[Rob Ciavaglia]

We have experimented with a few different methods and I would have to say that the best method that we found is to use pots to align the wheels in the direction you wish to travel. One year we limited the robot to find 5 different angles by using two foot pedals and the trigger on the joystick. The programming for this was rather simple.

We calibrated the pot so that when nothing was depressed, we traveled forward. For this example, I will say the value was 130. When we pressed the right foot pedal, we told the pot to change to 190. That gave us a 60 degree angle to right from the front. If we held the trigger and pressed the right foot pedal, we set the pot to 220 or 90 degrees to the right. By pressing the left foot pedal by itself, we commanded the pot to 70 and by the pressing the trigger with the left pedal we commanded the pot to 40.

The same was tried with using a pot and knob on the control board. Whatever we set the knob to on the control board, the pot on the robot would pivot the wheels to a corresponding setting. With the wheels pivoted, we in essence altered the front of the robot.

Both methods required very little programming. However, since we used the window motor and a 1/4" chain, we had several issues mechanically.

Robert