin2000@y...[/url
    > Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 11:43 PM
    > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Wheel encoding
    >
    >
    > Hi All,
    >
    > I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to turn
    > the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary interest
    > for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot travels
    > straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift right
    > (fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm getting
    > tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.
    >
    > So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this problem. I
    > was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
    > will do what I need it to do. Thanks.
    >
    > -Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-10 14:32
    I am working on the same problem. I just received the parts for the
    following article.

    http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200010/dead_reckoning_article.htm
    l


    Original Message
    From: nuclearspin2000 [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=-HYhUNThiuUCN7sF4RjzYj04StpRC6dr3KebFJ8LsMVDzxkeFL0-iHph1niO6RUmnbyRqB54abyYu_pvjYJd8fc]nuclearspin2000@y...[/url
    Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 11:43 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Wheel encoding


    Hi All,

    I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to turn
    the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary interest
    for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot travels
    straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift right
    (fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm getting
    tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.

    So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this problem. I
    was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
    will do what I need it to do. Thanks.

    -Dave



    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject
    and Body of the message will be ignored.


    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-10 15:06
    Good stuff. I think you'll be pleased. The circuit works quite well
    and is exactly what I'm using. You can also find the schematic at
    www.acroname.com. Here's a tip, those Hammamatsu sensors do not like
    to be hooked up backwards to the supply voltage, I already destroyed
    one doing this. I added a low drop Schottky diode inline with the
    positive supply to make it idiot proof, and it works. You might want
    to do the same.

    I printed out the encoder disks using a 64 stripe pattern that was
    scanned out of "Mobile Robot, Inspiration to Implementation". If I
    can count both the rising and falling edges of the pulse, that gives
    me 64 ticks per revolution. I still haven't come up with the software
    algorithm yet, but it looks like it's going to involve some PI or PID
    control. I still have to get a pulse accumulator, still shopping
    around but it looks like Al Williams PAK7 is the best one I've seen
    so far. Good luck and keep me posted, if you solve the problem before
    I do I'd love to see your solution. Best regards,

    -Dave



    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Bryan Smith" <bsmith@w...> wrote:
    >
    > I am working on the same problem. I just received the parts for the
    > following article.
    >
    >
    http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200010/dead_reckoning_article.h
    tm
    > l
    >
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: nuclearspin2000 [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:nuclearspin2000@y...]
    > Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 11:43 PM
    > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Wheel encoding
    >
    >
    > Hi All,
    >
    > I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to
    turn
    > the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary
    interest
    > for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot travels
    > straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift right
    > (fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm
    getting
    > tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.
    >
    > So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this problem.
    I
    > was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
    > will do what I need it to do. Thanks.
    >
    > -Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject
    > and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-10 15:33
    Have a look here:
    www.rhombus-tek.com/SMt_Rob.htm
    www.rhombus-tek.com/co-processors.html

    The original testing had a BoeBot with 30+ segments per wheel completing
    a perfect 'Square', reversing and returning home accurately.

    As you have discovered, it is not just the distance, but the difference
    in accelaration that matters.

    David Lawrence
    www.rhombus-tek.com

    Original Message
    From: nuclearspin2000 <nuclearspin2000@y...>
    To: <basicstamps@yahoogroups.com>
    Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 9:43 PM
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Wheel encoding


    > Hi All,
    >
    > I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to turn
    > the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary interest
    > for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot travels
    > straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift right
    > (fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm getting
    > tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.
    >
    > So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this problem. I
    > was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
    > will do what I need it to do. Thanks.
    >
    > -Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject
    and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-11 05:24
    http://shrike.depaul.edu/~rrousse1/engineering/control/controlsystem_
    frame.htm

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Bryan Smith" <bsmith@w...>
    wrote:
    >
    > I am working on the same problem. I just received the parts for
    the
    > following article.
    >
    >
    http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200010/dead_reckoning_article.
    htm
    > l
    >
    >
    >
    Original Message
    > From: nuclearspin2000 [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:nuclearspin2000@y...]
    > Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 11:43 PM
    > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Wheel encoding
    >
    >
    > Hi All,
    >
    > I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to
    turn
    > the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary
    interest
    > for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot
    travels
    > straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift
    right
    > (fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm
    getting
    > tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.
    >
    > So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this problem.
    I
    > was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
    > will do what I need it to do. Thanks.
    >
    > -Dave
    >
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject
    > and Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-11-11 15:55
    Hi Ron,

    Thanks for the reply. Your control algorithm is very similiar to
    others I've seen and is the one I'm going to try implementing first.
    Is this just a paper design or did you actually implement it? What
    part numbers did you use? Thanks.

    -Dave

    --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "rcrousseau" <rrousse1@s...>
    wrote:
    >
    http://shrike.depaul.edu/~rrousse1/engineering/control/controlsystem_
    > frame.htm
    >
    > --- In basicstamps@yahoogroups.com, "Bryan Smith" <bsmith@w...>
    > wrote:
    > >
    > > I am working on the same problem. I just received the parts for
    > the
    > > following article.
    > >
    > >
    >
    http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200010/dead_reckoning_article.
    > htm
    > > l
    > >
    > >
    > >
    Original Message
    > > From: nuclearspin2000 [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:nuclearspin2000@y...]
    > > Sent: Saturday, November 08, 2003 11:43 PM
    > > To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    > > Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Wheel encoding
    > >
    > >
    > > Hi All,
    > >
    > > I now have wheel encoders on my robot and am looking for ways to
    > turn
    > > the pulses they generate into useful information. My primary
    > interest
    > > for the moment is straight line tracking. Somedays my robot
    > travels
    > > straight, somedays it drifts left and sometimes it will drift
    > right
    > > (fickel servos). It's a constant, irritating problem and I'm
    > getting
    > > tired of having to recalibrate my pulses everytime I run it.
    > >
    > > So I'm wondering how other Stamp users have overcome this
    problem.
    > I
    > > was thinking of looking into the PWMPAL but I'm still not sure it
    > > will do what I need it to do. Thanks.
    > >
    > > -Dave
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    > Subject
    > > and Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    > > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Sign In or Register to comment.