Which sensors do you really use?

[ManicMechanic]

I was wondering which sensors you use (especially in competition robots, but also in "fun" ones), and how they are essential to the function (or improvement) of your robot. I'm not looking for examples of, "Hypothetically you could uses an ultrasonic sensor to avoid bumping into walls" but actual examples that are proven to work, and work better than doing without sensors.

So far, the only sensors our team has used in competition are limit switches -- to stop a ring delivery device when it reaches the perfect height for a post, and to prevent a joystick-happy driver from grinding the gears. We have played with other sensors but haven't improved robot function as a result of using them.

[Rick TYler]

Limit switches and shaft encoders. Haven't done too much with the others.

[HighLife]

On the AdamBots FRC robot we are currently using the kit hall effect sensors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect_sensor) mounted in the transmissions for distance measurement in hybrid. We are also using a yaw sensor (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=395) to give us the heading of the robot in hybrid and we even have a one joystick drive mode based on the heading given to us by the yaw sensor.

On the fun side my dad just bought me a PIR sensor (http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampModules/tabid/134/List/1/ProductID/83/Default.aspx?txtSearch=pir+sensor&SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) today. I'm probably going to use that to wake my robot up when someone turns on the lights or something like that. There is also SONAR sensors (http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/ObjectDetection/tabid/176/CategoryID/51/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/92/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) that I've used to judge the distance of objects like walls and table legs. I've also used an IR sensor for line tracking with lego robotics.

[EHaskins]

This year I used ultarsonic sensors in automomous, and also adapted the code to prevent demo robots from damaging walls.:) I also used limit switches and encoder.

EDIT: Forgot to mention the gyro.

[jimbot]

Limit switch for setting up our arm movements, shaft encoders for knowing where the arm is, and my favorite... a gyro that alows us to spin (on omni wheels) and still go the same direction WHILE spinning

[ManicMechanic]

On the AdamBots FRC robot we are currently using the kit hall effect sensors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect_sensor) mounted in the transmissions for distance measurement in hybrid. We are also using a yaw sensor (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=395) to give us the heading of the robot in hybrid and we even have a one joystick drive mode based on the heading given to us by the yaw sensor.

On the fun side my dad just bought me a PIR sensor (http://www.parallax.com/Store/Microcontrollers/BASICStampModules/tabid/134/List/1/ProductID/83/Default.aspx?txtSearch=pir+sensor&SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) today. I'm probably going to use that to wake my robot up when someone turns on the lights or something like that. There is also SONAR sensors (http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/ObjectDetection/tabid/176/CategoryID/51/List/0/Level/a/ProductID/92/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName%2cProductName) that I've used to judge the distance of objects like walls and table legs. I've also used an IR sensor for line tracking with lego robotics.

and my favorite... a gyro that alows us to spin (on omni wheels) and still go the same direction WHILE spinning


Are these for Vex bots??!!? (wistful sigh)

[Herodotus]

Our current robot uses five sonar distance sensors, two gear tooth sensors, and an accelerometer. Amazingly it uses pretty much all of these already. Usually we put five thousand sensors on the robot and they don't get used for quite awhile. This year they were almost all used right away.

The distance sensors are for obstacle avoidance, target tracking, automatic hurdling, and wall hugging. The the Gear tooth sensors and accelerometer are used for drive straight functions, and also our hybrid mode. Plus they are used for a number of other little things.

[Lil' Lavery]

Keep in mind people, this is in the VEX forum. The request was about what sensors you use on your vex bots, namely ones used in FTC or other vex-based competitions. ;)

[Herodotus]

Keep in mind people, this is in the VEX forum. The request was about what sensors you use on your vex bots, namely ones used in FTC or other vex-based competitions. ;)

My bad :o I saw it off on the feed to the right, and didn't notice which forum it was in.

Well in that case, none, as we don't participate in Vex :p

[Akash Rastogi]

Encoders are there as always. I think we're using limit switches and perhaps the button switch. (yes this is for VEX)

[lasereyes]

We used only 2 sensors for our 2007 FTC robot. 1 limit switch, and 1 shaft encoder.