Official Beacon Tracking Code Posted

[Kevin Watson]

I've posted the official IR beacon and IR beacon tracking and navigation code that was used at the kick-off here: http://kevin.org/frc. The folks at IFI will also be posting the code on their website. If you have questions about the code, please leave 'em here and I'll try to keep up .

-Kevin

[Andy Brockway]

Thanks Kevin,

Do we run this in the EduBot RC as a separate system?

Is anyone able to convert this to Pbasic so I can run it on a Parallax BOE?

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Andy Brockway

Thanks Kevin,

Do we run this in the EduBot RC as a separate system?

Yes, it was designed this way on purpose so that teams would be able to generate the beacon on their own fields. The field for this years game will use a EDU-RC to generate the beacon waveforms.

-Kevin

[galewind]

Originally Posted by Kevin Watson

Yes, it was designed this way on purpose so that teams would be able to generate the beacon on their own fields. The field for this years game will use a EDU-RC to generate the beacon waveforms.

-Kevin

hmmm.. that will be problematic if I don't go and get a 2nd 7.2v battery.

[KevinB]

Originally Posted by galewind

hmmm.. that will be problematic if I don't go and get a 2nd 7.2v battery.

Just get a 7.2V generic AC adaptor and add the necessary connector to make it connect to the EduRC.

[galewind]

I haven't read up yet on this, but where can we find what materials we will need to actually emit the waveforms?

[Rickertsen2]

Can you please describe the beacon waveform?

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Rickertsen2

Can you please describe the beacon waveform?

I'm working on additional documentation for the beacon and beacon tracking software. I'll post it as I complete it. Meanwhile have a look at this thread for a description.

-Kevin

[Rickertsen2]

Originally Posted by Kevin Watson

I'm working on additional documentation for the beacon and beacon tracking software. I'll post it as I complete it. Meanwhile have a look at this thread for a description.

-Kevin

Thanks. That scheme is relatively simple. Maybie if i find some time(not likley) i will post an alernative circuit, for those who do not wnat to use the edubot. This setup is easy to replicate using a handful of resistors, capacitors, and 555 timers.

Hmmm... I might have to look into the whole triangulation thing.

[doy]

Originally Posted by Rickertsen2

Thanks. That scheme is relatively simple. Maybie if i find some time(not likley) i will post an alernative circuit, for those who do not wnat to use the edubot. This setup is easy to replicate using a handful of resistors, capacitors, and 555 timers.

Hmmm... I might have to look into the whole triangulation thing.

hey, did you ever get that circuit working?

[danielkitchener]

Can anyone help out a confused person?
First, should we use 180-degree servos or 360-degree ones?
Second, minimum and maximum values for the servos are 0 and 254, respectively, right?
Third, is left servo position-127=right servo position, the beacon is centered, right?

[rosebud]

yes, we have successfully downloaded the frc default program. we have also tried to reset the controller, and when we do, the controller goes back into program state instead of running the program. has anyone else had this problem? i didnt change the navigation code before i downloaded it to the frc. thanks
becca

[Phil Roth]

Originally Posted by Kevin Watson

I'm working on additional documentation for the beacon and beacon tracking software. I'll post it as I complete it. Meanwhile have a look at this thread for a description.

-Kevin

Kevin,
Thanks for the link explaining that the system uses BOTH beacons instead of ONE. I guess it finally clicked. I had trouble understanding how to manuever both directions ( left and right )using using a single "line of sight" source. My trig skills havn't been used in 20 years so I hope the students can help us out with triangulation.

I am still a little confused why 4 receiving LEDS are used and not 2, 1 for each beacon. ??

-Phil

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Phil Roth

Kevin,
Thanks for the link explaining that the system uses BOTH beacons instead of ONE. I guess it finally clicked. I had trouble understanding how to manuever both directions ( left and right )using using a single "line of sight" source. My trig skills havn't been used in 20 years so I hope the students can help us out with triangulation.

I am still a little confused why 4 receiving LEDS are used and not 2, 1 for each beacon. ??

-Phil

No, actually the tracking software uses just one beacon for tracking. The type that it tracks is selected using a switch on digital I/O 7. We use four receiving sensors for speed and it simplified the tracking algorithm significantly (I'm still writing the theory of operation).

-Kevin

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Rickertsen2

Can you please describe the beacon waveform?

I've done an Illustration showing the beacon waveforms and the infrared sensors response. It's here: http://kevin.org/frc.

-Kevin