Quote:
Originally Posted by The Lucas
We use a rumble pak that vibrates when we grab a ball. That doesnt make much noise and gets the drivers attention (they never look at LEDs). We used the rumble pack last year to indicate when our turret sees the target. I have heard other teams use them as well (not sure who). Rumble paks are easy to reverse engineer to work with a digital out (heck if convicts can figure out how to make tattoo guns with them, then it shouldn't be too difficult for a young engineer). |
Team 78 uses something very similar, we've used modified logitech dualshock 2 controllers for the last two years. The logitech dualshock two controller is the same model as the standard controller provded with the FTC kit of parts....only with a rumble feature. Last year we simply rewired the motors that controlled the vibrate inside the controller directly to the digital output of the DS and controlled it accordingly, but this year it required the cypress board to achieve the same effect.
By using the can bus on our jaguars we can monitor the current our vaccum is drawing and trigger the vibration motors when the current drops (when we have a ball in our possession). As a driver its particularly helpful when going for the balls that are against the bump nearest to me, which I can barely see.