Example gyro code released.

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Tom Bottiglieri

Is it possible for us to use the ADC for say.. another gyro?

Yes, but why would you?

-Kevin

[agentfat2004]

Kevin

I am a member of team 335 and one of 2 programmers. I have only been programming for a year and hardly know C(only know what i have read in Books).
I was wondering how to use the cmu camera and the gyro together for locating and directing a robot during the 15s. here is the desired algorithm

field [1/2 field length][1/2 field width]
Initilize camera
Track_color(green)
move_to_green()
Map_position_to_array

[CyberWolf_22]

I had a question similar to Tom's in that by using another gyro not to measure heading, but instead use it as tip sensor. Also I would like to use the accelerometer(instead of quadrature encoders) in autonomous mode which with the locking of the ADC I can't do that.

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by CyberWolf_22

I had a question similar to Tom's in that by using another gyro not to measure heading, but instead use it as tip sensor.

The accelerometer is the sensor of choice to measure pitch or roll. The gyro code can be modified to interleave gyro and accelerometer measurements.

Originally Posted by CyberWolf_22

Also I would like to use the accelerometer (instead of quadrature encoders) in autonomous mode which with the locking of the ADC I can't do that.

The encoders are a far better choice to measure distance than an accelerometer.

-Kevin

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by agentfat2004

I was wondering how to use the cmu camera and the gyro together for locating and directing a robot during the 15s.

Yeah, a lot of people want to use the scripting code with the camera code. I started on the merge a few days ago and can't really estimate when it'll be done because I don't yet fully understand what the camera code is doing. That coupled with camera code that's sprinkled throughout the default code instead of being confined to one source file makes the merge a bit of a headache.

-Kevin

[russell]

Wait.... You are going to make it so we can use that scripting stuff to control the robot with the camera? If so then that is absolutely the best news I have ever heard . I wish the default camera code was designed more for autonomous operation, rather than with a joystick and such. It would have saved me a lot of trouble.

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by russell

Wait.... You are going to make it so we can use that scripting stuff to control the robot with the camera? If so then that is absolutely the best news I have ever heard . I wish the default camera code was designed more for autonomous operation, rather than with a joystick and such. It would have saved me a lot of trouble.

Don't start celebrating yet. I haven't a clue if we can get this working.

-Kevin

[CyberWolf_22]

When I said using the accelerometer instead of quadrature encoders I meant to that it would be used along side the gear tooth sensors so that my team does not have to pay for the quadrature encoders they can use what is given in the kit. The accelerometer would only be used to integrate to velocity not position so that the teams could use only the sensors provided in the kit and have a little more knowledge of where there robot was going on the field.

[neilsonster]

I am having a bit of a problem with the gyro code at least I think I am... just to test out the gyro (a BEI Gyrochip ARQS-00075) I plugged it in and downloaded the code (edit: the newest frc_gyro code), and in the Terminal window for the Gyro Angle's output the value just keeps increasing infinitely. When I unplug the gyro while this is running it starts to decrease infinitely. To make sure the gyro was working I just tried doing an output of the analog value and it seemed to be fine. Any ideas? (sorry I don't have more exact information, I don't have all the hardware at my house!)

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by neilsonster

I am having a bit of a problem with the gyro code at least I think I am... just to test out the gyro (a BEI Gyrochip ARQS-00075) I plugged it in and downloaded the code (edit: the newest frc_gyro code), and in the Terminal window for the Gyro Angle's output the value just keeps increasing infinitely. When I unplug the gyro while this is running it starts to decrease infinitely. To make sure the gyro was working I just tried doing an output of the analog value and it seemed to be fine. Any ideas? (sorry I don't have more exact information, I don't have all the hardware at my house!)

I doesn't sound like you read the readme.txt file.

-Kevin

[marccenter]

Is the BEI gyro really illegal to use? I am a rookie engineer this year and see that Kevin Watson has included configuration for it in his navigation code. Our team coach handed me the sensor, from last year's kit, and I have begun wiring it in. IF illegal, why? I saw that the BEI gyro can be purchased on the web. Wouldn't a team just
count it's price in the electronics price of it's parts or is there some rule about past electronics parts. It seems awfully silly to have to not be able to reuse last year's electronic parts.

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by marccenter

Is the BEI gyro really illegal to use? I am a rookie engineer this year and see that Kevin Watson has included configuration for it in his navigation code. Our team coach handed me the sensor, from last year's kit, and I have begun wiring it in. IF illegal, why? I saw that the BEI gyro can be purchased on the web. Wouldn't a team just
count it's price in the electronics price of it's parts or is there some rule about past electronics parts. It seems awfully silly to have to not be able to reuse last year's electronic parts.

No one seems to know what dollar amount to assign to the BEI gyro. I fired-off an e-mail to the FIRST engineering staff seeking clarification, but haven't gotten a reply (I suspect they're kinda busy <grin>).

-Kevin

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by Kevin Watson

No one seems to know what dollar amount to assign to the BEI gyro. I fired-off an e-mail to the FIRST engineering staff seeking clarification, but haven't gotten a reply (I suspect they're kinda busy <grin>).

I asked for a quote direct from systron, and this is the respons I got:

Dear Mr. Ross:

Thank you for your interest in Systron Donner Inertial Division. The cost
for qty 1 AQRS is $325 each. Please note that Systron Donner has a $500
minimum order policy.

I have attached a data sheet for the LCG50. These units run $198 each for
qty 1-3.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. I will be happy to
provide a formal quotation.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Adrienne Warren
Marketing Coordinator
Systron Donner Inertial Division
(925) 671-6699 PH (925) 671-6647 FAX
awarren@systron.com
Website: www.systron.com

[Kevin Watson]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

I asked for a quote direct from systron, and this is the respons I got...

Okay, the semi-official, over-the-back-fence reading I got on the subject is that the BEI GyroChip gyro cannot be used if you purchase it new. It can, however, be used if you can find a source that will sell you a "used" one for less than $200. I suppose that if a team, for fundraising purposes, sold one of their gyros to a parent for anything less than $200 and that parent donated the gyro back to the school that would be kosher. Teams might also consider selling gyros to other teams. These are very nice gyros and I would really like to see teams use 'em instead of letting 'em collect dust next to the pile of broken drill motors in the storage cabinet.

-Kevin

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by Kevin Watson

Okay, the semi-official, over-the-back-fence reading I got on the subject is that the BEI GyroChip gyro cannot be used if you purchase it new. It can, however, be used if you can find a source that will sell you a "used" one for less than $200. I suppose that if a team, for fundraising purposes, sold one of their gyros to a parent for anything less than $200 and that parent donated the gyro back to the school that would be kosher. Teams might also consider selling gyros to other teams. These are very nice gyros and I would really like to see teams use 'em instead of letting 'em collect dust next to the pile of broken drill motors in the storage cabinet.

-Kevin

Be careful about trying to get around the accounting rules by "selling" last year's used BEI gyro to a team member and selling it back to your (or another) team. See rule <R19>.

-dave