Vision Sensor Power Adaptor ?

[CircularLogic]

My team is attempting to calibrate the camera using the "on the bench" method and we have run into a problem. The camera manual instructs us to use the "vision sensor power adaptor" but after searching our inventory and looking at the kit of parts manual, we cant seem to find anything labeled as such. Does anyone have any information as to what this is and where we can find it?

[Alan Anderson]

It's not a "vision sensor power adapter." It's a backup battery power adapter. It's the thing with a connector for the 7.2v battery pack at one end, and a pair of spade connectors at the other.http://www.ifirobotics.com/images/accessories/battery-adapter-bu.gif

[CircularLogic]

Alright, we have this but how are we supposed to connect that to the camera board?

thank you for the help

[Alan Anderson]

You're not supposed to connect it to the camera board. You're supposed to connect it to the backup battery input on the Robot Controller.

What "camera manual" are you using? The camera power input (a three-position female connector near the camera daughterboard) should be clearly indicated, and the method of connecting to it (a PWM cable to an otherwise unused PWM output on the RC) should be clearly stated.

[CircularLogic]

First, let me thank you Alan for your time, effort, and knowledge.


http://www2.usfirst.org/2006comp/other/2006_CMUCam2_Workbook-Rev_B.pdf

There is the link to the official CMU Camera Workbook.

Directly from page 13 under items required
"Robot wired and "ready to go" or the following items from the kit for "bench testing"
- Charged 7.2 vdc NiCad Battery Pack
- Vision Sensor Power Adaptor Cable
"


Seeing as how our robot is not "ready to go", we are attempting to calibrate/get to know it using "bench testing".

Has anyone else shared in this dilemma? What are we doing wrong?

Thank you all for your time and effort.

[CircularLogic]

*bump*

hasnt anyone used their camera off of the robot? Do you run a pwm cable from the robot controller to the power of the camera and then plug the battery into the rc?

anyone?

[CyberWolf_22]

We built a power adapter for the cmu cam by cutting the male end off a pwm cable and attaching spade connectors to the red and black wires and hooking those up to the battery adapter for the robot controller to get 7.2 volts to the camera with out hooking it up to the robot.

[mogunus]

Getting the camera working without the robot isn't too hard, but you need to buy stuff. I, too, looked for this power adaptor to get it working "on the bench." I did not find it, and was forced to conclude that it's existance is a myth. So I checked the camera manual: at least 6v, 200mA power supply.

Go to radio shack, grab a 6v, 300mA power supply, and a "hobbyist" adaptor for it, basically a couple exposed wires and the special plug for the adaptor, one ground and one voltage. Then do one of two things:

The good thing: Slice open a pwm, cut off the female end. Solder the red on the pwm to the halfwhite wire on the hobbyist adaptor, then tape it up. Solder the black on the pwm to the black on the hobbyist adaptor. Tape that up too. Presto, you have a nicely made, wall-socket camera adaptor. Having one of these has made my team's camera drivers a LOT better, because I can take the camera home at night and play with it. And yes, it drives the servos fine too.

The lazy thing: Poke the two exposed wire ends into the appropriate holes on the camera.

[Dr Nick]

Will the PWM splicing method detailed above work without frying the camera? That seems like the simplest way to quickly test the camera.