Optical Mouse Navigation

[Craig Putnam]

Originally Posted by phrontist

How far along are you guys to a working system? I'm just waiting on parts

and I think Mr. Putnam actually has something working

Well, there is "working" and then there is "ready to reliably run in autonomous mode match after match". We definitely have not reached the latter state yet.

We have the optical system / circuit board mount done and ready to go. We have the illumination system done and ready to go. We have a presumably illegal interface chip (PAK-VIa from Al Williams, Inc.) between the mouse and the PIC that has to go (sigh...). And we have some PID code taking inputs from the mouse and gyro that is getting there, but isn't quite ready for prime time either.

We have a prototype system using an unmodified mouse mounted to the mini robot controller. If I have to divert a lot of time into eliminating the PAK chip then I have serious doubts as to whether we will get there in time.