Sensor doubt!
 

Hello! last week we were talking about sensor and their aplications so we were thinking on using a magnetic sensor for a team project, the question is FIRST allow us to use them? and if its allowed, does Labview can program it?

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

Depends on the specs of the sensor. Link?

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

What kind of a magnet sensor? Like the kind you use on a magnetic piston?

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

There currently is no specific rule against sensors provided they fit the other rules. For instance, you may not use a 110 vac sensor on the robot. You may even use a laser operated device provided the laser is contained and sealed such as a laser gyro or accelerometer.

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

418 has several magnetic sensors on our robot this year, we use them for detecting position. For example we have an impact plate on our shooter, and on the back of the impact plate we have several magnets; the magnets trigger a reed switch mounted on our robot and they tell the robot when the impact plate has reached its maximum pullback position.

The magnetic sensor acts just like any digital microswitch would, when the magnet gets near it the sensor closes the circuit and changes value. LabVIEW reads the DIO line just fine.

-Danny

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

Why not use a PNP inductive sensor? It works like a magnet/reed switch without the danger of accidentally being triggered by a collision. It can be wired directly to the DSC.

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

How would you wire a PNP sensor to the Digital Sidecar?

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

We use the Hall Effect Sensors from WCP [link] on our Catapult to detect the loaded position. It is plugged into the Digital IO on the Digital Side card and Java just reads it as a digital input.

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

The sensor is like the one used in an AGV that follows magnetic tape but i dont know if just with a DIO i can do it

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

Ok, so here's my general debugging guidelines when it comes to "strange" sensors:

(1) Can the device be powered using 5V or 12V? If so, it can be directly powered by one of the Digital or Analog input banks (5V) or it can be powered by a branch off the Power Distribution Board (12V). If not, you've got to figure out how to power it otherwise (if less than 12V but more than 5V, consider a voltage divider off a 12V PDB branch. If less than 5V, consider a voltage divider off the 5V DIO or Analog sensor lines (if using a DIO or analog input - see later)). If more than 12V, it's likely not going to be supported.

(2) When you power the device up, what voltages do you see on the signal line of the device (when compared to the common line of the power supply you're using)? If it's 5V or less, and is more-or-less a binary value (you see more than 3V when one condition is met - seeing or not seeing the magnetic tape - and less than 3V when the other condition is met) then you can use it on the DIO.

There ya go, in a nutshell.

-Danny

Re: Sensor doubt!
 

Like Danny said: If you can power it, it is very likely you can get the information from it.

I cannot imagine any real sensor that Labview would really be unable to use.