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Unread 08-02-2002, 18:31
Curtis Williams Curtis Williams is offline
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#0588 (Team 588)
Team Role: College Student
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Rookie Year: 2001
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Time allowing, I would like to use the optical sensors to measure the speed of the robot. I plan to put a little white paint on the surface behind the wheel so that the sensor goes off when a spoke passes. A laptop connected to the dashboard port will calculate the speed. My plan is to then have the laptop say "STALL STALL STALL" when the operator is putting power to the motors but not going anywhere. Maybe even have the RC cut power to the motors if the wheels dont move for a few seconds. Hopefully this will prevent overstressing the motors or blowing a fuse.

We are also using a pair of limit switches to tell when we are lined up and touching the goal. Another use for limit switches is detecting falure of a device like a hook that you cant see.